Mine-tectonic rock bursts at the Lovozersky rare-metal deposit

The parameters and types of mine-tectonic rock bursts, the most hazardous geodynamic events occurred in the underground mines, the Lovozersky deposit, the Kola Peninsula, have been characterized. Minetectonic rockbursts and mining-induced earthquakes occur at these mines more often, being of very high-energy, compared to those recorded at other mines of Russia. In particular, a mining-induced earthquake, the largest, most damaging event recorded in the history of mine operations in Russia (mine-tectonic rockburst), occurred in the Umbozero Mine (with M = 4.0-4.4) in August 17, 1999, producing significant damage of mine workings (650 thousand m2). The paper describes the parameters of mine-tectonic rockbursts occurred at these mines, analyses the reasons inducing these events, considers the conditions and consequences of rockbursts in the Karnasurt Mine, the Lovozersky deposit. It has been established that the structural-block structure of rock masses and high gravitational-and-tectonic stresses concentrated in them are main reasons of mine-tectonic rockbursts.