The technology to monitor dams remotely and in real-time is available, the question is whether miners are open to using it. Courtesy of Inmarsat

Mine operators and regulators can now monitor readings from sensor equipment installed at tailings storage facilities more quickly, less expensively and without having to physically traipse around the tailings dam to manually collect the data. In some cases, engineers can check in on dams’ sensor readings in near real time from thousands of kilometres away.