- Orange satellite broadband connects Zapadnaya’s remote mine operations
- Improves safety by enabling remote collaboration with mining experts
Digital mine technology from Orange Business is helping mining companies expand into remote regions, automate operations and improve safety protocols. Several of the top gold mining companies in the world, including Zapadnaya Gold Mining, use fully integrated terrestrial and satellite network services from Orange Business to connect their digital mines.
The Orange Business integrated network allows Russian gold mining company Zapadnaya to enjoy reliable unified communications and video conferencing services between its headquarters and hard-to-reach mining sites in Siberia and the Far East of Russia. This includes six sites that Orange engineers connected entirely via satellite because of their remote location.
With the Orange network solution, Zapadnaya has radically improved collaboration and increased employee productivity over its eight locations. The company uses the video conferencing and unified communications solution for corporate training, business meetings and remote resolution of business and technical issues. This has helped Zapadnaya reduce costs while improving safety and productivity in its gold mines.
Building the digital mine
Orange defines “digital mines” as state-of-the-art mining sites that integrate network technology with smart, connected devices to provide real-time collaboration. Video surveillance, IP sensors, Wi-Fi connectivity and unified communications all contribute to increased production, reduced safety-related issues and reduced operation costs.
For example, remote video technology can explore suspect shafts that are too dangerous or unreachable by manned exploratory teams. Another example includes remote sensors embedded in mining equipment for tracking productivity and maintenance. This data can be shared over the network to better guide the deployment of people and resources and improve the effectiveness of mining operations.
“For many companies, unified communications improves employee collaboration and efficiency, in addition to serving as a vital substitute for expensive and lengthy business travel. Demand is growing not only in Russia, but worldwide, and we have the expertise to help empower companies with borderless collaboration solutions around the world,” says Anne-Sophie Lotgering, senior vice president, Europe, Russia and CIS, Orange Business.
"We use video conferencing via satellite communication as a reliable and effective alternative to business trips and in-person visits. It helps us control costs and improve safety across the organization. Through video conferencing, our experts can take part in meetings and analyze activities at our mines across Russia – for example in the Sakha Republic and the Trans-Baikal region in the same day,” says Yuri Shabanov, IT manager at Zapadnaya.