Tag Archives: mining networks

Ambra to integrate private LTE/5G wireless infrastructure into Sandvik AutoMine platform

Communications in mining, IoT, Mining software, , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is partnering with Ambra Solutions, a leading provider of private LTE/5G wireless network industrial telecommunications, to, it says, transform communication capabilities tailored for Sandvik’s AutoMine® product families.

Ambra Solutions will serve as an integrator, designing and deploying a private LTE/5G wireless infrastructure specifically tailored for AutoMine systems, to improve efficiency and safety in underground mining operations, Sandvik says. Leveraging Ambra Solutions’ expertise in private LTE/5G technologies and intelligent mining solutions, this collaboration addresses critical communication challenges in underground mining.

The integration of Ambra Solutions’ LTE/5G connectivity into Sandvik’s AutoMine systems creates underground connectivity that is more secure, safe, reliable and high-speed. Through advanced data connectivity, this collaboration enables real-time and seamless communication, advanced location and asset tracking and improved safety and productivity for both mining personnel and equipment, according to the companies.

“This partnership will enhance the communication capabilities of our AutoMine systems and expedite their implementation,” Marko Jokinen, Digital Ecosystem Manager, Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said. “We remain committed to providing solutions that address the industry’s evolving needs and pave the way for safer, more efficient and technologically advanced mining operations.”

Through streamlined deployment processes and the provision of pre-integrated and verified solutions, Sandvik and Ambra Solutions will reduce testing time required on customer sites, they say. This not only enhances productivity and performance but also ensures cost-effectiveness for mining operations.

Éric L’Heureux, President and CEO, Ambra Solutions, said: “By partnering with Sandvik to deliver innovative communication solutions tailored for AutoMine, we will empower mine operators with a new form of connectivity.

“This collaboration not only advances the deployment of underground cellular networks but also creates opportunities for further IoT integration and technological advancements in the mining industry.”

Ambra Solutions secures patent for intelligent positioning system

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The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has officially approved the patent for Ambra Solutions’ iPS (intelligence positioning system) marking, what it says, is a great milestone for not only the company, but for the whole mining industry.

“We are very excited to receive this patent for the leading-edge tracking system we worked so hard on and are proud to have successfully deployed in several mines who are thrilled by the enhancement of their efficiency and safety throughout their operations thanks to this technology,” Éric L’Heureux, Founder and CEO of Ambra Solutions, said.

In the heart of even the most remote open-pit or underground mines, Ambra creates and deploys private LTE/5G networks tailored to each mine’s needs, woven to ensure seamless communication. Within this network, discreet yet powerful Ambra beacons are strategically positioned, emitting unique identifiers locally and, empowered by the network, connected devices gather the information to relay crucial data to our iPS core, the company explains. Complementing this infrastructure is a tracking controller integrated into the network, mapping each beacon’s identifier to its spatial coordinates in real time. And beyond tracking, this solution boasts integration capabilities, allowing the integration of data from other systems, integration with third party technologies (VoD, other location equipment vendors, etc), auto-creation of unsurveyed or drawn maps, high accuracy positioning in real time and review travel history.

Intercepting the beacon identifier transmitted via the radio frequency network by the communication device and leveraging the tracking data repository to match the received identifier with its corresponding spatial coordinates, the data culminates at the control centre where it is analysed and aggregated to be visualised on a 3D interface in real time, facilitating near-instantaneous critical decision making, Ambra says.

It continues: “With this innovative patented solution, pinpointing the exact location of all communication devices connected to the iPS ecosystem within the remote environment becomes seamless and efficient, making mines not only optimally performant, but most of all, ensuring the safety of its workers.”

L’Heureux added: “This unique patent allows us to provide a reliable underground tracking system powered by the same 4G/5G cable used for communication. In addition to eliminating maintenance, this solution allows mining companies to reduce battery-powered beacons and avoid disposing batteries on a regular basis.”

Rajant, Redline network solution decreases downtime at Copper Mountain mine

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Uninterrupted connectivity is critical for maintaining safety and productivity at Copper Mountain’s mine site in southern British Columbia, Canada, with a Rajant-Redline network solution recently passing the test during a scheduled power outage.

Without a high degree of uptime, vehicles on the mine lose their connection to the control room and critical data – like vehicle location and the weight of vehicle loads – cannot be received.

In the winter of 2023, that worst-case scenario nearly came to pass. Less than a week after Tridon, Rajant’s technology partner in the region, commissioned a Rajant-Redline network solution, crews at the mine intentionally cut power to a building where one of the main backhaul clusters was located due to the need to mitigate an unrelated explosion hazard. This power outage caused all four point-to-multipoint master radios at this hub site to be powered off, triggering an immediate alert to Tridon’s Network Operations Centre (NOC) of a potential communications outage.

From the outset, the challenge was designing a network that could provide Copper Mountain with the kind of reliability they needed – 99.999% annual uptime. Given the sometimes-brutal nature of British Columbia Canada’s weather, the network had to be highly robust and ruggedised. It had to be nomadic and adaptive to change, given the constantly evolving terrain of an active mine. Finally, the network had to be flexible to adapt to unexpected events, like a power outage, without breaking down.

A competitive solution was initially considered to support the network but was soundly rejected due to multiple compatibility issues. Instead, Tridon’s engineers designed a hybrid technology solution that would deliver what Copper Mountain needed.

Based on engineered propagation studies, 19 portable trailers are strategically placed around Copper Mountain for optimal coverage. Mine vehicles connect via an existing on-board client radio to the 2.4 GHz radio within the Rajant Hawk BreadCrumb of the best serving trailer. If the trailer handling the client traffic is in a location with line-of-sight to one of the hub sites (via a Redline PtMP RAS-ELTE radio), then the traffic is forwarded directly to the hub site over the Redline backbone. If the trailer does not have a viable PtMP link through the Redline backbone, traffic is forwarded over the lowest-cost mesh link via the 5.8GHz radio within the Rajant Hawk BreadCrumb.

If a trailer is ever moved to a different location, the Redline RAS ELTE radio will automatically scan for a viable PtMP link back to the hub sites, and the Rajant Hawk will continue to mesh with other BreadCrumbs on trailers in the area.

“Foresight, expert engineering, and top-drawer technology resulted in a network that essentially self-healed,” Rajant says. “Tridon’s NOC reported the power outage to the client, who, in turn, reported that operations were carrying on as usual.”

There was no traffic loss from the operational mine network and no indication from the Copper Mountain control room operators that the core network infrastructure was degraded in any way. They did not see a network outage due to the hybrid, multi-layered, self-healing nature of the network design.

This allowed Copper Mountain to continue operating at total network capacity even after losing half of the core central infrastructure by engineering a solution that seamlessly integrates multiple technologies to achieve an extraordinarily reliable and redundant network, Rajant says. After power was restored, the affected radios on site powered back on and automatically re-associated back into the network without manual intervention.

Rajant concluded: “Innovative communications technology, paired with an equally innovative system design by Tridon’s engineers, resulted in a network that performed exactly as it was designed to. To put it simply, the solution just worked and continues to do so today.”

Huawei boosts Shaanxi Coal production efficiency & safety with 5G-backed solution

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The intelligent mine solution powered by 5G and the industrial internet that was jointly developed by Huawei and Shaanxi Coal Industry Co Ltd hit its one-year milestone on April 26, 2023, marking a full year of continuous operations and significantly improving production efficiency and operational safety at the two mines of Shaanxi Coal Company. This makes a powerful case for intelligent upgrade for the global mining industry.

Jun Xu, CTO of Huawei’s Mining BU, said that through Huawei’s extensive field involvement of mining production and cooperative application of Huawei’s 5G, cloud and AI image splicing technology to Shaanxi Coal Company’s Hongliulin Coal Mine and Xiaobaodang Coal Mine, the mines have successfully implemented above ground monitoring and control on operation of fully automated underground mining face cutting. It thereby also initialised the core intelligence of the underground mining process.

Through leveraged application of Huawei 5G, cloud and AI/IT technologies throughout the whole mining cycle, such as mine geological exploration, tunnelling and belt transportation, intelligence can be implemented across the entire mining process, for example, various deployments of underground robots.

These technologies are also widely used in all aspects of mine management, for instance, an industrial Internet platform with a three-level architecture for Shaanxi Coal Company, its mine subsidiaries, and the coal mines themselves, enabling collaborative management and control, intelligent sensing, and efficient decision making; and enhancing employee happiness and experience, for example with a downloadable underground mine-taxi app.

The above three levels of solutions are modular – Hongliulin Coal Mine and Xiaodang Coal Mine worked closely with Huawei on customised development, which led to simple, easy and result oriented implementation. As a result, Hongliulin Coal Mine now has 18% fewer workers working underground; 97.7% of its mine faces now support intelligent mining, and intelligent management has been made possible for the underground mine face using 5G video splicing and video calls.

More than 2,700 sets of equipment at the mine are now interconnected using unified data standards, with 170 million pieces of data streamed to the data lake every day. This data has been used to create over 100 digital models. This data can also be used to inform production and operation decision making and develop new digital applications using ‘zero-code’ development tools.

Xiaobaodang Coal Mine’s underground workforce has been reduced by 42%. Key facilities in the mine, such as the underground pump rooms and substations, have achieved intelligent, unattended operations, thanks to machine patrol inspection and video-based collaboration. In terms of production safety, environmental monitoring devices are able to autonomously detect and give out warnings related to gas build-up, fires, flooding, ventilation issues, and geological events, and enable real-time data interconnection. This can support more informed decision making to greatly improve safety management in the mine.

Xu said that Huawei’s Mine BU has developed many intelligent mine references by working with partners and mining enterprises. He added that it is committed to quickly bringing digital technology to every mine on the basis of industrial Internet. To achieve this goal, Huawei is working to provide digital services for major coal and metal mining enterprises around the world to enable safer and more efficient intelligent mine management with fewer staff working underground.   

Swift to connect AngloGold, MRL, Roy Hill sites with network tech

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Swift says it has been awarded project contracts with multiple companies including AngloGold Ashanti, Mineral Resources Ltd and Roy Hill that amount to A$2.06 million ($1.36 million) in total contract value to the specialist technology company.

The contracts are for infrastructure work to be undertaken in 2023.

Under the new agreements Swift’s engineering and delivery teams will design and install various network infrastructure and Wi-Fi infrastructure solutions, aligned with the needs of each individual site.

Through consultation with each customer, Swift’s teams will leverage their extensive knowledge and expertise within the mining and resources sector to ensure each network and Wi-Fi infrastructure solution supports reliable and stable connected services, it said. The designs will not only support the delivery of an enhanced on-site living experience, but also ensure the solution is scalable and future proofed.

While the aggregate revenue from these contracts is material to the company, no individual contract generates revenue over A$1 million, it said.

Newcrest, Ericsson and Telstra Purple to trial 4G LTE and 5G tech at Cadia

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Newcrest Mining will trial advanced 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G mobile technologies underground at its Cadia mine, in New South Wales, Australia, to assess the potential of cellular delivery of data and video to support a smarter, safer and more sustainable mine, it says.

In partnership with Ericsson and Telstra Purple, Newcrest will deploy a private 4G LTE and 5G trial network in its underground operations at Cadia in the coming months. This announcement follows previous engagements where the trio worked to improve communications coverage, performance and safety with private 4G LTE at its Lihir mine in Papua New Guinea, and more recently for surface operations at the Cadia Valley Operations (CVO).

Speaking at the Sweden-Australia Sustainable Mining Summit in Sydney, Australia, today, CVO General Manager, Aaron Brannigan, said modern mining is a data-driven business, with technology and digitalisation creating new levels of productivity and safety, greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

“In the ongoing quest for productivity, efficiency and safety, Newcrest must use every tool at our disposal to boost performance at site while continuing to ensure that everyone at our mines gets home safely at the end of the day,” he said. “With 4G and 5G mobile technologies potentially offering better performance and capabilities than Wi-Fi, this trial will help Newcrest to assess its viability for greater coverage, capacity and functionality to support advanced underground automation, our Connected Worker strategy and future growth at Cadia.

“It’s an exciting time for Newcrest and for Australian mining, and this is a great practical example of how Australia’s biggest industry can leverage Australia’s position as a global 5G leader to further drive digitalisation in the mining sector and help develop a smart, safer and more sustainable mine.”

The trial will use Ericsson’s Private 5G (EP5G) solution for Industry 4.0 enterprises to assess different cellular approaches for coverage and capacity needs and deployment economics. It will include the use of various 4G and 5G radio types, massive- and multi-user MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) advanced antenna systems for high density and high capacity connectivity requirements, and Uplink Booster technology derived from custom-made Ericsson Silicon system-on-a-chip 5G processors to increase uplink signal strength and data throughput, Newcrest explained.

Ericsson’s Head of Australia and New Zealand, Emilio Romeo, said: “5G connectivity will be instrumental in enabling advanced teleremote and autonomous technologies, which are integral to industries such as mining. We’re delighted to be working with Newcrest and Telstra Purple to trial Ericsson’s 4G LTE and 5G solutions, and enable Newcrest to develop know-how on how to best deploy them underground.”

Telstra Purple Digital Transformation Executive, Paul Nicholls, said: “We’ve been thrilled to see what our 4G LTE and 5G mobile network technologies have been able to do through this project, from supporting wireless mining applications underground, to boosting safety for the local team. These technologies are absolutely transformative for a broad range of industries, and it’s exciting to be part of industry 4.0 innovation in Australia.”

SES’ O3b constellation to keep up connectivity at Kamoa-Kakula

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The Kamoa-Kakula copper project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will continue to enjoy high-speed satellite-based connectivity services as part of a new agreement between Ivanhoe Mines and SES, SES says.

The enhanced partnership builds on an existing five-year relationship between SES and Ivanhoe Mines and comes at a time of significant investment in low-latency, high-capacity solutions in the region, the company added.

The O3b constellation is powering connectivity for mining operators, driving a digitalisation revolution for the sector that is helping to increase profitability while improving worker safety and accountability, according to SES. “This model enables operators to cost effectively scale connectivity as needed throughout the lifecycle of a mine, ensuring assets have the right amount of bandwidth at any given time to meet digitalisation requirements,” it said.

Caroline Kamaitha, Vice President, Sales Africa at SES, said: “We’re proud to continue delivering reliable high-speed connectivity to DRC’s mining industry through our O3b high-throughput and low-latency connectivity services, enabling mining companies to implement new services and applications that will improve workers’ safety, digitalise operations and maximise profitability through increased agility and automation.”

Anil Udayabhanu, Head of Technology at Kamoa Copper, said: “Our long-standing partnership with SES has already helped us to improve the profitability of our extraction, and supported our goal of improving the safety and welfare of all of our staff. In addition to that, O3b connectivity services will also help us leverage the latest applications, communicate in real time and maximise our productivity.”

BCX Wireless, Huawei, MPI, Umnotho and Dahua bring 5G to Nungu mine

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BCX Wireless Solutions, one of the largest systems integrators in Africa and a division of Telkom, has partnered with Huawei, MPI Holdings, Umnotho Technologies and Dahua to bring 5G connectivity and 5G-enabled technologies to the Nungu Mine in Elandspruit, South Africa.

The deployment of the latest 5G-enabled technologies is set to radically enhance the mine’s operational efficiencies and safety, according to BCX.

“This is a game changer for the entire industry and the hundreds of thousands of people it employs,” Neo Phukubje, Managing Executive at BCX, said.

The mine’s improved wireless connectivity has enabled data analytics and automation for video monitoring via drone technology, integrated connectivity with handheld devices and tablets, and a facial recognition proximity detection system, the company said.

Wireless technology in the form of 5G creates possibilities to transform every area of the operation, from workplace safety to improved productivity through predictive intelligence, BCX says.

Gert Venter from MPI said: “The importance placed on the partner ecosystem in the project helped develop vital innovations in safety. This includes 5G-enabled proximity alert between two heavy vehicles for collision prevention, which can mean the difference between life and death.”

Frenndy Wang, Channel Department Director at Huawei South Africa’s Enterprise Division, says in addition to improved safety and operational efficiency, another differentiator is that 5G allows for AI-based real-time data analytics, a key to smart mining.

Wang said: “Data is a valuable asset for miners, enabling ‘data-driven decision making‘ in the critical mining environment. Fifth generation connectivity will make the South African mining sector globally competitive. We are excited about working together with our partners like BCX to drive digital transformation in the mining sector, which is such a crucial industry in the economy.”

The project at the Nungu Mine consists of two phases: above-ground and underground. In phase one, BCX deployed 5G-enabled cameras at critical points at the mine to enable:

  • Proximity detection, enabled by IoT sensors and digital processing technologies;
  • A stockpiling monitoring system, enabled by footage collected via drones and processed via the digital edge computing systems;
  • In-cab connectivity to monitor driver fatigue and collision prevention to minimise the number of incidents and collisions; and
  • Pedestrian Protection System, enabling the safety and monitoring of miners on site.

Phase two will see the extension of connectivity underground to enable a fully connected smart mine that will increase security, supply motion sensors that trigger an alarm and enables the mine’s control room to monitor underground activity effectively, according to BCX.

Phukubje concluded: “As proven with this launch, wireless technology can be harnessed in powerful ways that make a lasting difference. It builds on our confidence and excitement to work in partnership with all industries from finance, aviation and agriculture to healthcare so they too can benefit from becoming 5G-enabled, fully integrated and connected to a new world of infinite possibilities.”

Intracom Telecom deploys wireless communications tech at African mine

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Intracom Telecom, a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor, has announced the supply and deployment of its Fixed Wireless Access ecosystem , the WiBAS™ Point-to-MultiPoint (PtMP) and the uniMS™ platform, at one of the largest mines in Africa.

The use of high-frequency PtMP technology over the vast area of the mine is one of the many uses for this technology, Intracom Telecom says, with mining companies able to take advantage of the latest technology to ensure not only high capacity but also long range to cover large areas and connect with lightweight network assets the remote points to a central hub.

Intracom Telecom says it has been pioneering the use of its PtMP technology for open-pit mines in the African continent, foreseeing the need of a transmission technology that can transport bidirectional digital traffic at ultra-high speeds.

In the harsh environment of the mines, WiBAS technology is being used to provide high-quality broadband services and avoid the cost and trouble associated with the use of cables, the company said. The WiBAS systems can be easily installed at any facility and be scaled to support larger areas of coverage, with more devices and higher capacities when required.

Moreover, through uni|MS™ IoT control and management platform, the mines make efficient use of their communication infrastructure. The sophisticated alarm flow coupled with key performance indicators, available on reports and graphs, elevate operator experience and ensure timely optimisations, according to Intracom Telecom.

John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Wireless Network Systems at Intracom Telecom, said: “We have been serving our customers in Africa for their needs to connect remote location in mines since 2011. We are very pleased to extend our cooperation with one of the biggest African mines to provide modern communications to ground crews and machine operating personnel, while safeguarding and monitoring the perimeter of the mine.”

GeoMoby geolocation technology receives plaudits at Karora’s Beta Hunt mine

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Having developed what it says is world-first geolocation technology for mining that could improve safety underground and potentially save companies millions of dollars each year, GeoMoby has now tested out its solution in an underground section of Karora Resources’ Beta Hunt gold and nickel mine, in Western Australia.

GeoMoby – the name of the company and product – uses wireless, cable-free and reusable beacons to geofence sites, track assets and check on workforces, providing a layer of safety and efficiency never seen before, the company says.

It recently tested the location and communication network at Beta Hunt, with results gathered from the project confirming the possibility of live audio and video streams in real time, using Bluetooth Low Energy, GeoMoby said.

Before now, audio and video communication from underground to the surface has only been possible with Wi-Fi or LTE powered wireless networks.

Bluetooth capabilities enable mining companies to reach optimal connectivity without having to stop operations – at a large cost to the business – to lay cables and wires throughout the site, the company said. The technology allows the transfer of live audio and video streams to the surface in real time, in addition to existing real-time location, messaging and photo transfer capabilities, ensuring surface teams can have eyes and ears underground.

GeoMoby CEO, Chris Baudia, said the high-speed wireless network powered by Bluetooth Low Energy was able to transfer a range of important operations information from down the hole to the surface.

“Using our point-to-point network of nodes and technology platform, we have been able to stream audio and video in high quality and real time to the surface, allowing those above ground to hear and see what’s going on beneath them,” he said.

He said the simple, cable free, low disruption deployment method was a game changer for miners looking to improve their communication with minimal interference to operations.

“Key data transferred from underground to surface includes speed calculation alerts for vehicles and machinery, proximity awareness and real time proximity detection alerts,” he explained. “These features, along with file transfer and geofencing technology, are being delivered through our updated Underground Zero Harm application, giving miners the advantage of a one stop technology shop for monitoring people and assets.”

The roll out of a wireless point-to-point network at Beta Hunt involved the installation of 16 nodes across 2 km of underground mine tunnels and was completed in 2.5 hours, with no impact on the mine’s operations, according to GeoMoby. It connects a range of devices – both personal and company issue – directly to nodes, which combine to feed information in to the platform for users to see.

Baudia added: “Our benchmark is entry-level technicians correctly positioning or replacing nodes with no or minimal assistance from GeoMoby. Software diagnostic tools incorporated into the platform allow site personnel to detect any fault in the network and respond immediately, which is critical to ensuring communications remain intact at all times.”

Karora Senior OHS Adviser, Jody Herd, said there had been a steep change in operator behaviour since the GeoMoby technology was installed.

“We have 120 people on site at any given time,” he said. “Previously we tracked personnel and equipment underground the old school way with tag board systems, so we didn’t always know where everyone was at any given time without using a radio.

“We’ve already seen a change in operator behaviour due to workers understanding that machines are now monitored using the GeoMoby solution.”

Baudia said GeoMoby was working through added use cases of contact tracing capability in the instance of infectious disease entering sites, individual health monitoring and geofencing solutions that are currently only available with their on-surface solution.