Formal partnership builds on years of collaboration and combines DAS with conventional microseismic monitoring to support safer, better-informed mining operations.
Terra15 and the Institute of Mine Seismology (IMS) are pleased to announce the formalisation of their partnership, strengthening a long-standing collaborative approach to applying Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) in mine seismic monitoring. Formalised in April 2026, the partnership builds on more than five years of collaboration and reflects IMS’s use of Terra15 DAS interrogators within its broader mining-focused monitoring offering.
IMS incorporates Terra15’s DAS interrogators into its broader seismic monitoring solutions for mining where they provide value alongside conventional seismic sensors. This gives IMS an additional high-performance sensing option to support the detection, location and characterisation of mine seismicity, while strengthening the monitoring and imaging capabilities it delivers to mining customers.
Conventional seismic sensors, including geophones and seismometers, remain essential to IMS’s turnkey monitoring solutions. Within that broader framework, DAS provides an additional sensing capability that can extend coverage and enhance data acquisition when applied by experienced specialists. Terra15’s Treble DAS interrogators support this approach with strong performance at the frequencies important for microseismic monitoring.
IMS is a private, independent research and consulting organisation specialising in monitoring, forecasting and managing seismic rock mass responses to mining. It provides high-resolution microseismic monitoring technology, hardware and software to improve safety in underground mines globally. Under this partnership, IMS remains the provider of the software, services and expert interpretation within its turnkey solutions, while Terra15 supplies DAS interrogators selected by IMS to complement its broader mix of sensing technologies and monitoring equipment.
The partnership supports a range of mining-related geophysical and geotechnical applications, including microseismic monitoring, rockburst monitoring, slow-strain monitoring, hydraulic fracture monitoring, tailings dam monitoring and slope stability assessment. These mining-focused sectors do not include energy-sector applications or services such as oil and gas, carbon capture and storage, or geothermal energy. Coal, copper and uranium mining are included within the mining scope of the partnership.
“IMS provides the seismic monitoring software and services within its turnkey solutions and selects the hardware best suited to each application. Terra15 is pleased to supply DAS interrogators that complement IMS’s conventional monitoring systems and provide an additional sensing option where
high-performance DAS can add value.” – Nader Issa, CEO, Terra15
“IMS is committed to delivering integrated, mining-focused monitoring solutions, and selecting the highest-performing hardware is key to that commitment. We have worked with a few DAS companies over the years, and we’ve found that the Terra15 hardware truly shines. Beyond the exceptional technology, the team are excellent to deal with – professional, highly collaborative, and technically strong. We are very happy with our choice of DAS partner as we formalise this long-standing collaboration.” – Gareth Goldswain, Head of Engineering, Institute of Mine Seismology
With the partnership now formalised, IMS is well positioned to continue delivering integrated, mining-focused monitoring solutions that incorporate Terra15 DAS interrogators where they add value alongside conventional seismic sensors and other monitoring equipment. This adds another capability within IMS’s broader monitoring offering for the applications where DAS is best suited.
Find out more about IMS’s DAS integrations here: https://www.imseismology.org/distributed-data-acquisition/
About Terra15
Terra15 specialises in Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) using fiber optics, providing sensing and monitoring solutions across mining, geoscience, utility and industrial applications. Its DAS technology is used in applications including seismic acquisition, microseismic monitoring and infrastructure monitoring. Terra15’s DAS interrogators offer advantages at higher frequencies, making them well suited to microseismic and high-resolution seismic applications.
About Institute of Mine Seismology (IMS)
The Institute of Mine Seismology (IMS) is a private, independent research and consulting organisation specialising in monitoring, forecasting and managing seismic rock mass responses to mining. IMS designs, manufactures, supplies and maintains non-DAS seismic monitoring equipment and provides applied seismological and geophysical services. These include advanced mine seismology, seismic imaging, and specialised surveys such as ambient noise, HVSR, and active and passive seismic tomography, helping mining operations manage ground stability, mitigate seismic risk and optimise efficiency.