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<\/figure>\n\nThe Challenge: Monitor More, Worry Less<\/strong><\/p>\n\n TSFs are massive, dynamic environments. Monitoring slope stability, water pressure, structural movement, and operational anomalies often involves juggling a patchwork of siloed systems, each capturing a narrow slice of information. This fragmentation creates blind spots, slows down response times, and makes it harder to correlate field conditions with engineering data.<\/p>\n\n Common challenges include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Real-world consequence:<\/strong> The Opportunity: A Unified, Real-Time Monitoring Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Recognizing the need for smarter oversight, mining companies are implementing integrated geospatial solutions using ArcGIS<\/a>. These systems consolidate real-time data from geotechnical instruments, mobile inspections, and remote sensing into a single interactive dashboard<\/a>, designed for engineers, operators, and decision-makers alike.<\/p>\n\n What sets this solution apart:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n By using ArcGIS<\/a> as the digital backbone, mining teams can break down data silos, reduce manual effort, and enhance their ability to identify risks early before they escalate into problems.<\/p>\n\n The Solution: A Centralized Dashboard for Real-Time Monitoring<\/strong><\/p>\n\n At the heart of the system is a custom dashboard built with ArcGIS Experience Builder<\/a>. It consolidates geotechnical data from instruments such as piezometers and inclinometers and updates automatically via direct API connections<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Key features include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n With this setup, engineers can quickly identify issues, respond proactively, and reduce time spent gathering and verifying data.<\/p>\n\n Field Data Collection with ArcGIS Survey123<\/strong><\/p>\n\n To enhance automated monitoring, mobile field inspections are conducted using ArcGIS Survey123<\/a>. Engineers capture and submit observations directly from their mobile devices, including geotagged photos, field notes, and instrument readings.<\/p>\n\n Benefits of Survey123 integration:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n This hybrid approach combines sensor-driven data with human expertise, providing a more complete view of TSF conditions.<\/p>\n\n Example in Action:<\/strong> Additional Value:<\/strong> These efficiencies have shortened inspection times, improved data quality, and ensured faster response to emerging issues in the field.<\/p>\n\n Visualizing Trends: Graphs and Analytics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Graphing tools were added to support trend analysis and early warning capabilities. Engineers can:<\/p>\n\n These visualizations make it easier to interpret complex data and strengthen long-term planning and risk mitigation strategies.<\/p>\n\n To extend insights beyond the core dashboard, ArcGIS for Power BI<\/a> enables teams to integrate geospatial data into business intelligence reports, combining maps with operational KPIs for executive-level visibility. This is particularly valuable for board presentations or cross-functional updates, where spatial trends must be communicated clearly and concisely.<\/p>\n\n Meanwhile, ArcGIS for Excel<\/a> allows engineers and analysts to explore spatial data directly within spreadsheets, making it easier to conduct ad hoc analysis, create custom charts, and share tailored reports with operations teams or regulators.<\/p>\n\n Example in Action: Adding Imagery: Satellite, Drone, and Custom Visual Data<\/strong><\/p>\n\n To enrich the tailings monitoring system, mining organizations integrate various imagery sources, providing a comprehensive visual context that complements sensor data and field observations.<\/p>\n\n Satellite Imagery: Broad Coverage with Regular Updates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Sentinel-2 imagery from the ArcGIS Living Atlas is incorporated into the monitoring platform, updating every two weeks. This medium-resolution satellite data offers consistent, wide-area coverage, enabling teams to:<\/p>\n\n Example:<\/em> <\/strong>After a significant rainfall event, engineers use Sentinel-2 imagery to confirm increased water pooling in specific areas of the tailings facility, aligning with elevated readings from piezometers.<\/p>\n\n Drone Imagery: High-Resolution, Site-Specific Insights<\/strong> For detailed, site-specific analysis, high-resolution drone imagery is integrated into the monitoring platform using SiteScan for ArcGIS<\/a>. SiteScan<\/a> is Esri\u2019s end-to-end cloud-based drone mapping solution, purpose-built for managing drone flight planning, image processing, and 2D\/3D visualization.<\/p>\n\n Key Benefits of Drone and SiteScan Integration:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Example in Action:<\/strong> Custom Imagery: Tailored Visual Data Integration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The platform’s flexibility allows for the integration of various custom imagery sources, including:<\/p>\n\n Example:<\/em> <\/strong>By overlaying historical imagery with current drone captures, engineers identify gradual subsidence in a section of the tailings facility, prompting a detailed investigation.<\/p>\n\n Interactive Comparison Tools: Visualizing Change Over Time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n To effectively analyze changes, the system utilizes interactive tools like the swipe comparison feature in ArcGIS. This tool allows users to:<\/p>\n\n Example:<\/em> <\/strong>Using the swipe tool<\/a>, engineers compare pre- and post-construction imagery to assess the effectiveness of recent reinforcement measures on the tailings dam.<\/p>\n\n Integrating diverse imagery sources into the tailings monitoring system provides a multi-dimensional view of the facility, enhancing the ability to detect, analyze, and respond to potential issues promptly. Tools like the swipe comparison feature further empower teams to visualize changes effectively, supporting proactive management and decision-making.<\/p>\n\n Designed to Scale: A Template for Broader Use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The tailings monitoring platform was developed using a scalable, repeatable template built on Esri\u2019s commercial off-the-shelf software. This approach allows mining organizations to adapt and expand their monitoring systems across multiple sites or operational contexts without starting from scratch.<\/p>\n\n Key Advantages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Example in Action:<\/strong> Callout: Template Cloning Made Easy<\/strong> Real-World Benefit:<\/strong> By using a modular and extensible design, the system not only meets today\u2019s monitoring needs but is also positioned to grow with the organization and support future innovations in geospatial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n The Outcome: One Platform, Many Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n By unifying real-time sensor data, mobile field inspections, and imagery within a single ArcGIS Online<\/a> environment, the mining organization has transformed its approach to tailings monitoring, bringing together people, processes, and technology on one powerful platform.<\/p>\n\n Key Benefits:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
A delay in identifying elevated pore pressure readings at a TSF could lead to missed early warning signs, putting infrastructure, compliance, and safety at risk.<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uat.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TailingsBlogImage2.jpg\")
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During a routine tailings inspection, a field engineer identifies surface cracking along the dam crest. Using Survey123<\/a>, they immediately log the observation, attach a geotagged photo, and flag the issue as moderate risk. The entry is automatically synced to the central dashboard, alerting geotechnical teams for review, eliminating delays associated with manual reporting.<\/p>\n\n
Survey123<\/a>\u2019s logic-driven forms reduce errors by guiding users through required fields based on context. For example, when inspecting piezometers, the form dynamically displays only relevant fields, such as water level, well condition, and last calibration date, speeding up data entry while improving accuracy.<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uat.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TailingsBlogImage6-1024x577.png\")
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<\/strong>A mining operations team uses ArcGIS for Power BI<\/a> to visualize piezometer trends alongside production data, helping executives quickly assess whether changes in tailings conditions may impact throughput. In parallel, site engineers rely on ArcGIS for Excel<\/a> to prepare inspection summaries and trend comparisons for weekly field team briefings.<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uat.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TailingsBlogImage7.png\")
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Following a heavy rainfall, operations teams use SiteScan<\/a> to plan and execute a drone flight over the TSF. Within hours, processed orthomosaics and 3D models are available in the dashboard, enabling engineers to assess surface runoff patterns and validate sensor-based alerts indicating elevated pore pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n
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After a successful rollout at one TSF, a mining company replicated the system at a second site using the same core template. With only minor configuration changes (such as different sensor IDs and inspection workflows), the second site was operational within weeks, compared to months if building a solution from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n
Using Esri\u2019s API<\/a>-driven approach, the entire solution, data models, dashboards, forms, and user permissions, can be cloned and adapted for other sites. This dramatically reduces setup effort and ensures consistency across operations.<\/p>\n\n
This scalable framework allows regional and global mining operators to standardize their approach to tailings monitoring. Engineering teams benefit from a consistent interface and reporting structure, while corporate EHS leaders gain a unified view of performance across multiple sites.<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uat.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TailingsBlogImage10.png\")
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