SLOPE STABILITY interferometric radar is the atmosphere. Subtle, rapid changes in humidity, temperature, or air pressure can distort the radar signal and mimic actual slope movement. Our radars use Hi-Sense Atmospherics, a set of highly sophisticated processing algorithms that‘ model’ the atmosphere in real time and separate meteorological variations from genuine geotechnical deformation. It is not an overstatement to say that over the last 16 years, our processing engine and its capability of delivering very reliable results, even in the most challenging conditions, has been the primary source of success of our monitoring solutions. This is because it still delivers reliable results when other solutions struggle.
Q Has the general push by mining companies to comply with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management also led to a corresponding uptick in demand for advanced monitoring solutions from IDS Georadar?
Absolutely- the introduction and widespread adoption of the GISTM has fundamentally changed the risk profile and accountability structure for mining companies. It has shifted the industry from a reactive‘ findand-fix’ approach to a strict, proactive‘ zero-harm’ framework. Because GISTM places such a heavy emphasis on continuous, multi-layered monitoring, we have seen a direct, significant uptick in demand across our entire advanced monitoring portfolio. Tailings dams are incredibly complex engineering structures; they require a blend of different monitoring scales and timelines. That is why we see mining companies deploying a combination of our technologies to comply with the standard. Tailings dam failures rarely happen overnight; they are often preceded by tiny, millimetre-scale deformations over months or years. Technologies like our IBIS series, combined with specialised analytics like our SMV slow-movement processing software for vegetated areas, allow operators to detect these long-term trends before they accelerate into a failure.
Q Increasingly in slope stability monitoring is seen as an overall integrated strategy or approach, combining data from radars with INSAR, extensometers, seismometers etc to give a single source of varied data- how are you delivering that together with other solutions from within the Hexagon portfolio?
You have hit on the exact direction the entire industry is moving. Geotechnical engineers no longer want isolated data silos- they want a unified, holistic view of risk. As IDS GeoRadar, part of the Hexagon group, this is where we have a massive competitive advantage. As Hexagon we are delivering an integrated safety ecosystem that connects the subsoil, the surface, and even the heavy machinery operating in the pit. We deliver this single source of truth through a two-pronged approach within the Hexagon portfolio: sensor fusion at the software level and connecting geotechnical safety to mine operations. Regarding integration at software level, instead of forcing an engineer to look at radar data on one screen and prism data on another, we break down those walls. For example, we seamlessly sync IDS GeoRadar’ s Guardian software with Leica GeoMoS- Leica Geosystems being our sister Hexagon company. Not to mention the capability to see on the same screen integrated data acquired by different monitoring radar unit in the field. This can go way beyond simple data aggregation- up to true data fusion. Like in our Smart Data feature that takes the continuous, spatially distributed 1D line-of-sight data from our radars and merges it with the highly precise 3D discrete target data from Leica’ s robotic total stations and GNSS sensors. The result is a real-time, true 3D movement vector map of the entire slope. It gives the Engineer of Record absolute clarity on the velocity, direction, and even the estimated volume of a moving mass.
The second piece of the puzzle is taking that geotechnical data and pushing it directly into the operational environment to protect people and assets in real time. An example is the integration of radar hazard maps and geofenced alarm zones directly with the
HxGN MineProtect Collision Avoidance System( CAS) and fleet management platforms. This means if a haul truck or a miner approaches a high-risk slope zone that our radars have flagged as accelerating, the system automatically triggers an in-cab alert to the operator. By leveraging the broader Hexagon ecosystem, we are closing the loop between detecting a hazard and preventing an accident. We are taking data out of the monitoring office and putting it directly into the hands of the people in the field.
Q Your global 24 / 7 monitoring centres in key locations play a crucial role in supporting mining customers- today these are staffed by experts- do you see a role for AI in this as well based on your huge databanks of previous incidents / movements and how does IDS see AI’ s potential in geotech in mining generally?
We see an incredibly vital role for AI, but it is important to clarify how we view its purpose. At IDS GeoRadar, we do not see AI as a replacement for human geotechnical expertise; rather, we see it as a powerful co-pilot that dramatically enhances human capabilities. In our global 24 / 7 monitoring centres, our experts are tasked with interpreting massive, continuous streams of spatial data from pits and tailings dams all over the world. This is where AI excels.
Looking at the bigger picture for AI in mining geotech, the potential is vast. Because we sit on decades of incident data and movement profiles, the long-term vision is moving from reactive detection to true predictive analytics. By training machine learning models on these massive data repositories, we will eventually be able to look at a slope’ s current behaviour and say:‘ This exact deformation profile matches a specific failure mechanism we saw five years ago, and here is how it is likely to behave over the next 48 hours.’
AI gives us the speed and pattern recognition to handle the volume of modern mining data, but it is the human expert in our monitoring centre who provides the final context and the decisive judgment required to keep a mine safe.
Q Often tech developed for mining at a higher price point is being simplified or less bells and whistles versions are being offered in the quarrying market as well, including smaller mines. Is there a market there for radar solutions as well, especially where quarries and highwalls are located close to settlements?
The days of assuming radar monitoring is only for multi-billiondollar tier-one open pits are long gone. The quarrying, aggregate, and small-mining sectors face severe geotechnical risks. Those risks are even bigger because these sites are frequently located right on the fringes of urban settlements, highways, or critical civil infrastructure. If a wall fails in a remote desert mine, it may result into a production issue. If a highwall fails in a quarry next to a residential neighbourhood, it may turn into a larger problem. We are addressing this market aggressively by bringing agile, targeted technology from our portfolio directly into these spaces.
When you look at the proximity of these quarries to communities, the hazard isn’ t just the rock face itself- it is the surrounding infrastructure, the processing plants, the retaining walls, and adjacent buildings. This is where our new MyMo system changes the game. It is an ultra-portable, grab-and-go solution that combines photogrammetry and interferometric radar into a single 4.3 kg device. A single user can set it up on a tripod in minutes to perform non-contact, real-time assessments on submillimetre displacements.
By offering high-performance versatile system like MyMo, we are ensuring that smaller operations have the exact tools they need to secure both their highwalls and their license to operate.
International Mining | AUGUST 2026 45