It's ironic that as modern surface mining burrows further into the ground, whether at new projects that exploit deeper, more complex deposits or at mature mines that are simply digging deeper in place, production efficiency depends more and more upon a clear view of the sky. Mines are increasingly relying on GPS-based machine location and high-precision surveying applications, and because these applications require accurate Real-time Kinematic (RTK) GPS position data, their reliable operation hinges largely on the ability to 'see' and track at least four GPS satellites at any given time-a situation that isn't always possible when working at certain locations in deep open-pit mines.
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