In underground hard rock mining, every minute after a blast counts. Delays in post blast re-entry can have a significant impact on both productivity and safety. Harmful gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO) often linger in headings and production zones after blasting, posing serious risks to personnel. These gases must be ventilated to safe levels before anyone can re-enter the area.
Traditionally, this ventilation process depends on fixed cycles and manual gas checks. Though intentionally conservative, these methods can result in unnecessary delays – wasting valuable production time and reducing overall efficiency.
HELIX 1.5 automates and optimises post blast ventilation, enabling faster, safer re-entry through real-time monitoring and intelligent control.
Smarter Post-Blast Ventilation
HELIX 1.5 integrates with existing gas sensors and ventilation infrastructure using MODBUS protocols. The system continuously monitors gas levels after a blast, assessing real-time conditions.
When gas concentrations exceed safe thresholds, HELIX automatically activates the necessary ventilation fans to accelerate the clearance process. Operators can monitor live gas trends via an intuitive interface, gaining immediate visibility into atmospheric conditions. Once gases return to safe, respirable levels, HELIX generates alerts and returns fans to normal or energy-saving modes, helping balance performance and power use.
This approach replaces guesswork with data, allowing re-entry decisions to be made confidently and quickly – without compromising safety.
Benefits of faster re-entry with HELIX 1.5:
- Reduced re-entry delays based on real-time gas data.
- Less production downtime – crews return to headings sooner.
- Improved safety – entry only occurs under verified safe conditions.
- Energy efficiency through dynamic ventilation control.
- Lower CO₂e emissions through optimised LV travel and ventilation energy.
Ventilation on Presence
Beyond blast recovery, HELIX 1.5 also enhances everyday operations through presence-based ventilation. Integrated with personnel and vehicle tracking, the system ensures ventilation is aligned with zone occupancy.
When a personnel or equipment enters a zone, local ventilation is automatically activated. When the zone is unoccupied, fans power down — reducing energy use and equipment wear.
Benefits of ventilation on presence:
- Energy savings – fans operate only when needed, reducing overall power consumption.
- Extended equipment lifespan – reduced wear and tear on ventilation infrastructure.
- Lower site-wide carbon footprint – through optimised energy use, supporting site sustainability goals.
- Improved Health and Safety outcomes – safe airflow maintained when personnel are present.
Operational Value with HELIX 1.5
HELIX 1.5 simplifies and streamlines mine ventilation workflows. Mines can reduce post-blast downtime, maximise ventilation efficiency, and strengthen compliance with safety standards. By automating key ventilation processes, the system also frees up personnel to focus on production-critical tasks, improving overall operational performance.
Ready to optimise your underground operations?
Contact our team to learn how HELIX 1.5 can help you achieve faster re-entry, smarter ventilation, and greater operational efficiency.