Telecomms major Bell and MacLean, the world’s largest Canadian-based manufacturer of underground mining equipment, today announced a technology collaboration to better support the evolving needs of mining customers. The innovations being introduced will improve equipment interoperability – the way in which machines exchange and make use of information – enhancing safety for workers and driving sustainable practices and reduced vehicle emissions.
The installation of a Bell Private Mobile Network (PMN) at the MacLean Research & Training Facility in Sudbury, Ontario, provides a communications infrastructure perfectly suited for mining vehicle innovation. Bell’s PMN will transform the test facility into a Centre of Excellence, leveraging Bell’s secure 5G/LTE network that delivers persistent, dedicated bandwidth and signal stability from the surface shop to the underground environment.
This Centre of Excellence serves as the foundation for MacLean’s mobile equipment research and development. It enables the company’s mining vehicles to be more dependably controlled remotely, with real-time monitoring data to support rapid decision-making. Remote operations allow machines to work together better, maximising the potential for the deployment of semi or fully autonomous mining, where underground excavations can be done safely by operators above ground. Remote operators can also monitor vehicles from a distance without lag, powered by Bell’s low-latency PMN.
The collaboration between Bell and MacLean exemplifies a commitment to sustainable mining practices as Bell has also installed PMN coverage at MacLean’s Electric Vehicle refurbishment plant located in the same facility. Replicating the operating environment in the manufacturing facility optimises quality assurance and manufacturing efficiencies. Accelerating the transformation of mining companies’ digital services enables the deployment of electric vehicles underground using sophisticated battery technologies that leverage real-time monitoring, with reductions in fuel use and CO2 emissions.
David Jacques, VP Engineering, MacLean: “What we’re doing here at our research and training facility is quite literally building the mine of the future, now, leveraging Bell’s leading-edge mobile network technology, so that we can accelerate the industry transition to mining in a way that maximises the benefits from emerging automation and digitalisation technologies. This new private mobile network technology will help us pursue our core work of driving safety and productivity improvements in mining, here in Canada and around the globe. I’m delighted with the results of this collaboration and know that it will open new possibilities for our Advanced Vehicles and Technology team at our test facility to pursue their important innovation work.”
Costa Pantazopoulos, VP Product, Bell: “Bell’s private mobile network will allow MacLean to drive the modernisation of mining operations in Canada supporting the interoperability of equipment, safer environments for all workers, and fostering a more sustainable future through the enablement of battery electric mining vehicles. Our collaboration will support the opportunity for innovative Canadian Internet of Things solutions providers to test and modify their solutions to perform at the exacting standards required in rugged, real-world mining conditions in MacLean’s Centre of Excellence.”
