Johannesburg, 16 Sep 2021
Most mines are situated in remote regions, leaving them distinctly under-serviced in terms of Internet capacity and being able to provide decent communications within the mining campus.
As mines tend to be situated in hot, dusty and harsh environments, choosing the right solution is key for mines to keep unearthing productivity and safety on site.
A robust solution is crucial for mines to enable IT and communications to operate effectively.
The advantage of licensed wireless connectivity is its ability to be set up or moved to wherever the mine operations have shifted to, quickly and hassle-free, compared to other technologies like fibre.
Fibre is still used for mine connectivity, but the challenge starts from the installation process; digging trenches in areas that are often busy, fibre is also fixed to certain areas and ultimately needs WiFi for the last mile.
A huge plus is licensed wireless's adoption of internet of things (IOT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
Wireless connectivity is the perfect solution for connecting the entire mining site and providing last-mile access into the cloud. The wireless implementation also improves operational efficiencies, safety, health, environment and quality.
In the case of an open-pit mine, it is necessary to utilise mobile wireless units that can move around, for example, when blasting is scheduled. The nomadic nature of such mining means these mobile units are perfectly suited for maintaining connectivity. These easy moveable mobile units can fill in any gaps on the campus where there may be no coverage. In an open-pit mine, massive vehicles continuously move around on-site that need to stay connected from a safety perspective. It is important to be able to track these vehicles, but also to connect applications, onboard cameras and vehicle detection systems. A reliable wireless canopy will even assist with non-mining systems like security and CCTV cameras.
It will also benefit automation in mines with autonomous machines using wireless technologies to link the machine to the control room, in effect, reducing the risk of injuries or loss of life on site.
Ultimately the implementation of a wireless network is about more than just saving lives and money, but also getting in front of the curve and leveraging the best technologies on the market. Choosing the right partner is just as vital as the perfect connectivity solution; you are not only guaranteed to have the right technology implemented in the right places across your mine, but also assured that it is all backed up by watertight SLAs.
Connect with Comsol today.
Future-proofing mines, for over 20 years.
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