Kovdorsky GOK JSC Mine to Benefit from Private LTE
The project was implemented by the EuroChem and MTS team, which included specialists from the Mining Division, Kovdorsky GOK and the Digital Technologies and Platforms company from EuroChem.
MTS, headquartered in Moscow and the largest mobile network operator in Russia, has built a dedicated Private LTE (pLTE) technological communication network at the Kovdorsky GOK JSC mine in the Murmansk Region, a large Russian producer of apatite, baddeleyite and iron ore concentrate, which is part of the fertilizer producer MHC EuroChem JSC.
The pLTE network launched into pilot operation on the territory of the Kovdorsky Mining and Processing Plant will automate production processes, introduce telemetry services, solutions for remote control of equipment, transport and drilling and blasting operations, transmit video information from stationary and mobile video cameras to the control panel and carry out a comprehensive modernization of the IT infrastructure - create collection, processing, storage systems and the transmission of information.
As part of the project, MTS installed eight LTE base stations at the mine, covering the main GOK locations with a total area of 72 square kilometers, including the Zhelezny quarry, where mining, transportation and storage of rock mass is carried out in difficult weather conditions of the North. The data center of the enterprise has deployed a network core from a domestic manufacturer, the company STC Protey LLC with a georeferencing function, providing network management, security of transmitted traffic and integration of digital services into the IT landscape of the enterprise.
Now, through the pLTE network, more than 20 pieces of equipment are connected to the automated dispatching system of the Kovdorsky GOK mining and transport complex: BelAZ dump trucks, excavators, drilling rigs. Kovdorsky GOK continues the transition to the pLTE network.
Previously, before the creation of the pLTE network, data on the condition of machinery and equipment in the quarry was transmitted along an extended network route through St. Petersburg and Murmansk. The delay in information for the dispatcher about the operation of dump trucks could reach several seconds, which affected the responsiveness and safety of work. With the launch of a dedicated network, all information about the movement of transport is closed in the perimeter of the enterprise.
"MTS is the leader among Russian telecom operators in terms of the number of dedicated networks built – we have accumulated rich expertise in their creation, especially for enterprises in the mining, energy and metallurgical industries. The universal and secure Private LTE data transmission environment will allow Kovdorsky GOK to implement projects for the integrated digitalization of various production processes. For example, at the first stage, it will ensure the operation of digital prompters, dispatching radio communications based on MC-PTT technology, industrial safety systems and personnel positioning. Thanks to the scalable and flexible network architecture, our customer will be able to quickly expand LTE coverage at various production sites, which will create a foundation for the introduction of promising digital solutions,"
said Oleg Aldoshin, Vice President for Corporate and New Business Development at MTS.
"A controlled and stable digital data transmission environment, resistant to interference, well-protected and providing high-quality communication, is in demand at EuroChem enterprises. Minimal delays, seamless operation and high signal penetration make it possible to control industrial equipment in real time. The advantages of a dedicated LTE network are high reliability and security while maintaining high speed. The deployment of a wireless corporate network on the territory of Kovdorsky GOK is the first stage in the implementation of production digitalization solutions using LTE technology at the company's enterprises. In the future, it is planned to replicate the technology to enterprises in the Krasnodar and Perm Territories, Volgograd and Tula regions,"
commented Andrey Burlutsky, Director of Information Technology at EuroChem,
The project was implemented by the EuroChem and MTS team, which included specialists from the Mining Division, Kovdorsky GOK and the Digital Technologies and Platforms company from EuroChem.
In November 2023, according to an analytical review by ComNews Group of companies, MTS was recognized as the absolute leader among Russian companies in terms of the total number of dedicated pLTE networks created for various industries. Since 2019, MTS has implemented 34 commercial and pilot projects, which is more than half of the total number of deployed or tested pLTE networks in Russia Of Russia.
