ASTERRA says its EarthWorks solution has been successfully used as a tailings dam monitoring tool by a leading mining company in the Nordic region of Europe.

The mining company’s goal is to create an accident-free and healthy operation characterised by safety and wellbeing. It is, therefore, constantly implementing new technologies and innovations to ensure sustainable work environments.

Eddy Segal, VP for Sales and Business Development at ASTERRA, said: “Forward-thinking companies are always looking for technologies that can improve performance and safety. We are thrilled the EarthWorks solution, which in this case was used for tailings dams monitoring, was adopted in Europe.”

This use of ASTERRA’s EarthWorks solution supports the United Nations Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, reduces the negative environmental impact caused by mining and has a positive climate influence, ASTERRA said.

EarthWorks is a solution that provides efficient and improved satellite-based surveillance of critical infrastructure. It is used to monitor the area near large installations, seeing through pavement and treetops, uninhibited by light and weather conditions. The technology yields data revealing the actual underground soil moisture that increases the risk of failure or catastrophe. Numerous industries are now served by EarthWorks, including dams, levees, roads, rail, mining and property.

Segal added: “Using Earth observation satellites to inspect critical assets will improve staff safety as more work gets done off-site. In this specific case, sub-surface moisture mapping can alert maintainers to a dam’s internal erosion a long time before any signs appear on the surface.”