Perspective from above

Photographs from aircraft and satellites have long had application in the mining business, particularly exploration. However, recent developments in the field of remote sensing can help with all stages of a mine's life -- from evaluating the resource, to making extraction more cost-effective, through to monitoring, mine closure and remediation. Mining companies have a choice of whether to work with archived images taken during the normally scheduled passes of a satellite, or custom imagery in which the satellite or aircraft is specifically tasked with providing data for the area of interest. Like any analysis tool, remote sensing imagery has its limitations and it is important for mining companies to understand these. In selecting a consulting company to provide remote-sensing imaging and interpretation services, it is important to select a supplier that understands the purposes to which the information will be put.