Different mining types are common in both mountain areas as well as in flat terrain, ranging from the underground extraction of carboniferous to open-pit mines that exploit diamonds, marble or simply gravel. In particular, open-pit mines are typically characterized by artificial slopes and embankments that may be subjected to slope instability phenomena.

This might represent a risk for the security of the workers and for the correct development of exploitation.

Many of older mines were over-extracted, and therefore it was create a long-term subsidence threat.  Small old quarries could contain unstable and compressible fills and settlements can occur. Furthermore, old underground mines might develop instabilities processes that could eventually lead to local collapses similar to karst related phenomena.

Fragile Srl offers InSAR based services that can be used to assess deformation on artificial embankments of open-pit mines. Because mining areas are often free of vegetation and the bedrock is exposed in many parts, InSAR data are typically characterized by very high quality.

Remote sensed displacement values supplied by Fragile Srl can also be used to map surface deformation induced by new underground excavation or to spot deformation induced by subsidence over old and maybe even abandoned underground mining areas. Especially where the exact extent of the tunnels is not known and houses were built afterward, InSAR might give interesting insights regarding the position of deforming cavities.

InSAR based monitoring services provided by Fragile Srl are also very useful to analyze the deformations pattern in the mining areas after the conclusion of extraction activities, according to the current legislation.