At Boliden, connected giant trucks run around the clock without drivers
The haul trucks operating in Boliden's mines are massive vehicles weighing over 250 tons – and up to 570 tons when fully loaded. These trucks are the size of two-story buildings, with tires twice the height of an average person. Incorrect tire pressure can, in the worst case, cause one of these giant tires to catch fire.
When you hear the word "truck," you might picture traditional forklifts moving pallets around a warehouse. These machines, however, are the size of two-story buildings, and downtime costs substantial sums in repairs and lost production. If a fire breaks out in an overheated tire, the high tire pressure makes it too dangerous for firefighters to approach the vehicle. In such cases, a marksman must first be called in to shoot out the tires from a distance and reduce the explosion risk. With new sensor technology that communicates over Telia's 4G network, tires are now monitored automatically to reduce the risk of overheating that can cause fires.
Connected truck wheels are just the beginning
The partnership between Boliden and Telia began in 2018 with the introduction of 4G-connected sensors that monitor tire pressure across all trucks at Boliden's Aitik mine via Telia's network. Today, the partnership has expanded significantly, and we work with Boliden in multiple ways to improve operational efficiency, reduce downtime risk, and increase employee safety. The partnership has evolved from tire sensors to Boliden now deploying vehicles that operate autonomously around the clock across the site.
We're now taking the next important step by delivering a full-scale dedicated mobile network with high security and availability that enables Boliden to accelerate their digital transformation and test entirely new technologies in a real production environment.
The solution includes several components
Radio planning and coverage design
Dedicated private network – Enterprise Mobile Network 4G and 5G-ready
Private Local Core from Ericsson
Radio network with antennas and base stations
Connectivity enabling IoT solutions for device integration
Secure data protection for network traffic
Major gains in a highly competitive industry
Boliden is among the leading mining companies in the Nordics when it comes to sustainable metal production, from discovery to recycling of metals such as copper. Staying at the forefront of technology development and operational efficiency is critical to competing in this highly competitive industry. The overarching goal of the partnership between Telia and Boliden is to improve operational productivity while also enhancing the work environment and safety for those working in the mine.
Constant and reliable connectivity is fundamental to making everything work, as Boliden's mining operations run around the clock and every interruption results in immediate production loss. The need for robust and reliable connectivity led to Telia being awarded the contract to establish and operate a local 5G-ready mobile network in Aitik, south of Gällivare.
Benefits of a dedicated private network
With the new 5G-ready network, Boliden can achieve enhanced and more refined monitoring and control of the machinery used in mining operations. The introduction of certain autonomous machines helps ease staffing requirements. Whether operated by people or working independently, the vehicles in the open pit are connected to enable engine optimization, temperature indication, and tire pressure monitoring.
Significantly faster and more stable connectivity via 4G and, when needed in the future, 5G gives Boliden the ability to connect additional equipment and large mining machinery, which will both increase efficiency and enable continuous production management and monitoring. In 2022, Boliden introduced autonomous trucks, supported by Telia's dedicated network, which depend on stable connectivity and monitoring to avoid incidents and production stoppages.
Unlock the power of digitalization – one step at a time
Through a partnership with Telia, we can work together to identify and implement different steps toward your desired operational improvements, and together create a clear vision of where you want to go. You don't need to make all decisions today or make the entire investment at once. We put your needs at the center and create a flexible solution that can grow with your business. Whether you need to expand capacity to connect more devices, handle increased traffic, or extend the coverage area, we can adapt and expand the network to meet your specific requirements.
Telia can also provide advisory services and has experts in various areas. We also work closely with other suppliers such as Ericsson to integrate functionality.