UN to deploy satellite-based monitoring to strengthen global mining safety standards
Global insurance technology company Value.Space, which specializes in satellite-based monitoring and risk assessment, announced Monday a collaboration to deploy satellite-based monitoring and risk profiling to support United Nations’ work to strengthen mining safety and standards, led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The 2019 Brumadinho tailings storage facility collapse, which killed 270 people and caused $20 billion in losses, underscored the urgent need for improved safety. Satellite analysis after the disaster revealed warning signs as early as 15 months before the collapse, emphasizing missed opportunities for prevention.
With 13 catastrophic tailings storage facility (TSF) failures projected between 2025-2029 by World Mine Tailings Failures – a non-profit organization collecting worldwide data – taking proactive action is critical, Value.Space said in a news release.
Preventing these incidents is critical to safeguarding critical supply chains and ensuring the stability of commodity and financial markets, particularly as the global transition to green economies drives demand for sustainably sourced minerals and metals, it added.
UNECE’s Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents offers a legal framework to manage risks from mine tailings and is leading regional and global efforts to improve TSF safety, with this collaboration contributing to strengthened risk management to help prevent losses to mining operators, insurers, investors, the environment and, ultimately, consumers.
Satellite-based monitoring and assessment uses near-real-time data to detect early signs of structural vulnerabilities, enabling proactive remediation efforts and reducing the risk of large-scale disasters. As part of the collaboration with UNECE, up to 10 TSF will be monitored and a report will be prepared, analyzing the risks, revealing possible structural issues and translating subsequently into taking measures to prevent major accidents, the company said.
Value.Space said its cooperation with UNECE brings cutting-edge satellite technologies to the forefront of TSF risk management.
“The use of cutting-edge satellite technology will further sharpen UNECE’s support to identify and manage risks linked to mine tailings in the Pan-European region and beyond,” said Claudia Kamke, Environmental Affairs Officer for the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents.
“Strengthening mine tailings safety is especially crucial given the projected increases in mining activities over the coming decades, including to meet the demands of the energy transition,” she added.
“By leveraging satellite monitoring, TSF owners and regulators will have access to actionable insights to prevent disasters before they occur,” Value.Space founder Reijo Pold said. “This proactive approach not only protects communities and ecosystems worldwide, but also bolsters global markets and financial stability by mitigating the economic consequences of catastrophic failures.”
More information is here.