Earth observation data and satellite InSAR for the remote monitoring of tailings storage facilities: a case study of Cadia Mine, Australia
Earth observation data and satellite InSAR for the remote monitoring of tailings storage facilities: a case study of Cadia Mine, Australia
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地球观测数据和卫星 InSAR 用于尾矿储存设施远程监控：以澳大利亚卡迪亚矿为例
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发表时间：
2019
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通讯作者：
R. Holley
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作者：
Adam Thomas;S. Edwards;J. Engels;H. McCormack;V. Hopkins;R. Holley
尾矿储存设施是矿物加工的重要基础设施，但它们具有重大的物理、化学和生物危害，因此必须严格和负责任地选址、管理和关闭。例如，尾矿可以通过许多过程（如天坑、地震、强降雨和洪水事件以及风）、不合标准的设计和施工以及渗漏而分散。需要持续监测TSF的稳定性和行为，一种非常有效的方法是通过卫星地球观测。
EO行业正在经历一场技术革命。大型和长寿命的卫星传感器一直是国家航天局和商业卫星制造商的主要产品，现在正由低成本、短寿命的“立方体卫星”组成的星座作为补充，这些公司的雄心是每天对整个地球进行成像。配备合成孔径雷达传感器的卫星也在收集大量数据，其额外好处是能够在白天或夜晚以及不同的天气条件下进行收集。这些数据选项和功能的范围为TSF的新数据分析技术提供了开放的机会。其中之一是卫星干涉合成孔径雷达（干涉合成孔径雷达;一种用于绘制毫米精度地面高度随时间变化图的技术），采矿公司已经使用这种技术来降低其业务风险。从监测TSF的稳定性到评估自然灾害的影响，干涉合成孔径雷达可以快速准确地定位高风险地区和结构，以确定需要通过地面方法进行后续调查的地区和结构。
为了证明EO数据和干涉合成孔径雷达在识别故障前后矿山活动和TSF变形方面的应用，作者将介绍澳大利亚新南威尔士州Cadia矿山的案例研究，该矿山于2018年3月9日发生了局部TSF故障。干涉合成孔径雷达的结果表明，低幅度的沉降信号，观察到整个TSF大坝在前一年的崩溃。2018年1月，观察到行为发生了显著变化，沉降集中区域集中在2018年3月9日最初失败的区域。此外，塌陷后的干涉合成孔径雷达测量结果表明，断裂带两侧区域的沉降率增加。对中分辨率和高分辨率卫星图像的审查显示，故障是分阶段的，最初故障，然后在2018年3月9日之后至少两天发生故障。它还强调了可能与大坝失败前的建设活动。
Tailings storage facilities (TSFs) are an essential infrastructure of mineral processing, but they represent a significant physical, chemical and biological hazard and must, therefore, be strictly and responsibly sited, managed and closed. Tailings can, for example, be dispersed by many processes (such as sinkholes, earthquakes, intense rainfall and flood events, and wind), substandard design and construction, and seepage. The stability and behaviour of TSFs needs to be continuously monitored and one highly effective way of doing this is through satellite Earth observation (EO).
The EO industry is witnessing a technological revolution. Large and long-lifespan satellite sensors that have been the staple of national space agencies and commercial satellite manufacturers are now being complemented by constellations of low-cost, short-lifespan ‘cube sats’ by companies with the ambition to image the whole earth daily. Satellites with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors are also collecting high volumes of data, with the added benefit of being able to do so day or night and in different weather conditions. The range of data options and capabilities these provide open opportunities for novel data analysis techniques for TSFs. One of these is satellite InSAR (interferometric SAR; a technique used to map millimetric-precision changes in ground height over time), which is already used by mining companies to reduce risk in and of their operations. From monitoring the stability of TSFs, through to assessments of impacts of natural hazards, InSAR allows rapid and accurate targeting of high-risk areas and structures to identify those that require subsequent investigation through ground-based methods.
To demonstrate the application of EO data and InSAR in identifying pre- and post-failure mine activities and TSF deformation, the authors will present a case study across Cadia mine, New South Wales, Australia, which had a localised TSF failure on 9 March 2018. The InSAR results presented show that low-magnitude subsidence signals were observed across the TSF dam during the year preceding the collapse. In January 2018 a notable change in behaviour was observed, with a concentrated area of subsidence focused on the region which initially failed on 9 March 2018. Furthermore, post-collapse InSAR measurements show an increased rate of subsidence for regions either side of the failure zone. Review of medium- and high-resolution satellite images show that the failure was phased, with an initial failure and then a subsequent failure at least two days after 9 March 2018. It also highlights what might be construction activity associated with a dam raise prior to failure.