SOURCEOrganization
Mariana Minerals
Celona ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Page header 'Case Study | Mining | Mariana Minerals'Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
Reported deployment
Reported mining network in San Juan County, Utah
A Celona case study; outcomes are vendor-reported and not independent measurements.
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- Organization
- Mariana Minerals
- Industry
- Mining
- Region
- San Juan County, Utah
- Current operating status
- Live
- Not stated by sources
- Project date
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Overview
Mariana Minerals, a Bay Area company that builds and operates its own mines and refineries, deployed a Celona private 5G network at Copper One, its copper mine and refinery in San Juan County, Utah.[1] The two companies announced the deployment on April 23, 2026, describing it as the connectivity layer for MarianaOS, Mariana's software platform for running the mine, including autonomous drilling and haul equipment.[2] Celona's case study says five outdoor radios cover the roughly 400-acre site, replacing legacy Wi-Fi and manual data collection, and that the network went live about 35 days after the first conversation.[1]
At a glance
- Organization
- Mariana Minerals.[2]
- Date announced
- April 23, 2026, in a joint Mariana Minerals and Celona press release.[2]
- Spectrum
- Celona's case study lists the spectrum as CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service); it does not say whether GAA or PAL.[1]
- Technology
- Private 5G (Celona 5G LAN); standalone or non-standalone is not stated.[2]
- Scale as reported
- About 400 acres of open-pit terrain covered by five Celona outdoor access points mounted on poles.[1]
- Vendors and roles
- Celona supplied the radios in an edgeless AerFlex design with no on-site edge appliance; Celona says the radios connect to existing switches over any backhaul, including Starlink.[1]
- Integrator
- An unnamed Celona partner pre-staged and shipped the equipment; Celona did the on-site survey to fix radio locations.[1]
How the network is used
- Fleet and asset tracking, including real-time positions of people and machines; Celona says this is a safety requirement because the site runs planned blasts in different locations (remote and utility sites).[1]
- Sending drill-coordinate data to autonomous drills and remote control of those drills, with one operator managing several drills from the control room.[1][2]
- Feeding real-time data into MarianaOS in place of periodic manual reporting.[1][3]
- Planned: self-driving haul trucks, live geological data to the control room and continuous digital-twin updates (yard and vehicle automation).[1][3]
Reported results
As reported by the sources below; not independently verified.
- Celona says the network went from first conversation to live service in about 35 days: an RF plan the day after the first call, a bill of materials within days, a purchase order by the end of the first week, then pre-staging, a site survey, pole installation and validation.[1]
- Celona says five outdoor radios cover the whole 400-acre site.[1]
- The Fast Mode, reporting on the announcement, said the network supports continuous data collection in place of periodic manual reporting and better asset tracking.[3]
Timeline
Mariana Minerals and Celona announce the private 5G deployment at Copper One.[2]
How to interpret this record
This record keeps the source's anonymous customer label and reported status. A case study does not establish current operation, reproducible performance, or independent verification.
Learn more
- Private 5G networks explained: what they are, how they work, what they cost and who sells themA plain-English guide to private 5G: what it is, the parts you need, CBRS spectrum, ways to deploy, cost drivers and U.S. examples.
- Private LTE networks: what they are and how to set one upWhat a private LTE network is, why most private networks still use LTE, the CBRS spectrum and equipment you need, and how to set one up.
- Private LTE vs private 5G: which one do you need?Private LTE or private 5G? The real differences, which devices work, what affects cost, and how to move from LTE to 5G later.
- How much does a private LTE or 5G network cost?What a private LTE or 5G network costs: three example budgets from about $10,000, what you pay for, CBRS and SAS fees, and ongoing costs.
Sources
Researched Oct 1, 2026. Manufacturer and vendor statements are their claims, not independent tests.
- Mariana Minerals stood up a 400-acre autonomous copper mine on private 5G in ~35 days — Celona. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
- Mariana Minerals Deploys Private 5G Network with Celona to Power Real-Time Mining Operations — GlobeNewswire (Mariana Minerals and Celona), Apr 23, 2026. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
- Celona Powers Private 5G Network for Mariana Minerals' Autonomous Mining Operations — The Fast Mode, Apr 24, 2026. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
Every detail in the table at the top comes from these sources. Open the source details for each fact’s publisher, evidence type, date, and where it appears.
Source details (6)
SOURCEIndustry
Mining
Celona ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: 'At a Glance' table, Vertical rowChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCERegion
San Juan County, Utah
Celona ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Intro paragraph under H1Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCEOperating status
live
Celona ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: 'At a glance' > '_03 The Outcome'Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCEReported use case
fleet and asset tracking, precision drill-coordinate feeds, remote autonomous-drill control
Celona ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: 'At a glance' > '_03 The Outcome'Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCEVendors Named
Celona
Celona ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Intro paragraph under H1Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated