UQOMM
IoT for Mining and Industry: wireless sensors, gateways, and real‑time data platform
At UQOMM, we design the lIoT infrastructure that connects assets, equipment, and processes to transform operational information into useful data for decision‑making. We integrate multiprotocol sensors, industrial gateways, MQTT, and the connection to your SCADA and ERP systems.
UQOMM
What is industrial IoT is and why is it the bridge to digital mining
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the application of the IoT paradigm to productive environments: wireless sensors connected to gateways that feed a platform capable of turning that data into operational and maintenance decisions. In mining, this means that every critical asset (main ventilation fan, conveyor belt, shovel, jumbo, haul truck, drill hole, mining refuge, gas detector, etc.) goes from being a silent element to becoming a continuous source of data.
The difference from consumer IoT is profound. Industrial IoT requires: certified sensors for industrial environments (IP66/IP67 outdoors, extended thermal ranges), protocols that prioritize autonomy and robustness over bandwidth (LoRaWAN, NB IoT, LTE M, Wi Fi HaLow), redundant architectures so that the loss of a gateway does not blind the operation, OT/IT cybersecurity (IEC 62443, NIST 800 82), and platforms capable of ingesting millions of events per day and correlating them with control and asset management systems.
At UQOMM, we design, implement, and integrate IIoT platforms for mining and industrial operations on five continents. We select the combination of sensors, protocols, and hardware that best suits each operation, ensuring that information reaches systems such as SCADA, ERP, and digital twins. For us, IIoT is not merely a data source; it is the infrastructure that connects the operation and enables increasingly digital mining.
UQOMM
How an IoT platform works
A complete IoT platform is composed of four main elements:
Technology
Most used IoT protocols in industrial operation
There is no single winning protocol. The optimal IIoT architecture combines multiple options depending on the use case, geography, and required autonomy:
| Protocol / Standard | Range / Bandwidth | Typical Use Case | UQOMM |
|---|---|---|---|
| LoRaWAN | 2–15 km · 0.3–50 kbps | Low rate, ultra low energy sensing | Compatible |
| NB IoT / LTE M | LTE coverage · 20–1,000 kbps | Cellular IoT over private LTE | Compatible |
| Wi Fi HaLow (802.11ah) | Up to 1 km · 150 kbps–18 Mbps | Intermediate bandwidth at long range | Compatible |
| BLE 5 / BLE Long Range | 50–400 m · 1–2 Mbps | Personnel and tool traceability | Compatible |
| Active / Passive RFID | 1–100 m · low | Access control, fleet, inventory | Compatible |
| Zigbee / Thread | 10–100 m · 250 kbps | Dense indoor/building mesh networks | Selective |
UQOMM
Where does Industrial IoT apply?
Underground mining
Tunnels
Railway Metro
Offshore
UQOMM
Technologies
IoT
in underground mining
In underground mining, IIoT performs three critical functions: protecting personnel, optimizing energy, and anticipating failures. Continuous sensing of gases (CO, NO₂, CH₄, O₂), airflow, temperature, and humidity enables on‑demand ventilation and reduces energy consumption by 15% to 25%. Vibrational monitoring of belts, motors, and gearboxes makes it possible to anticipate failures. BLE geolocation of personnel supports orderly evacuations and compliance with safety protocols.
- Gas and air‑quality sensors (LoRaWAN + ATEX)
- Condition monitoring of belts and fixed equipment
- Personnel geolocation (BLE + LoRaWAN)
- Geotechnical sensing (convergence, accelerometry)
UQOMM
Why UQOMM for your IoT project
Multiprotocol architecture by design
We design IoT architectures by selecting the optimal combination of technologies (LoRaWAN, NB IoT, LTE M, Private LTE, BLE, or RFID) according to the operational objectives of each project, rather than adapting the operation to a single manufacturer or protocol.
Real time ingestion and open platform
Our platform employs industrial MQTT brokers, open formats (Sparkplug B, OPC UA), and documented REST/WebSocket APIs. The client is not confined to a single provider: their data can be migrated at any moment.
Native integration with SCADA, ERP, and cloud
We integrate the IoT ecosystem with SCADA, ERP, and Cloud platforms using open standards and validated connectors. Information ceases to be isolated and begins to feed the systems where operational decisions are truly made.
OT/IT cybersecurity from the design phase
Network segmentation, end to end encryption (TLS/DTLS, AES 128 at the LoRaWAN layer), device level identity, and centralized key management. IEC 62443 and NIST 800 82 audits applied to the delivered architecture.
UQOMM
FAQ
1. Which IoT protocol is best for mining: LoRaWAN, NB IoT, or Wi Fi HaLow?
There is no single protocol that is superior in all situations. LoRaWAN is ideal for low rate, ultra long duration sensing; NB IoT and LTE M take advantage of Private LTE infrastructure to connect mobile assets; Wi Fi HaLow is appropriate when greater coverage and intermediate bandwidth are required; and BLE is very efficient for personnel and tool traceability. We design the multiprotocol architecture best suited to each client’s operational objectives and use case map.
2. Do IoT sensors operate underground in mining?
Yes, provided the appropriate considerations are applied. LoRaWAN penetrates tens of meters of rock with the correct topology and gateways distributed throughout the drifts; it is the most commonly used protocol in underground sensing due to its robustness. NB IoT/LTE M function wherever Private LTE coverage is available, typically extended with Leaky Feeder in deeper levels. Wi Fi HaLow offers a useful compromise between range and intermediate bandwidth in main galleries. The key is not the protocol in isolation but the network design. At UQOMM, we model each sector of the mine (face, main gallery, ramp, shaft) and assign the protocol that delivers the best performance for each case.
3. What is the typical autonomy of a LoRaWAN sensor in industrial operation?
Between 5 and 10 years with a standard lithium battery, depending on the transmission frequency. A temperature sensor that sends data every 15 minutes can surpass 10 years; one that transmits every minute lasts approximately 3 years. In critical applications, we employ sensors with energy harvesting (solar, vibration, thermoelectric) that remove the battery as a limiting factor. The operational key is to plan the battery replacement campaign as a systematic rather than reactive process: the system reports the status of each battery and automatically generates the replenishment plan.
4. How is the IoT platform integrated with the existing SCADA and ERP?
Integration is achieved through open standards and industrial protocols. The IoT platform publishes data via MQTT brokers using open formats (Sparkplug B, OPC UA) and provides documented REST/WebSocket APIs. SCADA systems subscribe to the relevant topics or consume the APIs to incorporate real time operational data, while ERP systems ingest events, measurements, and asset information through connectors that map IoT data structures to maintenance, operations, and inventory modules. The aim is for IoT data to cease being isolated and to supply the systems where operational decisions are made.
5. How many sensors can an industrial IoT network support?
It depends on the protocol and the design. A well dimensioned industrial LoRaWAN gateway supports between 5,000 and 20,000 devices with reasonable transmission cycles. NB IoT and LTE M support, per Private LTE cell, tens of thousands of simultaneous devices. When a project scales to hundreds of thousands of sensors (which is uncommon but is beginning to appear in very large operations), part of the traffic is migrated to Private 5G with mMTC, which is designed specifically for massive densities. At UQOMM, we dimension the network for twice the expected load during the first 18 months.
6. What level of cybersecurity does UQOMM’s IoT offer?
The architecture applies IEC 62443 and NIST 800 82 controls for industrial OT/IT environments. It includes: unique device identity using X.509 certificates, TLS/DTLS encryption for all data communications, AES 128 encryption at the LoRaWAN radio layer (network key + app key), network segmentation between OT and IT, an industrial edge firewall, centralized key management with periodic rotation, immutable security event logging, and behavioral anomaly detection. On this foundation, client specific policies are established (critical zone isolation, destination whitelists, two factor authentication for administrative operations).
7. What is the typical ROI of a properly dimensioned mining IoT project?
Documented returns from our clients focus on four axes: reduction of non availability of critical equipment (typically between 8% and 18% through predictive maintenance based on condition monitoring), energy savings in on demand ventilation (between 15% and 25% in underground mining), reduction of safety incidents through early gas/temperature/posture alerts (variable according to the initial operation), and improved traceability of inventory and tools (recoveries between 20,000 and 60,000 USD annually in mid sized companies). The payback period of the most profitable use case generally ranges between 9 and 18 months; the complete IoT program, between 2 and 3 years.
Caso de éxito
ina subterránea de cobre, Chile central
Despliegue IIoT en una mina subterránea de cobre con 58 km de galerías activas. Arquitectura multiprotocolo sobre red LTE Privada + Leaky Feeder existente: 3.400 sensores LoRaWAN (gas CO/NO₂/CH₄, temperatura, flujo de aire, vibración en correas), 820 dispositivos BLE para geolocalización de personal, 340 activos monitorizados por NB-IoT sobre la LTE Privada (palas, jumbos, scooptrams), 14 gateways LoRaWAN distribuidos con alimentación redundante y 4 concentradores de borde con certificación IECEx. Plataforma IoT con broker MQTT redundante e integración nativa hacia el SCADA (Ignition) y el EAM (Maximo). Tras doce meses: reducción del 22% del consumo energético de ventilación gracias a operación on-demand basada en sensores de gas, reducción del 11% en no-disponibilidad de correas transportadoras gracias a monitoreo vibracional continuo y cero incidentes con consecuencias a personas en zonas donde el sistema generó alerta temprana.
Ver caso completo
Tecnologías desplegadas
3.400 sensores LoRaWAN
820 beacons BLE
340 activos NB-IoT
14 gateways LoRaWAN IECEx
4 edge gateways
Broker MQTT redundante
Integración SCADA (Ignition) y EAM (Maximo)
UQOMM
Complementary Technologies
Leaky Feeder integrates natively with the rest of UQOMM’s technology portfolio:
Tecnología
Private LTE Technology
How it combines with IoT for Mining:
It is the natural carrier for cellular IoT traffic (NB‑IoT, LTE‑M) and for LoRaWAN gateways toward the central platform. Private LTE supplies the reliable transport layer on which all IIoT is deployed in large‑scale operations.
Tecnología
Private 5G Technology
How it combines with IoT for Mining:
It enables massive sensor densities through mMTC and delivers URLLC for IoT use cases requiring deterministic latency (tele operation, coordinated robotics). It represents the natural evolution of the transport layer as density increases.
Tecnología
Leaky Feeder Technology
How it combines with IoT for Mining:
It continues to provide the voice and emergency layer in underground mining; IoT gateways integrate with the Leaky Feeder topology, reusing its physical infrastructure whenever feasible.
Tecnología
Underground / Industrial Wi‑Fi Technology
How it combines with IoT for Mining:
It covers dense zones (workshops, shelters, control centers) with high bandwidth for IIoT devices that need it: cameras, industrial tablets, mobile HMIs.
Tecnología
Digital Mining / Digital Twin Technology
How it combines with IoT for Mining:
IoT is the layer that supplies the digital twin. Without continuous sensorization, a true operational digital twin cannot be realized; we connect both solutions as an integrated data‑and‑simulation stack.