3473 Using 3D numerical simulations for modelling in-mine active seismic surveys at South Deep gold mine, South Africa
Abstract
The FUTURE (Fiber-Optic Sensing and UAV-Platform Techniques for Innovative Mineral Exploration) is an EU-SA consortium project funded under ERA-NET Cofund ERA-MIN3. The project aims to develop cost-effective and novel seismic methods to image geological structures ahead of the mine face, ultimately leading to improved decision-making and safer mining practices. In this study we present results from numerical simulations conducted at South Deep gold mine for in-mine active seismic surveys conducted under the FUTURE project. The study uses finite differencing code known as WAVE3D which models a material’s response to seismic wave propagation. The main gold deposits such as the Black Reef (BLR) and the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR)), and the mine tunnels were used for numerical simulations. The models were constrained using laboratory physical property measurements from underground borehole samples such as seismic velocities (e.g., compressional and shear waves) and bulk densities. Two case studies were created, one modelling the active shots and receivers on surface and the second one modelling the shots at depth (mine tunnel at 3 km depth) with receivers on surface. In both cases, the objective was to investigate the wavefield propagation through the rockmass between the mine tunnel and surface. The wavefield was successfully recorded on surface from the source located along the mine tunnel. The surface-recorded wavefield exhibits clear one-way P-wave arrival times at approx. 450-500 ms, which can be used to calculate the surface-tunnel P-wave refraction tomogram. The results from the study were used to constrain the design, acquisition and processing of the real seismic surveys acquired under the the FUTURE project.Published
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Copyright (c) 2025 Salizwa Plaatjie, Musa Siphiwe Doctor Manzi, Lindsay Linzer, Mpofana Sihoyiya
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