Case Study: Improving Safety and Confidence in Open Pit Wall Stability Monitoring
Project Overview
A large hard rock mine operating in a high relief environment experienced a significant localised slope movement along an active quarry wall. The movement resulted in visible cracking and vertical displacement of material across the crest of the wall. While there was no damage to equipment and no injuries, the event raised concerns about potential ongoing instability and the risk posed to personnel and plant operating below the affected area.
The Challenge
ollowing the initial movement event, the mine faced several challenges common to active extractive operations. Any further movement of the wall could pose a risk to workers and equipment operating within the pit below. Traditional survey methods were difficult to implement due to limited access to stable ground, line-of-sight challenges, and the need for frequent site visits. The monitoring solution needed to provide reliable, high-frequency data while minimising safety exposure and disruption to mine operations.
The Solution
An array of Kurloo GNSS monitoring units was deployed across the crest and upper sections of the affected quarry wall. The devices were installed in collaboration with site personnel, allowing rapid deployment without interfering with production activities. The system provided continuous monitoring, millimetre-level sensitivity, remote access via Kurloo’s Nest cloud platform, and automated alerting when movement exceeded predefined thresholds.
The Results
The Kurloo system delivered measurable improvements across monitoring frequency, safety exposure, movement detection, and operational continuity.
Moved from periodic manual or drone surveys conducted monthly to automated daily measurements — significantly improving temporal resolution.
Eliminated the need for personnel to work near unstable ground after installation, reducing exposure to geotechnical risk.
Replaced survey-frequency-limited snapshots with continuous trend analysis, increasing confidence in the stability assessment.
Avoided potential shutdowns by performing monitoring in parallel with active mining operations, improving production continuity.
Greater data confidence through continuous, objective data records replacing snapshot-based assessments — providing stronger assurance for decision making.
“Over the monitoring period, no further ground movement was detected beyond the initial slip event. The high-frequency data confirmed that the quarry wall had stabilised, even during subsequent wet weather conditions.”
Increased Confidence and Reduced Exposure
The operator and geotechnical advisor were able to maintain mine operations without additional restrictions, avoid unnecessary and potentially hazardous manual survey work, reduce uncertainty around slope behaviour following the initial failure, and transition back to lower-frequency monitoring methods once confidence in stability was established.
Additional Impacts
The deployment demonstrated the value of automated geomonitoring in active mine environments where access, safety, and operational efficiency are critical. By confirming the absence of ongoing movement, the Kurloo system helped prevent over-conservative restrictions while maintaining a strong safety posture. The project also highlighted automated monitoring as a complementary tool alongside drone surveys and geotechnical inspections — providing continuous insight between periodic site investigations.
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