Mining operations, by their nature, involve large-scale excavation, resource extraction, and infrastructure development, often in remote or harsh environments. Accurate, reliable geospatial data is vital for the success of these operations, as it ensures efficiency, safety, and the sustainable management of resources. Ground Control Points (GCPs), an essential tool in geospatial data collection, play a crucial role in achieving these goals. Let’s explore how GCPs can be applied in the mining industry, enhancing operations and decision-making.

Figure 1- This image was created with the assistance of DALL·E 2

What are Ground Control Points?

Ground Control Points are known, fixed points on the Earth’s surface with precise geographic coordinates. They serve as reference points for positioning and aligning aerial imagery and other remote sensing data. By accurately anchoring this data to the Earth’s surface, GCPs ensure that maps and 3D models generated from the data are geospatially accurate and reliable.

Key Applications of GCPs in the Mining Industry

  • Accurate Mapping and Surveying: Mining operations rely on accurate maps for a variety of purposes, including planning, safety assessments, and environmental management. GCPs provide the spatial reference needed to create high-resolution, geospatially correct maps and 3D models. Aerial surveys using drones or manned aircraft are often employed to capture imagery and data over large mine sites. By placing GCPs throughout the area, the captured data can be properly georeferenced, ensuring accurate measurements of landforms, stockpiles, and mine infrastructure.
  • Monitoring Ground Deformation: Mining operations can cause ground subsidence and deformation, which pose risks to both infrastructure and worker safety. Monitoring ground movement in and around a mine is critical, particularly in underground mining, where subsidence can lead to collapses. GCPs are used as fixed reference points to measure changes in the Earth’s surface over time. Using remote sensing technologies like photogrammetry, mining companies can detect even subtle shifts in the ground. These measurements allow for proactive management of subsidence risks and help ensure the structural stability of mine shafts, tailings dams, and nearby communities.
  • Tailings Dam Monitoring and Safety: Tailings dams, which store the waste byproducts of mining processes, are some of the most critical structures in a mine site. Failures in these dams can lead to catastrophic environmental disasters. GCPs play a key role in monitoring the integrity of tailings dams by providing accurate reference points for continuous geospatial monitoring. Regular surveys using drones or satellites, combined with GCPs, allow mining companies to detect early signs of dam deformation, seepage, or erosion. By tracking these changes, mine operators can take timely actions to reinforce the dam, preventing potential disasters and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.
  • Stockpile Volume Calculation: Efficient management of raw material stockpiles is essential in mining, where precise knowledge of volumes can affect inventory, logistics, and financial reporting. GCPs are used to georeference aerial or ground-based surveys, enabling accurate calculations of stockpile volumes. By employing GCPs in combination with UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) surveys, mining operators can quickly and cost-effectively measure stockpile volumes. This data helps streamline inventory management, optimize material flow, and enhance operational efficiency.
  • Mine Planning and Design: Effective mine planning relies on detailed geospatial data to determine the best approach for resource extraction. GCPs enable the creation of high-resolution 3D models of the mine site, providing engineers with an accurate representation of the terrain and subsurface conditions. These 3D models are invaluable in designing pit walls, haul roads, and other infrastructure, ensuring they are optimized for safety, cost, and productivity. GCPs ensure that the data used for planning is accurate, reducing the likelihood of errors that could lead to costly rework or safety hazards.
  • Environmental Impact Assessment and Rehabilitation: Mining activities have significant environmental impacts, and GCPs play a role in monitoring and mitigating these effects. By providing accurate geospatial references, GCPs support environmental monitoring programs that track changes in vegetation, water bodies, and soil quality over time. In post-mining reclamation, GCPs are used to measure landform changes, ensuring that rehabilitation efforts restore the land to a stable, natural state. Accurate monitoring is essential for meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining community and stakeholder trust.

In conclusion, Ground Control Points have long been an essential tool in mining, enabling safe, precise, and efficient operations. InTerra’s SmarTarget is not just pushing the boundaries of GCP technology—it is redefining how the mining industry approaches surveying and mapping. By delivering unprecedented speed, accuracy, and flexibility, SmarTarget empowers mining companies to boost productivity, enhance safety, and achieve superior results across their operations.