Case Study

How a mining company established a strong communications network with OSIT

About Salt Lake Potash

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Location:
Lake Way, Mid-West Region of Western Australia

Users: 300+

Industry: Mining and Resources

Website: https://www.so4.com.au/

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Salt Lake Potash plans to build the most sustainable, most rewarding fertiliser project in the world. 

Salt Lake Potash Limited is a dual-listed ASX and AIM company with a focus on creating value from the Company's Sulphate of Potash (SOP) assets in Australia.   

The company owns nine salt lakes in Western Australia with a combined area of around 5,000 sq. km. Its flagship project is Lake Way near Wiluna, where a definitive feasibility study has demonstrated the attractive economics of an initial development producing 245,000 tonnes of low-cost premium grade SOP a year through solar evaporation of lake brines. 

IT Objectives

  • Expand IT Network to new mine site and camp
  • Provision internet and comms to support 300 users

Salt Lake Potash expands mine site operations with Lake Way Project in Goldfields with Office Solutions IT

The Lake Way BFS released in October 2019 highlighted an operation that could produce 245kt of SOP for capital expenditure of $256m with operating costs of A$302/t.  

When this Greenfields opportunity to expand their operations presented itself, Salt Lake Potash partnered with Office Solutions IT to establish the business-critical communications, network infrastructure and in-camp entertainment systems to support a remote workforce of 300+ users. 

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The challenge was not only a logistical one, but Salt Lake Potash also needed to establish a broadcast system, two-way radio comms, an in-camp multimedia entertainment system and build a high-performance comms network from scratch - in the middle of the outback.

The Challenges

A remote location without internet and communication services 

The New Product Introduction Manager for Salt Lake Potash was responsible for establishing a brand-new production and camp site that would support 300+ workers in the remote Goldfields region to expand Salt Lake Potash operations.  

The remote geographical location of the Lake Way project meant that the site had no existing network or internet service to leverage. The challenge was not only a logistical one, but Salt Lake Potash also needed to establish a broadcast system, two-way radio comms, an in-camp multimedia entertainment system and build a high-performance comms network from scratch - in the middle of the outback. 

 

The Solution

The Lake Way Project required an IT project delivery team to design and implement a wireless and wired network throughout the remote site and establish a reliable high-speed internet service at the core of their communications. Salt Lake engaged with Telstra business partner, Office Solutions IT, to manage the installation of the network infrastructure project.

Together with Telstra, Air Communications and CS Crosscom, Office Solutions IT provisioned lead in communications to transmit the Telstra fibre service from Wiluna town centre to the Lake Way mine site.

With internet services established, the Lake Way site received a fully deployed communication network, including two-way radio, telemetry broadcast systems and a MATV head end system to provide internet and entertainment services to all 300 on-camp rooms.

 

The Results

A Highly reliable Communications Network in the middle of the outback

From digging holes and running cables, through to setting up the camp WIFI and building a secure network, the team at Office Solutions IT got stuck in and did what it took to make sure this project was completed on time and on budget. 

Office Solutions IT delivered their scope of works on time and on budget, to establish the new production site in remote location with challenging conditions. 

Most of all, Salt Lake Potash finds having a service provider that they can rely on helps them to meet deadlines and deliver their operational goals. 

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From digging holes and running cables, through to setting up the camp WIFI and building a secure network, the team at Office Solutions IT got stuck in and did what it took to make sure this project was completed on time and on budget.