Abstract:
The mining industry is a critical pillar of national economic development. The construction of intelligent mines has become an essential strategy to ensure mine safety and safeguard national energy and resource security. Smart mines aim to integrate and interconnect mine data, enabling intelligent environmental perception, automated system coordination, and proactive early warning of major disaster risks. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, a non-contact automatic identification method, offers strong environmental adaptability, high efficiency, uniqueness, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness. With the progressive development and extensive application of RFID technology, the mining industry, in the process of smart mine development, has begun to incorporate RFID into multiple aspects. To deepen the understanding of RFID technology and advance its application in mine intelligence, this study conducted a comprehensive and systematic review of the RFID system architecture, operating principles, and antenna miniaturization techniques. This in-depth analysis provides a solid theoretical basis for the wider adoption of RFID in mining scenarios. Subsequently, it presents a detailed overview of the current research and practical applications of RFID in various mining-related fields, including materials, safety, and production management. Moreover, this study identifies the constraints and limitations and discusses prospective directions for future development. Specifically, in materials management, RFID implementation has effectively addressed disorganized logistics, reduced labor costs, and enhanced material handling efficiency. In safety management, RFID is primarily used for underground inspections, personnel positioning, and equipment safety monitoring. These applications significantly reduce the risk of mechanical and electrical accidents, increase equipment operating rates, and minimize personnel casualties. However, RFID still faces challenges in terms of positioning accuracy; therefore, further optimization of positioning algorithms or integration with complementary positioning technologies is required. In production management, RFID is applied to coal–rock interface detection and ore tracking. RFID tags enable the precise tracking of material movement, supporting a better understanding of material flow and property analysis. Although RFID can substantially improve production efficiency and process transparency, its practical deployment is hindered by several challenges. Under harsh conditions involving blasting or mechanical impact, appropriate encapsulation materials should be selected to protect RFID tags and enhance their survival rate. Measures must be taken to mitigate the reading performance degradation caused by tag burial within materials. In addition, the electromagnetic interference prevalent in mining environments may impair RFID read/write performance. Hence, a comprehensive site assessment is recommended prior to system deployment to ensure optimal reliability and functionality. Currently, intelligent mine development remains fragmented, focusing on isolated subsystems. In addition, a unified intelligent management framework has yet to be established. Data from various domains remain isolated. Looking ahead, with continued advancements in smart mine initiatives, seamless information sharing across the entire mining industry chain is anticipated. Continuous optimization of RFID technology, enhancement of its anti-interference capabilities in complex environments, and reductions in the size of ultra-high-frequency tag antennas can satisfy the demands of broader future applications. This study offers new insights into pressing challenges in the mining sector and serves as an invaluable reference for promoting the digital transformation and intelligent construction of the mining industry.