Sedna Africa has successfully delivered and commissioned the digital network infrastructure enabling autonomous drilling at First Quantum Minerals’ Sentinel Mine in Kalumbila, marking a major advance for smart mining in Zambia.
Sedna Africa is a leading systems integrator delivering mission-critical connectivity and industrial digital solutions across diverse sectors.
The project forms part of First Quantum’s broader strategy to modernise operations, improve safety and increase productivity as the company works towards its long-term copper production targets. Sedna Africa was responsible for supplying, installing and commissioning the Rajant Corporation wireless network, which provides the resilient, high-performance connectivity required to support autonomous drilling operations.
The network underpins the drill automation system deployed at Sentinel, enabling mobility, low latency communication, high-capacity data transfer and remote operation in a demanding and dynamic open-pit mining environment. The solution was implemented in collaboration with First Quantum subsidiary Trident Mining and global drill automation specialist Flanders Inc.
Following successful trials on three drill rigs, the system has demonstrated measurable improvements in drilling accuracy, efficiency and operational safety. Advanced GPS and laser-guided positioning have improved drill precision and blast outcomes, and automation has increased the number of holes drilled by more than 30%. Operators can now oversee drilling activities remotely, reducing exposure to high-risk environments.
Sedna Africa Managing Director, Anton Fester said the project reflects the importance of robust digital foundations in enabling advanced mining technologies. “From a technology perspective, autonomous drilling is only possible when the underlying network is reliable, resilient and built for harsh operating conditions.”
Commenting further, Fester said: “Our role was to design and deploy a kinetic mesh network that allows the systems to operate continuously and safely. To achieve this, the Rajant Hawk radios are used to establish the kinetic mesh, together with the Sedna Mobile Highsite Solution to ensure reliable ancillary services, creating a fit-for-purpose solution. The project demonstrates how designing and implementing the optimal digital infrastructure enables automation to perform as intended, delivering real operational value on site.”
"As mining operations move towards greater autonomy and digitalisation, resilient connectivity becomes the foundation for everything that follows. At Sentinel Mine, Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh® network delivers continuous, mobile, and self-healing connectivity that autonomous drilling operations rely on to perform safely and consistently. By maintaining real-time communications across moving equipment and dynamic mine environments, we enabled our customer to operate with greater precision, uptime, and confidence. Delivered in partnership with Sedna Africa, this project shows how the right wireless infrastructure translates directly into safer operations and measurable productivity gains," says Rinus Pretorius, Africa Sales Director, Rajant Corporation.
The project reinforces Sedna Africa’s role as a key enabler of digital transformation in the mining sector, delivering proven connectivity solutions that support safer, more efficient and more sustainable mining operations across the continent.
For more information visit: https://sedna.africa
