The present work proposes a distributed collaborative immersive virtual reality framework for prospective applications in the mining industry. A human-centered approach is described, with people being placed in the central position and surrounded by tasks that are to be carried out. Those tasks can be then achieved through synchronous or asynchronous communication, interactions using properly constructed user interfaces, virtual and/or augmented realities and computer vision. Several examples of such arrangements are presented. One of the applications facilitates an e-learning experience by providing a very familiar object - a book - as a target for users to interact with. Importantly, this system has the potential to provide an enhanced' teaching medium, as humans tend to remember events/situations better when they experience those events in person, when the immersive factor is involved. The immersive virtual reality environment enables a user to interact physically with various 3D objects and experience behaviours, which in turn reinforces the idea that doing leads to learning. This prototype system can be implemented as an efficient and cost effective e-learning and training platform for different engineering domains. At another level, the same technology can be used in the tele-operation of mining equipment for the future mine._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Bednarz, T, James, C, Haustein, K, Caris, C, Alem, L and Widzyk-Capehart, E, 2011. Distributed collaborative immersive virtual reality framework for future mine scenarios, in Proceedings Second International Future Mining Conference 2011, pp 145-150 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).