REMOTE MINE SERVICES
issues has also improved immensely . We now have complete confidence that we will be instantly aware of any issue with a driver or vehicle and can respond immediately to provide assistance . Additionally , we have improved relations with people from our local communities by reducing disruption as our vehicles pass through their villages .”
At the same time as providing solutions such as this , Inmarsat is looking to leverage its L- band , Ka-band and S-band spectrum portfolio for integration into IoT platforms to help mining companies further their digitalisation and automation ambitions .
The recent launch of a new partner program to support businesses throughout the IoT ecosystem is aimed at doing exactly this .
Called Inmarsat ELEVATE , the program ’ s three key pillars are : n A development program for IoT solution providers , system integrators , machinery manufacturers and OEMs looking to scale , who will be able to take advantage of Inmarsat ’ s ELERA satellite network and footprint ; n A partner ecosystem to enable organisations to access each other ’ s knowledge and collaborate with other organisations within the satellite IoT sector ; and n An online marketplace to promote IoT solutions that work seamlessly anywhere in the world – no matter how remote – to ensure every business can benefit . In the next five years , the goal of Inmarsat ELEVATE is to help partners achieve double digit growth , as well as establish Inmarsat ELEVATE as the leading IoT marketplace for solutions that work anywhere in the world , Inmarsat says .
Mike Carter , President at Inmarsat Enterprise , said Inmarsat ’ s ELERA satellite network provides an “ essential backbone ” to IoT innovation that enables its development partners to scale and grow their operations backed by its reliability and “ seamless global connectivity ”.
One such IoT development partner is Hiber and its Hiberband low-cost , low-power network for IoT products .
Inmarsat and Hiber recently signed an agreement that will see Inmarsat provide the satellite connectivity backbone on which Hiber will continue to build Hiberband . This pairs the ELERA network with Hiber ’ s IoT-as-a-service ecosystem to , Inmarsat says , provide easy-touse , low power and cost-effective IoT solutions and services to transport , logistics , agriculture , mining and other industries worldwide .
Hiber will continue using its own proprietary
Remote connections
Being located 1,300 km from Santiago , 180 km from the nearest town ( Diego de Almagro ) and among the highest peaks of the Andes Mountain range with elevations of between 4,200 m and 4,900 m , Salares Norte is undoubtedly considered a ‘ remote ’ project .
The mine is expected to produce 3.7 Moz of gold over an initial mine life of 11 years after it starts up , with the ore mining operation employing drilling and blasting , and loading and hauling . It has an installed production capacity of 2 Mt / y .
ABB has been involved in the project for several years , having already deployed its ABB Ability™ MineOptimize solution to supply an integrated power and automation system comprising six electrical rooms and a suite of process and power controls , all under the ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system ( DCS ).
These include the Power and Process Control Library and Camera Connect ( the ABB video system embedded in the control platform for optimised process monitoring ), while ABB Ability Knowledge Manager is also used to manage information production through the Plant Information Management System , alongside ABB Ability Asset Vista Condition Monitoring .
To drive efficient , sustainable and remote operations at Salares Norte , the operation , majority owned by Gold Fields , is now installing ABB ’ s enterprise-grade digital platform , ABB Ability Genix Industrial Analytics and AI Suite .
This Genix suite is in a remote monitoring centre for the mine in Santiago , 1,300 km away from Salares Norte , which is able to support Gold Fields personnel with data insights that will help them increase industrial productivity and operational excellence , while reducing costs , ABB says .
Remote connectivity will help reduce the number of people needed at the actual mine location , thus improving safety , it added .
ABB Ability Genix combines the power of industrial analytics and artificial intelligence to integrate 25 engineering , operational and information technology systems across different functional areas , including the mine , processing , geology and exploration , asset management , finance , legal and human resources .
“ Starting with data capture and integrating cross-functional data , ABB Ability Genix connects operational , business and engineering systems ,” ABB says . “ It then collects , contextualises and converts data through advanced analytics into meaningful information to unlock productivity improvements by driving smart business decisions .”
The mine operator will monitor the gold-silver mine in the Andes Mountains from a remote monitoring centre in Santiago , Chile
ABB Ability Genix will help visualise and analyse all information required to support Gold Fields reporting and drive its environmental commitments , helping the company achieve its vision of becoming the global leader in sustainable gold mining , according to the company .
Max Combes , Project Director of Gold Fields , said : “ Salares Norte deploys a high level of digital industrial software and technology . This is critical to this project due to its remote location – the nearest town being Diego de Almagro , 180 km away , the altitude of the project and adverse weather conditions which make site access and fieldwork challenging . It demanded a solution for the remote monitoring centre in Santiago that could integrate and contextualise information from many systems , including some common to Chile , as well as perform data analytics .
“ ABB is already a proven digital partner and ABB Ability Genix will further unlock the power of data at this project .”
Iván Villegas , Hub Product Marketing Manager Automation – South America , ABB , added : “ ABB will deliver a comprehensive integrated electrification , automation and digitalisation solution at Salares Norte . ABB Ability Genix , set to be fully commissioned in record time , will help Gold Fields to use their data from operations better , by combining it with engineering and information technology data for multi-dimensional decision making .”
ABB ’ s scope also includes Dynamic Process Simulator , which reviews plant control logics , reducing commissioning times and allowing Gold Fields to train operators to acquire the skills required to achieve highquality operations .
92 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2022