In open-pit mining, the difference between a managed risk and a catastrophic failure often comes down to one variable: time. How early can a geotechnical team detect that a slope is moving? How quickly can that movement data be interpreted, escalated, and acted upon? For mines that rely on periodic manual surveys or legacy monitoring instrumentation, the answer to both questions is often: not early enough.

Maptek™, the global mining technology company exhibiting at the Slope Stability X26 Conference and Expo on 10 and 11 September 2026 at the Garden Venue in Johannesburg, is challenging that status quo with its laser-based slope monitoring system, Maptek Sentry. By enabling continuous, real-time detection of ground movement at millimetre-level precision, Sentry is shifting geotechnical risk management from a reactive discipline into a proactive, data-driven practice.

From Data to Decisions: The Sentry Advantage

Maptek Sentry combines a high-precision laser scanner with sophisticated software to monitor, record, and analyse wall movement over time. Deployed on a fully transportable trailer with integrated power, communications, and networking infrastructure, Sentry can be positioned and operational quickly — making it suitable for both permanent installation in high-risk zones and rapid deployment in response to emerging geotechnical concerns.

The system's core capability is its ability to detect displacement rates as fine as 1 millimetre per day, generating visualisations that allow geotechnical teams to identify movement trends before they escalate into failure events. Zone generation and animation tools show movement patterns over time, while integrated smoothing functions extract meaningful signal from complex, large-volume point cloud datasets. For mines with active highwalls, the ability to monitor continuously, rather than relying on periodic survey campaigns, can mean the difference between an early warning and an uncontrolled failure.

Rockfall Analysis and Failure Mechanics

Beyond displacement monitoring, Sentry offers dedicated rockfall analysis capabilities that allow mine teams to understand not just that a rockfall event occurred, but where it originated and where material came to rest. This origin-and-landing mapping informs updates to rockfall databases, enabling more accurate risk zonation around highwall toes — areas where personnel and equipment are most exposed. The system also supports detailed

analysis of the mechanics of wall failures with a level of fidelity that surpasses conventional monitoring approaches. Maptek PointStudio can be used for further analysis, including volume calculations.

For mines managing complex, fractured geological environments, or operating in regions with high seismic activity, this depth of analytical capability is not a luxury. It is the technical foundation for any credible slope stability management programme that aims to meet modern regulatory and ESG reporting standards.

Real-World Application: Letšeng Diamond Mine

Maptek's slope monitoring capabilities are already demonstrating measurable outcomes in the southern African context. A collaboration with Letšeng Diamond Mine in Lesotho — one of the region's most altitude-challenged and technically complex operations — has showcased Sentry's ability to deliver integrated monitoring solutions across a demanding open-pit environment. The project demonstrates how advanced laser scanning can be combined with geotechnical analysis to achieve both tactical (event-level) and strategic (trend-level) deformation tracking in conditions where conventional instrumentation would struggle. The implementation of Sentry has allowed management to now make more informed safety-related decisions based on slope behaviour.

At SSX26, Maptek's South African team — led by Solution Specialist Ayanda Njotini and geoscience specialist Todani Funyufunyu (Pr.Sci.Nat, MGSSA) — will be available to discuss how Sentry and Maptek's broader suite of exploration, planning, and operations solutions can be integrated into a mine's geotechnical programme. With a decade of experience in mine measurement, survey, and slope monitoring, the Maptek team brings both technical depth and commercial practicality to every client conversation.

For geotechnical engineers and mine managers attending SSX26, Maptek's exhibition presence is an opportunity to see how continuous, LiDAR-powered monitoring is transforming slope stability risk management in Africa, — and to understand what it means to move from periodic measurement to data-driven decision-making across every stage of mining operations.