Internet of Everything Case Study: Goldcorp

Building the Connected Mine

Goldcorp's Éléonore project in Quebec is a fully networked showcase for smarter, safer gold-mining operations.

Goldcorp is a multinational gold producer with more than 18,000 employees. In its Éléonore mine in northern Quebec, the company has worked with Cisco and AeroScout Industrial to deploy "ventilation on demand" and tracking systems on top of its underground Wi-Fi network to better manage energy costs and improve worker safety.

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Challenge

  • Increase efficiency
  • Keep employees safe
  • Control costs

Solution

  • Cisco mining solutions for visibility, monitoring, and ventilation control
  • Cisco multiservice IP network for wireless connectivity
  • Partner RFID solution for live-tracking of people and assets

Results

  • Ventilation on demand reduces energy costs between $1.5 and $2.5 million per year.
  • Improved tracking locates employees in the event of an emergency 45 to 50 minutes faster than before.
  • Enhanced tracking provides near real-time insight into the status and location of equipment.
Cisco technology allowed us to push the limit and raise the bar in terms of getting information out of the mine in a real-time manner.
- Pascal Morin,
Manager of Technology and Communications,
Goldcorp