Surveying an Enormous Tailings Dam Impoundment with the CEE-USV™

CEE recently visited a gold mine in South America to conduct USV survey training. At this site, the huge tailings impoundment is a natural feature of submerged trees and complex channels and inlets. It typically will take at least two days to complete a thorough bathymetric survey to determine the stored water volume. On an impoundment of this size, operating a USV from the shore is impossible as there is no access to most of the pond. Instead surveyors operate from a manned boat and drive the boat into the shallow areas the manned boat can’t easily access – particularly in the shallow areas closest to the beach. To see the boat in action on the tailings pond WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.