China deploys AI to monitor non-coal mines in 1st to bolster safety

​​​​​​​By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - China deployed artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor non-coal mines -- a first to improve mining safety, China Daily reported Thursday.

The system that was introduced on March 12 demonstrated its effectiveness last month by detecting an emergency 580 meters (1,903 feet) underground and triggering alarms.

The system was made possible through the integration of the DeepSeek model into the monitoring framework that was developed by Hubei Lonmon Phosphorus Chemical Co., based in China’s central Hubei province.

"Our engineers gathered data from the mines during the day and refined the AI algorithms in the lab at night. They transformed seven decades of mining accident reports, numerous national and industry safety regulations and millions of monitoring datasets into valuable training resources," said Deputy General Manager Dong Songwu.

In early 2023, the company's tech team tested several foreign AI models but found them unsuitable for managing complex geological conditions, resulting in repeated failures.

A breakthrough occurred early this year with the introduction of the DeepSeek model, which provided advanced semantic understanding and multimodal processing capabilities, offering the team a promising new direction.

The system autonomously detects hazards, initiates corrective actions, and coordinates with other systems to address violations and trigger alarms, greatly enhancing efficiency and safety.