Sharing Information and Communication Technology

At a Glance

  • Telecommunication networks improve extractive projects’ logistics by, for example, allowing virtual operations, ore grade optimization, and better exploration analyses.

  • By capitalizing on the extractive industry’s demand for information and communication technology (ICT) services and investment in ICT infrastructure, it is possible to enhance domestic ICT infrastructure overall and increase coverage in remote areas where extractive companies tend to operate.

Case Studies

Key Resources

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A Framework to Approach Shared Use of Mining-Related Infrastructure, Case Study: Mozambique

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Energy

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Energy Opportunity Assessment

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Transport (Roads, Ports, Railways)

This document presents the findings of a study conducted by the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) on the shared use of ...

A Framework to Approach Shared-Use of Mining-Related Infrastructure, Case Study: Liberia

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Energy

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Transport (Roads, Ports, Railways)

This document presents the findings of a study conducted by the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment on rhw shared use of ...

A Framework to Approach Shared-Use of Mining-Related Infrastructure, Case Study: Sierra Leone

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Energy

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Energy Opportunity Assessment

Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Transport (Roads, Ports, Railways)

This document presents the findings of a study conducted by the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment on the shared use of ...

Broadband Strategies Handbook

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

This document addresses the opportunities and challenges associated with the development of broadband. It discusses policies and strategies ...

Cross-Sector Infrastructure Sharing Toolkit

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

This toolkit is a comprehensive resource for all stakeholders involved in the joint use of passive infrastructure by telecommunications ...

International Telecommunication Union Statistics

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

This web page provides statistics on the status of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for a wide range of economies around ...

Telstra Corporate Responsibility Report

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Shared Use of Extractive Infrastructure and Resource Corridors Sharing Information and Communication Technology

This report outlines Telstra’s performance summary of 2008/09. Topics discussed include ethics and governance, community investment, ...

Topic Briefing

The shared use of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure involves leveraging the extractive industry’s demand for ICT infrastructure and sometimes its own investment in ICT to create more robust national infrastructure. Another benefit that can be derived from the shared use of ICT infrastructure is the provision of access to ICT services among communities living in remote areas.

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More precisely, ICT infrastructure refers to a type of network—such as telecommunications towers, antennae, and fiber optic cable networks through which telecommunication is conveyed. ICT services involve any form of signal or data transmission by means of a telecommunication network by a telecommunication company (e.g., wireless signals, telephone services, broadcasting). Broadband refers to bandwidth that can facilitate high-speed data transmission of multiple data signals simultaneously. Broadband technology can be used across a large range of frequencies and data types.

ICT infrastructure is employed in all phases of the life cycle of an extractive project because it increases efficiency and improves cost savings for the extractive company. The benefits of ICT infrastructure derive from improved logistics, allowing virtual operations, ore grade optimization, and better exploration analyses. With the advent of automation, the use of ICT infrastructure is increasing, given the need to remotely control semi- or fully automated equipment.

Meanwhile, the contribution of ICT infrastructure to overall development is widely recognized. However, estimates suggest that 3.9 billion people around the world are still unconnected, primarily in developing countries. By capitalizing on the extractive industry’s demand for ICT services and potential investment in ICT infrastructure, it is possible to develop the national ICT infrastructure and increase coverage in remote areas where extractive companies tend to operate. Effective coordination could even result in extractive operations benefiting from considerable cost savings.