Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda, Kazakhstan:

N. F. Nizametdinov, Associate Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, niz36@mail.ru
F. K. Nizametdinov, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
D. K. Elimanov, Candidate for a Master’s Degree
M. B. Igemberlina, Senior Lecturer

Earthfill dams at tailings storages at concentration factories are the shielding facilities of controlled waste disposal. The present-day geodetic surveying of deformation processes in the slopes of the earthfill dams at tailings storage facilities is a very complicated and laborconsuming process. To overcome the difficulties, it is advisable to arrange an automated observation control to ensure an end-to-end assessment of the earthfill dams at tailings storage facilities at concentration factories. The observation station project is designed and applied at the main dam at the tailings pond at Nikolaevskaya Concentration Factory. The station includes a supporting pier with a robotic electronic tacheometer in a special container equipped with heaters, temperature and pressure sensors, and a modem, as well as the survey plugs with the optical prisms arranged in the body of the dam along representative survey lines. The article describes a procedure to measure linear and angular values at a high accuracy using the electronic tacheometer from the supporting pier to the survey plugs with the optical reflectors in the unattended mode for the earthfill dam slope stability estimate by comparing the displacements with regard to the collimating ray turn. Tested at the earthfill dams at the tailings pond of Nikolaevskaya Concentration Factory, Kazakhmys, in 2021–2022, the proposed procedure enabled the real-time automated control of the behavior of the dams with transmission of the obtained information to the dispatcher service.
The authors appreciate participation of Engineer N. R. Kadyrov, Geobiznes, in this research.

1. Lobanova T. V., Lobanov S. A. Studying the effect of short-period rock displacements on seismic activity of deposits. Fundamentalnye i prikladnye voprosy gornykh nauk. 2021. Vol. 8, No. 1. pp. 237–243.
2. Wei Tang, Mahdi Motagh, Wei Zhan. Monitoring active open-pit mine stability in the Rhenish coalfields of Germany using a coherence-based SBAS method. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. 2020. Vol. 93. 102217. DOI: 10.1016/j.jag.2020.102217
3. Sergunin M. P., Seleskerov D. P., Trofimov A. V., Danilov O. S. Monitoring of ground surface deformation at Taimyrsky Mine using Sentinel-1 radar imaging for geodynamic risk assessment. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2022. No. 10. pp. 71–76. DOI: 10.17580/gzh.2022.10.11
4. Nizametdinov N. F., Nizametdinov R. F., Oleynikova E. A., Kapasova A. Z., Oralbay A. O. Laser-digital measurement technology for monitoring the status of instrument arrays quarry. Marksheyderskiy vestnik. 2020. No. 4(137). pp. 43–48.
5. Nizametdinov F. K., Ozhigin S. G., Nizametdinov N. F., Oralbai A. O. Monitoring of the benches and sides stability of the quarries. Energy- and Resource-Saving Technologies of Developing the Raw-Material Base of Mining Regions. Petroșani : Universitas Publishing, 2021. pp. 46–65.
6. Bar N., Dixon R. Unveiling unknowns: Prac tical application of InSAR for slope performance monitoring and risk management across multiple surface mines. Engineering Geology. 2021. Vol. 293. 106326. DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2021.106326
7. Nizametdinov F. K., Niz ametdinov N. F., Nizametdinov R. F., Oralbai A. O. Instrumental monitoring of ore stockpile stability in heap leaching area. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2022. No. 2. pp. 19–22. DOI: 10.17580/gzh.2022.02.03
8. Jie Dong, Lu Zhang, Minggao Tang, Mingsheng Liao, Qiang Xu et al. Mapping landslide surface displacements with time series SAR interferometry by combining persistent and distributed scatterers: A case study of Jiaju landslide in Danba, China. Remote Sensing of Environment. 2018. Vol. 205. pp. 180–198.
9. Qingwen Zhu, Tingchun Li, Hao Zhang, Jinlin Ran, Hui Li et al. True 3D geomechanical mode l test for research on rheological deformation and failure characteristics of deep soft rock roadways. Tunneling and Underground Space Technology. 2022. Vol. 128. 104653. DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2022.104653
10. Gorbatova E. A., Kolesatova O. S., Romanko E. A., Smyatkin A. N. Geomechanical monitoring of ground surface and pit wall deformations. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2020. No. 4. pp. 16–20. DOI: 10.17580/gzh.2020.04.03
11. Vostrikov V. I., Gavrilov S. Yu. Geomechanical state of rock masses at the quarry of the Zarnitsa diamond pipe. Fundamentalnye i prikladnye voprosy gornykh nauk. 2020. Vol. 7, No. 1. pp. 267–272.
12.Zhigang Tao, Yu Shu, Xiaojie Yang, Yanyan Peng, Qihang Chen et al. Physical model test study on shear strength characteristics of slope sliding surface in Nanfen open-pit mine. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology. 2020. Vol. 30, Iss. 3. pp. 421–429.
13. Haitao Ma, Yihai Zhang. Physical Modeling of Tailings Dams in China: A Review. Journal of Mining Science. 2022. Vol. 58, Iss. 4. pp. 548–560.