Why is a Smart Geotechnical Monitoring Solution Essential in Underground Mining?

Underground mining, while indispensable for sourcing the world's essential minerals, comes with inherent risks that demand meticulous management. Its operations are constantly threatened by the instability of surrounding rocks and soil. Monitoring tools provide early warnings of potential hazards, such as ground movements, ground subsidence, rockfalls, or seismic shifts, allowing companies to take pre-emptive actions. This is particularly critical for geotechnical monitoring and management, where even slight oversights can have catastrophic consequences.  

It provides real-time, smart, actionable insights enabling proactive decision-making and minimising unplanned downtime, ultimately contributing to a safer and more efficient mining environment. In addition, it also supports more precise excavation techniques contributing to sustainable mining practices by enabling more controlled extraction methods and providing comprehensive environmental assessments. As the mining industry continues to face increasingly complex geological challenges, these intelligent monitoring solutions represent a critical investment in technological innovation, worker safety, and operational excellence. 

What is Geotechnical Monitoring?

Geotechnical monitoring involves the continuous, systematic observation and measurement of ground behaviour, structural integrity, and environmental factors to ensure safe and efficient mining operations. From analysing seismic activity to managing ground stability, this practice plays a vital role in minimising risks in challenging underground environments.

Key Applications

Geotechnical monitoring plays a critical role in various industries, particularly in mining, construction, and infrastructure development. Its applications include:

• Slope Stability Monitoring: Ensuring the structural integrity of slopes in open-pit mines and other excavation projects to prevent collapses.
• Tunnel and Underground Stability: Assessing the behaviour of rock and soil around tunnels or underground mining operations to maintain safe working conditions.
• Seismic Activity Monitoring: Tracking vibrations and ground movements to identify potential risks and ensure worker safety.
• Dam and Reservoir Safety: Monitoring pressure, movement, and seepage in dams and reservoirs to mitigate risks of failure or flooding.
• Structural Health Monitoring: Keeping tabs on the stability of bridges, buildings, and other critical infrastructure, especially during construction or post-incident evaluations.
• Gas Monitoring: Detecting and monitoring the accumulation of hazardous gases like methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulphide to prevent explosions, fires, and health risks for miners.

Challenges with Geotechnical Monitoring in Underground Mining 

Underground mining is fraught with unique challenges that require precise monitoring and management to ensure safety and efficiency. Let’s explore these challenges in detail:

1. Unstable Ground Conditions 

The dynamic nature of underground environments poses constant threats of ground shifts and collapses. As mining operations dig deeper, the pressure on surrounding rock layers increases, leading to potential instability. 

• Rockfalls and Collapses: Even minor vibrations or movements can result in catastrophic rockfalls, endangering lives and disrupting operations.
• Gas Development and Leakage: Certain mining sites, especially coal mines, are prone to gas build-ups, such as methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or other hazardous gases. Without adequate monitoring, these gases can accumulate and lead to dangerous explosions or health risks for workers.

2. Technological Limitations 

Despite advances in mining technology, the tools available for seismic monitoring and geotechnical services still face significant limitations. 

• Outdated Equipment: Many underground mining companies rely on older machinery that lacks integration with modern monitoring systems. This delay in adopting advanced technology often leads to inefficiencies.
• Fragmented Data Systems: Existing technologies frequently operate in silos, making it challenging to gather comprehensive seismic or geotechnical data in real-time. 
• Detection Delays: Equipment used for seismic monitoring may not always capture subtle shifts or vibrations, resulting in missed opportunities to prevent accidents. 

To overcome these limitations, the industry needs to invest in integrated solutions that provide real-time insights and automate risk detection using the latest sensors. 

3. Data Accuracy and Reliability

Accurate data is the backbone of effective geotechnical management, making the need for robust and automated systems imperative. Collecting accurate and reliable geotechnical data in extreme underground conditions is a significant challenge. 

• Environmental Interference: Variables such as high humidity, fluctuating temperatures, and electromagnetic interference can distort data collected by monitoring instruments.
• Complexity of Underground Geology: Variations in rock composition and structural anomalies make it difficult to standardise monitoring techniques across sites.
• Human Error: Misinterpretation of data or inconsistencies in manual readings can lead to flawed decision-making, increasing operational risks. 

4. Cost and Resource Intensive 

For smaller mining operations, these expenses can be prohibitive, limiting their ability to adopt state-of-the-art solutions. Implementing and maintaining a comprehensive geotechnical monitoring system requires significant financial and human resources. 

• Specialised Equipment: Advanced tools for seismic monitoring, geotechnical drilling, and investigation often come with high upfront costs. 
• Skilled Workforce: Operating and interpreting these systems require specialised training and expertise, in addition to operational expenses.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Regular calibration and maintenance of equipment are necessary to ensure reliability, further increasing costs. 

 5. Visibility and Accessibility Challenges 

Operating in underground mines presents unique logistical and physical challenges. 

• Low Visibility: Mines are inherently dark and dusty, creating visibility issues that hinder effective monitoring. Even with artificial lighting, these conditions can obscure critical signs of instability.
• Challenging Terrains: Uneven surfaces, narrow passageways, and confined spaces make it difficult to deploy and operate monitoring equipment effectively. 
• Limited Accessibility: Certain areas in a mine may be too dangerous or remote for personnel and equipment to reach, leaving blind spots in monitoring efforts.

The High Stakes: Learning from Real-World Incidents 

Mining disasters continue to occur around the world, highlighting the crucial need for reliable monitoring systems. Neglecting safety can come at a tremendous cost, as, ultimately, no one can control the forces of nature.

• Australia: A Tragic Rockfall in Ballarat Goldmine: In March 2024, tragedy struck at the Ballarat Goldmine in Australia when a miner lost his life in a sudden rockfall. The unexpected ground instability came without warning, a devastating reminder of how real-time monitoring tools could have provided crucial early alerts to prevent such a catastrophe.

• Mexico: The Coal Mine Disaster: This story echoes the haunting memories of the 2006 Pasta de Conchos coal mine disaster in Coahuila, Mexico. The collapse trapped 63 miners, and only eight managed to survive with severe burns. Two bodies were recovered initially, but it wasn’t until 2024 that human remains were discovered in the mine’s chambers after years of painstaking search efforts. The incident remains one of Mexico’s deadliest mining disasters and a testament to the long-lasting impact of inadequate monitoring and safety practices.

• United States: Roof Collapse in Louisiana’s Cargill Salt Mine: Another sobering incident occurred in Louisiana’s Avery Island salt mine in December 2020. A sudden roof collapse briefly trapped 18 miners underground. Sixteen managed to escape unharmed, but two lives were tragically lost. This disaster not only brought an abrupt end to the mine’s operations but also emphasised the critical importance of structural integrity assessments and continuous monitoring in underground mines.

• Colombia: Mine Blast Claims 21 Lives: The risks extend far beyond structural collapses. In 2023, a deadly explosion tore through interconnected coal mines in Sutatausa, Colombia, claiming 21 lives. The blast was triggered by an accumulation of gases ignited by a spark from a worker’s tool. Despite the heroic efforts of more than 100 rescue workers, 10 miners trapped deep underground could not be saved. Such incidents highlight the necessity of real-time gas monitoring systems and stringent safety protocols to prevent catastrophic chain reactions.

• Turkey: Devastation in Copler Gold Mine: Even in recent months, the dangers of mining have continued to claim lives. In Turkey’s Copler gold mine, a devastating landslide engulfed the area, leaving nine miners missing and presumed trapped. Video footage captured torrents of mud sweeping through the valley, a chilling illustration of the unpredictability of natural disasters and the importance of robust seismic monitoring systems to provide early warnings.

• South Africa: Ground Collapse at Harmony’s Moab Khotsong Mine: Recently, in November 2024, the Moab Khotsong Mine became the site of another tragedy. A ground collapse claimed the life of a miner, leading to the temporary shutdown of the affected section. As investigations unfolded, the incident underscored the ongoing need for enhanced geotechnical monitoring to ensure that such collapses are detected and addressed before lives are put at risk.

These incidents collectively paint a sobering picture of the dangers faced by miners globally. It is disheartening to recount such stories, but they are a necessary call to action. The loss of lives highlights the urgent need for mining companies to adopt advanced geotechnical monitoring and management solutions to mitigate risks, protect workers, and prevent such tragedies from recurring. 

Each life lost serves as a reminder of the high stakes in underground mining and the responsibility to implement solutions that prioritise safety and resilience in the face of adversity. 

Importance and Benefits of Monitoring Geotechnical Activities 

Geotechnical monitoring plays a crucial role in maintaining safety, efficiency, and sustainability in industries like mining, construction, and infrastructure development. By continuously tracking and analysing ground movements, seismic activities, gas emissions and other environmental factors, organisations can ensure that their operations remain safe and efficient. Here are some key benefits of a smart geotechnical monitoring solution: 

	1. Enhances Safety The primary benefit of geotechnical monitoring is its ability to enhance safety by detecting potential hazards such as ground instability, shifts, or seismic events before they escalate. Early detection of risks like land subsidence, slope failure, or seismic activity helps to prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities, especially in high-risk industries like underground mining.
	2. Improves Operational Efficiency By providing real-time data on ground conditions, geotechnical monitoring allows for better decision-making. This data helps companies optimise their operations, improve resource allocation, and plan interventions proactively.
	3. Minimises Environmental Impact Geotechnical monitoring also aids in assessing and mitigating the environmental impact of industrial activities. By continuously tracking environmental parameters like soil movement, water pressure, and vibrations, companies can ensure that their operations do not lead to undesirable consequences such as contamination, erosion, or ecosystem disruption. This data helps maintain regulatory compliance and promotes environmentally sustainable practices.
	4. Reduces Financial Risk The cost of repairing damage caused by ground instability or other unforeseen geotechnical issues can be staggering. By investing in geotechnical monitoring, companies can reduce the likelihood of costly repairs, fines, and operational downtime.
	5. Supports Regulatory Compliance Many industries, especially mining, construction, and civil engineering, are subject to strict safety and environmental regulations. Geotechnical monitoring provides the data necessary to meet these requirements, helping companies avoid penalties and legal liabilities.
	6. Improves Design and Planning Accurate geotechnical data is essential for designing and planning safe, cost-effective, and long-lasting structures. Whether it's a mine, a dam, or a building, geotechnical monitoring provides the insights needed to make informed design decisions, reduce risk, and increase the durability and stability of the final structure.
	7. Real-Time Alerts and Risk Management With modern geotechnical monitoring systems, real-time data is transmitted to centralised platforms, where it can be analysed and acted upon immediately. This allows companies to implement risk management strategies proactively.

How Does Geotechnical Monitoring Work? 

The process of geotechnical monitoring is systematic and involves several key steps to ensure reliable data collection and analysis: 

• Site Assessment and Objective Setting 
• Instrumentation Design and Installation
• Data Collection and Transmission
• Data Analysis and Reporting 
• Implementation of Preventive Measures 

A Glimpse into the Future: Reactore’s MineOne suite of Geotechnical Solutions 

As the challenges of underground mining continue to evolve, the need for advanced monitoring solutions becomes increasingly critical. Reactore’s cutting-edge, fully customisable geotechnical monitoring and management system offers a comprehensive approach to addressing these challenges. With a wide range of solutions from the MineOne suite, it provides significant benefits to all stakeholders in the mining industry, ensuring improved safety, efficiency, and informed decision-making at every level. 

What's Next... 

This blog is just the beginning. In the next segment, we’ll explore how Reactore’s tools are revolutionising geotechnical management and helping mining companies transform their approach to safety and operational efficiency. We will also look into the different sensors being used and KPIs that are mostly tracked. Also, we will see what makes Reactore’s Geotechnical Monitoring Solutions the ultimate choice for the future of the mining industry. 

Alternatively, feel free to reach out to us directly if you’d prefer not to wait for our next blog release.

Get in touch with us. Now! Ready to transform your underground mining operations with a smart geotechnical suite of solutions? Connect with us today to explore how our advanced tools can be tailored to your unique challenges, ensuring safety, efficiency, and success in every project.