Australian Mine Safety Journal is digital publication on mining industry

Australian miners can avert catastrophic tailings dam collapses by using intelligence generated from satellite imagery and advanced processing techniques to monitor mine sites, thanks to a ground-breaking intelligence tool launched by start-up Otus. Based at the Element 8 Incubator & Accelerator in Sydney Olympic Park,   Otus uses satellite imagery to analyse and monitor a range of metrics, such as surface movement, and identify potential issues as they develop. There are hundreds of tailings dams across Australia, many of which are close to critical infrastructures and communities. In Western Australia alone, there are 800 tailings dams of which more than 130 were built in a similar way to those that recently caused catastrophic failures. Yet, surveillance and regulations are limited. For example, in NSW, operators are only required to provide surveillance reports to the NSW Dams Safety Committee on the integrity of tailings dams every five yea...