SLOPE STABILITY MONITORING
effective decision-making can be achieved,
integral for tailings dams monitoring.” Looking
towards the future, GroundProbe expects to see
further automation and incorporation of AI and
machine learning to produce smarter, more
intuitive slope monitoring systems, capable of
running more independently and managing data
better.
GroundProbe also says it continues develop
new products and refine its existing hardware
across both its radar and LiDAR technologies. “In
January this year we released the SSR-Agilis (3D-
Real Aperture Radar); a standalone monitoring
system designed to protect personnel and
valuable equipment in active working areas of a
mine site. The system is vehicle mounted, capable
of being driven to any area of concern and
deployed in minutes for real-time targeted
monitoring. The SSR-Agilis is safety-critical by
design, equipped with a range of local, remote
and personal alerts. Alerts are dispatched via
multiple channels, including: Personal Alert (PAL)
devices; a flashing lightbar; audible siren with
1,500 m range; and the visualisation of triggered
events in SSR-Viewer and MonitorIQ. These alerts
allow for the fast and effective evacuation of a
mine site in the event of an imminent collapse.”
Noon adds that the GMS LiDAR technology, which
is often used to monitor tailings dams or
vegetated slopes, has undergone significant
software developments, “ensuring its best-in class
status.” Greater 3D visualisation functionality,
enhanced algorithm optimisation and improved
charting and analysis functionality have all
enabled more in-depth data analysis.
The company doesn’t believe that you can
approach geotechnical monitoring with a one-sizefits-all
solution as every mine site is different.
GroundProbe estimates that around 90% of strip
coal mines utilise 3D-radars, like its SSR-XT and
SSR-Agilis, to conduct slope stability monitoring.
3D-radars scan in a targeted area using a real
aperture radar - monitoring each unique pixel in
azimuth, elevation and range - making it ideal for
the steep topology of a strip coal mine. 3D-radars
are also less susceptible to interference from
machinery operating close to the slope, crucial in
safety-critical situations. Alternatively, 2D-radars,
like the SSR-FX and SSR-SARx systems, are
commonly utilised at tailings dams. “Due to the
more flattened face of a dam, and typically being a
lower traffic area of a site, a fast-scanning 2Dradar
is a suitable solution for broad area
coverage of most tailings dams. LiDAR is also a
common tailings dam solution for long term
monitoring, with their ability to effectively
measure prisms installed on slopes.
GroundProbe’s aim is to tailor a monitoring
solution to the customer’s specific needs rather
than providing a blanket system that is only
generally suitable for the desired purpose. Often
the most effective solution is a complete, wellrounded
approach to ensure the highest
level of safety. This tailored
solution includes hardware,
software, after sales
support, and support
from our Geotechnical
Support Services
unit.”
Finally, during the
COVID-19 pandemic and
associated lockdowns,
several mining
companies looked to
GroundProbe to assist
in providing safetycritical
support during
periods of restrictions on site, with the
demand for its Geotechnical Support Services
(GSS) dramatically increasing. Dedicated 24-hour
remote monitoring of systems (GSS-Remote) and
advanced report generation (GSS-Reporting) both
saw high-demand over the past few months as onsite
personnel were forced to work remotely. “Any
number of GroundProbe products across any
global site can be monitored and reported on
through our Geotechnical Support Services unit.
Typically, we conduct 24/7 remote monitoring of
systems from one or more of our remote
monitoring centres located in Balikpapan,
Indonesia; Santiago, Chile and Belo Horizonte,
Brazil. The combination of these remote
monitoring centres provides seamless support in
English, Bahasa, Spanish and Portuguese
languages. By allowing on-site Geotechnical
Engineers to outsource the monitoring of their
systems to our remote monitoring centres, all
geotechnical hazards and trends are closely
monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
ensuring no movement goes undetected.”
Reutech’s esprit for innovation
Reutech Mining has released its fourth generation
Movement and Surveying Radar, MSR IV Esprit. This
system makes use of Multiple-Input Multiple-
Output (MIMO) technology, which it says is a first
for the pit slope monitoring industry. This
technology has illustrated a significant development
for the industry through revolutionised scan speed,
scatterer location detection and target resolution
utilising a multiple array configuration.
The company told IM: “MIMO technology is an
innovative method which employs the concept of
applying multiple transmit and receive antennas in
order to resolve the position of a scatterer or
target. The antennas simultaneously convey a
diverse spread of predefined waveforms (transmit
and receive combinations) within a selection of
frequencies, therefore resulting in a calibrated
position based on many, opposed to a single
frequency signal. Fading, clutter and self-
The Reutech Mining
MSR IV Esprit, which
it says is the fastest
scanning and most
sophisticated slope
monitoring radar in
the industry
interference factors experienced by all
radar arrangements have enhanced
immunity with the application of
MIMO principles due to the improved signal-tonoise
ratio and other interference rejection
techniques."
With the application of the MIMO philosophy,
the scan speed is significantly enhanced to less
than two seconds for a fixed scan area comprising
90° in azimuth and 60° in elevation. The operating
range is between 50 and 4 000 m for the staring
array. The speed of the scan allows for greater
proportions of the pit slope to be scanned at more
regular intervals, therefore, emergent movement is
identified much faster. With this exponential
improvement, cumulative displacement of up to
2.7 m/h can be detected and tracked based on the
physics of the selected operational parameters.
"Changes in atmospheric refractivity present
slope monitoring radars with their most difficult
challenge. Large changes in atmospheric
refractivity as well as the presence of micro
climates at some open pit operations can cause
phase ambiguity, phase wrap or other significant
errors in measurements.
The speed of the scan designated to the MSR IV
Esprit reduces the atmospheric disturbance
measured between each scan. Therefore, the
effect of atmospheric changes are tracked more
accurately and can be removed much more
efficiently, resulting in the true movement of the
pit slope being displayed and plotted. The
chances of atmospheric events (either widespread
or discrete) having an effect on the pit slope data
is minimalised by the MSR IV Esprit atmospheric
compensation algorithms."
The synthetic map and trend plot update time is
regulated on a predetermined basis for the pit
slope movement detection and alarming. It is
important to note that the update times are
selected on a scale of minutes opposed to the
scan speed of the system. None of the accuracy is
compromised, it is accumulated and displayed in a
format that is compatible with real update times
74 International Mining | JULY/AUGUST 2020