Connectivity crucial to future success in mining: Simon Gatty Saunt

Reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity is a key enabler of mining’s digital transformation and ultimately major efficiency and ESG initiatives planned or underway, according to SES sales vice-president for Europe and Africa, Simon Gatty Saunt.

Netherlands-based Gatty Saunt sees strong growth in demand for multi-orbit satellite communications over the next five years in mining, “fuelled by the increasing demand for digital transformation and remote operations powered by IoT and automation in mining operations where reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity is vital”.

SES’ second-generation medium earth orbit, or MEO, constellation, O3b mPOWER, started delivering services earlier this year, adding to its fleet of geosynchronous orbit (GEO) high-throughput satellites and first-generation MEO satellites.

“MEO satellites transform low-latency connectivity into a possibility across diverse locations, offering immense bandwidth for real-time remote operations and automated processes,” the company says.

“This empowers remote mining operations to embrace cloud-based applications such as IoT and machine learning for operational efficiency.”

Gatty Saunt, who has held a number of senior positions in the satellite business over the past 20 years, says mining companies and operations are seeing significant network redundancy and resilience benefits from multi-orbit satellite network combinations, particularly for data-intensive applications, as the industry’s shift toward smart mines gathers momentum.

He spoke with Mining Beacon editor Richard Roberts ahead of an upcoming presentation at this year’s Resourcing Tomorrow 2024 conference in London.

Richard Roberts: You’ve been with SES through some interesting times for the mining industry, certainly from a technological standpoint. How would you characterise the change in satellite communication network demand and deployment in that time? What have been the principal change drivers? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: The mining industry has gone through some transformation. Years ago, satcom was only used for basic connectivity needs such as in offices at mining sites. But the mining industry is changing radically with automation, real-time data and cloud-based services becoming the norm. These digital technologies promise lower costs and improved performance, unlocking new investment opportunities for mines. 

However, the move toward smart mining can be challenging due to highly dispersed and remote locations, isolated information technology and operational technology systems and the lack of access to traditional terrestrial network connectivity.  

Richard Roberts: You are participating on a panel discussion at Resourcing Tomorrow 2024 about the “mine of the future” and the (increasing) role of software, sensors, automation, etc. What do you think drives higher levels of digital adoption in mining going forward – it is still at a relatively low overall market penetration level – and over what time horizon? Where are the most advanced/value-driving systems being deployed today?

Simon Gatty Saunt: From the initial site evaluation, to processing and equipment maintenance, employee safety and welfare, and transportation and manufacturing, connectivity is critical to the success and future of mining. Additionally, to fully realise the benefits of digitalisation, operators need an enhanced network to integrate their information technology (IT) systems used for datacentric computing with their operational technology (OT) systems used to adjust and monitor processes and devices.  

This combined central network then needs to support infrastructure at every level, from communications, supply chain and processing to on-site equipment operation and monitoring, enabling all connected devices and sensors to seamlessly share information in real time. 

Richard Roberts: What role does satellite comms technology play? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: While geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellite connectivity solutions are often used for connectivity solutions in remote areas, the rise of cloud services and Internet of Things (IoT) devices necessitates data-intensive and low-latency capabilities that can be best served by satellites operating closer to earth—medium earth orbit (MEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. 

By using a combination of GEO and MEO satellites, SES’s networks of about 70 satellites can guarantee network redundancy and resilience, supporting data-intensive applications anywhere in the world. Mining firms can benefit from highly customisable managed services, providing flexibility for expansion and a shift toward smart mines. 

Richard Roberts: What have been the most impressive advances in this field in the past 3-5 years? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: In recent years the collaboration between satellite communication and the mining industry has led to notable advancements, particularly in IoT and sensors. Most mining organisations are experimenting with or have fully implemented IoT solutions to boost efficiency, productivity and profitability.

Additionally, IoT is being used to enhance staff safety and reduce environmental impacts. 

Richard Roberts: How widespread is the use of multi-orbit satellite technology in mining today? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: The use of multi-orbit satellite technology, combining GEO and Non-GEO (MEO, LEO) satellites, is gaining traction across many industries, especially in remote and challenging environments. Mining is likely to follow this trend. 

Currently the mining customer demand is a good mix between high-end customers requiring robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and dedicated bandwidth with Committed Information Rates (CIRs) and those with less quality constraint requirements. There is growing demand for multi-orbit solutions across the board, though, particularly for mid-tier mining operations requiring a managed service offering.  

Richard Roberts: What gains – in connectivity, digital transformation, productivity etc – are on offer? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: At SES, our multi-orbit solutions provide the robust, low-latency and high-bandwidth connectivity that mining operators require to fully leverage digital technologies, like real-time data analytics, remote monitoring, IoT and automation.  

The consequent adoption of cloud technologies is expected to increase mine profitability by 45%, and by enabling these advanced capabilities SES can help mining companies improve their operational efficiency, reduce downtime and enhance overall productivity.  

Mining generates 2.5 terabytes of data per minute and with cloud computing this data can be leveraged for advanced analytics, transforming operations, streamlining connectivity and facilitating data communication. Our multi-orbit network architecture allows seamless integration of our GEO and MEO satellites, delivering a unique blend of speed, reliability and coverage that will closely support the digital transformation in the mining sector.  

Richard Roberts: Where are these gains being demonstrated?

Simon Gatty Saunt: We work with all of the major service providers who are providing connectivity directly to the mining companies, the likes of Orange, British Telecom, Marlink, Speedcast, AXESS, to name but a few. And they are providing connectivity services to their clients in most of the world’s major mining hotspots. We do a lot in continental Africa, including DRC and Mali, as well as in Western Australia.

Also, we're seeing a lot of demand these days in Latin America; in particular Chile and Argentina.

A concrete example is our work with AXESS supporting a gold mining customer in remote Sub-Saharan Africa. Faced with declining gold prices the customer needed to boost productivity efficiently, while ensuring reliable, 24/7 connectivity despite the lack of urban infrastructure. 

By partnering with SES, AXESS provided an advanced satellite-enabled connectivity solution using SES’s low-latency MEO constellation and GEO satellites. In addition to bringing together data across the entire mining value chain, improving planning, control, processing and decision-making, the SES solution allows AXESS Networks’ end clients to benefit from top cloud services like Microsoft Azure and AWS, supporting key administrative applications for operational efficiencies and crew safety. 

Richard Roberts: What part is cost playing in adoption today? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: Our customers have a variety of service options and demand cost-effective solutions. SES is committed to delivering value through our multi-orbit approach. The flexibility of combining GEO and MEO orbits allow us to optimise the cost-performance ratio based on the specific needs of our clients. 

Customers are seeing that the gains in productivity and efficiencies realised through reliable, high-quality connectivity far outweigh the costs.  

Richard Roberts: Any comments on the market outlook for the next five years? There is a lot of talk about the potential growth of the “smart mining” market, from maybe circa-US$10 billion today, to something multiples of that in 2030. How do you see that and what does it mean for the satellite communications business? 

Simon Gatty Saunt: The market outlook for multi-orbit satellite communications over the next five years is highly optimistic.

Growth will be fuelled by the increasing demand for digital transformation and remote operations powered by IoT and automation in mining operations where reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity is a critical enabler. For satellite operators and service providers this means substantial opportunities, as they will be at the forefront of supporting mining’s’ connectivity needs – from remote monitoring to the deployment of IoT devices.

As the demand for smarter, more connected operations grows, so too will the market for satellite-based solutions, making it an exciting time for the satellite communications industry.