Case Study

An Australian-owned solar salt mining organisation founded in 2016

Leichhardt is an independent Australian-owned salt mining company that manages the Eramurra and Lake MacLeod solar salt projects and is the largest supplier of industrial-grade solar salt in the Asia-Pacific region. Their operations focus on innovative, unique, and ethical practices that benefit both the community and the environment.

Business Objectives

• Acquire responsive IT support
• Strengthen cyber security posture
• Implement consistent communication throughout the site

Executive Summary

Leichhardt is expanding their mining operations with the Lake MacLeod Project in Carnarvon.

In January 2024, Leichhardt acquired 100% of the Lake MacLeod assets, which are located approximately 70 kilometers from Carnarvon. This remote location poses challenges for their current IT provider in establishing and maintaining an effective IT environment for an operation of this scale. 

To address these demands, Leichhardt approached OSIT to help establish a reliable and secure IT environment tailored to their specifications for the Lake MacLeod site with their managed IT services.

The Challenges

Establishing IT infrastructure in a remote location is complex.  

Leichhardt's new mining site is situated in a somewhat isolated area, making it difficult for their previous IT provider to build a customised IT environment from the ground up. They required the expertise of a reliable Managed Service Provider capable of addressing the challenges associated with setting up IT in a remote location. 

Thus, they turned to OSIT to create a custom IT environment for their Lake MacLeod project, which included responsive helpdesk support, enhanced cybersecurity measures, and stable internet connectivity throughout the site.

The Solution

OSIT established a reliable and secure IT environment with managed IT services.

In collaboration with an OSIT Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO), Leichhardt developed an IT setup that aligns with their operational goals. This encompassed bringing in and setting up devices, establishing an IT infrastructure to support their software systems, implementing security protocols aligned with industry best practices to safeguard against data breaches and cyber threats, and setting up internet communication systems across the mining site using Starlink. 

The managed IT service also includes a dedicated support team responsible for continuous monitoring and maintenance of their systems. This arrangement allows Leichhardt to communicate directly with the same individuals who built their IT infrastructure whenever help is needed.

The Results

A highly reliable IT environment that supports remote operations.

Leichhardt's Lake MacLeod Project is now operational and is benefiting from consistent IT support, a stronger security posture, and reliable internet access throughout the remote mining site.

With their new IT environment, they can operate safely with fewer interruptions. If IT assistance is required, they have a dedicated IT team along with a virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) available through the OSIT Support App. This team can provide both remote and on-site support to ensure that any issues get resolved quickly to meet their operational deadlines and goals.