Intelligent mining is an inevitable trend, and 5G commercialization has achieved remarkable results

At present, despite the rapid rise of new energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy, the importance of traditional energy is still receiving much attention. As a power generation energy, industrial power energy, civilian commodity energy and chemical raw materials with strong demand, traditional energy such as oil and coal has always been an important foundation for maintaining the economic and military development of various countries. Based on this, the development of the traditional mining industry cannot be slackened.

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The industry faces multiple challenges in the new era

Domestic mining has always been a labor-intensive industry that relies mainly on manual labor. In an era of lack of technical equipment, low labor costs, and the pursuit of economic benefits, there is nothing wrong with this development model. However, in recent years, with the reduction of the demographic dividend, the increase in environmental protection awareness, the upgrading of development concepts, and the awakening of public awareness, the traditional model is no longer suitable.

On the one hand, the traditional mining operation model has serious production safety problems. Since 2009, the booming industry has been accompanied by various risks. Due to the poor production environment and conditions, large and small mining accidents have sounded the alarm for the industry, which not only hindered production, but also caused enterprises to face practical problems such as difficulty in recruiting, employing and retaining workers.

On the other hand, the traditional mining operation model is also difficult to meet the demand in terms of revenue. In daily mine inspection operations, due to the large amount of manual labor, it is not only inefficient but also has errors, and it is increasingly unable to keep up with the needs of the times. At the same time, traditional mining operations often have various deficiencies such as pollution and waste, which have caused considerable harm to the environment and ecology.

In this context, the industry is in urgent need of transformation and upgrading, and the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robots, the Internet of Things, and big data to promote the intelligence of the industry is the only way. In particular, the deployment and application of 5G networks are important dependencies and tools for promoting the development of smart mines and accelerating the transformation and upgrading of the industry.

5G applications bring three aspects of value

So, what specific help can 5G bring to the intelligentization of mines?

According to the observation and research of Smart Manufacturing Network, 5G applications mainly help mine intelligence in three aspects:

One is inspection. By connecting inspection robots or drones through 5G, inspection data, video, and audio signals can be transmitted to the monitoring and command center. The characteristics of low latency, high speed, and large capacity ensure the stability, efficiency, and comprehensiveness of inspection transmission, thereby reducing the dependence on inspection manpower, enhancing mine inspection efficiency, and ensuring operational safety.

The second is operation. Traditionally, when using mining machinery, workers must do it themselves, and their personal safety cannot be guaranteed. With the application of 5G, unmanned remote operation will become a reality. With the high reliability and low latency of 5G networks, people can remotely control equipment indoors to operate, which not only ensures production safety, but also reduces job requirements.

The third is data collection. The key to the intelligent transformation of mines lies in data collection. With the help of mining IoT, combined with 5G networks, wireless backhaul of hydrological, gas and other collected information can be achieved, reducing the difficulty of transmission construction and maintenance. While ensuring safety, it reduces operating pressure and difficulty, and promotes the improvement of operating efficiency and quality.

Since the official launch of 5G commercial use in China, more than 710,000 5G base stations have been built so far, and 5G network coverage has achieved initial results, which has created a good foundation for the intelligent transformation of mines. In the future, with the further acceleration of 5G construction and the continuous exploration of 5G commercialization, 5G may become the core driving force for the development of intelligent mines.

What are the key areas for future industry development?

However, before that, the development of 5G+ smart mines in my country needs to focus on three points and solve related problems!

First, we need to customize 5G base stations for mining. After all, 5G applications in mining are different from ordinary consumer 5G networks, and special networks need to be built to ensure the effect. Based on this, my country also needs to accelerate the construction of dedicated base stations in mining areas to achieve accurate coverage of 5G networks in mining areas.

Secondly, we need to launch 5G terminals for mining. It is also a priority to work with industry partners to quickly launch underground 4K cameras, mobile terminals, 5G universal modules, edge gateways, sensors, etc. based on 5G networks. Because the network alone is not enough, special terminal equipment is also needed to support it.

Finally, we need to ensure the reliability of 5G. Underground operations are complex and unpredictable. Once 5G communication fails, it will not only cause huge losses, but may also cause accidents. Therefore, its stability and reliability are very important. This requires my country to strengthen 5G technology research and application maintenance. Both are indispensable.