Mobile TeleSystems PJSC (MTS), Russia’s largest mobile operator and a leading provider of media and digital services, will build a commercial 5G-ready private network for the iron ore mining and processing plant JSC Karelsky Okatysh, which is part of the world’s largest steel and mining company PJSC Severstal. The network will be built on the Ericsson Dedicated Network solution.
According to the signed agreement, MTS will build for Karelsky Okatysh on the territory of its mines and production facilities in the Republic of Karelia a dedicated LTE/5G-ready network for dispatching voice and video communication systems, positioning and video monitoring of transport and mining equipment, as well as emergency notification and operational management of the production complex. The network is scheduled to launch in April 2022. For the second stage of the project, it is planned to modernise solutions for the automation of processes for the extraction, transportation, and processing of ore, as well as solutions for the collection, processing, storage and visualisation of data.
The network will be built on the Ericsson Dedicated Networks solution, which includes the cloud-based packet core of the operator-class Ericsson network. For the first stage of the project, the network will operate in the LTE standard with the possibility of a smooth and fast upgrade to 5G.
Georgy Dzhabiev, Director, Digital Solutions, MTS, says: “Over the past two years, our company has implemented numerous pilot projects of dedicated networks together with leading enterprises in Russia, signed several contracts with customers and launched the country’s first commercial dedicated network. Today we see a great demand for our solutions in the mining, metallurgical, energy and transport industries, since a reliable and high-speed dedicated network is the infrastructure basis for digitalisation and automation of critical operations in large areas and in difficult terrain. A dedicated network being created for the Karelsky Okatysh plant will combine communication, monitoring and dispatching systems with the enterprise’s IT infrastructure, which will improve the efficiency of managing the fleet of transport and mining equipment at the quarry, and in the future, automate a number of production processes.”
Vladimir Lyushenko, Head of Digital Technologies, Development of Iron Ore Assets department, Severstal, says: “Introduction of a dedicated LTE/5G-ready network is an important and expected project for the Karelsky Okatysh site. The existing industrial WiFi network in the mines is working at the limit of its capabilities; the network does not meet the new requirements for the implementation of projects. In addition, at a mining enterprise, Wi-Fi technology loses to LTE/5G-ready technologies in terms of network technical characteristics, obtaining additional services and overall investment efficiency. With the implementation of the LTE/5G-ready network, we expect a significant improvement in the quality of dispatch control systems and optimisation of the work of opencast transport, and as a result, an increase in production efficiency in open pits. The LTE/5G-ready network will allow for more efficient implementation of projects in the field of industrial automation, video analytics and personnel location, as well as provide fast and secure data collection and voice transmission.”
Alexander Romanov, Director, Dedicated Networks, Ericsson Russia, says: “The mining sector is currently transforming into a high-tech industry that uses innovative solutions to improve operational efficiency in the ongoing pandemic, ensure people’s safety and improve environmental friendliness. Automated mine concept and mine dispatching solutions require advanced infrastructure for the most demanding scenarios, with high quality data security and efficient energy consumption. Various mobile access technologies have been tested at a global scale; the technology of dedicated LTE/5G networks has proven its effectiveness and is widely used in the mining industry around the world.”
Located in Karelia, north-western Russia, Karelsky Okatysh is one of the country’s leading and most advanced iron ore mining complexes. It mines magnetite quartzite ores and produces high-quality iron ore pellets with an iron concentration of 66%. The two major deposits, Kostomuksha and Korpanga, have an estimated life of 30 years.
