A deployment of broadband seismic stations in two deep gold mines, South Africa

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Abstract

In-mine seismic networks throughout the TauTona and Mponeng gold mines provide precise locations and seismic source parameters of earthquakes. They also support small-scale experimental projects, including NELSAM (Natural Earthquake Laboratory in South African Mines), which is intended to record, at close hand, seismic rupture of a geologic fault that traverses the project region near the deepest part of TauTona. To resolve some questions regarding the in-mine and NELSAM networks, we deployed four portable broadband seismic stations at deep sites within TauTona and Mponeng for one week during September 2007 and recorded ground acceleration. Moderately large earthquakes within our temporary network were recorded with sufficiently high signal-to-noise that we were able to integrate the acceleration to ground velocity and displacement, from which moment tensors could be determined. We resolved the questions concerning the NELSAM and in-mine networks by using these moment tensors to calculate synthetic seismograms at various network recording sites for comparison with the ground motion recorded at the same locations. We also used the peak velocity of the S wave pulse, corrected for attenuation with distance, to estimate the maximum slip within the rupture zone of an earthquake. We then combined the maximum slip and seismic moment with results from laboratory friction experiments to estimate maximum slip rates within the same high-slip patches of the rupture zone. For the four largest earthquakes recorded within our network, all with magnitudes near 2, these inferred maximum slips range from 4 to 27 mm and the corresponding maximum slip rates range from 1 to 6 m/s. These results, in conjunction with information from previous ground motion studies, indicate that underground support should be capable of withstanding peak ground velocities of at least 5 m/s.

Study Area

Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title A deployment of broadband seismic stations in two deep gold mines, South Africa
Year Published 2009
Language English
Publisher Rinton Press
Publisher location Dalian, China
Contributing office(s) Earthquake Science Center
Description 8 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Conference publication
Larger Work Title 7th International Symposium on Rockburst and Seismicity in Mines (RaSiM7)
First page 967
Last page 974
Conference Title 7th International Symposium on Rockburst and Seismicity in Mines (RaSiM7)
Conference Location Dalian, China
Conference Date August 21-23, 2009
Country South Africa
Other Geospatial Mponeng gold mine, TauTona gold mine
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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