Mining-induced seismicity at the Lucky Friday Mine: Seismic events of magnitude >2.5, 1989--1994

Abstract

An understanding of the types of seismic events that occur in a deep mine provides a foundation for assessing the seismic characteristics of these events and the degree to which initiation of these events can be anticipated or controlled. This study is a first step toward developing such an understanding of seismic events generated by mining in the Coeur d`Alene Mining District of northern Idaho. It is based on information developed in the course of a long-standing rock burst research effort undertaken by the U. S. Bureau of Mines in cooperation with Coeur d`Alene Mining District mines and regional universities. This information was collected for 39 seismic events with local magnitudes greater than 2.5 that occurred between 1989 and 1994. One of these events occurred, on average, every 8 weeks during the study period. Five major types of characteristic events were developed from the data; these five types describe all but two of the 39 events that were studied. The most common types of events occurred, on average, once every 30 weeks. The characteristic mechanisms, first-motion patterns, damage patterns, and relationships to mining and major geologic structures were defined for each type of event. These five types of events need to be studied further to assess their ability to camouflage clandestine nuclear tests as well as the degree to which they can be anticipated and controlled.