Rajant Kinetic Mesh network proves worth at revitalised Porcupine Gold Mines

Revitalising a historic gold mine located adjacent to the city of Timmins, Ontario, into an open pit site
is no small feat. Goldcorp Porcupine Gold Mines (PGM) faced this challenging task when it launched the Hollinger Project. The project itself was quite an undertaking initially, but the end result was positive for all involved.
When the site – originally an underground operation – closed in 1989, the mining activity that had taken place from 1910 to 1968 had left its mark. PGM had to contend with mine shaft openings, near surface stopes, small pits and ground subsidences. After an extensive review, PGM decided that an open pit mine was the best option for the property.

While determining the set-up was a good first step, PGM had major considerations to address on the way to fully operationalising the site. One of the most important considerations was implementing and maintaining a private wireless network for communications. PGM required a private network, as broadcasting over a public Wi-Fi network posed security risks. PGM installed MineStar, from Caterpillar, in 2004 and was broadcasting communications between the office and the fleet via the 900 MHz frequency. The team was very happy with the robust system, as it presented very few communications issues.

Communications is an important consideration because PGM uses its network for applications such as automating drills. A few years later, PGM learned that MineStar would not support 900 MHz for much longer. The mining company now had to find a different solution – one that would not require upgrades in the near future. PGM had to consider a couple of important facts when searching for its next communications network. The site’s proximity to Timmins and its topography made implementing any wireless network a tricky endeavour. The city was one cause of interference, especially after it installed its own 900 MHz frequency system, which fought with PGM’s system for bandwidth. The five-mile haul road between the open pit and the crusher was also subject to interference, as it wound through a dense pine forest.

The mining company needed a network built to withstand a rugged, mobile environment plagued with interference issues. PGM had no idea at first that a solution designed for this very type of environment already existed. PGM decided to move forward with an LTE (Long-Term Evolution) solution for the level of security it offered. The Mining and Special Projects Manager at one vendor did not allow this development to stop his resolve. Jamal Mohammed, of high-tech solutions provider SITECH Mid-Canada, was adamant in his conviction that Rajant, a Kinetic Mesh network solutions provider, could resolve PGM’s wireless communication issues. “We truly believe that Rajant’s network is the most reliable solution and a perfect fit for PGM’s needs. It offers the airtight security they require and was designed for rugged environments, both priorities for PGM,” Mohammed said.

Rajant Kinetic Mesh networks have demonstrated the ability to adapt to on-the-fly network changes better than other type of networking technologies. In addition, these networks can handle interference crossing multiple channels, as well as movement onto or off the network, with extreme precision. These variables have made Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh network a suitable match for mining operations. After some time, PGM concluded that LTE was not the best option for its needs. As a result, PGM MineStar Fleet Management Coordinator Shahn Cybulski resumed the conversation with Mohammed. Once Cybulski and his team learned more, they were attracted to the level of security Rajant’s network offered and the local support that SITECH offered. Cybulski and his team were convinced, and PGM signed the contract in August 2014. From there, the race was on to implement the network as close to the original September 2014 deadline as possible.

It was impossible for SITECH to make the September deadline because it had to order equipment, which took a minimum of six to eight weeks to arrive. The team was able to begin work when the equipment arrived in October. PGM did not want to fall too far behind regardless of circumstances. Given the priority to implement the mesh network as quickly as possible, SITECH and Rajant collaborated to keep the project moving at a steady pace. The team worked day and night for two weeks, and completed the implementation on October 17, 2014.

“PGM was very pleased because we all worked together to complete the project in a timely manner. My crew performed well, and the Rajant team was fully supportive even though it could have pushed back on the deadline,” Mohammed said. SITECH installed 30 nodes on mobile equipment and seven fixed nodes at important communication points throughout the site, including the drills, haul road and main office building. Since the network does not require the level of power usage that others might, SITECH was able to install some of the nodes on solar trailers. This was important to PGM, as the company is passionate about environmental preservation.

Nodes are the backbone of Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh wireless network. Each node, which Rajant brands as BreadCrumbs®, serves as an intelligent repeater, a wireless access point and a wireless-to-wired bridge. BreadCrumbs are available in various frequency bands, and can be battery- or DC- powered. BreadCrumbs possess the flexibility to transmit and receive data through a myriad of connectivity solutions, including LTE, satellite, point-to-point wireless or wired networks. Since the nodes are able to communicate with each other rather than relying on a single controller node, PGM is able to operate all data communication over a common wireless infrastructure with no single point of failure. In addition, voice, data and video communications can “hop” from node to node with very little administrative overhead burdening the network. The network also can rebuild and “heal” itself based on whatever wireless nodes are available, and nodes can be added as desired to further enhance network performance. In a true ad hoc wireless mesh, the network’s strength improves with the addition of nodes.

While Rajant’s network is set up for success, every site has its challenges, and a main issue at PGM is the five-mile distance between the open pit and the crusher. Telecommunications company Ambra Solutions designed the network for PGM. Eric L’Heureux, President of Solutions at Ambra Solutions, addressed the distance issue by using fibre as the backbone. Fibre is subject to break, so L’Heureux incorporated redundancy to maintain communications between the two points. He did this by designing multiple radios that connected to a backbone source. L’Heureux’s hard work has already paid off, most recently by preventing costly downtime in March 2015. Rajant’s network continued to communicate with the drills despite a fiber breakage. PGM’s drills are equipped with a high precision GPS navigation system to direct them. Without the requisite data delivered on the Rajant network, they will not function correctly.

Cybulski was surprised to discover that the drills remained in operation even after the fibre broke, with network communications unaffected by the breakage. L’Heureux confirmed to Cybulski that as long as it did not lose connectivity in the main hub, the network would continue functioning. This is a significant benefit on a mining site such as the Hollinger Project.