1.5 km
Private 5G underground at a mining test site
Private 5G reaches depths of up to 1.5 kilometres in a mining technology test environment, connecting equipment below the surface.
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Private networks / Mines & quarries
Private 5G for mining.
Connect the face, the fleet and the control room.
Keep production information moving with your people and machines. Private 5G connects haul routes, working areas and operational systems across mines and quarries, giving teams the information they need at the point of work. Seneca designs and manages private 5G networks for UK mines and quarries.
Send the next load to the right destination. Connect a worker’s call for assistance with the people who can respond. Put work orders, telemetry and shift updates in the hands of the people keeping production moving.
Private networks in mining
Private cellular connectivity in mines
3.2 km
Private LTE underground at a gold mine
A private 4G LTE network connects underground teams and equipment with surface operations at a gold mine reaching 3.2 kilometres below ground.
10× fewer
Fewer network nodes across the mine
A mining deployment covered the same area with ten times fewer private cellular nodes than its Wi-Fi comparison, reducing the number of locations to manage.
A network that follows production
Private 5G across mine workings and haul routes
A mine is a changing workplace. Haul routes extend, extraction areas shift and equipment moves between the face, the crusher, the stockpile and the workshop. Underground, new headings and working levels add another dimension to the network.
Private 5G brings managed mobile connectivity to those working areas. It links vehicle terminals, cameras and industrial gateways to your applications, alongside existing fibre and Wi-Fi. The network becomes part of how the operation moves information throughout the shift.
One view of the work in progress.
Join up the information that production, maintenance and supervisors use every day.
- Load instructions and dispatch updates in the cab.
- Worker alerts and location information in the control room.
- Work orders and shift records where the job happens.
Practical mining use cases
Private 5G for mine fleets and inspections
From the first load to the maintenance handover, connect the tasks that keep the site productive.
01
Keep haul movements connected to dispatch
Give dispatchers current fleet status along the mine’s working routes. Vehicle terminals send position, load and job updates over private 5G to the operational system. The team can adjust assignments as extraction areas and destinations change, with onboard vehicle systems retaining control of movement.
02
Bring inspection findings into the maintenance plan
Help engineers prepare for work at remote equipment. Connected cameras and inspection devices send observations with the asset reference over private 5G. Maintenance teams compare the information with the equipment history and organise the parts and access needed for the visit.
03
Keep mine teams connected at the point of work
Put work orders, shift updates and communication tools on compatible devices used by mine teams. Private cellular coverage follows the agreed working areas, including separately designed underground workings where required. Workers can send a request for assistance and receive operational information without returning to the control room.
Automation and remote operation
Private 5G for mining teams and operational systems
Private cellular networks connect automated haulage, drilling and remote-operation systems with the people supervising them. They carry equipment telemetry, video and operational instructions between machines, local applications and the control room.
Private LTE connects autonomous haulage in an open-pit mining operation, with a development path to 5G.
For your site, the network is designed with the equipment and automation teams around the machinery’s response time, availability and safe-operation requirements. That creates a route from connected equipment today to the automation your operation needs next.
From the machine to the application
Designing private 5G for mines and quarries
- 01 / Working equipmentVehicle terminals, rugged tablets, cameras, sensors and industrial gateways
- 02 / Site coverageRadios placed around haul roads, working faces, buildings or underground levels
- 03 / Private networkSIM access, traffic priorities and connections to the site’s existing systems
- 04 / Operational toolsDispatch, maintenance, video, production records and local computing
Surface mines and quarries
Design coverage around the terrain, haul routes and the movement of the working face. Radio positions, vehicle antennas, power and backhaul are planned together, with provision for extending the network as the site develops. Connect the operating areas that matter first, then extend into workshops, processing and stockpiles.
Underground workings
Underground coverage uses radio infrastructure within the mine, connected through its tunnels and levels. The layout follows the workings, power and backhaul routes, with equipment selected for the environment. Local core and computing infrastructure bring operational applications close to the work.
Planning & costs
Mine private 5G planning and costs
We assess your estate, devices and applications, then design connectivity around the work you want to improve. We help build a business case around the opportunity, deployment costs and ongoing support.
We handle the technical assessment and help connect the investment to useful results. The first conversation starts with what you want to achieve.
One area or the whole estate.
Start with a focused deployment and expand, or move ahead with a full programme. We shape delivery around your priorities and readiness, and coordinate installation with your operation.
Talk to our teamPlanning questions
Mining private 5G questions
Can private 5G work underground?
Yes. Radios and backhaul are installed within the workings to connect the required levels, tunnels and work areas. The design follows the mine’s layout and expansion plans; surface coverage and underground coverage are separate parts of the site network.
Does this make sense for a quarry as well as a large mine?
Yes. A quarry can start with a defined need such as haul-route connectivity, maintenance information or cameras at changing work areas. The project is sized around the operation and its applications, with a clear route to extend as requirements grow.
Can we connect the machines and systems we already use?
Compatible terminals and industrial gateways connect equipment to the private network. The design brings device bands, interfaces and application access together, so dispatch and maintenance information reaches the systems your team already uses.
Do we need 5G, or would private LTE fit?
The choice follows your devices, applications and growth plans. Private LTE is established in mining, while 5G adds options for newer devices and demanding workloads. We scope the network around the job, with the migration path considered from the start.
How is the cost of a mining network worked out?
Coverage areas, terrain or tunnel layout, devices, radio infrastructure, power, backhaul and integrations shape the deployment. Bring a site plan and the first workflow you want to connect, and we can establish a practical scope for the project.
Read the private 5G cost guide →How much does private 5G cost for mines and quarries?
The mines and quarries examples range from £46,561 to £65,665 ex VAT, including installation and one-year support. The focused and larger site assumptions are shown in the cost table. These are indicative calculator examples, confirmed by survey; exclusions are listed with the table.
Connect your operation
Get a private 5G quote for your mine
Tell us about your site, equipment and the task you want to improve. We’ll help bring the network, devices and applications into a practical first project.
Website information and service conditions
Website information and use cases provide general guidance. Performance, coverage, savings and suitability depend on site conditions, equipment, applications, integration and the agreed service scope. Illustrations and worked examples are indicative; third-party results relate to the original deployments.
Information may change or contain errors. Project-specific specifications, delivery commitments and commercial terms are set out in the agreed proposal and contract. External results relate to their original deployments; the fleet-time calculation illustrates the stated inputs.