Nokia and Boldyn Networks teamed up to provide a private 5G network set to support tests of next-generation mining equipment.

The pair deployed the network at the Callio FutureMINE site in Pyhäjärvi, Finland. Formerly one of Europe’s deepest copper mines, the site is now being used by tech companies to test and validate their equipment.

The private 5G solution was designed by Boldyn, utilizing Nokia’s Modular Private Wireless (MPW) technology to provide connectivity across multiple underground levels and the site’s extensive tunnel network.

Among the use cases the network was applied to include supporting the remote operation of vehicles and machinery from the surface and keeping workers out of the mine tunnels so they avoid hazardous underground conditions.

The private 5G network also helped improve mining site communications by eliminating the need for walkie-talkies. Instead, mine workers can use 5G-enabled devices to communicate clearly across all mine levels, either above or below ground.

The network also helped power visualization efforts. Integrated 3D mapping offerings from software company Cybercube were trialed, creating a digital twin of the mine to allow site staff to monitor personnel, vehicles, and equipment in real time.

“Mining is one of the toughest environments on earth for connectivity, and private 5G is proving to be a game-changer,” Michael Aspinall, head of enterprise campus Edge sales in Europe at Nokia, explained. “Together with Boldyn Networks, we are enabling Callio to demonstrate how secure, reliable, and high-performance networks can transform underground operations – making them safer, more sustainable, and more efficient.”

Mining technology manufacturer Normet is also testing autonomous vehicles at the site in Finland. Mark Ryan, the firm’s VP of equipment offering and new technology, said alternatives like open Wi-Fi and shared networks “don’t work reliably underground” due to issues with latency and performance drops.

“A fully automated future could see 90 percent of underground workers operating from the surface – but that requires dedicated 5G networks,” Ryan added. “So, having a private network built for these processes is a must.”

Nokia supported similar use cases at another Finnish testing facility, just outside of Oulu, where its private network helps power trials of autonomous construction machinery.