The Kamoa-Kakula copper complex went into production in May 2021. The company wants to capitalize on new technologies to accelerate the achievement of its objective of becoming the second largest copper mine in the world with an annual production of about 800,000 tons.
Luxembourg-based telecom satellite service provider SES SA will continue to provide high-speed connectivity services to the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through its constellation of medium-orbit O3b satellites. To this end, the company has renewed its partnership with Ivanhoe Mines, the owner of the mine. The new contract was unveiled on Monday, January 23.
According to Caroline Kamaitha, Vice President of Africa Sales at SES, satellite broadband connectivity should enable Kamoa-Kakula “ to implement new services and applications that will improve worker safety, digitize operations and maximize productivity. profitability through increased agility and automation ”.
This new agreement between Ivanohe Mines and SES comes against a backdrop of digital transformation where mining companies are turning to new technologies like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to ensure their efficiency, sustainability and profitability. However, adoption of these technologies requires reliable Internet connectivity. This is not always guaranteed, especially for companies whose sites are located in remote areas that are difficult to access for the terrestrial networks of telecom operators. Satellite technology makes it possible to circumvent these challenges.
“ Our long-standing partnership with SES has already enabled us to improve the profitability of our mining, and has supported our goal of improving the safety and well-being of all our staff ,” said Anil Udayabhanu, Chief Technology Officer at Kamoa Copper. The partnership should also enable Kamoa-Kakula to meet its production targets. The company is targeting production of at least 390,000 tonnes and no more than 430,000 tonnes of copper concentrate in 2023.