5G has brought to life, the benefits of deploying unmanned vehicles at mining sites. Use of autonomous vehicles are possible only because of the low latency and high throughput of 5G networks. This allows for vehicles to be monitored and controlled remotely in real-time. At unstable sites where there is a likelihood of cave-ins, no lives are endangered even if an accident were to occur. Multiple cameras at the mining site use 5G network to relay large amounts of data in real-time allowing for quick adjustments to be made when required. Smart sensors on vehicles enable avoiding obstacles and course-correct.

Along with autonomous vehicles, smart mines vastly contribute to the safety and health of mine workers. Having 5G-powered machinery take over a lot of the manual task means that miners don’t have to be on location unless absolutely necessary. This reduces the risk of exposure to extreme weather conditions, toxic substances, and high-risk jobs that could cause serious injury. 5G-powered mining probes can analyze new underground mining sites for various factors like air quality, structural integrity, ease of mining the ore and so on before humans enter the mining shaft. Furthermore, miners can be given wearables that can monitor their vital signs while working underground. The information can be transmitted to a site office and can alert the team if any worker is in physical distress. High throughput and low latency associated with 5G network, enables all this for the mining industry.

Bore machines used in the mines can be automated using 5G technology which can increase operating hours to up to 2,000 hours a year! Furthermore, 5G-enabled smart sensors and cameras within mines can allow maintenance staff to constantly monitor mine conditions via digital display. AI is used to analyze the data being transmitted from the mines so that anomalies can be highlighted and action can be taken at the earliest. This helps prevent accidents that could occur if the problem was left undetected. Metrics like temperature, fluid levels and conductivity can all be monitored this way. Radar data obtained from 5G-powered drones can be used in mapping of subsurface and open pit mines. This data can prove crucial in identifying not just mining opportunities but also potential hazards.

5G can play an important role in the security and surveillance of mines and the mining industry. All equipment that has to be left in the open at a mining site can be fitted with 5G-connected sensors that instantly detect unauthorized use and send out alerts to the control center. AI can also be programmed to lock down equipment if any unauthorized use is detected thereby preventing theft. All data transmitted on the 5G network is highly encrypted, this provides invaluable security to mining companies that need to protect the vast amount of information that regularly flows between the mining site, control centers, and offices.