Drones and satellites

Satellite imaging has been tested at mines in Mexico, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Canada, where existing satellite constellations have been able to survey large areas at low cost, making data easily available to our specialists. Somewhat closer to the ground, we have been exploring how unmanned aerial vehicles can be used to survey our tailings storage and mines. Drone photogrammetry can provide more frequent topographic, chemical and geophysical mapping at lower costs and with no risk to the employees involved in surveying.

Connected devices and amphibious equipment

Inside our dams, we’re testing specialised buoys that will add data on water parameters to the stream of digital monitoring data we receive. And by using connected ground monitoring sensors in our tailings dams, we’re avoiding the need for workers to operate in difficult access areas, while at the same time improving the information we receive. Tailings dams typically have both wet and dry areas, making it difficult for people to access them to measure important parameters, so we are working with different companies to develop new ways of monitoring our dams, such as amphibious robots or unmanned boats, making monitoring safer and more efficient.