Suggested Taxonomy: Tracking Technologies to Effectively Capture and Input Key Data on the Blockchain

Within the paper titled "Transparency with Blockchain and Physical Tracking Technologies: Enabling Traceability in Raw Material Supply Chains" (Mater. Proc. 2021, 5(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/materproc2021005001), we consider the majority of tracking technologies to be part of the IoT ecosystem and suggest a taxonomy with their key features, benefits and use cases in the mining industry. Although technologies such as markers and QR/Barcodes are not necessarily electronic devices, they can integrate with other IoT objects and provide or qualify a digital identity. The common element connecting all these technologies is that they include functionalities that can capture and communicate granular, timely, relevant and accurate data, which can be automatically or manually entered into the blockchain. 

We have analysed the following most common physical tracking methods which will be described and exemplified in more detail below:

Video monitoring (Table 1)

Bar and QR codes (Table 2)

Markers and taggants (Table 3)

Cellular, near range and low power network tracking tools (Table 4)

Satellite network tracking tools (Table 5)