3D Nickel Mine Mapping Initiative

5cm-resolution drone imagery transformed into engineering-grade 3D mine models for operational monitoring and volumetric analysis. A global mining technology provider needed a scalable way to convert high-resolution drone captures from nickel mining operations in New Caledonia into accurate 3D terrain models and stockpile measurements. The project supported ongoing operational oversight across multiple mine sites where precision, safety, and engineering compatibility were critical. 5cm GSD terrain accuracy delivered across complex mining environments. Multi-year 3D mapping and stockpile analysis maintained over a five-year engagement. Engineering-ready vector outputs integrated directly into existing mine planning systems.

"High-resolution drone mapping enabled accurate 3D mine modelling, improved stockpile analytics and accelerated safer, scalable mining operations and planning. "

Industry: Energy & Utilities
Service: Custom Development, Generative AI, Product Engineering

5cm GSD: High-resolution terrain mapping
5 years: Continuous operational delivery
3D volumetrics: Engineering-grade stockpile analytics

Challenge

The client needed highly accurate Digital Surface Models and Digital Terrain Models generated from dense drone imagery captured across rugged mining terrain. Stockpile measurements had to meet strict volumetric accuracy standards for operational and financial reporting, while all outputs needed seamless compatibility with existing engineering systems and DGN-based mine planning workflows. Traditional surveying methods were slower, riskier, and difficult to scale across remote mining zones.

Approach

SBL Infotech deployed a specialist photogrammetry and geospatial delivery team using Pix4D, Summit Evolution, DTMaster, and MicroStation workflows to process aerial triangulation, orthomosaics, and 3D terrain datasets. The team executed precision feature extraction, vegetation filtering, and DTM refinement to produce clean engineering-grade spatial outputs. Continuous QA and Ground Control Point validation ensured consistent 5cm GSD accuracy across all deliverables throughout the engagement.

Outcome

The client gained a scalable 3D monitoring pipeline capable of supporting safer mine operations, faster terrain analysis, and precise stockpile inventory management across multiple locations. What was previously dependent on labor-intensive field surveying became a high-fidelity digital operating layer for mine planning, reporting, and long-term infrastructure expansion.

IX Case studies

More from the field

US university research initiative

Reliving History with Geospatial Intelligence

260 years of fragmented historical maps transformed into a georeferenced spatial database for anthropological and land-use analysis. A prominent US university needed to study the historical evolution of Uxeau, France, across multiple centuries of land ownership, taxation, and agricultural activity. The research depended on digitising and harmonising vintage maps dating back to 1759 — each with different scales, formats, and levels of degradation — into a single spatially accurate GIS environment suitable for comparative analysis. 260+ years of historical mapping digitised and layered. Lambert II precision georeferencing using Esri GIS tools. Multi-era land parcel and feature extraction delivered at scale.

"Historical GIS digitisation transformed fragmented archival maps into a searchable spatial database, accelerating anthropological research and long-term land-use analysis. "

US radiology AI company

AI-Powered CT Scan Annotation

30,000+ CT scans annotated at 98.9% segmentation accuracy for AI-driven radiology models. A US-based MedTech AI company developing radiology models for tumour detection and analysis required clinically precise annotation support to accelerate model training and validation. Existing workflows faced rising costs, limited access to qualified medical annotators and growing compliance pressure around handling sensitive patient imaging data.

HIPAA-compliant medical annotation workflows improved radiology AI accuracy, accelerated tumour detection model training and reduced operational costs significantly.

A US-based mortgage company

Mortgage Foreclosure Data Management

40%+ faster foreclosure data processing with 50% higher accuracy across multi-county property records. A US-based mortgage data company managing property intelligence across more than 155 million properties and 3,000+ counties required a scalable operational model for foreclosure data collection and processing. Their existing workflows relied heavily on manual back-office operations, creating delays, inconsistencies and rising operational overhead across fragmented government data sources.

Standardised foreclosure processing improved nationwide property data accuracy, reduced turnaround times and created a scalable mortgage intelligence operations framework.