Emerging trends in information and communication technology in mine safety and disaster management

There is tremendous growth in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Remote Sensing, Satellite Communication, and Modeling &; Simulation techniques. These tools and techniques helps significantly in characterizing infrastructure, risk area and disaster zones, planning and implementation of hazards reduction measures etc. Communication satellites becomes vital for providing emergency communication and timely relief measures. Integration of space technology inputs into natural disaster monitoring and mitigation mechanisms is critical for hazard reduction. This paper mainly focused on all the issues described above. Major emphasis had been given to the recent developments in information &; communication technology enabled tools and their applications in mining industries for safe mining operations with increased productivity.