Application of seismic monitoring in caving mines

Abstract

Comprehensive and reliable seismic analysis techniques can aid in achieving successful inference of rockmass behaviour in different stages of the caving process. This case study is based on field data from Telfer sublevel caving mine in Western Australia. A seismic monitoring database was collected during cave progression and breaking into an open pit 550 m above the first caving lift. Five seismic analyses were used for interpreting the seismic events. Interpretation of the seismic data identifies the main effects of the geological features on the rockmass behaviour and the cave evolution. Three spatial zones and four important time periods are defined through seismic data analysis. This thesis also investigates correlations between the seismic event rate, the rate of the seismogenic zone migration, mucking rate, Apparent Stress History, Cumulative Apparent Volume rate and cave behaviour, in order to determine failure mechanisms that control cave evolution at Telfer Gold mine.