Mining efficiency boosted with Eutelsat OneWeb

In a significant move to enhance real-time data solutions, operational resilience and efficiency in the South African mining sector, NEC XON will tailor its Eutelsat OneWeb low earth orbit-based (LEO) satellite offering to the industry, says Faried Souma, GM Wireless at NEC XON. ​

“The strategic partnership between NEC XON and Eutelsat OneWeb comes at just the right time to revolutionise IoT-based mining operations. Terrestrial options often aren’t available in far-flung mining areas, and traditional satellite connectivity has higher latency than is ideal for real-time monitoring, decision making and control."

Recognising mining’s pressing need for reliable, low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity solutions, NEC XON signed a master distribution agreement with Eutelsat OneWeb, offering cutting-edge satellite internet connectivity designed to overcome the absence of land-based connectivity options (and withstand terrestrial infrastructure vulnerabilities) and ensure seamless operations even in the face of adversity.

NEC XON and Eutelsat OneWeb have also unveiled the OneWeb training academy in South Africa - servicing the sub-Saharan market. NEC XON offers the full suite of LEO Eutelsat OneWeb services, and the academy will ensure a continued flow of skills to maintain service levels for the technology.

The integration of OneWeb satellite technology provides several key advantages for mining operations:

• Overcoming the absence of terrestrial fibre: LEO satellite connections offer low-latency, high-bandwidth access in the absence of fibre.
• Improved latency: With latency reduced from 650ms to under 100ms over traditional satellite solutions, OneWeb satellite technology delivers optimal performance for real-time communication needs, including voice and data transmission.
• Resilience and reliability: OneWeb's low earth orbit satellite network offers resilience against terrestrial infrastructure vulnerabilities. Automatic cutover enhances operational continuity during natural disasters or infrastructure failures.
• Cost savings: The adoption of satellite backup mitigates potential revenue losses associated with downtime, ensuring uninterrupted operations and sustained profitability for mining companies.
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Ease of Implementation
“NEC XON's experience using the technology as a backup when flooding damaged its own fibre links, highlights the ease with which OneWeb satellite technology can be deployed, enabling quick adoption and integration into existing infrastructure without disruption,” says Souma. “In the mining industry, the integration of real-time monitoring and intelligence stands as a cornerstone in shaping a future defined by enhanced efficiency, safety, and sustainability in mining operations. Real-time monitoring depends on reliable, low-latency, high-bandwidth internet access to handle the vast amount of data that needs to be gathered and processed from a vast array of sources.”

Handling mountains of raw data: Data sources include equipment sensors, environmental monitors, and wearable technology worn by workers. Additionally, aerial platforms such as satellites and drones play a pivotal role, providing high-resolution images and aerial perspectives that complement ground-level data, thereby enriching the understanding of operational dynamics. Once raw data is collected, advanced analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence algorithms are leveraged to convert it into actionable intelligence. This intelligence is instrumental in monitoring various facets of mining operations, such as equipment performance metrics, environmental conditions, and safety parameters, enabling the timely identification of operational issues and anomalies.

Turning data into intelligence: The insights gleaned from real-time data empower informed decision-making processes. They facilitate the identification of patterns, the prediction of future scenarios, and the provision of recommendations aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, bolstering safety measures, and advancing sustainability efforts. While real-time monitoring offers visibility into ongoing operations, intelligence delves deeper into the root causes of events and proposes strategies for improvement.

“But none of this potential can be tapped without reliable, low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity,” Souma concludes. “By seamlessly integrating real-time monitoring and intelligence using reliable connectivity, mining operations gain the ability to proactively tackle challenges, optimise resource allocation, safeguard workforce well-being, mitigate environmental impact, and maximise productivity while ensuring cost-effectiveness. In the digital landscape, these technologies are not merely advantageous but indispensable when navigating the tunnels of the mining industry.”