Sedna technologies creating smart African mines

The mining industry has in recent years been working towards accelerating its intelligent digital transformation plans to achieve green mining and high-quality development.

Mining companies have been moving towards new enabling technology solutions aimed at making local mines smarter.

One such enabling company is Sedna Industrial IT Solutions which has a vision to become the integrator of choice within the African mining industry.

In doing so, the IT solutions company and Nokia have expanded their LTE private wireless network partnership further into the Southern African mining industry.

Nokia has become Sedna's main value-added reseller (VAR) and systems integrator for Africa in the mining sector.

"Through this LTE private wireless partnership, we are getting automated trucks running underground on this network, which is insane because now we have created the ability for mines to run 24/7," explained Sedna Industrial IT Solutions MD Anton Fester in an interview with Connecting Africa.

The digital automation of a mining truck fleet, using a private wireless network, led to a 10% reduction in fuel consumption. (Source: Sedna Industrial IT Solutions).

Fester explained how a Nokia case study showed that the digital automation of a mining truck fleet, using a private wireless network, led to a 10% decrease in fuel consumption and a reduction of 15,000 tons in CO2 emissions.

He added that as demand grows to enhance network solutions in African mines, the ability to deliver safe, more efficient, and productive solutions in operational areas above and underground, becomes paramount.

Furthermore, digital automation in mines has many benefits, ranging from improved worker safety, operational improvements and significantly improved green outcomes, Fester continued.

Helping mines with governance policies

In addition to supplying LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity in mines, the company is involved in assisting mines to develop governance policies, safety policies and digital policies that are properly rolled out.

"We also apply global best practices, to ensure that when we go underground, we are not going there with a pic axe, but we are going under with the smartest of technologies," Fester added.

"Furthermore, we also install a battle box, which is like a survival kit, so we make sure that it is stocked with the latest technology and people know how to use it," he explained.

Sedna's connected worker

The advancement of technology in mining has made it possible for miners to be located anywhere in the operation.

"There is now a bio-band which can read a worker's body temperature and there is an algorithm that will tell whether the worker is in a stressful environment," he explained.

If that worker is stressed, the technology will alert them so they are aware, but also the technology will alert those close to the stressed worker so they can be checked on.

Sedna is also installing battle box 'survival kits' equipped with the latest technology to help miners underground. (Source: Sedna Industrial IT Solutions).

Sedna's communication technologies are enabling mines to function better and more efficiently, Fester said.

For miners to buy into the technology that is being introduced, Fester said the company has deployed a productivity application within two South African mines with different user profiles.

"The one mine had a younger user profile, and the other mine had an older user profile, and from engagement, it was very evident that the younger workforce was excited to deploy a technology that would make their lives easier," Fester said.

"We founder the older workforce was slightly more resistant to change, and they felt more threatened," Sedna MD continued.

"So, as a rough rule of thumb, we find that when the technology is deployed in a tech-curious environment, you have the opportunity to upskill," he concluded.

There are other companies that are championing technology in African mines. Chinese multinational Huawei has partnered with technology solutions providers, telcos and mines to provide 5G technology.

Elsewhere, Torsa has introduced a high-precision collision avoidance system with Lidar3D and GPS technology that offers centimeter precision and helps reduce mining fatalities.

*Top image is of Sedna Industrial IT Solutions MD Anton Fester. (Source: Sedna Industrial IT Solutions).

— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa