Hydrochemistry, multidimensional statistics, and rock mechanics investigations for Sanshandao Gold Mine, China

Prediction of bursting water in a submarine mine (Sanshandao Gold Mine) is very important. The aim of this study was to understand the water sources, mixing ratios, and flow paths in a mining region by using hydrochemistry, principal component analysis (PCA), and rock mechanics. Field observations reveal that there are unusual geothermal gradients and complicated geological conditions. Samples collected from the surface and every depth of the tunnel were analyzed for various ions and isotopes (18O and D). PCA was used to identify the most likely water sources on the foundation of hydrochemistry and a conceptual model. Four kinds of water sources were identified: (1) water mixture of surface freshwater and seawater, (2) brine derived from a deep closed environment, (3) thermal brine derived from the northwestern fault (F3), and (4) Quaternary water. The water sources were variable with time at a sampling site. The combination of water sources in a specific sampling campaign can be decided by the positive scores on principal components (PCs). The PCA results indicate that the first and the fourth kind of water source appear in the deep tunnel with the continual mining activity. Mixing ratio calculations for each sampling campaign show that the first and the fourth kind of water source constitute a small proportion of the total water. The main water sources are the second and third kinds of water. Finally, water flow paths were determined based on the PCA, and rock mechanics is used to explain the change in the water flow paths after excavation. The results show the following: (1) There are several strong water diversion zones that distribute at a certain spacing interval on the large scale and (2) “zonal disintegration” is also found in the tunnel. The fractured zone and the non-fractured zone appear in turn around the tunnel. The rock mass in these two zones represents the tensile and compressive properties, respectively. Thus, volumes of water and permeability of joints and fractures in these two zones are great different.