Internet of Things (IoT) technology is rapidly transforming an industry that is one of the world’s oldest: the business of mining. Spending on IoT in mining is estimated to be growing at 16% CAGR per year to reach nearly $8 billion by 2027 because of the major opportunities it offers for reducing costs, improving productivity, and maintaining safe operations at a fraction of the cost of other solutions.
Without Connectivity, It’s Not IoT
One world-leading mining company turned to Speedcast when it needed to strengthen one of the weak links in its IoT deployment. The company operated a major open pit mine in a remote region of South America. To get ore from the mine to the nearest port involved a punishing 8-hour drive by haul trucks on often-primitive roads winding through mountains and jungles. The company monitored that journey – using onboard sensors and a cellular connectivity solution – to protect the cargo, the haul truck and its driver. But cellular coverage was nonexistent at many points along the road, which created big gaps in the IoT data.
Speedcast had a solution: advanced connectivity that could switch automatically between cellular, where available – and satellite, where cellular coverage failed. The dual-mode technology ensured that the mining company enjoyed uninterrupted connectivity and flow of data throughout the journey. Onboard sensors could now detect and immediately report abnormal driving behavior, collisions, and other critical events. Speedcast’s IoT Center collected and processed this data, which enabled the mining company to monitor and address safety concerns promptly. Drivers could also be alerted to fatigue or distractions as revealed by their driving status, ensuring their well-being, and preventing potential accidents.
Check out how a leading mining operation is using advanced connectivity and satellite-enabled IoT in remote operations. Watch our ‘Need to Know’ video interview with Senior Product Manager, IoT, Richard DiLorenzo to learn more.
A World of Possibility
Simple in concept, this kind of dual-mode, multipath networking is complex to implement. As a trusted partner, Speedcast shared its expertise in hardware selection and design of the right network architecture. New hardware was customized to the existing onboard sensor systems and additional coding work went into integrating satellite into the connectivity solution.
The success of satellite-cellular integration opened the mining company’s eyes to new possibilities. Executives began exploring other use cases for IoT technology, such as leveraging the hybrid connectivity for continuous monitoring of containers to prevent theft during transportation. Knowing how one technology success tends to encourage others, Speedcast designed the solution for scalability and adaptability to meet needs the company had never considered before.
With the latest innovation in satellite technologies and the launch of new low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations, like Starlink and OneWeb, remote operations, such as mine camps, can embrace the opportunities presented by IoT like never before, and Speedcast is ready to help companies unlock new levels of productivity, safety, and data-driven decision-making.
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