What is the current status of surveying in the mining industry, and which types of survey equipment and technologies are being used today? Geospatial data forms the foundation of mining. The rapidly evolving innovations in the geomatics sector are bringing previously unforeseen opportunities that will provide a major boost, both to mining surveyors and the mining industry as a whole. Read on for an article which starts with some history - after all, we should never forget where we came from. It then goes on to present a general outline of surveying in the mining industry, with a focus on the survey equipment and the technologies that are being used today. Surveyors in the mining industry fulfil an essential function since they provide indispensable information to all the other mining disciplines. Mining surveyors are responsible for the accurate measurement of areas and volumes mined, plus the precise representation of the surface and underground situation on mining plans.