Induced seismicity at Raura mine and its application to mine planning

Authors: Jarufe, J; Morante, C; Espinosa, A; Rubio, E; Cuba, I Download Paper

Cite As:
Jarufe, J, Morante, C, Espinosa, A, Rubio, E & Cuba, I 2024, 'Induced seismicity at Raura mine and its application to mine planning ', in Daniel Johansson & Håkan Schunnesson (eds), MassMin 2024: Proceedings of the International Conference & Exhibition on Mass Mining, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, pp. 39-49.



Abstract:
The increase in the depth at which mining operations are carried out has, among other consequences, an increase in seismic hazard due to factors such as the stress environment, the geotechnical quality of the rock mass, and the characteristics of the discontinuities. In this scenario, the main threat to the continuity of the mining process due to geomechanical aspects is the occurrence of the rockburst phenomenon, which consists of a sudden, fragile type of failure with a projection of fragmented material, which has potentially serious consequences for the infrastructure and the integrity of people. The experience accumulated in recent years, from operations that present this type of instabilities, shows that the continuous recording of the seismicity activity induced by mining activity and its analysis together with the exploitation rates and mining sequence, have allowed a better control in terms of the seismic activity, have allowed greater control in terms of identifying the areas most likely to be affected by this phenomenon and estimating the magnitude of the maximum expected event, which allows incorporating in mine planning control measures such as design and fortification protocol, definition of extraction rates, sequence of progress for exploitation from the short to the long term and programming of developments.