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Mines

Mining operations generate powerful vibrations that can affect not only the mine itself but also surrounding communities and infrastructure.

Home » Infrastructure » Mines

Overview

We can sometimes find mines near residential buildings, schools, hospitals, archaeological sites, or places of worship. In these cases, careful condition monitoring becomes essential to ensure people’s safety and preserve heritage. At the same time, vibration data is invaluable for optimizing blasting sequences and improving mining efficiency.

At Digitex Systems, our xDAS Distributed SHM platform provides a comprehensive solution for monitoring mining activities. Using triaxial accelerometers (xWave) and digital geophones (xGeo), we capture both acceleration and velocity. This way, we ensure compliance with modern civil engineering practices.

Additionally, our system helps mining companies meet regulations that still mandate velocity-based vibration limits. To complement this, xSense connects with displacement transducers for direct crack monitoring in nearby structures. Similarly, it allows gold companies or similar mining contractors to assess how blasts impact sensitive buildings and infrastructure.

With Observer software, engineers can perform Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) on captured data. Furthermore, the Voyager platform automates OMA in real time, ensuring that you continuously track blast effects and vibration propagation without manual interventions.

The xAlarm device, together with integrated trigger mechanisms and ring buffer functionality, guarantees that you record every blast event. Besides that, mining companies and operators receive instant SMS and digital alerts if predefined thresholds are exceeded.

From open-pit mines to underground operations, Digitex Systems empowers mine operators to protect nearby communities and cultural heritage, while also providing the tools to optimize blasting strategies and improve efficiency.

A diagram with structural Health Monitoring Solutions for Mines and Mining Companies

Challenges

Monitoring mines comes with unique demands due to the intensity of blast events and their potential effects on surrounding areas.

  • Impact on Nearby Structures
    Blasting vibrations can damage buildings and public sites near mining areas—including residential houses, schools, hospitals, archaeological sites, churches, and mosques. xWave accelerometers capture high-resolution acceleration, while xGeo geophones measure velocity to meet regulatory requirements. At the same time, xSense displacement transducers detect and track the development of cracks.
  • Process Optimization
    Mining explosions typically happen in a cascading sequence. Monitoring the timing, strength, and propagation of these blasts with xWave, xGeo, and xSense provides actionable data to refine blast design, reduce waste, and maximize productivity. Moreover, it minimizes risk to the surrounding infrastructure.
  • Real-Time Event Detection
    The xAlarm device, with its trigger mechanisms and ring buffer functionality (Voyager), ensures the system captures, stores, and reports all critical blast events. That’s how it’s enabling rapid operator response when thresholds are exceeded.
  • Environmental Influences
    Geological conditions and weather have a direct impact on blast effects. By integrating weather stations (xMet), operators can correlate rainfall, temperature, and wind with vibration propagation for a more complete analysis.


Digitex Systems uses accelerometers (xWave), geophones (xGeo), displacement monitoring (xSense), and real-time alarming. Generally, it offers mining companies a comprehensive system to protect surrounding communities and heritage sites and optimize blasting performance.

Why Choose Digitex?

  • Comprehensive Vibration and Crack Monitoring

    Digitex solutions integrate triaxial accelerometers (xWave), digital geophones (xGeo), and xSense displacement transducers. That's how it provides a full-spectrum monitoring of acceleration, velocity, and cracking in nearby structures—meeting both engineering and regulatory needs.

  • Operational Modal Analysis (OMA)

    With Observer software, operators can evaluate dynamic responses of mines and surrounding infrastructure. On the other hand, the Voyager platform automates OMA, enabling real-time insight into blast impacts and vibration propagation.

  • Real-Time Alerts

    The xAlarm device, supported by trigger mechanisms and ring buffer functionality. It delivers instant SMS and digital alarms when vibration or crack thresholds are exceeded.

  • Cascade Blast Optimization

    Our systems provide the data necessary to refine cascade blasting sequences. It supports operators optimize fragmentation efficiency, improve yield, and minimize vibration risks to the environment and nearby communities.

  • Environmental Awareness

    With xMet weather stations, rainfall, temperature, and wind conditions can be tracked. The xMet supports better understanding and predicts blast propagation under varying environmental conditions.

  • Durability and Reliability

    The Digitex SHM platform is ideal for harsh conditions of mining environments. It delivers rugged, low-maintenance monitoring that operators can rely on in both open-pit and underground mines.

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