Utilizing InSAR for Surface Stability Monitoring in Mining Sites: A Case Study of Sukari Gold Mine in Egypt

Abstract

Abstract. The monitoring of mining sites is crucial as a result of the safety and environmental issues linked to mining activities. Traditional surveying and monitoring tools exhibit limitations in terms of spatial coverage and are associated with various concerns regarding time and cost efficiency. Hence, the mining industry has shown increased interest in the time-series analysis of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). This is primarily due to its precision and wide spatial coverage advantages. This study employed an InSAR technology, persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI), to identify potential geohazards within the Sukari gold mine (SGM), located in Egypt. A total of 23 images were collected from the ascending orbit of Sentinel-1 sensor between January 7, 2022, and November 3, 2022, for the SGM mining location. Results revealed relatively stable measurements in non-mining areas of the site, with a surface displacement within ±10mm per year in the line-of-sight (LOS) direction. However, several active mining operation areas showed significant surface motion. Various sections of the open pit of the SGM exhibited displacement, including the southwestern edge (-16.8mm) and the northeastern edge (35.7mm), and the highest velocity was detected at a section of the western edge, which demonstrated an annual displacement of -64mm in the LOS. Additionally, notable surface motion was observed in some parts of the two tailings storage facilities at the site. The results of this study illustrate the importance of InSAR techniques in mining site-wide coverage stability monitoring.