Case Study:

Lumwana Mine – Zambia

Role: Check Surveyors / Survey Team Management

Client: Barrick

Location: Lumwana Mine, North-Western Province, Zambia

Project Overview

The Lumwana Mine is one of Africa’s largest copper mines, operated by Barrick, and spans a vast and active mining area. In an operation of this scale, precision surveying is mission-critical to keep construction, infrastructure, and operational works accurate, compliant, and on schedule. Geovantage was appointed as check surveyors to provide independent verification, survey team leadership, and full-spectrum site survey support — ensuring everything built on site matched design intent and met strict safety and quality requirements.

Challenges Faced

Expansion of survey control across a dynamic, constantly changing mine site
Strict compliance requirements for underground service detection before excavation.
The need for real-time verification to avoid costly rework or safety risks.
Multiple large-scale contractors working simultaneously across different disciplines.

Scope of Work

Asphalt Planning Surveys – Creating and updating asphalt plans for operational and future mine planning.
GPR Scanning – Detecting underground services for pre-excavation permits, reducing safety risks.
Survey Team Management – Coordinating and supervising on-site surveyors to maintain consistency and precision.
Control Establishment & Expansion – Setting and extending the control network across new work areas.
Bolt and Concrete Checking – Alignment and elevation checks for anchor bolts and formwork prior to and after concrete pours.
Volume Calculations – Accurate measurement of earthworks and stockpiles for production tracking and reporting.

Our Approach

We embedded experienced surveyors directly into site operations to act as an independent quality and accuracy checkpoint. Our team worked alongside construction crews, mechanical installers, and mine planners to ensure all survey data was accurate, up-to-date, and immediately actionable. This included the as-built process — surveying as soon as works were completed to document the true constructed position for QA and record keeping.

Technology & Deliverables

Instrumentation:

Deliverables: CAD drawings, coordinate registers, deviation reports, volume reports, as-built files in PDF/DWG, updated asphalt plans, and GPR scan reports.
UAV / Drone Photogrammetry – large-area mapping and volumetrics.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) – utility detection prior to excavation.
Digital Levels – for high-accuracy elevation checks.
GNSS RTK Systems – rapid positioning across the mine site.
Robotic Total Stations – millimetre-precision set-out and verification.

Outcome & Impact

By combining survey verification, on-site management, and state-of-the-art technology, we ensured the Lumwana Mine’s critical works were built right the first time. The as-built process provided clear, accurate records, while early detection of underground services through GPR scanning prevented costly and dangerous incidents. The client benefited from reduced downtime, improved compliance, and a streamlined flow of accurate data for operational decision-making.