"Consulting engineers and scientist SRK Consulting is rolling out automated vibrating wire piezometers (VWPs) on tailings facilities, says SRK Consulting principal engineering geologist Lyzandra Boshoff.
These networks monitor seepage and the associated pore pressure regime in a tailings facility - a vital aspect in terms of maintaining the integrity and stability of the structure.
She notes that SRK's innovations in rolling ut automated VWP networks include using logging systems that send data wirelessly to cloud-based databases so that this data can be visualised and analysed in real-time.
"We are taking advantage of important technical developments, as many telemetry hardware developers are improving the wireless capability and cloud technology to upload and store data".
With regards to dealing with COVID-19, SRK Consulting social sciences principal consultant Lisl Fair notes that the company has developed a two-pronged approach to assisting mines in containing the spread of COVID-19 infections - focusing on employees and host communities.
SRK Consulting director and principal consultant Andrew van Zyl says that the COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly going to change the way we work - well beyond the lockdown period."
SRK Contributors:
Andrew van Zyl, Lisl Fair, Lyzandra Boshoff
