Studying the energy release characteristics of mining-induced earthquakes deepens our understanding of the mechanisms underlying such seismic events and thereby enhances safety measures in mining operations. To explore the energy release efficiency and mechanisms of mining-induced seismic events, we identified 59 earthquakes with magnitudes of 2.0 or above in China, which we determined to be mining-induced earthquakes on the basis of the publicly available earthquake catalog from the China Earthquake Networks. These events, which occurred between November 2014 and May 2023, were further studied by determining their seismic moment (M0) and radiated seismic energy (ER) via spectral inversion techniques. The main conclusions were as follows: (1) The energy release efficiency was assessed by determining the energy-to-moment ratio (Θ = log10(ER/M0)). The Θ values of mining-induced earthquakes significantly lower than those of natural tectonic earthquakes, indicating a lower energy release efficiency in mining-induced high-energy events. This difference was caused mainly by the reduced high-frequency energy in seismic waves produced by shallow mining-induced events. Additionally, the absence of near-field stations could restrict the detection of high-frequency energy directly emitted from the source. The variations in energy release efficiency between events were closely related to their seismic mechanisms and environmental conditions. (2) An empirical relationship between the moment magnitude MW and radiated seismic energy, expressed as log10(ER) = 1.5 MW + 2.35, was established for mining-induced earthquakes. (3) The energy release mechanism was analyzed by the S/P wave energy ratio. For most mining-induced events, these ratios were comparable to those of natural tectonic earthquakes, suggesting that tectonic forces dominated their seismic mechanisms. However, a few events displayed lower S/P wave energy ratios, indicating the potential presence of collapse or tensile components in their seismic mechanisms. (4) The energy release mechanism and focal mechanism of mining-induced earthquakes provide valuable insights into the causes of these events. This study contributes to a better understanding of the energy release and seismic mechanisms of high-energy earthquakes caused by mining activities and offers valuable insights for risk assessment and preventive measures.

Energy Release Efficiency and Mechanisms of Mining-Induced High-Energy Earthquakes in China

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发表日期：

2025年2月13日

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Zi-Bo Wang,
Rui-Feng Liu,
Ting-Ting Wang,
Yi-Xiao Zhang,
Xiao Ren

摘要

Studying the energy release characteristics of mining-induced earthquakes deepens our understanding of the mechanisms underlying such seismic events and thereby enhances safety measures in mining operations. To explore the energy release efficiency and mechanisms of mining-induced seismic events, we identified 59 earthquakes with magnitudes of 2.0 or above in China, which we determined to be mining-induced earthquakes on the basis of the publicly available earthquake catalog from the China Earthquake Networks. These events, which occurred between November 2014 and May 2023, were further studied by determining their seismic moment (M₀) and radiated seismic energy (E_R) via spectral inversion techniques. The main conclusions were as follows: (1) The energy release efficiency was assessed by determining the energy-to-moment ratio (Θ = log₁₀(E_R/M₀)). The Θ values of mining-induced earthquakes significantly lower than those of natural tectonic earthquakes, indicating a lower energy release efficiency in mining-induced high-energy events. This difference was caused mainly by the reduced high-frequency energy in seismic waves produced by shallow mining-induced events. Additionally, the absence of near-field stations could restrict the detection of high-frequency energy directly emitted from the source. The variations in energy release efficiency between events were closely related to their seismic mechanisms and environmental conditions. (2) An empirical relationship between the moment magnitude M_W and radiated seismic energy, expressed as log₁₀(E_R) = 1.5 M_W + 2.35, was established for mining-induced earthquakes. (3) The energy release mechanism was analyzed by the S/P wave energy ratio. For most mining-induced events, these ratios were comparable to those of natural tectonic earthquakes, suggesting that tectonic forces dominated their seismic mechanisms. However, a few events displayed lower S/P wave energy ratios, indicating the potential presence of collapse or tensile components in their seismic mechanisms. (4) The energy release mechanism and focal mechanism of mining-induced earthquakes provide valuable insights into the causes of these events. This study contributes to a better understanding of the energy release and seismic mechanisms of high-energy earthquakes caused by mining activities and offers valuable insights for risk assessment and preventive measures.