Velocity: Transforming mining with intelligent communications

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With its heritage in mobile radio and extensive experience in the Australian mining sector Simoco is rising to the challenge of delivering the benefits of digital transformation in mining. We take a look at how Simoco’s Velocity platform can harness the safety and efficiency benefits of Mining 4.0.

The mining industry is undergoing a digital transformation, with the advent of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance safety. As this evolution continues, intelligent communication solutions like Simoco’s Velocity platform are playing a pivotal role in enabling these improvements, building on tried and tested radio technology while embracing new wireless platforms like LTE with an intelligent on-board edge compute capability to pave the way for the smart mines of the future.

The Mining 4.0 revolution is transforming operations with autonomous vehicles, predictive maintenance, real-time analytics, and machine learning (ML) to enhance decision-making and safety. However, mines cannot risk unproven technology or halt operations for major upgrades. A phased approach is essential. Wireless connectivity is critical in mining’s harsh environment, yet traditional mobile radio lacks the bandwidth for advanced applications. Simoco’s Velocity platform bridges this gap, combining mobile radio with broadband and edge computing for real-time data processing, ensuring a robust, scalable, and mission-critical communication solution tailored for modern mining operations.

Mining is one of the most hazardous industries, with risks such as rockfalls, equipment failures, gas leaks, and extreme weather. In 2022, the International Council on Mining & Minerals (ICMM) reported 33 fatalities among its members. Reducing these dangers requires smarter, technology-driven solutions. Velocity enhances safety through real-time environmental monitoring, personnel tracking, and automated emergency alerts. If hazardous gas is detected, the platform instantly issues evacuation orders via radio, LTE, or Wi-Fi. Smart signage and automated blast alarms further improve response times, ensuring critical alerts reach miners instantly, streamlining safety protocols, and ultimately helping to save lives.

Velocity is more than just a safety tool; it is a comprehensive operational intelligence platform. By processing data at the edge, it significantly reduces latency and network strain, ensuring uninterrupted monitoring and control. By enabling predictive analytics, Velocity ensures that potential risks are identified and addressed before they escalate, fostering a safer and more efficient work environment. Key applications include: 

• Blast Alarms: Automatically alert all radio users in designated zones ahead of scheduled blasts, ensuring safe evacuation and compliance with protocols. 
• Smart Signage: Digital signage powered by Velocity dynamically updates to provide real-time safety and operational instructions based on mine conditions. 
• Dust and Weather Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of air quality, wind patterns, and other environmental factors helps prevent health hazards and operational disruptions. 
• Refuge Chamber Control: During an emergency, miners swipe their ID cards upon entering refuge chambers. Velocity instantly updates the control room, reconciling shift rosters and tracking personnel, reducing human error, and enhancing emergency response efficiency.

A major challenge in achieving Mining 4.0 is ensuring reliable underground connectivity. Installing fibre-optic or Ethernet networks is expensive and complex, while traditional mobile radio, though dependable, lacks the high-speed data capacity required for smart mining applications. 

Velocity addresses this by integrating mobile radio with LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and satellite connectivity, ensuring seamless communication across all levels of the mine. It enables real-time data transmission and automated safety responses.

In many mining environments traditional communication networks may not offer the coverage, security, or reliability required for mission-critical operations. This is where Velocity Xtend comes in, a robust Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) solution, ensuring seamless, high-speed communication across vast mining sites. The benefits include:

• Reliable Coverage: LTE networks provide superior range and reliability compared to conventional radio systems, ensuring that workers remain connected across all areas of the mine.
• Security and Control: A private LTE network ensures that sensitive operational data remains within the mining site, mitigating cybersecurity risks.
• High-Capacity Data Transmission: Velocity Xtend supports bandwidth-intensive applications such as real-time video monitoring, enhancing situational awareness.

By integrating Velocity Xtend with existing radio networks, mining operators gain a future-proof communication ecosystem that supports both legacy and next-generation technologies.

As digital transformation accelerates, mining companies must adopt intelligent, scalable solutions to remain competitive. Velocity offers a proven, flexible platform that meets current needs while providing a clear path to the future. By integrating mobile radio with broadband capabilities and edge computing, it delivers the robust, mission-critical communications required for modern mining operations. 

With Velocity, mining operators gain a powerful tool to enhance safety, improve efficiency, and make data-driven decisions with confidence. As Mining 4.0 continues to evolve, Velocity ensures that mines remain connected, informed, and ready for the future. 

Simoco’s commitment to innovation and reliability is at the heart of Velocity’s design. By bridging traditional radio communications with cutting-edge digital capabilities, we empower mining companies to operate in a smarter, safer, and more efficient way.