Mine Seismology: Seismic Response to the Caving Process (eBook)

Stefan N. Glazer has over 40 years of experience in the application of geophysical methods in the mineral prospecting and mining industry. He has been an independent mine seismology consultant since 2004, and before that he worked as a mine seismologist for AngloGold and then PMC. He holds an MSc degree in Prospecting Geophysics (1972) and a PhD degree in Mine Geophysics (1997), both from the AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland. He has published a number of technical papers, the last eleven of which were on monitoring the PMC caving process. He was involved in the Mass Mining Technology 2 Project; in this regard he wrote on the “seismic signature of the caving process,” which involved the analysis and interpretation of seismicity recorded at El Teniente, Chile, PT Freeport DOZ Mine, Northparkes Mine Lift 2 and PMC. The aim of this research was to make maximum use of the recorded seismicity to monitor and manage the caving process. In 2007 and 2011 he lectured on the subject of Mining Induced Seismicity for the Master Program in Geomechanics Applied to Mining at the School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile. Between 1980 and 2012 Stefan published 19 papers, including 15 on mine seismology.

Chapter 1 IntroductionReferencesChapter 2 Seismic data assessment2.1 Introduction2.2 Magnitude definition for the book2.3 Summary of the seismic data bases2.4 Test of seismic data base quality2.4.1 Example based on DOZ seismic data base2.4.2 Example based on DR Sector, El Teniente2.5 Radiated seismic energy2.5.1 Analysis of the Northparkes Mine seismic energy release pattern2.5.2 Average energy release rates of small size events2.5.3 Energy release ranges for different magnitude sizes – comparison between mines2.5.3.1 Low magnitude range2.5.3.2 Higher magnitude range2.5.3.3 Energy release ranges for all magnitude sizes2.6 Comparison of Seismicity Induces by Cave Mining at Palabora Mining (South Africa) and at PT Freeport Indonesia Copper Mines (Glazer and Townsend 2006)2.6.1 Introduction 2.6.2 The PMC Mine 2.6 3. The Deep Ore Zone Mine of PT Freeport Indonesia2.6.4 Seismic monitoring systems and their applications to cave operations2.6.5. Comparison of seismicity2.6.6 Comparisons of seismic activity rates above and below the mine footprints2.6.7 ConclusionsAcknowledgements2.6.8 Eleven years later2.7 ConclusionsReferencesChapter 3 Seismic signature of the caving process3.1 Introduction3.2 PT Freeport Indonesia DOZ Mine3.2.1 Analysis of the whole DOZ seismic data base3.2.2 Analysis of seismicity recorded inside of the DOZ footprint3.2.3 Comparison of seismicity recorded above the DOZ footprint with seismicity recorded in the whole mine3.3 Diablo Regimento Sector, El Teniente Mine     3.3.1 Analysis of the whole Diablo Regimento seismic data base    3.3.2 Comparison of seismicity recorded above the DR foot print with seismicity recorded in the whole mine3.4 Northparkes Mine, Lift 2 Mine3.4.1 Analysis of the whole seismic data base3.4.2 Analysis of seismicity recorded inside of the cave3.4.3 Estimation of the cave back position3.4.4 Comparison of seismicity recorded above the mine foot print with seismicity recorded in the whole mine 3.5 Summary3.5.1 Initiation of the caving process3.5.2 Pillar failure3.5.3 Time period after the pillar failure and before the break through              3.5.4 Break through                3.5.5 Seismicity trends after the break through                3.5.6 Mature stage of the caving process3.6 ConclusionsReferenceChapter 4 Comparison of seismicity induced while mining hydro-fractured and non-preconditioned rock mass volumes4.1 Introduction4.2 Diablo Regimento Sector, seismicity induced in the cave and in the surrounding volumes4.3 Palabora Mining Company, seismicity induced in the cave and in the surrounding volumes4.4 Deep Ore Zone Mine, seismicity induced in the cave and in the surrounding volumes4.5 Comparison between the mines4.6 Summary of observations4.7 ConclusionsReferencesChapter 5 Summary and ConclusionsReferencesIndex