Deformation monitoring of tailings storage facilities using InSAR time series on OpenSARLab

Abstract

Tailings storage facilities (TSFs) are essential components of mining operations, designed to contain byproducts from mineral processing. However, their structural failure can lead to catastrophic environmental damage, loss of life, and long-term socioeconomic disruption. Continuous, high-resolution monitoring is therefore vital for early detection of instability and informed risk management. In this study, 161 ascending Sentinel-1 acquisitions were processed using the SBAS-InSAR technique within OpenSARLab, a cloud-based platform that enables scalable, reproducible analysis of satellite radar data. Despite challenges posed by dense tropical vegetation and frequent rainfall, applying a coherence threshold of 0.6 yielded broad spatial coverage, with a mean coherence of 0.70 across 249 observation points. This allowed for reliable displacement retrieval even in vegetated zones. Mean LOS velocities ranged from −7.46 to +2.83 cm/yr, with 94% of the area showing subsidence. The embankment crest was the most mobile, averaging −4.67 cm/yr, with cumulative deformation reaching −0.42 m in the west sector by 2025. Time-series analysis revealed stepwise accelerations coinciding with heavy rainfall events (≥150–250 mm/month), suggesting rainfall-modulated creep rather than imminent failure. To improve early-warning capabilities, future work should integrate GNSS control points and detailed construction records to calibrate thresholds and strengthen causal interpretation.