Ideon Raises the Bar with ‘Smarter’ Subsurface Beacon

In this block cave example, the Ideon beacon transmits its physical location and gathers environmental data, conveying data wirelessly through 200 metres of solid rock.

The Ideon subsurface beacon

Ultra-reliable, multi-modal, long-life solution supercharges REVEAL™ for Caving solution

This new, smarter subsurface beacon supports our strategic vision of fusing multiple data sources and technologies to deliver the most comprehensive, high-resolution view of the subsurface possible.”

— Dr. Doug Schouten, CTO & Co-Founder, Ideon Technologies

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, August 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Canadian subsurface intelligence leader Ideon Technologies is bringing a new, ‘smarter’, multi-modal, wireless subsurface beacon solution to market. Developed in partnership with Australian industry innovator Mining3 and with broad applicability in the mining industry, this new long-life beacon will further enhance the Ideon REVEAL™ for Caving solution – the world’s most advanced cave monitoring and production optimization solution.

Beacons are battery-powered wireless devices that transmit signals traditionally used to enable material tracking within a mine. This next-generation beacon, which will be released commercially by Ideon within the year, offers significantly improved functionality beyond current market offerings. It delivers a valuable new suite of subsurface intelligence to caving operators, among other applications, helping to reduce the impact that geological and geotechnical uncertainty have on safety, production predictability, and ore recovery in those mines.

Today’s beacon systems only provide point location data when activated and are typically cemented into large-diameter boreholes (PQ-sized/122.6 mm), drilled deep from the surface, before sites begin active caving. It’s a high-risk, high-cost process to drill to deploy the units, which rely on high-strength rotating magnets to emit a detectable location signal. They sometimes fail before a cave reaches critical production milestones years later, leaving operators with significant cave management blind spots during critical phases of development.

The Ideon beacon transmits its physical location along with local environmental data (such as ambient temperature, pore pressure, and strain), conveying data wirelessly through 200 metres of solid rock. It has no moving parts, is compact (deployable in an NQ-size borehole/75.7 mm), and has wireless two-way communication capabilities to support active caving and other open-pit and underground mining applications. This allows the beacon to be remotely engaged after activation or switched to standby mode to conserve power when not in use.

Cave mining involves undermining an ore body and then allowing it to collapse under its own weight. While the method can deliver lower-cost recovery, high production rates, and reduced waste and environmental impact, mining companies have very little subsurface visibility as to what is happening in and around the active cave. The Ideon beacon will add real-time movement and environmental data within the mobile material in a block cave to the REVEAL™ for Caving solution, which delivers a high-resolution, high-volume, high-velocity dynamic Earth model that delineates the 3D shape of the cave, the air gap, and muck pile.

“This new solution supports Ideon’s strategic vision of fusing multiple data sources and technologies to deliver the most comprehensive, high-resolution view of the subsurface possible,” says Dr. Doug Schouten, CTO & Co-Founder of Ideon Technologies. “Our work with Mining3 expands our REVEAL™ for Caving offering, giving mining companies an even greater understanding of the dynamics of their largest underground operations. In turn, this can help them improve safety, mitigate emerging geotechnical risk, proactively manage cave growth, achieve greater production predictability, and improve ore recovery. Our singular aim is to solve difficult problems for customers, leveraging whatever combination of capabilities we need to maximize the value of their mines for them.”

“Working with Ideon exemplifies our approach to accelerating the journey from world-class research to commercial impact,” adds Dr. Neville Plint, CEO of Mining3. “By combining deep science with a collaborative mindset, we’re helping fast-track technologies that directly address mining’s most complex challenges. The successful integration of our foundational work into their REVEAL™ solutions suite highlights the value of multi-sensor data fusion in unlocking new subsurface insights. This partnership is a clear example of how innovation thrives when we focus on adoption and real-world deployment from the outset.”

The Ideon REVEAL™ Platform is a subsurface intelligence solution that comprises proprietary hardware (that delivers a new-to-the-world data source) ruggedized for the most remote exploration sites and demanding of noisy in-mine environments, software, integrated imaging systems, and advanced data analysis including AI and interpretation. Using sub-atomic particles created from supernova explosions in space (called muons) to image deep beneath the Earth's surface, Ideon creates high-resolution multi-dimensional models that help geologists identify, map, and characterize mineral deposits and other geological features such as caves and voids. Ideon also offers patented multi-sensor, data fusion capabilities that enable seamless data collection and integration from proprietary sensors and third-party data. Ideon’s AI-powered workflow transforms the geological model into a high-resolution dynamic Earth model to inform ongoing operations. www.ideon.ai/reveal

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About Ideon Technologies (www.ideon.ai)
Ideon Technologies uses the energy from supernova explosions to image deep beneath the Earth's surface. A spin-off from TRIUMF (Canada’s particle physics lab), Ideon is a world pioneer in cosmic-ray muon tomography. By transforming muon data into reliable 3D density maps, Ideon helps geologists identify, map, characterize, and monitor geological features with confidence. This reduces risk and cost of traditional methods, while saving time, optimizing return, and minimizing environmental impact across the mining value chain. In turn, this is helping accelerate the world's transition to low-impact mining and transform how companies find the critical minerals required to power the global shift to clean energy – improving peoples’ lives and enhancing economic prosperity.

About Mining3 (www.mining3.com)
Mining3 is committed to transforming mining by leveraging its extensive knowledge, along with that of its partners—mining companies, innovators, and technology suppliers. We aim to accelerate the deployment of world-class innovations, ensuring our companies are safe, sustainable, and profitable. With expertise across multiple engineering disciplines and access to cutting-edge testing facilities, Mining3 is well-equipped to manage and build consortiums that drive multi-year programs of work. With a multidisciplinary team and over 100 patents across 21 technology families, Mining3 excels in accelerating high-quality innovations to industry readiness.

Kim Lawrence
Ideon Technologies
klawrence@ideon.ai
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