Seismic Surface-Wave Attributes to Detect Geological Discontinuities in Deep Mines

Abstract

Summary The depth of mineral resources containing high-grade ore has experienced significant growth as a result of ongoing excavation activities. The potential hazards for deep mining activities originate mainly from the extensive faults and dykes in the vicinity of the mine. These geological discontinuities can also serve as conduits for the transport of water from aquifers that can flood the mine and disrupt production. As a result, the identification of faults and dykes in the mine’s surroundings is of utmost importance in order to ensure the safe and sustainable development of mine expansion designs. In this study, we show the use of four surface-wave attributes, namely energy, energy decay exponent, attenuation coefficient, and autospectrum, on a synthetic data set to detect these geological discontinuities inside a mining tunnel. The synthetic data is designed based on the properties of the South Deep mine in South Africa. We also show the use of autospectrum attribute on the real data obtained from the South Deep mine, which highlights anomalies corresponding to shallow fractures and extensive fault.