The mining machine as a seismic source for in‐seam reflection mapping

Abstract

Summary Mapping the geology around mine zones is a key economic and safety concern at Saskatchewan potash mines. Experiments were carried out to investigate the feasibility of using a mining machine as a seismic source for in-seam reflection mapping. Using mining machines as a seismic source would provide a cost effective method to map orezone discontinuities. Twenty-four geophones were mounted on the roof of the mining rooms at the PCS Potash, Rocanville Division potash mine to record 1second records. The records were then cross-correlated with a pilot trace that moved with the advancing machine. These experiments indicate that frequencies of at least 2000 Hertz are generated as both shear and compressional energy. The geophone records had spurious frequencies in the 9001200Hz range, which were suppressed with predictive deconvolution. Strong linear events recorded at the shear wave velocity dominated the geophone records. The mining machine stacked section had coherent events that could be tied to synthetic seismograms and in-seam hammer seismic from the area. Based on these results the mining machine source is an effective method for in-seam recording.