MINING NETWORKS
supports a rich ecosystem of real-time intelligence , which enables teams to work more efficiently , productively and safely ."
Huawei LTE comes to Toquepala
The Toquepala copper mine , located in the department of Tacna , continues to improve its technological infrastructure with the deployment of a new Huawei LTE network that will bring 4G connectivity to the operation and will allow it to be at the forefront of the use of new and advanced technologies within the mining sector . Toquepala is part of Southern Copper Corporation , a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico .
“ This decision to work with Huawei allows us to advance digitalisation towards Mining 4.0 , reinforcing the automation of our processes , making it possible to remotely carry out actions that are currently face-to-face in a broad spectrum , which translates into a more efficient management of operations . It is very important that the possibilities of new technologies are always on our radar and we are at the forefront ,” said Jorge Hugo Meza , General Director of Operations of Southern Copper Corporation .
Given how important the mining industry is for Peru , Huawei has created a specific team dedicated only to addressing issues related to information and communication technologies ( ICT ) and Operation and Control Technologies ( OT ), in the mining sector , becoming one of the strongest wireless technology providers in the country , not only as a hardware and software provider but also as a service partner for all implementations , operations and maintenance .
5G networks will be one of the most important key technologies in the new era of autonomous and remote mining and now
Toquepala is taking a big step towards that goal : promoting this network and being a benchmark in the region in how 5G benefits the industry .
“ It will allow a high-tech network that will be able to support many more processes within the network , and added to the new changes here in Peru , we will have a very high-speed network ,” highlighted Bao Getang , Huawei Peru CEO .
MST Global - bringing Bluetooth underground
The underground mine is a challenging and unique environment , and without the right network infrastructure in place , reliable connection to the surface is difficult . “ Personal tech , like smart phones and home Wi-Fi , have led us to expect ease and freedom with connectivity because on the surface we are GPS enabled ,” MST Global Chief Executive Haydn Roberts said in a recent blog post .
“ Underground , that is just not possible , and we need to overcome this problem by building the right network infrastructure for your needs . At MST Global , we ’ ve been enhancing underground connectivity for over 30 years . Our award-winning network infrastructure solution the AXON suite has recently undergone some upgrades to enhance functionality and connectivity for users .”
The AXON suite is a modular , multifunctional platform designed to support existing and future wireless communication , tracking and automation technologies through highbandwidth fibre .
“ We ’ ll start at the end , with our newly rebranded AXON mesh and AXON mesh +, which is a highly acclaimed portable device that is a favourite among underground miners globally .
Toquepala copper mine in Peru , located in the department of Tacna , continues to improve its technological infrastructure with the deployment of a new Huawei LTE network that will bring 4G connectivity to the operation
In a sense it is at the end of our network platform , providing the ‘ last mile ’ connectivity in the dynamic mining face areas .”
AXON mesh is essentially a pick-up and go ‘ briefcase ’ sized piece of technology that is perfect for when cabling and wiring isn ’ t an option . “ It ’ s designed for temporary projects when your team is wanting to explore a new area underground or a high-risk area of a mine , and deployed to maintain connection to the surface without the costly overheads or timely exercise of installing cabling .”
In 2021 , this piece of technology has undergone an upgrade , with the launch of AXON mesh + with BLE ( Bluetooth Low Energy ) connectivity . MST Global Senior Product Specialist Dirk Eisner , who has played a key role in this technology rollout , said the introduction of BLE was a game-changer for underground mines and the tunnelling industry .
“ The main reason for this is Bluetooth is a cost-effective solution ,” Eisner said . “ Particularly if you start tracking assets , it becomes expensive to track everything with WiFi tags . Using Bluetooth tags can be very effective and allow you to deploy these devices in areas that wouldn ’ t have previously been very difficult to do so . In face areas where you constantly have blasting scenarios , you can ’ t bring your devices or equipment forward into these production areas where it ’ s the beating heart of the mine , but these are the locations that you really want to track your equipment and your people .”
He adds : “ Prior to AXON mesh , you couldn ’ t easily get in there because you would have to run it in and pull it back out when you blast and it was just too hard , people wouldn ’ t do it . Having something you can grab and walk forward and drop one down , and drop another one down if you need to extend it further , makes it super flexible . It ’ s a really exciting addition .”
The benefits of the AXON mesh include : it ’ s lightweight , small , portable ; simple to deploy ; fills connectivity and communication gaps between the mining face and fixed infrastructure ; and enables real time data collection from hard-to-reach locations .
Next up is MST ’ s AXON air ; a versatile Wi-Fi access point designed with power and flexibility in mind .
This year , BLE ( Bluetooth Low Energy ) beaconing and receiving BLE broadcasts have also been added to the AXON air to create the AXON air +.
“ Like the AXON air , the AXON air + can be daisy-chained via its PoE + port and the combination of radio and antennas in one package , which makes installation simple and inexpensive . AXON air + features antenna diversity and integrated support for geolocation .
92 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2021