Noise of collapsing minerals: Predictability of the compressional failure in goethite mines

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 2013 Noise of collapsing minerals: Predictability of the compressional failure in goethite mines Ekhard K.H. Salje; Ekhard K.H. Salje * 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, U.K. *E-mail: ekhard@esc.cam.ac.uk Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Giulio I. Lampronti; Giulio I. Lampronti 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, U.K. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Daniel E. Soto-Parra; Daniel E. Soto-Parra 2Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, División de Materiales Avanzados, Camino a la Presa San José 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. sección C.P. 78216, San Luis Potosí, México Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jordi Baró; Jordi Baró 3Department Estructura i Constituents de la Matèria, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Antoni Planes; Antoni Planes 3Department Estructura i Constituents de la Matèria, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eduard Vives Eduard Vives 3Department Estructura i Constituents de la Matèria, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar American Mineralogist (2013) 98 (4): 609–615. https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2013.4319 Article history received: 08 Aug 2012 accepted: 24 Oct 2012 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Ekhard K.H. Salje, Giulio I. Lampronti, Daniel E. Soto-Parra, Jordi Baró, Antoni Planes, Eduard Vives; Noise of collapsing minerals: Predictability of the compressional failure in goethite mines. American Mineralogist 2013;; 98 (4): 609–615. doi: https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2013.4319 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyAmerican Mineralogist Search Advanced Search Abstract Compression experiments of goethite samples from an iron ore mine in New Caledonia revealed the collapse of the porous samples to follow a power law behavior. The porosity varies between 54 and 84%. The collapse under compression occurs in a series of individual events (avalanches). Each avalanche leads to a jerk in sample compression and an equivalent acoustic emission signal. The probability to find an acoustic emission signal with an energy within E and E + dE is p(E)dE, which has a power law distribution p(E) ~ E−ɛ, and reveals avalanche criticality. The energy exponent ɛ varies systematically with the porosity of the sample between 1.6 and 2. The results are compared with previous measurements of porous silica (Vycor), which showed a slightly smaller exponent of 1.4.We observe fore- and after-shocks of the largest events. Significant correlations between the largest avalanches and fore-shocks were found in samples with high porosity. These correlations open the possibility for the prediction of a major collapse by acoustic detection of noise. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.