SNS Telecom & IT’s latest research report indicates that cumulative spending on private 5G and 4G LTE networks in the mining sector will surpass $1 billion between 2026 and 2029, as operators accelerate digitization and automation efforts to improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency.
Why Mining Leads Private Cellular Adoption
Mining is one of the leading industrial verticals for 3GPP-based private cellular networks, as operations are often conducted in harsh and remote environments – both above and below ground – where national mobile operators typically have poor coverage. As part of the wider trend towards smart mining, private 5G and 4G LTE networks are increasingly being deployed at surface and underground mining operations to support mine-wide communications between workers, real-time video monitoring, teleoperation of mining equipment, fleet management, self-driving trucks and other applications. These networks also underpin emerging use cases such as predictive maintenance, environmental and gas monitoring, and the integration of AI-based analytics into daily mining operations.
Newmont and Huaneng Showcase the Growing Sophistication of Standalone Private 5G Deployments
In particular, some of the most advanced installations of standalone private 5G networks can be found in the mining industry. For example, Newmont’s standalone private 5G rollout at its Cadia, Tanami and Boddington mines in Australia has extended the reach of teleremote and autonomous machines from 100 meters to 2.5 kilometers, while eliminating as much as six hours of per-shift downtime previously attributed to unstable Wi-Fi connectivity. In China’s Inner Mongolia region, Huaneng Group relies on a tri-band private 5G-Advanced network operating in 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz and 4.9 GHz spectrum to remotely coordinate a fleet of 100 autonomous electric mining trucks at its Yimin open pit coal mine. Both deployments illustrate how standalone 5G architectures are becoming central to next-generation autonomous mining operations.
A Broadening Roster of Mining Operators Investing in Private Networks
Examples of other mining companies that have invested in private networks include Agnico Eagle, Albemarle, Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Antamina, Antofagasta Minerals, Barrick Mining, BHP, Boliden, Canyon Coal (Menar), China National Coal, China Shenhua Energy, CIL (Coal India Limited), CITIC Pacific Mining, Codelco, Eldorado Gold, Elgaugol, Eramet, Exxaro, Fortescue Metals, Freeport-McMoRan, Geoalcali, Glencore, Gold Fields, Hancock Prospecting, Hindustan Copper, Hudbay Minerals, Huineng Group, IAMGOLD Corporation, Industrias Peñoles, IPC Coal, Jiangxi Copper, KAZ Minerals, LKAB, Lundin Mining, Mariana Minerals, Minera Chinalco (Aluminum Corporation of China), MinRes (Mineral Resources), MMG, New Gold, Northern Star Resources, Nornickel (Norilsk Nickel), Nutrien, Outokumpu, PAMA (PT Pamapersada Nusantara), Prony Resources, Rio Tinto, Risun, Salinas Gold Mineração, Severstal, Shaanxi Coal, Shandong Energy, Sigma Lithium, Solidcore Resources, South32, Southern Copper (Grupo México), SUEK, Teck Resources, Vale, Wallbridge Mining Company and Zijin Mining. . This broad and growing operator base spans gold, copper, coal, lithium and iron ore producers across every major mining region worldwide.
Market Outlook Through 2029
SNS Telecom & IT projects that global spending on private 5G and 4G LTE networks in the mining sector will grow at a CAGR of 19% over the next three years, collectively accounting for more than $1 billion in cumulative investments between 2026 and 2029. This growth will be driven in large part by the ongoing shift from LTE to standalone 5G architectures, which unlock more advanced automation and monitoring capabilities. For more information, please visit: https://www.snstelecom.com/private-lte.
