GeoSystems Africa, a leading multibrand distributor of survey, measurement and geosolution products and accessories, today announced that its Leica TPS 400 Total Station Theodolites now have the option of being modified to be intrinsically safe for use in potentially explosive and hazardous mining environments.

The Leica TPS400 Series has a wide range of survey applications with simplified operational procedures and a high level of functionality and reliability.  With 3", 5" and 7" classes of accuracy, the TCR400ultra versions can produce reflectorless measurements up to more than 1000 metres.  The modified Leica TPS 400 Total Station is a flexible solution for potentially hazardous underground survey needs.

"Intrinsically safe instrumentation refers to equipment and wiring which is incapable of releasing sufficient electrical or thermal energy under normal or abnormal conditions to cause ignition of a specific hazardous atmospheric mixture in its most easily ignited concentration," says Eric Goodall, GeoSystems Africa' service engineer.  "This is achieved by limiting the amount of power available to the electrical equipment in the hazardous area to a level below that which will ignite the gases.  Intrinsically safe instrumentation assumes the fuel and oxygen is present in the atmosphere, but the system is designed so the electrical energy or thermal energy of a particular instrument loop can never be great enough to cause ignition."

Traditionally, protection from explosion in hazardous environments has been accomplished by either using explosion proof apparatus, which can contain an explosion inside an enclosure, or pressurisation that isolates the explosive gas from the electrical equipment.  Intrinsically safe apparatus cannot replace these methods in all applications, but where possible can provide significant cost savings in installation and maintenance of the equipment in a hazardous area. 

"Through our internal modifications of the Leica TPS400 series we have significantly reduced the amount of available energy so that ignition cannot occur," adds Goodall.  “Connectivity to outside data collectors is not an issue as the data collector is onboard and all information is saved to the CPU."

Goodall, who initiated the modification and who has project managed its development, says that the Leica TPS400 Total Station intrinsically safe modifications have been independently tested and certified to meet the requirements of the SANS 60079 regulations and are fully approved for use in hazardous and potentially explosive underground mines.

"This modification has been developed and continuously tested over a number of years.  The extensive testing in various highly explosive environments has surpassed our expectations.  We have also tested beyond the required parameters and those tests have also been very successful."

Geosystems Africa is also pleased to report that I.S. certification for the Leica Disto A5 was achieved in 2007. The unit is certified for underground use in potentially explosive environments, and is also modified to the SANS 60079 specification. The popular hand held unit has a measuring accuracy of +/- 1.5mm, and a functional range of +/- 200m.

The success of GeoSystems Africa's products is based on product quality, accuracy and reliability of the Leica-Geosystems range of products.  The company is a licensed distributor of Leica-Geosystems, Survey and Measurement products based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland.

“We have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the South African mining industry," said Huxley Reynolds, MD of GeoSystems Africa "We are excited to be able to bring to this industry this intrinsically safe version of the Leica TPS400 series. Through partnering with our customers, innovative technology that is supportive of both our company's vision and our customers needs becomes an ever increasing reality with extensive benefits to individual users and manufactures alike."