## 1 Introduction
### Current Underground Mine Evacuation Strategies and Technologies  
The mining industry has made significant strides toward its goal of reducing the number of injuries and fatalities on the job. Various methods have been developed to ensure mines' safety. All these techniques aim to address at least one of the following: effective communications, real-time position monitoring, navigation, etc. The release of stench gas is one of the oldest mine warning techniques, but it has limitations such as its slow response and unreliability and the potential for miner debilitation due to the odorant's toxicity [35; 36]. Detection and warning systems, such as real-time and high-resolution rock mass crack detection, coupled with radio and messaging systems, are more effective at alarming miners of threats, such as fires and rockfalls, and improving evacuation performance [37]. However, even with technological advancements, there is still no guarantee that miners will comply with evacuation orders. Wireless communication and electronic tracking technologies, such as RFID, Wi-Fi, and WSN, have been developed for precise location tracking of miners and to ensure rapid response during emergencies [38; 39; 40; 35].  
The traditional method for marking escape paths in underground mines uses signs, symbols, and maps, but it suffers from poor visibility in hazy environments. Various pathfinding and optimization algorithms, such as Dijkstra's, Floyd-Warshall, and integer programming models, have been utilized to determine the ideal escape route in the event of an emergency [41; 42; 43; 44]. MineSafe, an application that can run on smartwatches, is designed to enable two-way communication, track miners, identify and predict potential hazards, receive real-time event reports, and provide automated safety recommendations during emergencies [35; 45]. Virtual reality (VR) technology is now being used for training miners on mine evacuation protocols, safety knowledge and awareness, self-rescue, danger assessment and avoidance, and disaster escape [46]. The current VR training systems for the mining industry can be categorized into three types based on the input/output devices employed by the VR system, which are screen-based general type, the projector-based customized type, and the head-mounted display (HMD)-based intuitive type [47]. The use of VR simulations has been shown to improve learning and comprehension of complex topics, save training time, enhance efficacy, and reduce the cost of education. The isolation of mining, particularly underground, makes it essential for miners to be prepared for emergencies [48; 49; 50; 51; 52; 53]. Research shows that while training and preparation can reduce the chances of unfavorable outcomes, they may not eliminate them entirely. Proper training is critical for a prompt and effective emergency response. Detecting the fire hazard, identifying it accurately, and having competent responders are necessary for safely extinguishing a mine fire. It is crucial for miners to be well prepared for unforeseen eventualities, and thus, emergency preparedness and response are important for mine safety [35]. However, all these methods fail to address the human behaviors that could impact the evacuation behavior of evacuees.