Senior Researcher, Apatity Mining InstituteEngaged in microseismic monitoring systems since the mid 70's. He is one of the main developers of one of the first shaft automated seismic control systems - ASKSM, Khibiny apatite deposits. Research interests - physics of rocks, application programming
Stressed rock mass in near-wall open-pit’s zone: microseismic monitoring results
Since 2007 the microseismic monitoring system for near-wall rock mass has operated in the Zhelezny mine, Kovdorskiy GOK (Murmansk region, Russia). The results allow assessing impact of intensive mining operations on macroscopic stability of the wall’s rocks, identifying seismically active geological structures and assessing walls’ deformation related to seismic events. The microseismic monitoring system is presented by a seismic network consisting of the seismic sensors located in the boreholes at the depth up to 250 m on the open-pit walls. Seismic data are received on-line; for treating statistic cluster analysis methods are used to select seismically active areas. To reconstruct mechanisms of seismic focal points a method was applied on the basis of a destruction model under double dipole action. Seismic active areas were revealed during the studies. The specialists have followed dynamics of development of seismic areas under the open-pit bottom, in the vicinity of south-eastern wall and in the geological faults zone. Modeling of seismic focal points mechanisms have revealed action of shearing stresses oriented parallel to the pit wall and tensile stresses acting normal to the pit wall. Destructions inside of the rock mass as a result of these stresses occur, in general, in the form of ruptures oriented to the dip.