The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo) will be using reliable high-performance managed connectivity services delivered by SES Networks. The managed services and fiber-like connectivity from SES Networks will be powered by its O3b Medium Earth Orbit satellite fleet. It will enable operators on site to do video-conferencing with headquarters, use cloud-based applications to access and upload critical data, and improve overall productivity and safety, according to the company.
“We employ leading-edge exploration and development technologies at our projects, and to make sure that these technologies are applied successfully, we need to get the right information to the right people at the right time,” said Steve Amos, Ivanhoe’s head of projects in Congo. “We look forward to working with SES Networks to improve connectivity and communications at our mine sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
“Ivanhoe Mines operates some of the most sophisticated mining operations in the world and demands leading-edge performance combined with state-of-the-art reliability,” said Carole Kamaitha, vice president of Fixed Data Sales Africa at SES Networks. “The turnkey solution delivered via our unique infrastructure will enable the crew working at the Kamoa-Kakula site to leverage the latest applications, communicate effectively, and maximize their productivity.”
The Kamoa-Kakula mining project is the world’s largest undeveloped high-grade copper discovery. Located about 270 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Lubumbashi, it’s a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining and the Democratic Republic of Congo government. Based in Luxenbourg, SES is a satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).