The Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) has launched the GAIA-TSF project, an ambitious research programme aimed at revolutionising the characterisation and monitoring of tailings storage facilities (TSFs) using satellite observation technology and machine learning algorithms.
The ISMC has initiated the GAIA-TSF project, in collaboration with six key partners, with the goal of developing an innovative system based on satellite observation and artificial intelligence for the continuous monitoring of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs). This project, funded by the Horizon Europe programme with the support of the EUSPA – EU Agency for the Space Programme, will last 28 months and brings together universities and companies from Europe and Africa.
The project consortium team met in Lisbon to lay the foundations of the project, with the participation of Eduard Escalona, a project officer at EUSPA, who congratulated the consortium on the project’s launch and shared the expectations and objectives for the coming years.
The project is being managed by the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC), which is leading the coordination activities, stakeholder grouping, and will facilitate the future market adoption of the solutions developed. Among the partners are institutions such as Cybele, a Lisbon-based SME specialising in advanced satellite observation, as well as prestigious universities including TU Delft (Netherlands), Charles University (Czech Republic), Copperbelt University (Zambia), University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and Geoscience Wits.
The GAIA-TSF project represents a fundamental step towards the digital and sustainable transformation of the mining industry, providing cutting-edge tools to manage the risks associated with tailings storage facilities, while improving the safety and sustainability of mining operations.