A cross-industry project including Telia and Ericsson has demonstrated applications for providing cellular connectivity within mining environments and demonstrated how it could aid the remote control of machinery.
The Industrial Mobile Communication in Mining (PIMM) project was designed to test how mobile connectivity can make mines safer and more efficient and is located in the Kankberg mine in Sweden.
One part of the trial centres on a technician sitting in a ground level office and controlling an underground loader 400m below.
PIMM also introduced a positioning system which can locate personnel in the case of an accident. The group also added connectivity to rock bolts, which are used to secure walls after blasting, to transmit measurements back to personnel.
Miners can also now use their mobile phones within the mine.
Ericsson designed the mobile network in the mine, while Volvo provided a remotely controlled wheel loader.
Other partners included mining company Boliden, electrical company ABB, research institute RISE SICS and university LTU.
Telia Sweden’s Magnus Leonhardt, Head of Strategy & Business Development, said: “We have had the possibility, together with our partners, to truly explore the full opportunities of digitalisation in an underground mine.”
He added: “This is where we want to be, in collaboration and on a learning curve to understand our customers’ needs in an industry that is vital to the country’s development. It is totally in line with our strategy to be there to support our customers as they want to digitalise their operations.
“We know that this – digitalisation – is where business and industry everywhere is heading so we want to broaden the project here. Every one of us can learn and benefit from this.”
In June, Telia introduced 3G to the world’s largest underground oil shale mine in Estonia, connecting almost 40 kilometres of tunnels.