Inmarsat and Auxilium to deliver satellite IIoT mining solutions

16 August 2018: Inmarsat and Auxilium, a leading Australian mining technology solutions company, have established a formal partnership to deliver the most effective Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and communications solutions for Australian mining companies.

The partnership will see Auxilium deploying satellite connectivity from Inmarsat in its IIoT solutions. This will ensure that mining companies can access IIoT and communications services regardless of how remote their location is, and without the need to invest significant sums in building a terrestrial communications infrastructure in order to connect their mining operations.

Auxilium designs and manufactures technically advanced mining equipment, technology and services to support high-value mining and construction assets. It deploys satellite connectivity to enable the seamless transition of data from mine site to the control centre, which can be thousands of kilometres apart.

Reliable connectivity

Inmarsat’s L-band satellite network offers the most reliable, secure connectivity for IIoT applications globally. With satellite availability up to 99.9%, rugged and energy efficient terminals, and low latency data transmission, it is the ideal solution for remote monitoring and automation applications.

By combining Inmarsat’s award-winning network and Auxilium’s innovative solutions, mining businesses will be able to benefit from operational efficiencies and enhanced profitability regardless of how far they are from their head office.

Previously, organisations, particularly those of medium-or-junior-size, have struggled to justify the cost of installing terrestrial connectivity networks in remote locations, or have suffered with unreliable satellite connectivity. This partnership will give Auxilium’s customers access to the world’s broadest and most reliable portfolio of satellite services, and will enable the provision of solutions at a lower cost, with no requirement on the part of mining companies to make significant investments in terrestrial infrastructure.

Safer working

Wayne Panther, Founder of Auxilium, said: “IIoT is changing the mining industry and is fast leading to the emergence of safer, more efficient and more profitable ways of working. However, many mining companies struggle to obtain the requisite connectivity for IIoT data transfer or on-site communications and are often faced with making huge investments in terrestrial infrastructure.

“With Inmarsat’s satellite capability, we can eliminate the need for this investment and deliver robust and reliable connectivity that works wherever the mine is located. We reviewed several providers of satellite communications, even taking terminals and phones into the pit, and Inmarsat was the only provider whose connectivity worked wherever we were.”

Chairman of Auxilium Systems Nathan Mitchell said: “This partnership between Inmarsat and Auxilium Systems brings the ability to improve our capabilities in delivering real-time, mine-based communications and automation to Australian mining companies and other sectors. This will lead to further improvements in efficiencies and real-time decision making that will continue to see Australian mining at the forefront of technological advances and further demonstrates Auxilium Systems’ ability to provide industry-leading solutions to our current and future clients.”

Reduced investment

Joe Carr, Director of Mining at Inmarsat Enterprise, commented: “Mining companies are under huge pressure to extract product at a profitable margin. Working with Auxilium is going to enable us to deliver solutions on a managed services model, reducing up-front investment and strain on capital expenditure budgets.

“Auxilium’s expertise in creating technical solutions that solve key business challenges for mining companies is unparalleled. Combined with Inmarsat’s broad portfolio of connectivity services and the world’s most reliable satellite connectivity experience, we believe that together we can provide the mining sector with a really compelling proposition.”