How the mining industry monitors tailings dams has evolved over the years with advancements in technology, AI and research and development. In this article, GroundProbe’s Paul Davies discusses the approach to preventing tailings dam disasters with expert, Leo Probst. Here, they reflect on the past catastrophic tailings dams events and how new advancements in technology can ensure optimal safety and reduced risk for both miners and communities.

Everyone has a story to tell, and this month we asked Adam Beer, Principal Geotechnical Engineer, AMC Consultants, the hard questions.

In this month’s edition we look at the future generation of geotechnical engineers. From addressing the skill-shortages that face the industry to improving the image and attraction of mining, we hear personally from senior geotechnical engineers within the education system to understand what this looks like and why it’s a fundamental focus.

The next generation of geotechnical engineers globally is facing a raft of challenges – with training, competency requirements and regulations across regions, as well as emerging technologies, all at the top of that list.

Everyone has a story to tell, and this month we asked Professor Ismet Canbulat, Head of School and Chair of Rock Mechanics at UNSW, the hard questions.

In this months edition, we hear how Slope Stability Radars are used, the changes they are making throughout our industry and the importance of conducting a dam breach analysis and what happens when they go wrong.

Geotech risk management: why it pays to build it into your mine design from the outset

Sound geotechnical analysis can have myriad positive effects on mine design, planning and productivity and the earlier geotechnical teams are introduced to the design process, the greater the benefit.

Geotech risk management: why it pays to build it into your mine desiIn recent years, there has been a growth in the use of slope stability radars in open cut mines. Although the primary reason has always been operator safety, a secondary benefit to improvements to mine productivity has justified increasing their usage. In this article, GroundProbe’s Paul Davies shares the results of a survey of geotechnical engineers conducted in July 2023.

Geotechnical risk management is an important part of engineering. In this edition we look at why it should be built into your mine design from the beginning.

Geotech risk management: why it pays to build it into your mine design from the outset

Sound geotechnical analysis can have myriad positive effects on mine design, planning and productivity and the earlier geotechnical teams are introduced to the design process, the greater the benefit.

Everyone has a story to tell, and this month we asked Geotechnical Engineering Manager Open Cut at Anglo American Steelmaking Coal, Adrienna Robotham the hard questions.

Access roads, build pads, levees, dams, drains – all are vital, primary infrastructure across mine sites so, by their nature, demand a geotechnical engineer’s full attention to ensure safety and stability.

Access roads, build pads, levees, dams, drains – all are vital, primary infrastructure across mine sites so, by their nature, demand a geotechnical engineer’s full attention to ensure safety and stability.

But achieving quality infrastructure no longer needs to be a cookie-cutter approach, with modern methods improving efficiencies and delivering cost benefits to mines through the smarter use of materials, equipment and technology.

Everyone has a story to tell, and this month we asked APAC Technical Director, Global Subject Matter Expert Engineering Geology, Senior Principal at Jacobs, Graeme Jardine the hard questions.

Ensuring the safety of a mine site is of utmost importance to any geotechnical engineer and there are numerous ways and techniques to achieve this. The final line of defence is ground support.  

Everyone has a story to tell, and this month we asked the Geotechnical Engineer at Gecko Geotechnics Neil Bar the hard questions.

Numerous contributing factors to ground instability can be influenced by geotechnical engineers to ensure the longevity of mining excavations. Ground support is the final line of defence for geotechnical engineers to ensure safe, stable mines. This article focuses on ground support within the geotechnical fraternity, as it is normally the major focus point following falls of ground or rock burst incidents

Slopes, softwalls, stresses and stability. This is the language of geotechnics where no two mine sites are the same, one size never fits all, and technology forms a crucial pairing with creativity to deliver tailored data-driven solutions. 

Tim Cartledge had a fascination for rocks and a mindset for maths long before he ever heard about geotechnical engineering.

Geotechnical professionals are always under pressure to provide accurate advice about mine design and operations. But even the most sophisticated analysis can become meaningless if the data it is based on is inadequate or inaccurate.