Nokia and Vivo to supply private LTE network for Vale's mining project in Brazil
Nokia and Vivo will provide a private LTE wireless service to Vale's mine in Brazil as part of an Industry 4.0 project. The initiative aims to boost productivity and enhance worker safety through autonomous operations.
Nokia and its partner Vivo are set to deliver a private LTE wireless network solution to Brazilian mining company Vale. The service will be deployed at Vale's Carajás mine as part of the company's Industry 4.0 project, which seeks to automate mining equipment.
This project marks Vale's mine as the first in Brazil to utilize a private LTE network. The new network will enable the control of autonomous drill platforms and trucks, thereby increasing productivity and improving worker safety. The network will also facilitate mine-wide communication among personnel.
Nokia has previously implemented similar private wireless networks for several mining operators globally and plans to migrate to 5G technology in the future. Autonomous trucks have been shown to increase productivity by up to 15% and reduce costs by 10%.
Vale stated that the new technology will enable new applications for remote and autonomous operations, enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and safety. The company is considering expanding the technology to its other mines, which currently use older WiMax solutions.