ENABLING REAL-TIME MINE DATA

A MINE'S USE OF EXCAVATOR-MOUNTED SATELLITE TERMINALS IS RESHAPING HOW REMOTE SITES COLLECT AND SHARE DATA.

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Remote Australian mines face a persistent challenge: transmitting real-time data in rugged environments that punish network infrastructure. Irregular pit walls and shifting terrain often block or scatter WiFi radio signals, making coverage patchy and unreliable.

Traditional approaches - towers, fixed cabling or moveable trailers - can be costly and maintenance-heavy as IT staff struggle to constantly adjust coverage where it's needed.

Work on a remote gold mine, Iron Mine Contracting (IMC) tested an interesting alternative.

IMC deployed a fleet management system, supplied by mining technology provider Haultrax, using ruggedised satellite terminals supplied by Vocus and mounted directly on excavators. Each excavator-mounted sat-pod broadcasts WiFi around itself, creating a coverage zone wherever it works.