Dust that is a nuisance, not a hazard
Iron ore and alumina dust mainly wear on seals and ports. Coal dust is combustible and may be classified. IP68 sealing helps either way, and the Zone 21 target applies where a site has classified dust.
Australia · Mining
Explosion proof mobile phone for mining in Australia
An explosion proof mobile phone for mining in Australia depends on the mineral. Iron ore is not a combustible dust, but coal is, and underground coal mines are governed by a different regime altogether. This page separates iron ore, surface coal and coal handling, and underground coal, and says plainly where the IS-04Z1 Zone 1 and Zone 21 design target does and does not apply. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety rather than a flameproof enclosure.
Launching Q4 2026 · IECEx dust-rating programme in progress
Local approvalANZEx · IECExIECEx · ANZEx in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
The sector · Australia
Explosion proof mobile phone use across Australian mining
Pilbara iron ore, run by BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue, moves ore along private railways to ports at Port Hedland and Dampier. Queensland's Bowen Basin and New South Wales's Hunter Valley produce coal, which is exported through terminals such as Hay Point, Abbot Point, Gladstone and Newcastle. Anglo American and Glencore operate Bowen Basin coal mines. Gladstone also handles alumina. For a classified area, the useful question is what the site handles: diesel, coal dust and methane create hazards, whereas iron ore generally does not, and a site's hazardous area register, not the commodity name, is the document to read.
Operators and sites
- BHP
- Pilbara iron ore, with company rail and Port Hedland berths.
- Rio Tinto and Fortescue
- Pilbara iron ore mines, rail and ports.
- Anglo American
- Bowen Basin coal operations.
- Glencore
- Coal in Queensland and New South Wales.
- Coal export terminals
- Hay Point, Abbot Point and Gladstone in Queensland, Newcastle in New South Wales.
- Gladstone alumina
- Refining and wharf handling in the Gladstone industrial area.
Typical hazardous areas
- Coal preparation plants
- Combustible coal dust in crushing, screening and conveyor areas.
- Coal stockpiles and ship-loaders
- Dust classification where the site's assessment applies it.
- Fuel storage and refuelling
- Diesel vapour at tanks and dispensing points.
- Workshops and battery charging
- Hydrogen and solvent vapour where assessed.
- Explosives storage and blast sites
- Radio-frequency restrictions, not zone classification.
- Underground coal
- Methane and dust, under Group I equipment rules.
Built for local conditions
What mining does to a handset
Zone numbers matter less in Australian mining than the combination of heat, dust and distance. These are the conditions that decide which features count.
IP ratingIP68
Battery4,000 mAh
Camera50 MP
OSAndroid 16
Underground coal is a separate case
Underground coal mines use Group I equipment and are regulated by state regulators such as Resources Safety and Health Queensland and the NSW Resources Regulator. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Group II surface areas and should not be assumed to suit underground coal.
Distance and rosters
Many sites run on fly-in fly-out rosters, and a haul-road drive can be long. The 4,000 mAh battery is specified for a full shift away from a charger.
A transmitter near explosives
Radio-frequency controls near blast loading apply to any phone, whatever its Ex marking. The IS-04Z1 should be treated as a transmitter under the site blast procedure.
Many sites, one console
Android Enterprise management lets a mining company run one profile across mines, rail and ports, with different camera and application policies by site.
Use cases · Mining
Where the IS-04Z1 goes to work.
Coal handling01
Coal preparation and conveyor inspections
A maintenance crew on a preparation plant records bearing temperatures and photographs defects at conveyor transfer points where coal dust is classified.
Fuel02
Refuelling and fuel farm rounds
Haul trucks are fuelled at bays where diesel vapour is controlled. A handset carries the job list and photographs without leaving the zone.
Ports03
Ship-loader and wharf maintenance
At a coal or iron ore terminal, shutdown crews work beside resident staff. Enrolled handsets can be locked to approved applications.
Work pattern and buying
How work is organised, and what buyers ask
Mining companies run their own contractor management and supplier approval, and the process differs between a Pilbara iron ore operator and a Queensland coal mine. These are the points to raise with each company's own teams. SAMS makes no claim of any relationship with any miner named here.
- Rosters
- Most remote mines use fly-in fly-out workers on fixed rotations. Handsets passed between crews need a known enrolment state.
- Contractors
- Mining contractors work to the host company's site rules. Ask who supplies the handset, the host or the contractor.
- Supplier approval
- Each operator's procurement and HSE teams set what a supplier must provide. SAMS has not been through any such process; ask for the current documents.
- Evidence
- IECEx certificate and scope, ANZEx from the same test reports, and the ACMA RCM radio marking. All in progress ahead of Q4 2026.
- Group I and Group II
- Confirm with the state regulator and the mine whether the area is surface Group II or underground Group I before any handset is considered.
Questions · Mining
Frequently asked questions
Is the IS-04Z1 certified for mining use in Australia yet?
No. The device is pre-launch, with IECEx and ANZEx certification in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No certificate has been issued.
Can it be used in underground coal mines?
It is designed for Group II surface areas, not Group I underground coal. Underground use needs equipment certified to the mining group and accepted by the state regulator.
Does iron ore dust need a Zone 21 handset?
Iron ore is not normally treated as combustible dust. Coal dust is, so coal preparation and handling plants are where dust classification arises.
Is there a page for BHP specifically?
Yes. The explosion proof phone for BHP in the Pilbara page covers the Pilbara chain of mines, railway and ports in more detail.
Enquiry · Mining
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Mining, Australia
Tell us the site, the zone and gas group, and roughly how many handsets. The SAMS team replies by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule for Australia. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and certification is in progress, so there is no list price yet; indicative pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
Enquiry · Mining
Launching Q4 2026
Evaluating the IS-04Z1 for this site?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule for your market.