Geotechnical Challenges in Underground Mining

Block caving presents several potential geotechnical hazards. For example, in-situ loads are constantly changing, and consequently, so are the demands on local support and reinforcement systems. This is in addition to stress concentrations, ground deformation due to excavation, rockbursts, and other events that affect mine safety. Hence the importance of using geotechnical instrumentation to monitor the various safety variables of a rock mass, the performance of support and reinforcement systems, and other critical elements.

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Another major challenge is the lack of access to electrical power, as traditional dataloggers require a constant power supply from an external source. Furthermore, extracting data from the mine is problematic due to a reliance on cables, which can easily be accidentally severed, as well as a lack of access to communication nodes capable of transmitting information to the surface.

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The Current State of Underground Monitoring

Geosinergia prides itself on its strong engineering background, backed by 20 years of experience in the mining, infrastructure, and civil workssectors.

Igor Bravo, the company's CEO and an expert engineer, summarizes the challenges involved in monitoring an operation of this magnitude:

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“When you move into an underground environment, it’s a different world. You have to work with specialized instruments, such as in-situstress systems, which are much more complex and feature dozens of sensors. Everyone understands an open pit. But an underground mine? Not so much.”

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Until now, there have been few new developments in this field. Traditional cable-based solutions have always been cumbersome, expensive, and precarious. They involve deploying many kilometers of wiring to connect sensors, making them highly vulnerable to heavy machinery traffic. The unique characteristics of a mine, such as shafts, winding tunnels, or chimneys, further complicate the deployment of these systems, making them prone to failure and increasing costs. Furthermore, given the remoteness and difficulty of accessing certain areas (where human presence is not expected), repairs and regular maintenance are often not viable options.

These are some of the reasons why many operators have historically eliminated cables, resorting to manual data collection. However, this method is also unreliable, as it produces inconsistent data with large gaps between readings. Rock mass movements can occur in a matter of seconds, endangering lives and equipment. Therefore, constant data availability is key to enabling rapid decision-making.

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The Geosinergia Solution for Codelco

These were precisely the challenges faced by Chuquicamata when it began its underground operations. Codelco entrusted this complex task to its expert partner in geotechnical and structural monitoring: Geosinergia.

Codelco's requirement was clear: a monitoring system that provided better coverage than traditional solutions and reflected the state of the art in modern mining technology. The main objective was to deploy a network capable of covering the vastness of Chuquicamata, keeping its operations safe, efficient, and uninterrupted.

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Benefits of the New Monitoring System

Technological Robustness and Reliability

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Rodrigo Vicencio, COO of Geosinergia, comments on how reliability has long been the Achilles' heel of these systems:

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“It was very common to install several sensors and leave them monitoring with data loggers from various brands. Throughout the life of the project, for whatever reason, they would stop sending readings or communication would be interrupted. What Worldsensing has given us is reliability: the certainty that the systems will remain online.”

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The deployed devices stand out for their ease of installation, the use of high-quality components, and a robust construction capable of withstanding an operating range of -40 ºC to +80 ºC. Combined with their internal batteries (with a lifespan of up to 10 years) and LoRa low-power technology, the system operates uninterrupted without requiring constant maintenance.

As an example of this efficiency, Vicencio recalls one of his first remote monitoring installations in 2016:

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“One of the gateways [Worldsensing] we first installed has been monitoring for years, without any maintenance work being performed on it. I haven't had to check it since I installed it. This type of reliability is one of the system's greatest advantages.”

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To this, CEO Igor Bravo adds:

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“By making devices energy-autonomous, you also eliminate cables. In doing so, you remove the network's main vulnerabilities. We’ve gone from installing 100 instruments and finding that only 15 were working, to systems with thousands of sensors that remain 100% operational.”

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A New Paradigm in Mining Safety

Ease of deployment, high reliability, and wireless architecture significantly reduce costs, enabling the implementation of large-scale monitoring networks. This directly increases mining safety at massive sites like Chuquicamata. Today, operators have coverage in every area of the mine, generating a clear, real-time picture of ground conditions.

This breakthrough supports the industry's shift toward preventive monitoring. Safety is no longer just about evacuating people before an accident or mitigating damage; it’s about preventing the event from happening in the first place. Bravo sums it up perfectly:

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“The concept of safety is different today. We want to anticipate a major failure while it’s still forming, rather than waiting for a radar to detect it. This allows us to stop the process using other preventive tools. This is exactly what the industry is asking of us.”

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A collapse or landslide can mean the loss of equipment worth tens of millions of dollars, the paralysis of operations, and, most critically, an incalculable human cost. Having a reliable data stream allows for risk mitigation work—such as reinforcing overloaded rock structures—to be carried out the moment the system triggers an alert.

Furthermore, it allows for the verification of mitigation measures in near real-time, maximizing operational productivity and opening up the possibility of mining deposits that, with previous technologies, would have been considered too risky.

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Looking Toward the Future of IoT Monitoring

One of the key advantages of underground mining is that it extends the lifespan of open-pit deposits without skyrocketing costs. In this context, Geosinergia projects that having proven monitoring solutions, specifically adapted for the underground environment, will be a key competitive advantage in the coming years.

Due to its size and level of sophistication, the Chilean mining industry is a global benchmark in the adoption of new technologies. The system implemented at Chuquicamata will demonstrate the potential and advantages of IoT (Internet of Things) remote monitoring as a fundamental pillar of structural safety.

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Alex Rojas, General Manager of Geosinergia, projects the impact of this project:

“Chuquicamata is the largest underground mine in the world. The challenge is to ensure that all geotechnical monitoring systems, within its various units, are fully automated. By achieving this, we will be changing the industry paradigm.”

Looking ahead, Geosinergia is confident that the new generation of mining leaders will make the most of data-driven technologies. A clear example is dynamic dataloggers capable of performing calculations in situ (Edge Computing), transmitting only actionable and relevant information to operators. Without a doubt, the installation at Chuquicamata marks the first major step toward smarter, more robust, and safer monitoring systems.

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