SLOPE STABILITY
through GeoExplorer ®, Orica Digital Solutions’ integrated platform that brings together geotechnical, geological and operational data within a single ecosystem. The goal is not simply to consolidate data, but to deliver clearer and more comprehensive insights.”
Orica also operates global 24 / 7 monitoring centres in key locations like Chile and Indonesia which play a crucial role in supporting mining customers – what are the potential roles for AI as part of these services based on Orica’ s huge databanks of previous incidents / movements? Forsyth:“ AI has significant potential, but we see it as enhancing rather than replacing expert judgement. It can help process large volumes of monitoring data, identify patterns and prioritise areas that require attention. However, geotechnical risk management will always require experienced professionals to interpret information within an operational context. The future is likely to combine AI-enabled analytics with expert oversight to support faster and better-informed decisions.”
Armstong concludes:“ Customers are looking for simplicity, integration and confidence. They want monitoring solutions that combine multiple technologies, software and expert services into a cohesive offering while reducing complexity for site teams. That’ s one of the drivers behind our nextgeneration solution, which was designed to simplify deployment, workflows and access to monitoring insights. At the same time, compliance, governance and access to specialist expertise remain key priorities.”
RIEGL’ s LiDAR platform- three operating modes with one scanner
One of the strongest practical arguments for terrestrial laser scanning in mining is operational flexibility. in a recent white paper, Thomas Gaisecker, Business Division Manager Mining & Monitoring at RIEGL argues that a mine rarely needs only one kind of survey. It needs detailed static documentation, rapid coverage of changing production areas, and continuous observation of critical zones.“ RIEGL terrestrial laser scanners can address all three requirements with the same platform. For mine operators, that means a single sensor technology can serve in conventional surveying, mobile mapping, and long-term autonomous monitoring while maintaining a consistent data framework.”
He says the comparison between LiDAR, radar, and total station monitoring also becomes clearer when seen from an operational perspective rather than as a simple technical ranking.“ Total stations excel where a mine wants exact displacement values at selected critical points, but the information remains limited to those points.
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Radar delivers broad-area sensitivity to small line-of-sight movements. LiDAR’ s role is different: it connects monitoring to geometry. Because the entire visible surface is measured in 3D, the mine gains a model that supports not only deformation detection but also topographic interpretation, volumetric comparison, and mine design assessment.”
In practice, Gaisecker says that this means LiDAR often contributes both to geotechnical surveillance and to broader survey and planning tasks, which improves the overall return on the system.“ In the static mode, the scanner is deployed as a high-precision surveying instrument from tripod positions or comparable fixed setups. This remains essential for baseline documentation before excavation or blasting, topographic mapping, stockpile volume determination, fracture and slope analysis, and design verification.”
Because the system measures dense point clouds over full surfaces, the result is not just a set of geodetic points but a detailed three-dimensional representation of mine terrain and infrastructure. In many mining situations, this is the reference dataset from which later comparisons and operational decisions are derived.
A second mode is kinematic operation.“ When mounted on a pickup truck or another utility vehicle, the scanner becomes a mobile mapping tool capable of recording large mining areas while the vehicle is moving. For haul roads, pit benches, dumps, berms, tailings structures, and other extensive assets, this operating mode changes the economics of data capture. Large areas can be documented quickly, and survey personnel can remain inside the vehicle rather than entering exposed or traffic-intensive zones.”
Integrated GNSS and IMU data support georeferencing, and the resulting datasets can be processed into the same spatial environment used for static scans. The benefit for mining operations is straightforward: higher spatial coverage, lower exposure of personnel, and more frequent updating of fastchanging zones without interrupting production.
The third mode, which Gaiseceker argues is the one with the greatest impact on geotechnical monitoring, is permanent installation. In this configuration, the scanner is mounted at a fixed location on a mast, concrete base, or protected station and acquires data automatically at defined intervals.“ This setup is especially suited to highwall sections, unstable slopes, tailings dams, dump faces, and other critical areas where continuous observation is required. Instead of dispatching personnel repeatedly to carry out field measurements, the monitoring system operates on schedule, processes results automatically, and makes them available remotely.”
A key advantage of this permanent mode is that the scanner remains part of a broader operational infrastructure. Through the RIEGL CB23 Communication Box, remote access can be established via LTE, Starlink, Wi-Fi, or comparable communication channels. Environmental sensors for temperature, humidity, and air pressure provide the basis for atmospheric corrections.
A hardware watchdog supports resilient long-term operation by monitoring system health and restarting components if necessary.“ In practical terms, the mine gains a monitoring node that is designed for autonomous service in harsh environments. This permanent setup also creates an important operational benefit that is often overlooked: continuity does not have to mean immobility. In many mines, the same scanner may be required for additional survey tasks beyond its role in a monitoring
RIEGL says one of the strongest practical arguments for terrestrial laser scanning in mining is operational flexibility
International Mining | AUGUST 2026