Earthquakes Canada has confirmed that a magnitude 3.5 earthquake widely felt across Greater Sudbury on Friday morning was caused by mining operations in the region. The seismic event occurred at 11:20 a.m. ET and had its epicenter at Vale’s Creighton Mine near the community of Lively in Greater Sudbury.
Vale, the mining company, stated in an email to CBC News that all employees were safe, accounted for, and that all necessary safety protocols were followed during the earthquake. Claire Perry, an earthquake seismologist at Earthquakes Canada, mentioned to CBC News that the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of approximately one to 10 kilometers, indicating its mining-related nature.
Another earthquake with a magnitude of 2.9 earlier that week also originated from the Creighton Mine. Perry noted that Sudbury is not typically prone to natural earthquakes, and seismic activities in the area are usually linked to nearby industrial operations.
The seismologist further explained that mining-induced earthquakes are usually less intense than natural earthquakes and are unlikely to cause significant damage.