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As mining activities go deeper beneath the surface of the Earth, the harsher the environment becomes for people and machines. Intense heat, lack of fresh air, contaminants and structural instability is driving researchers’ efforts at the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) to design protective equipment that can stand up to the realities of a deep mining environment.

The next generation of integrated personal protective equipment (IPPE) will represent a remarkable feat of integration and collaboration by multiple industry partners. The suits and helmets will embody everything from thermal controls and air supply to communications and heads-up display capabilities. They will filter, cool, protect and monitor vital signs, while providing lighting, power supply and recording functions.

“All mines will have the same issues as we go deeper,” says Douglas Morrison, CEMI president and chief executive officer. “Many are at that Rubicon we call 2.5 kilometers. That’s typically the point where it becomes difficult to push cool air from the surface and keep it cool when it arrives. It’s a significant line in the sand.”