Booyco Electronics Launches Missing Person Locator for Underground Mines

South African mine safety technology company Booyco Electronics has launched a Missing Person Locator (MPL) designed to help mines locate workers during underground emergencies, including fires and rockfalls.

The system records miners’ last known locations and enables communication between underground personnel and surface control rooms. It aims to address a weakness in traditional emergency response procedures, where manual roll calls can delay rescue efforts and leave teams uncertain about where missing workers were last seen.

According to Vashalen Naidoo, electronic engineer at Booyco Electronics, the MPL uses a compact radio-frequency transceiver integrated into each miner’s cap lamp. Fixed communication anchors installed throughout underground workings receive signals from the devices, creating a record of personnel locations.

The system also supports two-way messaging. Surface control rooms can send messages to a miner’s cap lamp, allowing the worker to acknowledge an alert. A response can help confirm that the person is responsive, while a lack of acknowledgement may indicate that assistance is needed.

This information is intended to help rescue teams narrow their search and proceed towards a worker’s last recorded location instead of relying solely on manual headcounts.

Supporting Mine Safety Compliance

The launch comes amid changes to South Africa’s mine safety regulations. Chapter 16 of the Mine Health and Safety Regulations includes requirements for underground mines to provide intrinsically safe devices capable of determining workers’ last known locations if they go missing. The rules also require location systems to include data logging and form part of the mine’s emergency preparedness and response strategy.

Booyco Electronics chief executive Anton Lourens said the regulatory requirement was a key driver behind the development of the MPL.

The system can operate alongside existing proximity detection equipment or as a standalone solution. Depending on the mine’s requirements, it can integrate with existing underground communication infrastructure or use a dedicated communications network.

Using the Locator Before Blasting

The locator could also provide an additional layer of personnel accountability during routine mining operations, particularly before blasting. Mines must account for workers before blasting begins, and the MPL can help verify that personnel have left the affected underground areas.

However, Naidoo stressed that the technology does not replace existing roll-call procedures. Instead, it provides an additional check that could reduce the risk of human error.

Booyco Electronics sees personnel tracking as part of a wider approach to connected mine safety. Lourens said future developments could combine personnel location data with machine telemetry and behavioural information to help mines identify risks earlier and support safer evacuation planning.