About the Project

Multiscale observation services for mining-related deposits (MOSMIN) is a research project dedicated to making it easier to identify the environmental risks associated with mining waste, as well as measuring the potential to extract valuable materials from it. It aims to do this using a combination of ground, aerial and satellite data - providing a new and holistic view that could help improve the safety and efficiency of mining operations. MOSMIN also aims to turn these results into new business opportunities that can help create new measurement and analysis methods, as well as support efforts to bring them to market. The project is funded by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and coordinated by Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf.

Target Areas

Waste rock dumps store coarse-grained, unused mining residues. They are amongst the largest of all man-made structures, reaching heights of up to 500 m. Waste rock dumps are susceptible to slope instabilities and structural failure, and pose a risk of contaminating surrounding soil and water by leaching of acids and metals. However, waste rock dumps offer potential for re-mining, where advances in technology may enable the recovery of valuable minerals that were initially overlooked.

Waste Rock Dumps

Stockpiles are typically temporary dumps containing low-grade ore, overburden, or other materials awaiting processing or disposal. Though they are not always waste, they still need to be environmentally managed because they are subaerially exposed to seeping rainwater. This can lead to leaching of acids, metals and other chemicals with potential impact on the environment.

Stockpiles

Tailings storage facilities are dynamic structures designed to store fine-grained waste materials. Since these residues tend to generate acid when exposed to oxidising conditions, tailing dams must be engineered to minimise interactions with the local environment to prevent potential water contamination. Additionally, the geotechnical stability of these structures poses significant challenges, as failures can lead to catastrophic releases of waste material, emphasising the need for rigorous design and monitoring

Tailings Storage Facilities

Objectives

Environmental Monitoring

Tailings storage facilities and waste rock dumps pose significant environmental risks during operation and post-closure, particularly regarding soil, water, and air contamination. MOSMIN aims to create services and tools for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of mining residues.

Geotechnical Monitoring

MOSMIN will develop an integrated service to monitor the critical parameters that control the physical stability of tailings and waste rocks, as well as deploy novel low-impact geophysical methods to capture concealed subsurface processes that may impact the stability of mine waste deposits.

Raw Material Valorisation

Mining waste is one of the largest waste streams in the EU but is also an excellent source of various critical raw materials. MOSMIN will develop integrated 3D models for the characterisation of secondary raw resources in mine waste and enable the tracking of stockpiles using time-resolved, multi-scale spectral data.

Monitoring Technology

Space

In 2013, the European Union (EU) collaborated with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch Copernicus, a large scale earth observation program providing free and open access to vasts amounts of data through a fleet of satellites called Sentinels. MOSMIN  will be utilising data from three of these Sentinels: 

  • Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data will be used to monitor surface displacement and soil moisture. For InSAR analysis, we will also consider NASA-ISRO data products, which makes use of L-band.

  • Sentinel-2 multispectral data will provide information on surface composition to assess secondary prospectivity, and environmental parameters such as vegetation health, water quality and acid generation vs. buffering potential. To extend the capabilities of Sentinel-2 regarding spectral and spatial resolution, hyperspectral data from EnMAP and PRISMA as well as commercial multispectral satellite data (WorldView-3) will be incorporated into the MOSMIN services.

  • Sentinel-5 provides atmospheric composition data which we will use to monitor dust emissions from mining activities.

Find out more about the ESA’s Sentinel missions here.

Aerial

MOSMIN exploits the benefits of an integrated, multi-scale approach to enhance the applicability of earth observation data in the mining industry. While we place primary focus on satellite data, the inclusion of data from UAV-based sensors as well as ground-based geophysical techniques provides validation and offsets the limitations of single technology use.

On the UAV scale, we are deploying two types of technologies to capture information about the earth’s surface:

  • Hyperspectral imaging will be used to analyse the material composition at a high spatial resolution and to train deep learning algorithms for resolution enhancement and detecting changes of surface properties at mine sites.

  • Photogrammetry and LiDAR will generate high-resolution 3D models and topographic maps of our targets, supporting the acquisition, integration, and correction of data products..

Ground

MOSMIN will integrate satellite and UAV data with various ground based methods to detect changes underground (such as moisture, temperature, and pressure). These methods will help identify the causes of changes in the subsurface, giving more time to respond and prevent issues.

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT)

ERT is an active technique relying on the transmission of electrical currents into the ground and measuring the earth’s resistance to the flow. ERT is an effective methodology to detect possible water infiltrations in the tailings dam due to its sensitivity to changes in humidity, temperature, and salinity.

Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT)

ANT is a passive technique with a low environmental impact. By utilising naturally occurring seismic waves (ambient noise) and analysing their propagation between sensors, ANT provides 3D shear-wave velocity information, allowing subsurface structures to be identified.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)

DAS is an active technique that uses a standard fiber-optic cable as a sensor. By detecting vibrations and acoustic signals along the length of the cable, it delivers real-time data with high temporal and spatial resolution, enabling the early detection of potential instabilities or changes in the subsurface environment of e.g. tailings dams.

Integration

Through the integration of earth observation, aerial and ground-based methods we can analyse processes at small and large scales and effectively link surface expressions to underlying mechanisms in the subsurface, ensuring safer and more sustainable management of mine waste facilities.

Pilot Sites

  • Laisvall (Sweden) Boliden
    Aitik (Sweden) Boliden
    Kevitsa (Finland) Boliden
    Roșia Poieni (Romania) CupruMin

  • Talabre (Chile) Codelco
    Ovejería (Chile) Codelco

  • Trident (Zambia) FQM
    Kansanshi (Zambia) FQM

Partners

  • The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) conducts research in the sectors energy, health, and matter. HZDR provides a unique infrastructure that attracts visiting researchers from all over the world. The HZDR with its five locations (Dresden, Freiberg, Grenoble, Leipzig, and Schenefeld near Hamburg) is a member of the Helmholtz Association.

  • The GFZ is Germany’s national research center for the solid Earth Sciences. Their mission is to deepen the knowledge of the dynamics of the solid Earth, and to develop solutions for grand challenges facing society.

  • Babes-Bolyai University is an academic educational public institution aiming to promote and sustain the development of specific cultural components within the local, regional, national and international community.

  • The AMTC is part of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile, as a Faculty Center.

  • The Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) is a non-profit research institution based in Castelldefels (Barcelona), resulting from a public initiative of the Regional Government of Catalonia

  • GeoKinesia is a world-leading provider of land deformation monitoring services that uses satellite radar data.

  • TheiaX GmbH is a spin-off of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF). Their expertise combines hyperspectral imaging and machine learning technics providing the exploration and mining sectors with bespoke solutions.

  • Nordic Strategy Partners are a management consulting firm that supports clients with their most important challenges and helps them both identify and realize their opportunities.

  • Codelco is the world's leading producer of copper mines, a leader in mineral reserves worldwide and a driving force behind the country's development.

  • CupruMin is a state-owned company specializing in copper mining and processing. It operates the Roșia Poieni mine, the largest copper reserve in Romania, playing a key role in the country's mining industry.

  • First Quantum is a global copper company, producing copper in the form of concentrate, cathode and anode, and have inventories of nickel, gold and cobalt.

  • New Boliden is a mining and smelting company focused on metals like zinc, copper, and gold. It operates mines and smelters in Scandinavia, playing a significant role in the global metals industry.