Strengthening Tailings Dams Resilience in a Changing Climate: The Rising Role of InSAR Monitoring

In the evolving mining landscape, the resilience of tailings infrastructure against climate change is paramount. As global temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the safety of mining operations is increasingly scrutinised.

Given the large volumes of reactive or contaminated material stored in TSFs, any loss of containment can result in major environmental damage and high-consequence financial repercussions. 

The introduction of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management in 2020 has raised the benchmark for tailings-storage facility (TSF) governance worldwide, plugging many gaps in traditional practices. The Standard requires rigorous, lifecycle-wide discipline — from site selection, design, construction, operation and monitoring, through to closure and post-closure.  

This shift has spawned a new industrial culture: one that embraces proactive, custom-tailored, technically robust and climate-resilient solutions throughout the tailings infrastructure lifecycle.  

The impact of climate change on tailings infrastructure 

Effective management of tailings storage facilities demands precise control and continuous evaluation to maintain structural integrity and prevent environmental risk. As climate-driven pressures—such as heavy rainfall and temperature extremes—intensify, integrating climate adaptation and resilience into TSF design and monitoring has become essential for responsible operations. 

Climate change poses significant threats to the structural integrity of tailings dams. Increased precipitation can lead to higher water levels in tailings impoundments, raising the risk of over-topping or dam breach.  

Additionally, temperature fluctuations can accelerate the deterioration of construction materials, while seismic events may further compromise the stability of these structures. As such, integrating climate resilience into the design, monitoring, and maintenance of tailings infrastructure helps maximise safety in mining. 

The limitations of traditional monitoring  

Traditional monitoring methods—such as geodetic surveys, ground-based instruments, and visual inspections—offer valuable point-by-point measurements, but they struggle to give a complete picture of tailings dam behaviour. Because instruments like piezometers, inclinometers, and settlement cells only capture data at the specific locations where they are installed, large parts of the dam remain unmonitored.  

Surveys and inspections also rely heavily on teams being physically on site. This makes data collection slow, irregular, and often expensive, particularly for remote or extensive facilities. As a result, important changes can develop between monitoring intervals or outside instrumented areas, increasing the risk that subtle early-warning signs will be missed. 

These traditional approaches also come with practical challenges. They require skilled personnel to work in potentially hazardous environments, equipment installation and maintenance can be costly, and the quality of measurements depends on human expertise and consistent manual execution. Visual inspections, while useful, are subjective and may fail to detect small or emerging issues.  

Altogether, these limitations mean traditional monitoring can leave operators with gaps in spatial coverage, delayed data, and a reactive rather than proactive understanding of dam stability—highlighting the need for complementary technologies, such as InSAR. 

The role of InSAR in climate resilience 

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a remote sensing technology that measures ground deformation with millimetric precision. By capturing images from satellites, InSAR can detect subtle shifts in the earth's surface over time, making it an invaluable tool for monitoring the stability of tailings infrastructure. 

InSAR provides continuous, high-resolution data that can identify deformation patterns indicative of structural weaknesses or potential failure points in tailings dams. 

This capability is crucial for early warning systems, allowing for timely interventions and mitigation strategies. With InSAR, mining operations can proactively address vulnerabilities, enhancing the climate resilience of their infrastructure. 

Moreover, InSAR's ability to monitor large areas remotely and in all weather conditions makes it an efficient and cost-effective solution for ongoing surveillance. It complements traditional ground-based monitoring methods, offering a comprehensive approach to assessing and maintaining the integrity of tailings infrastructure. 

How SAR interferometry works 

-Data Collection: Satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar capture images of the earth's surface. These satellites operate in all weather conditions, day or night, making them reliable sources of data. 

-Interferometric Analysis: By comparing radar images captured at different times, specialists create "interferograms" that reveal changes in surface elevation.

-Interpretation: Advanced algorithms and geospatial analytical tools turn raw data into useful insights, like maps showing ground movement and landslide susceptibility. 

The future of sustainable mining 

With the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, the stability and sustainability of mining operations hinge on proactive adaptation strategies. 

As the mining industry navigates the challenges of climate change, technologies like InSAR play a pivotal role in promoting sustainability and resilience.  

Geofem remains committed to advancing these efforts, providing innovative solutions that safeguard both the environment and mining operations, applying advanced InSAR technology and geotechnical expertise to deliver high-precision monitoring for tailings infrastructure. Beyond monitoring, Geofem’s analysts provide stakeholders with detailed reporting, translating complex data into actionable insights that support timely, risk-informed decisions. 

Geofem snapshot featuring InSAR LOS displacement rate (mm/year) during the Jagersfontein tailings dam pre-collapse period from January 2021 to August 2022. 

By integrating cutting-edge remote sensing technologies with expert analysis, Geofem’s goal is to ensure that mining operations not only survive but thrive in an era of climate uncertainty, preventing disasters like Jagersfontein TSF in South Africa in 2022. Leveraging data-driven insights, Geofem empowers operators to anticipate and prevent critical failures, ensuring the safety of both communities and the surrounding ecosystem. 

Contact Geofem’s team of experts for guidance on monitoring tailings infrastructure that remains safe, resilient, and fully operational in the face of climate change.