Interrelation of the water inflows into mine workings and the seismicity of the rock-bump hazardous Lovozero rare metal deposit

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2025-3-132-137

Читать на русскоя языкеA.I. Kalashnik
Mining Institute Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №3 / 2025 p.132-137

Abstract: The Lovozero deposit, located in the Arctic zone, is represented by two gently dipping conformable bodies of the rare earth and rare metal ores developed by the Karnasurt mine. The host and ore-bearing rocks are rock-bump hazardous, which determines the constant need to handle the tasks of geodynamic safety during mining. At the same time, mine workings are characterized with high water inflows, which have a significant impact on the mining operations. The main purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between water inflows into the mine workings and the seismicity of the rock mass of the Lovozero rare metal deposit. Volumes of the water collected in the mine during 4 years were statistically processed while estimating the average dynamics of changes in drainage by months during the calendar year. Factors determining water inflow into the mine workings were considered. The water inflow trends associated with the Arctic seasonal climatic changes were identified. The seismic events recorded by the mine seismic station were analyzed, as the result of which the events were classified according to the energy released and focused according to the seasons of the calendar year. The relationship between the number and the power of seismic events and the intensity of water inflows into the mine workings has been established. The obtained results are confirmed by the graphic and empirical-analytical dependencies and the data of instrumental field observations. A recommendation was made on the need to take into account the identified dependencies in order to ensure the geodynamic safety of mining operations at the Karnasurt mine, the workings of which are subject to abundant water inflows.

Keywords: Arctic, Lovozero rare metal deposit, rock-bump hazard, Karnasurt mine, water inflows, seismicity, geodynamic safety

Acknowledgments: The initial data were prepared by Doctor of Engineering A.V. Lovchikov. The author considers it his duty to express his gratitude to the memory of Dr. A.V. Lovchikov, who, by the author's assignment and intention, collected the initial data on water inflows into the Karnasurt mine workings and on seismicity of rocks in the Lovozero rock mass. Initially the article was intended to be co-authored, but in 2023 Alexander Vasilyevich passed away prematurely. Therefore, the processing, analysis, interpretation and conceptualization of the obtained results, formulation of the identified trends, establishment of the relationship between water inflows into the mine workings and seismicity of the host rocks, as well as writing the article was performed by the author. This article is in a certain way dedicated to the memory of Dr. A.V. Lovchikov, who made a great contribution to the safety of mining the rock-bump hazardous Lovozero deposit.

For citation: Kalashnik A.I. Interrelation of the water inflows into mine workings and the seismicity of the rock-bump hazardous Lovozero rare metal deposit. Russian Mining Industry. 2025;(3):132–137. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2025-3-132-137

Article info

Received: 19.02.2025

Revised: 10.04.2025

Accepted: 15.04.2025

Information about the author

Anatoly I. Kalashnik – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Research Associate, Head of the Geofluid Mechanics Laboratory, Mining Institute Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6567-2877, Scopus ID 7004943696, Researcher ID E-3197-2017; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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