The recently launched key licensing system from Booyco Electronics is already attracting widespread interest in the local mining industry. The Booyco biometric key unit is the ideal solution where controlled access to moveable items such as earthmoving and mining equipment, blasting boxes and carts, as well as conveyor starter panels and sub-stations is essential.

The Booyco biometric key unit eliminates the injudicious borrowing of keys or access cards, thereby limiting access to sensitive and critical equipment. The system requires dual verification through a smart card that contains the user’s detailed information and the user’s fingerprint.

“When the user’s fingerprint is presented to the biometric fingerprint reader, he will be verbally requested by the system to present his card to the key unit. Once the user’s identity and credentials have been authenticated, they will be permitted to open boxes or start up equipment,” Anton Lourens, managing director of Booyco Electronics, explains.

Information such as the user’s red ticket, vehicle licence, induction certification and other work-related credentials are stored on the Mifare proximity card. “Should any of his information be invalid due to expiry of certificates or possible suspensions, he will not be permitted to access the specific equipment. This registration failure, together with other access data captured during log-in transactions, will be stored on the system for future downloading,” he continues.

The system is housed in a robust metallic case that is ideally suited to the harsh conditions found on mining sites. The tamper-proof system, with an IP54 rating, is suitable for use in mining environments.  Booyco also has an approved unit suitable for use in hazardous areas ie intrinsically safe.

It incorporates an Ethernet connection for fast and seamless communication with computers and networks, allowing the rapid download of data for analysis. Each registration allows for 10 user fingerprints to be recorded and the entire system stores up to 15 000 fingerprints and 10 000 proximity card IDs. Up to 100 000 access registrations can be stored on the system before downloading to a PC is required, making it ideal for deployment on remote sites.

“The use of the Booyco biometric key unit on mine sites will result in enhanced control of accessibility to equipment that requires careful management. In addition to its obvious usefulness in protecting moveable equipment, we anticipate that the system will be adopted underground in other control environments, such as explosive magazines and underground substations,” Lourens concludes.

BIOMETRIC KEY UNIT PIC 01 : The Booyco biometric key unit is the ideal solution where controlled access to moveable items such as earthmoving and mining equipment.