South African proximity detection system (PDS) specialist Booyco Electronics has further extended its global reach with a recent contract to a surface gold mine in Chile.

According to Anton Lourens, CEO of Booyco Electronics, over 50 of its market-leading Booyco CXS systems have been installed on vehicles and other machinery on the mine. The installations followed a demanding testing phase which confirmed the customer’s trust in the technology. The project was carried out in collaboration with Booyco Electronics’ distributor in the region – mining and industrial technology company Insucam.

“South America is a key focus in our drive to open markets abroad, so we are excited about the take-up of our latest CXS offering in that region,” says Lourens. “Safety on site is always a core concern for mines, and we value the opportunity to help them ensure that all their teams get home safely at the end of every day.”

Carlos Pinto Reyes, business development and new technologies manager at Insucam, says the customer analysed several systems in the market, finding that the Booyco CXS gave them the greatest reliability.

This latest generation offering is built on Booyco Electronics’ pioneering role in developing PDS solutions for over 15 years. Ongoing product improvement has allowed the company to continuously enhance its features and functionality, creating a best-in-class product.

“After the installation of the Booyco Electronics CXS systems, every operator on the mine is aware of the exact location of machines and their distance away,” says Pinto Reyes. “They are quickly alerted to any possibility of collision, as the system tracks the trajectory, speed and position of each machine. Operators also appreciate how intuitive the system is, while not overwhelming them with persistent sounds.”

He highlights that the Booyco Electronics CXS uses direct GPS signals from three constellations of satellites to determine spatial positions, so it is not reliant on the GPRS coverage used by mobile phones. This is an important advantage for mines located in remote areas without reliable GPRS signal.

Lourens emphasises that the success of Booyco Electronics has been based on its high level of support wherever its products are installed, through which it builds long-term relationships.

“We therefore partner with credible companies like Insucam, with the requisite technical skills, resources and footprint to ensure the optimal performance of our PDS products,” he says.

Insucam has over a decade of experience in systems to improve the operation of mining machinery, and serves customers in South American countries including Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico.

The technology advances made by Booyco Electronics’ CXS solution elevates it from being a warning system only to being a fully-fledged collision avoidance system – avoiding collisions between vehicles or between pedestrians and vehicles. It therefore provides a comprehensive and integrated response to Level 7, Level 8 and Level 9 safety levels – as defined by the Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT).