Rio Tinto to launch satellite to boost iron ore production

No. 1 iron ore producer, Rio Tinto, has entered into a partnership with Pixxel, a growing American and Indian company specializing in Earth imaging technologies.

Once Pixxel releases images from its first high-resolution satellite, which is scheduled to launch in late January, Rio Tinto will begin evaluating the technology, according to a media statement.

The technology firm's satellites are capable of capturing 5-meter hyperspectral images that are expected to help miners monitor active and abandoned mining sites, monitor ESG indicators and advance mineral exploration.

Hyperspectral imaging is a technique that analyzes a wide spectrum of light rather than simply assigning primary colors to each pixel. The light falling on each pixel is split into many different spectral ranges to provide more information about what is being captured.

"Pixxel plans to launch a high-resolution hyperspectral satellite that will collect 50 times more information than conventional multispectral satellites," a media release said. "Rio Tinto will evaluate the potential of Pixxel hyperspectral imaging to help reduce the impact of exploration, monitor the operational and environmental performance of active mining operations, and monitor the biodiversity and health of vegetation around closed areas."

According to Awais Ahmed, co-founder and CEO of Pixxel, an exponential leap in image quality - that is, 50 times more detail than other multispectral satellites can provide - will allow Rio to make key decisions in a sustainable manner at a lower cost than with existing systems.

“Rio Tinto is participating in the Pixxel Early Adopter Program as we believe intelligence can benefit from more cost-effective and easy access to hyperspectral satellite data,” said Dave Andrews, head of intelligence at Rio Tinto, in a summary.