Precision Point Consulting
Amalgamating Satellite Monitoring with Drone Surveys

Operations planning and resource management in mines, while conforming to safety and risk management requirements, can be arduous without the right technology and data. Recent major international disasters on tailings dams and open pit slope failure accidents in South Africa have prompted stricter legislation to monitor these operations. SAR (Synthetic-Aperture Radar) satellite imagery provides current and accurate information for monitoring assets to efficiently accomplish this task. In addition, drone technology assists with accurately surveying and mapping of these assets. Combining these technologies can offer many advantages, from obtaining the exact measurement of surface displacements over the whole mine to deriving highly detailed digital terrain models, high-resolution aerial imagery and geotechnical data. This is the solution that Precision Point Consulting provides, with a unique blend of InSAR monitoring, drone surveys and geotechnical mapping.

Using completely weather agnostic Satellite technology, Precision Point Consulting gives mines a clear, uninterrupted picture of how the tailings dams, surface and underground operations should be safely managed. Through InSAR, Precision Point Consulting detects precursor movements or displacements before a slope failure or collapse happens. Extracting early-stage warning signals in combination with the drone geotechnical information, helps miners foresee any hazards in time and helps prevent disasters from occurring.

"The satellite InSAR monitoring measures precise small-scale surface displacement and we combine that with drone surveys, which provide a high-resolution view and 3-D model of the area being monitored. We are combining these two different technologies in a unique way," says Rob Macfarlane, Managing Director at Precision Point Consulting. Using InSAR as a replacement for traditional methods of monitoring obviates any requirement for fixed equipment on site and the associated data collection challenges. There is also no need for any site visits and monitoring can commence immediately.

Precision Point Consulting uses InSAR on a mining site to monitor tailings facilities and in particular the stability of tailings facility embankments. This is currently one of the primary focus areas and will assist mines in complying with the implementation of the new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management which comes into effect next year. It also undertakes surface monitoring for pit slope stability, which is now becoming a requirement for local and many international surface mines. The company can provide monitoring services for both the open cast and underground mines. "We have a few clients that progressed from open cast to underground, and as underground activities affect what happens on the surface, the surface displacement related to the underground mining is a crucial aspect to monitor," adds Macfarlane.

To effectuate better planning and risk management of mine sites, Precision Point Consulting helps miners tap into the large amount of drone data which is acquired and processed using photogrammetry software. This data is used to conduct advanced geotechnical mapping of open pit high walls using geotechnical software. The insights derived from the drone and InSAR data are then presented in a comprehensible format for the client to act on. Precision Point Consulting provides displacement maps and charts that are easy to understand and, therefore, do not require further data processing. In addition the complex drone geotechnical data can be easily viewed in a 3D environment and is also provided in a comprehensive database for further analysis. The insights are invaluable for personnel working on a mine site and they need not be experts in InSAR and other technologies and require no software systems to view and manage this data.

A case in point that proves Precision Point Consulting’s competence is how it helped a mining operation in South Africa, which was a combination of open cast and underground mining. There were issues about surface slope stability within the pit and around it which posed a major potential risk for surface mine infrastructure. They needed a way to effectively monitor not only their open pit, but whole mine site including the underground operation, waste dumps and the tailings dams. They had various monitoring systems in place, but the real challenge was to keep those systems up and running, improve on the existing monitoring and extend the monitoring area. Sending someone in to fix equipment or set up new equipment within the unstable open pit environment, was a safety issue. Precision Point Consulting provided them with a system to validate any existing monitoring data, drastically increase the spatial density of monitoring points and expand monitoring over the entire mine site. It eliminated a substantial amount of data “noise” that they had to work through and removed the false alarms. The solution turned out to be a cost effective, much more accurate and comprehensive monitoring system which enabled improved risk management and compliance with safety requirements.

Precision Point Consulting also provides services related to civil engineering, groundwater management, geohazard monitoring and other industries. It identifies and assesses any surface deformation pertaining to civil engineering, de-watering, geotechnical, seismic, or weather-related influences. Precision Point Consulting enables significant downstream cost savings by offering crystal clear analysis through state-of-the-art software systems. Regarding groundwater aquifer monitoring, Precision Point Consulting provides precise information on surface displacement above the aquifers, allowing the client to make informed business decisions while utilizing the groundwater resource more effectively. Monitoring can cover the entire aquifer to ensure that any effect of groundwater extraction on the surface is monitored correctly.

By utilizing a combination of the latest satellite and drone technology Precision Point Consulting offers innovative mine monitoring solutions in a cost effective, safe and timely manner to help clients drive better business decisions, while ensuring compliance with local and international legislation and safety regulations.