Advanced through the earth communications

Introducing another industry-university collaboration made possible through the Australian Government Department of Education National Industry PhD Program: Professor Warwick Bowen from The University of Queensland‘s ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology (QUBIC), PhD candidate David John and Orica‘s Dr Rodney Appleby

Through-earth communication is important for mining, defence and geoscience. However, the high absorption of electromagnetic fields makes deep communications very challenging to achieve. Very-low frequency fields are used because this significantly reduces the absorption.

This project aims to solve the limitations of current blasting systems by addressing the power requirements and sensitivity of communication systems. Current technologies are reaching their limits, hindering deeper distance blasting and performance improvements.

This project is expected to increase sensor sensitivity, reduce power consumption, lengthen sleep times, reduce unit sizes, and improve communication capabilities offering longer term benefits to the Australian mining sector.

This project will develop and apply quantum magnetometers that operate at these frequencies and can achieve far better sensitivity than existing receivers, enabling deeper communications with lower above-earth power consumption.