How expensive would it be to outfit each hard rock miner with a GPS in their belt?

Granted, any operation like mining must turn a profit. The Utah mine rescuers are now digging a 3rd shaft just trying to locate the trapped men. It seems to me that the initial cost of the GPS chips would be recovered in lives saved, and good will toward mines in general. Not to mention the huge expense in what may be just a body recovery. Do any mines use GPS? If not, why?

Expense is irrelevant, GPS signals cannot penetrate that deep through the earth.

You can't use GPS or cell phones because the signal won't penetrate the rock. Since coal is a good conductor, you need transmitters and receivers INSIDE the interior spaces of the mine to work. The miners in Utah had those - so much for the greedy mine owner comments.

Quote from the AP article about one of the miners that got out:

Tim Curtis was near the mine's entrance on Aug. 6 when he got a text message telling him of the collapse on his PED, or personal emergency device.

I have heard that a system is available that could be set up in the mines. I think that the safety benefits would outweigh the cost.

It is a great idea I think. No offense to taxi cab drivers but coal miners have a more valuable job. It is a very big source of energy for us and I doubt any of us could live without it.

Reading the question and some of the answers makes me think that schools these day don't teach the basics of science.

You don't need GPS. It won't work so well especially blocked by something as dense as a rock (or a bunch of rocks)

I'm sure for safety they mine in teams. Consider the team leader would carry a FM device that would send a 'strong' signal - the rock could affect that also.

The best option is t o hard wire a communication line. It would be as simple as the team leader would carry a telephone cord with them. Think of one cord, two lines at different potential (enclosed in a bulb), morse code. There is one issue - methane. It's best to reduce the amount of sparks created in the mine. If a large amount of methane is detected they shouldn't be there in the first place.

They don't need GPS..they need the cops to come and arrest that CO owner that keeps opening his mouth. Do you know he is claiming an earthquake caused this..and the seismologist keep saying there was no earthquake in the area..and everytime they do something to save them...they miss their mark.. Those Miners know what they are doing..Something is wrong..and I think that CO owner is covering up soemthing!!

How can a hard wire be the best solution when the wire would be severed when there is a cave in. GPS,and radios combined with pre drilling ahead of where the miners are going to start digging would give them a decent chance to breath until they can get to them without having to wait ten years to drill down to them at that point in time!

I thought about that too, but I think they are too far down.

There has to be something, though.

It's cheaper to take the chance on mind collapses. Hell, more taxi cab drivers die on the job each year than miners.