Technology, telecommunications and other innovative solutions will be just as important to Africa’s mining future as the rocks and gemstones in the ground
"The future of mining is not just in terms of the minerals and what we can extract from the ground, it's also about the ecosystem of industries that enable mining to thrive,” said Paratus Botswana managing director, Shawn Bruwer.
Paratus Botswana and Eutelsat showcased resilient, integrated connectivity solutions for mining during the recent Future of Mining Summit 2026, as southern Africa’s mining sector continues to embrace digital transformation.
As the official connectivity partner and silver sponsor, Paratus Botswana and Eutelsat engaged with delegates on how combined terrestrial and satellite capabilities can support Botswana’s mining sector.
Paratus Botswana provides Eutelsat Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services, combining them with terrestrial infrastructure to support increasingly digital mining operations, particularly in remote locations where traditional infrastructure alone cannot always meet operational requirements.
“We see the mining sector as a catalyst for growth across a range of supporting industries,” said Bruwer.
“That includes people, power, rail, roads and telecommunications. Modern mining requires connectivity that is integrated, scalable and resilient, and the support to go with it.”
Eutelsat’s LEO technology is suited to mining environments because it can extend low-latency connectivity to remote and distributed operations, while adding redundancy where fibre or microwave links may be limited, delayed or unavailable.
"Integrated network models are creating a new connectivity environment for the mining sector,” said Philippe Baudier, vice-president of Eutelsat Africa.
“By combining Eutelsat OneWeb's Low Earth Orbit capabilities with Paratus extensive network and expertise across Africa, their local support and experience in mining environments, mining operations can achieve greater efficiency, resilience and continuity.”
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