As potential slope failures at large open-pit mines continue to pose a risk to high-value capital equipment - and in some cases workers' lives - radar technology is being offered as one solution to detecting slope movements.

"Although slope stability radars have reduced this risk drastically in the last decade, these radars have struggled to handle highly volatile atmospherics and fast-moving slopes," Reutech Mining said in a recent release.

It said its new radar came with high scan speed that could ensure early detection of developing slope failures at mines and enable accurate movement detections.

Reutech Mining executive Jan de Beer believes its fourth-generation MSR will provide "the best possible data with the least interruption to daily operations".

Product manager Neville Greyling explained that the MSRIV Esprit offers a scan time of less than two seconds for an entire area covering more than 22 million square metres at an operating range of 4,000m.

"Due to the fact that an entire area is measured instantaneously, we can provide the truest, up-to-date slope data," he said.

The solution is designed for instantaneous 3-D area measurements, together with the fast scan speed, for critical monitoring of slope velocities of up to 13,500mm/h.

In addition, Reutech said, during strategic monitoring, smaller movements are detected with greater accuracy.

"This means predicting potential failures earlier and increasing warning times. It will result in overall safer open-pit mines in areas prone to fast-moving slopes and with rapidly changing atmospheric conditions," Greyling added.

Reutech Mining is part of the larger Reutech Group, which offers high-precision products for defence, mining, industrial and commercial applications.