Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk, Russia:

B. N. Zarovnyaev, Director of the Mining Institute, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, mine_academy@mail.ru
G. V. Shubin, Head of a Chair, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
I. V. Vasiliev, Chief Project Engineer
L. D. Varlamova, Associate Professor, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences

Open pit mining method under conditions of the Extreme North faces severe environment of permafrost when risk of pitwall instability grows during seasonal thawing of frozen rock mass. This issue is of special concern in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The maximum depth of the local open pit mines has already reached 640 m and will grow down to 850 m in the future. Under deeper level mining conditions, deformation processes become more hazardous in pitwall rock mass. To prevent landslides, it is highly important to carry out pitwall monitoring. The modern efficient monitoring uses remote equipment in the framework of the surface laser scanning technology. This technology has been enjoying wide application in different industry branches for the last 10 years. The technology increases rates of fi eld operations and ensures safety of monitoring of hard-to-access and hazardous areas in open pit mines. This article reports the results of researches implemented with surface laser scanning systems by Swiss Leica; such systems have shown good and are applicable to operation under severe climatic conditions. The trial monitoring was performed in Neryungy open pit mine, ALROSA, between May and October 2014. The monitoring revealed hazardous deformation in some areas of the south-east pitwall. The monitoring data were used as the background for elaborating required precautions.

1. Seredovich V. A., Komissarov A. V., Komissarov D. V., Shirokova T. A. Surface laser scanning : monograph. Novosibirsk : Siberian State University of Geosystems and Geotechnologies, 2009. 261 p.
2. Okhotin A. L., Sobolev A. V. Experience of application of lidar survey in mining. Intereskpo Geo-Sibir. 2008. Vol. 1, No. 1. pp. 219–221.
3. Lyutak A. I. Technology of creation of digital models of open pits with application of laser scanners. Problemy razrabotki mestorozhdeniy uglevodorodnykh i rudnykh poleznykh iskopaemykh. 2014. No. 1. pp. 386–388.
4. Dunaev V. A., Oleynik O. V., Ignatenko I. M., Yanitskiy E. B. Distant definition of elements of the cracks bedding during the natural study of deformations of open pit edges. Izvestiya TulGu. Nauki o Zemle. 2011. Iss. 1. pp. 107–111.
5. Olenkov V. D., Pronina A. A. Laser scanning technology in restauration of arcitectural monuments. Construction and ecology : theory, practice, innovations : collection of reports of the I International scientific-practical conference. Chelyabinsk : PIRS, 2015. pp. 81–84.
6. Khmyrova E. N., Zhunusova G. E., Besimbaeva O. G., Maksimova M. V. Monitoring of technical state of unique constructions in Astana using modern geodetic instruments. Izvestiya vuzov. Geodeziya i aerofotosemka. 2013. No. 3. pp. 16–19.
7. Kovanič Ľ., Blišťan P. Quarry Wall Stability Assessment Using TLS Method. Advanced Materials Research. 2014. Vol. 1044-1045. pp. 603–606. doi: 10.4028/www.scientifi c.net/AMR.1044-1045.603
8. Melk E. V., Bubnov A. V. Comparative analysis of the systems of laser scanning in geodesy. Rossiya molodaya: peredovye tekhnologii — v promyshlennost. 2015. No. 1. pp. 236–240.
9. Lyapishev K. M., Pogorelov A. V., Shulyakov D. Yu. Investigation of landslides with application of surface laser scanning technology. Geodesy, cartography and mine surveying : materials of All-Russian scientific Internet-conference. Kazan, 2014. pp. 26–32.
10. Ignatenko I. M., Yanitskiy E. B., Zaytsev M. S. Method of assessment of rock modularity in pit edges and lumpiness of rock mass with application of computer technologies. Izvestiya TulGu. Nauki o Zemle. 2011. Iss. 1. pp. 112–118.
11. Barbarella M., Fiani M. Monitoring of large landslind es by Terrestrial Laser Scanning techniques: field data collection and processing. European Journal of Remote Sensing. 2013. Vol. 46. pp. 126–151.
12. Bin Liang, Chong Yue, Xu Hui Chen, Bing Wang, Xing Kai Sun. The Study of Deformation Monitoring Based on the Ground Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning Technology. Advanced Materials Research. 2014. Vol. 1022. pp. 387–391.
13. Alba M., Scaioni M. Automatic detection of changes and deformations in rock faced by terrestrial laser scanning. International Archives of Pfotogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. 2010. Vol. XXXVIII, Part 5. Commission V Symposium, BNewcastle upon Tyne, England. pp. 11–16.
14. Leica Open pit mining Profi les. Profiles & Volumes for Open Pit Mining. Leica Geosystem : [website]. Available at: http://hds.leica-geosystems.com/en/Open-pit-mining_1932.htm (accessed: 25.05.2016).
15. Vasilev I. V., Zarovnyaev B. N., Sorokin V. S., Shubin G. V. Improvement of the system of monitoring of deep open pits. Gornyy informatsionno-analiticheskiy byulleten. 2012. Special issue No. 7 : Modern technologies used by mining enterprises. pp. 211–218.
16. Vasilev I. V., Zarovnyaev B. N., Shubin G. V. Monitoring of open-pits by laser scanning in the Far North coditions. Ural mining school — to regions : materials of international scientific-practical conference. Ekaterinburg, 2015. pp. 230–232.