Çöpler Mine Landslide: Tackling Landslides with InSAR
- Dr D Sekhar Vaka
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
Introduction
On February 13, 2024, a catastrophic landslide occurred at the Çöpler Gold Mine in Turkey's eastern Erzincan province causing significant environmental concerns. This incident highlighted critical gaps in traditional monitoring systems and raised important questions about how advanced remote sensing technologies could have potentially predicted—and possibly prevented—such a disaster.
The Çöpler Mine Incident: What Happened
The Çöpler Gold Mine experienced a massive slope failure in its heap leach pad around 14:30 local time on February 13, 2024. The failure itself was a flowslide, attaining a high velocity, and it was strongly retrogressive, with continuous failure from the source area for 30 seconds or more.
The landslide involved the movement of millions of cubic metres of ore and soil material, creating a debris flow that extended several hundred metres from the failure point. Beyond the immediate human tragedy, the incident raised serious environmental concerns due to the potential leaching of chemicals used in gold extraction into the nearby Euphrates River.
Geofem's Remote Sensing Analysis: Uncovering the Warning Signs
Our team at Geofem conducted a comprehensive post-event analysis using satellite imagery and advanced InSAR techniques to understand the precursors to the failure. This investigation revealed several critical findings:
Pre-failure Deformation Patterns
Analysis of satellite radar data from the six months preceding the event showed clear evidence of increasing ground deformation in the heap leach pad area. Our InSAR processing detected consistent displacement by as much as 60mm over 10 months before the landslide.
The data showed classic pre-failure behaviour with a consistent displacement rate that could have served as an early warning indicator.
The Power of InSAR for Geohazard Monitoring
Our analysis of the Çöpler incident demonstrates the exceptional capabilities of InSAR for monitoring and predicting geohazards. Unlike traditional ground-based monitoring systems which provide point measurements, InSAR offers comprehensive spatial coverage with millimetre-scale precision.
How InSAR Works
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar operates by comparing the phase information from radar signals captured during separate satellite passes over the same area. These phase differences translate directly to ground displacement measurements, allowing for the detection of subtle surface movements across entire landscapes with remarkable precision.
Key advantages of InSAR monitoring include:
Comprehensive Coverage: Ability to monitor entire mining operations rather than discrete monitoring points
Historical Analysis: Capability to process archival satellite data to establish baseline conditions and identify long-term trends
All-Weather Operation: Functionality in all weather conditions, day or night, unlike optical remote sensing techniques
Early Detection: Identification of precursor movements well before they become visible to the naked eye or traditional monitoring methods
Real-World Application at Mining Operations
Our experience implementing InSAR monitoring systems at active mining operations has demonstrated that early movement detection typically precedes catastrophic failure by weeks or months. This crucial window provides operation teams with the opportunity to:
Implement targeted ground investigation to understand failure mechanisms
Modify operational practices to mitigate risk
Develop and implement emergency response plans
Evacuate personnel from high-risk areas when necessary
Developing Landslide Susceptibility Maps: Moving from Reactive to Proactive
Building on our InSAR capabilities, Geofem has recently developed advanced landslide susceptibility mapping techniques that integrate multiple data sources to predict potential failure locations before movement begins.
Methodology
Our susceptibility mapping integrates:
Geological and Structural Data: Bedrock lithology, structural features, and weathering profiles
Topographic Attributes: Slope, aspect, curvature, and flow accumulation derived from high-resolution DEMs
Hydrological Factors: Drainage patterns, groundwater conditions, and precipitation statistics
Anthropogenic Influences: Mining activities, excavations, and infrastructure loading
Historical Instability: Archives of previous failures and instability in the region
These factors are weighted and combined using machine learning algorithms that have been trained on global landslide inventories and validated against known failure events.
Lessons Learned: A Path Forward for Mining Safety
The Çöpler Mine landslide offers valuable lessons for improving safety and environmental protection in mining operations worldwide. Our analysis suggests several key takeaways:
Enhanced Monitoring Integration
Mining operations must move beyond siloed monitoring approaches toward integrated systems that combine:
Remote sensing (InSAR, other remotely acquired datasets)
Traditional instrumentation (inclinometers, piezometers, extensometers)
Meteorological monitoring
Process water management tracking
This integration enables correlation between disparate data sources to identify complex failure precursors that might be missed by any single monitoring method.
Regulatory Considerations
The incident raises important questions about regulatory frameworks for mine slope stability. Our findings suggest several areas where regulations could be strengthened:
Mandatory implementation of remote sensing monitoring for large-scale operations
Requirements for comprehensive geotechnical risk assessments that incorporate advanced predictive methods
Regular third-party review of monitoring data and stability assessments
Clear thresholds for intervention based on observed deformation rates
Corporate Responsibility
Beyond regulatory compliance, mining companies bear significant responsibility for protecting workers, communities, and the environment. The Çöpler incident demonstrates the importance of:
Investing in comprehensive monitoring technologies
Maintaining conservative design approaches for potentially hazardous structures
Developing clear decision frameworks for responding to early warning signs
Prioritizing safety over production when warning indicators are present
Conclusion: The Future of Geohazard Prevention
The Çöpler Mine landslide represents both a tragedy and an opportunity for the mining industry. Our analysis demonstrates that the technology exists to identify precursor movements well before catastrophic failure occurs. The challenge now lies in ensuring these technologies are widely implemented and their results are properly integrated into operational decision-making.
At Geofem, we are committed to advancing the science of geohazard monitoring and developing increasingly sophisticated tools for predicting and preventing mining disasters. Our combination of InSAR monitoring and landslide susceptibility mapping represents a significant step forward in this mission, offering mining operators a comprehensive approach to managing geotechnical risk.
By learning from incidents like the Çöpler Mine landslide and embracing advanced monitoring technologies, the mining industry can work toward a future where such disasters become increasingly rare. The path forward requires commitment from operators, regulators, and technology providers alike—but the potential rewards, measured in lives saved and environmental damage prevented, make this investment unquestionably worthwhile.
About Geofem
Geofem specialises in advanced remote sensing applications for geohazard identification and monitoring. Our team combines expertise in radar remote sensing, geotechnical engineering, and data science to deliver actionable insights for mining operations, civil infrastructure, and natural hazard management. To learn more about our InSAR monitoring services and landslide susceptibility mapping capabilities, contact our team.
Comments