INTERNATIONAL MINING PROFILES
Ushering in Mining 4.0 with 5G connectivity
Mining companies worldwide are planning to invest in wireless infrastructure , seeking low latency and high-bandwidth connectivity to power their digital applications . As they do , they can learn from the experience of a growing number of mining companies who have already deployed next-generation wireless technology .
Fully 86 % of mining companies responding to IDC ' s 2021 Worldwide Mining Decision Maker Survey said wireless infrastructure is an investment priority for the next 18 months . 5G in particular is top of mind , thanks largely to the rollouts of public 5G networks and 5G-ready phones . Yet , today , many mining firms are already making big gains with 4.9G / LTE – using it for data-intensive asset monitoring , autonomous haulage and tele-remote operations .
While 4.9G / LTE has abundant capabilities , there ’ s no doubt 5G will power another leap forward , supporting ultra-high-definition video and sub-millisecond latency for a vast array of industrial use cases such as real-time control of high-speed robots and drones .
5G will also be able to connect hundreds of thousands of Internet of Things ( IoT ) sensors and industrial devices – above and underground . Existing compatibility with 4.9G standards will make upgrading to 5G standards , chipsets and ecosystems straightforward .
With evolving 3GPP standards , 5G connectivity is gaining greater capacity , ultrareliable low-latency communications and timesensitive networking . Future releases will take things even further with massive IoT connectivity – the final piece of the puzzle that will make 5G a true successor to LTE-M and NB-IoT .
Results from the real world
Nokia is seeing a growing number of mining companies drive the digital transformation of their operations through 5G trials and deployments . In Chile , copper mining company Codelco is running a 5G pilot to improve its big data applications , capturing 10 times more data than it is currently able to . High-definition cameras transmit real-time video over 5G from the mine ’ s crushing area to its operations centre 1,500 kilometers away , allowing Codelco to optimise its processes with nearly instant analysis of waiting and material unloading times . Agnico Eagle ’ s Kittilä mine is building a 5G standalone private wireless network to support a range of advanced Industry 4.0 use cases and accelerate its digital transformation with the help of Finnish mobile operator Telia and Nokia .
For many mining companies , automation and autonomous equipment are top-of-the-list Mining 4.0 applications . Vale in Brazil has partnered with Nokia and technology research institute IPT to create a 5G laboratory with this in mind . For its initial project , Wi-Fi and WiMax networks at two sites will be migrated to
4.9G / LTE and then to 5G , enabling autonomous drill rigs and haulage trucks , real-time security for tailing dams , train-to-ground control , and industrial IoT applications . Following the initial roll-out , Vale plans to migrate 13 other mines by 2023 .
In Russia , Nornickel and Nokia have brought connectivity underground through a private wireless network that includes Nokia 4.9G / LTE and 5G mobile core , Flexi Zone Micro cells , Nokia AirScale 5G base stations , plus a mission-critical group communications application . Nornickel ’ s goal is to make its Skalisty complex – which reaches 2,500 meters at its deepest point – fully autonomous by 2025 .
VTT ( the Technical Research Centre of Finland ), Nokia and Sandvik kicked off a 5Gpowered next-generation mining project earlier this year . The network incorporates edge computing and AI solutions , and the project aims to show how new industrial use cases will aid productivity , safety and environmental sustainability for the mining industry .
The future is here
With 5G networks underpinning innovative applications , mining companies around the world are well-positioned to move into the Mining 4.0 future . For more information about how Nokia solutions are supporting the mining industry ’ s digital transformation , visit https :// nokia . ly / mining
Nokia Corporation Karakaari 7 02610 Espoo , Finland nokia . ly / mining # contact
JANUARY 2022 | International Mining 5