Case Study: The Çöpler Gold Mine Disaster – Satellite Remote Sensing, Soil Moisture, and the Lessons for Mining Safety
- Dr Skevi Perdikou
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Executive Summary
On February 13th, 2024, the Çöpler Gold Mine in eastern Türkiye experienced a catastrophic failure of its heap leach pad. Approximately 10 million cubic metres of material mobilised rapidly in a high-velocity flowslide, devastating infrastructure and resulting in nine confirmed fatalities. This event underscored the urgent need for advanced monitoring techniques in mining—particularly those that can offer early warning signals of ground instability. This case study examines the causes of the Çöpler disaster, the role of soil moisture as a critical geotechnical factor, and the application of satellite remote sensing—specifically InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar)—as a potential predictive tool. Combining field data, scientific references, and real-world implications, this report outlines a path forward to reduce risk and prevent similar tragedies.
Introduction: Understanding the Çöpler Gold Mine Disaster
The Çöpler Gold Mine disaster involved a sudden retrogressive failure of a heap leach pad structure. The failure propagated for over 30 seconds in a backward direction, with the mass traveling through a steep valley. The flowslide's volume and momentum indicate a system that had reached a critical state, likely due to excessive pore pressures, elevated soil moisture, and hidden ground deformations. Post-disaster analysis, including InSAR and weather data, suggests multiple early warning signs that were not acted upon in time.
The Missed Opportunity: What InSAR Could Have Detected
InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a satellite-based technique capable of detecting minute ground movements—on the order of millimetres—over wide areas. Retrospective InSAR analysis of the Çöpler site indicated measurable surface displacement prior to the collapse. These displacement patterns could have revealed slow creep and accelerating deformation—both critical red flags for impending failure. Had InSAR been integrated into the mine’s routine geotechnical monitoring, the disaster may have been foreseen and mitigated.
The Role of Soil Moisture in Heap Leach Pad Failures
Soil moisture is not merely a secondary factor—it is often a primary driver of geotechnical failures. In the Çöpler case, extensive snow accumulation in January 2024 followed by rapid warming likely caused a dramatic infiltration of water into the heap leach pad. This would have resulted in a rise in pore water pressure and a reduction in effective stress—leading to material weakening and, eventually, a full-scale flowslide. Satellite-based moisture data and in-situ monitoring could have provided insight into this rapid transition from stability to collapse.
Mechanisms of Failure: How Moisture Alters Soil Behavior
Reduced Shear Strength: Increased water content reduces inter-particle friction (Abdulkareem, 2019).
Elevated Pore Pressure: Water between particles builds internal pressure, reducing soil cohesion (Lees, 2020).
Increased Weight: Saturated soils are heavier, raising gravitational driving forces (Tetteh et al., 2025).
Liquefaction Potential: Moisture-rich soils can behave like fluids, triggering high-velocity flowslides (Hakro & Harahap, 2015; Eos.org).
Integrating InSAR with Moisture Monitoring for Advanced Warning
The integration of InSAR with satellite-derived soil moisture data presents a powerful approach to modern mine safety. By combining long-term deformation trends with hydrological data, operators can receive early warning alerts when slopes begin to shift, well before visible signs emerge. This fusion of data types creates a comprehensive stability picture that supports better-informed decisions.
Why Heap Leach Pads Are Particularly Vulnerable
Heap leach pads are engineered from crushed rock and ore material and are subjected to chemical leaching processes. These factors introduce variability in material strength, permeability, and saturation. Additionally:
Their geometry encourages water channelling.
Their large size amplifies even small changes in moisture.
Their use of leaching fluids adds to saturation stress.
All these make such structures particularly sensitive to environmental triggers like rainfall or snowmelt.
Lessons for the Industry
The Çöpler Gold Mine disaster provides several critical lessons:
Environmental monitoring must be continuous and proactive.
InSAR should be a standard tool in mining operations.
Real-time soil moisture monitoring is essential, not optional.
Cross-functional data interpretation teams can catch what siloed departments miss.
Ultimately, lives and livelihoods depend on timely, informed decision-making backed by the best available data.
References
Abdulkareem, S. K. (2019). Soil shear strength reduction due to moisture increase.
Lees, A. (2020, May 14). Pore water pressure and slope failures in mining.
Francis Kofi Tetteh, Samuel J. Abbey, Colin A. Booth, Promise D. Nukah. (2025). Slope stability under varying moisture conditions in mining environments.
Hakro and Harahap. (2015). Flow failure mechanisms in saturated granular media.
Eos.org. (2024). Çöpler Mine Disaster: Understanding flowslide dynamics.
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