The project includes the installation of Fluidintel's Adapt FMS (fuel management system) on 50 mine sites, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, BMA Coal, Angloamerican, Newcrest, Vale and Xstrata. Adapt FMS is the world’s leading FMS for hydrocarbon management on mine sites. Nedap’s Transit was selected to work along side this technology based on proven reliability in rugged and hazardous environments that the mining industry is known for.

For installation at mining operations an extremely reliable and accurate RFID reading performance was required. A system matching these requirements was needed to ensure accurate hydrocarbon management of all vehicles operating in the mine allowing for allocation of fuel consumption to the correct equipment. Additionally the system needed to be able to operate under the harshest environmental conditions as experienced in the mining industry.

Nedap’s robust Transit readers are built to withstand the harsh conditions encountered on the mining sites. The RFID readers, which enable automatic vehicle identification at distances of up to 10 m (33 ft.), are installed at hydrocarbon storage tanks located on different areas of the mining site.

The readers are integrated into the Fluidintel fuel management system (Adapt FMS) and are especially designed in a ruggedised housing to withstand the severest conditions. The system's remote tank monitoring provides a graphic display of fuel and oil storage tank levels across any site. Each dispense transaction for every vehicle is registered with the Nedap Transit system and automatically recorded and displayed in Adapt FMS.

Every equipment item (including all contractors and subcontractors, lighting plant, generators, heavy mining equipment), operating in the mine is equipped with Nedap’s Heavy Duty Tag. The Atex-certified tag is installed on a wide variety of heavy duty vehicles such as haul trucks, dump trucks, excavators and cranes to record fuel transaction data for each vehicle on the mine. On bigger sites, the rolling stock is also fitted with a Heavy Duty Tag. This durable, weather proof protected tag is ideal for applications requiring reliable long-range identification in the toughest environmental conditions, such as the Australian mines. Some vehicles are also equipped with a Compact Tag or Window Button.

FluidIntel’s Adapt FMS is the central web-based hub that provides tracking of all hydrocarbon storage, deliveries, transfers and dispenses across one or many mine sites.  “Adapt FMS provides live tank monitoring and registers all fuel transactions into and out of any tank. The RFID tag system will only allow authorised equipment to refuel with the transactions allocated to the correct equipment item and/or contractor. Using Nedap’s Transit improves fuel usage data accuracy, eliminates the 'human error' factor and ensures that only authorised vehicles have access to fuel,” according to Adam Dennis from Fluidintel.