Using the Energy Index Method to Evaluate Seismic Hazards in an Underground Narrow-Vein Metal Mine

Details

• Personal Author:
  Butler T ; Dehn KK ; Weston B
• Description:
  A routine method of evaluating temporal and spatial changes in relative rock mass stress levels based on microseismic information was developed by NIOSH researchers in collaboration with U.S. Silver Corporation's Galena Mine. The method is based on the Energy Index concept of Aswegen and Butler (1993), but was modified to evaluate the "running average" of inferred stress levels in a given seismogenic region for a selected time window. The new Average Scaled Energy Index method proved to be informative and efficient in providing daily information to mine operations personnel on the changing nature of stress in the rock mass due to mining and provided a standardized means to evaluate and compare conditions in different parts of the mine. It was found that underground mining crews easily understood the concept and adopted the method into daily operations. This paper discusses the initial evaluation and implementation of the modified method at the Galena Mine and provides three examples from different areas of the mine having distinct geologic and seismic characteristics to demonstrate its effectiveness. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Minerals Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Analytical Instrumention Analytical Methods Blasting Data Processing Environmental Stress Geologic Structures Geotechnical Engineering Ground Control Ground Monitoring Hazards Horizontal Stress In Situ Mining Metal Mining Mining Engineering Models Monitoring Systems Pillar Design Pillar Mechanics Rock Bursts Rock Mechanics Sensors Silver Stress Analysis Structural Analysis Underground Mines Work Operations

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Idaho ; OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  SMRD - Spokane Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053063
• Citation:
  52nd US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, June 17-20, 2018, Seattle, Washington. Alexandria, VA: American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA), 2018 Jun; :ARMA 18-1027
• Contact Point Address:
  K. K. Dehn, CDC NIOSH, Spokane, Washington, USA
• CAS Registry Number:
  Silver (CAS RN 7440-22-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  52nd US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, June 17-20, 2018, Seattle, Washington
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:244b25b101368a25d9e020e81ede2a206065dde716f8d57a077e52dd9404a8e607fc0d52ac6879ac344eff79342bfc23259f89a4a80c86231612f5010008e335
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227733/cdc_227733_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 982.79 KB ]