Authors: T E Kgarume S M Spottiswoode R J Durrheim
Publish Date: 2009/12/22
Volume: 167, Issue: 1-2, Pages: 107-117
Abstract
Mine tremors and their aftershocks pose a risk to mine workers in the deep gold mines of South Africa The statistical properties of minetremor aftershocks were investigated as part of an endeavour to assess the hazard and manage the risk Data from two gold mines in the Carletonville mining district were used in the analysis Main shocks were aligned in space and time and the aftershock sequences stacked and analysed The aftershocks were found to satisfy Gutenberg–Richter scaling with a b value close to 1 Aftershock activity diminished with time in accordance with the modified Omori law with p values close to 1 However the relationship between the main shock and its biggest aftershock violated Båths law with ΔM L ≈ 19 for main shocks with M L 3 and increasing for main shocks with M L 3 The aftershock density was found to falloff with distance as r −13 suggesting triggering by dynamic stress
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