Private network will 'enable mission-critical industrial applications to power the digital mine of the future'
Detour Lake mine in Cochrane in Ontario is the first in Canada to be fully connected to 5G, and this will boost safety in the workplace, according to a report.
Kirkland Lake Gold and Rogers Business announced the launch of the 5G wireless private network on Jan. 26, according to a report from Northern Ontario Business. On top of that, eight new wireless cell towers are being built to cover a stretch of more than 180 kilometres on Highway 652 between the mine site and Cochrane. These will boost the public cell coverage.
These developments make the workplace safer, said Tony Makuch, Kirkland Lake Gold's president and CEO, in a news release.
“Bringing a 5G wireless private network to Detour Lake provides the stable and reliable service we need as we build the digital mine of the future," he said.
"Not only does the new network provide an extra layer of connectivity for our employees, it also enables us to drive mining innovation and technology into the future by expanding tele-remote drill operations and research into potential autonomous haul trucks."
Recently, mining employer Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. was fined $678,889.56 for exposing workers to process dust that contained toxic substances, including beryllium.
Rogers has set up five cell towers with full-range spectrum frequency bands with a full failover backup system. There is also private access to the network across the 80-square-kilometre operation at Detour Lake Mine.
“The wireless private network at Detour Lake Mine will enable mission-critical industrial applications to power the digital mine of the future and we’re proud to be at the forefront, helping to deliver new innovations to Canadian businesses first," said Ron McKenzie, Rogers Business president, in the release.
Workers at the General Electric (GE) Peterborough, Ont. workplace are exposed to chemicals, according to a former worker.
Safety concerns in mines can be mitigated with improvements in a robust communications network, according to MP Antenna, LTD, a developer and manufacturer of Multi-Polarized antennas for public safety and wireless broadband systems, among others.
Investing in a reliable, high capacity connectivity, it said, can improve the safety of open or underground operations in the following ways:
- Atmospheric monitoring. Real-time data feeds of temperature, UV, noise and pollutant levels help minimize dangerous conditions to ensure a safe work environment.
- Two-way RF communications. Reduction in signal drop, dead zones and interference improves operational supervision and equipment handling.
- Autonomous vehicle handling. Loss of signal often shuts down AVs, which require manual interaction to restart. Better signal reliability minimizes hand’s on maintenance and opportunities for downtime and injury.
- Equipment maintenance. Fleet management systems deliver a stream of load, temperature, stress, service time and positional data to help crews keep equipment properly maintained in safe, working order.
- Emergency communication. In the event of an on-site emergency, a robust network can help teams develop situational intelligence and execute appropriate response measures.
