The remote Western Australian town of Leinster experienced an unsettling morning on Thursday when significant ground tremors shook the community, initially sparking fears of an earthquake event.
Initial Reports of Seismic Activity
Residents in the Eastern Goldfields locale reported feeling distinct vibrations measuring approximately 2.6 in magnitude around 10:45 am. Geoscience Australia promptly recorded the activity and listed it as an earthquake on their monitoring systems, noting it reached depths of up to 10 kilometers.
Investigation Reveals Mining Origin
Further analysis by seismologists uncovered that the tremors originated from controlled blasting activities at the nearby mine site rather than natural tectonic movement. A spokesperson for Geoscience Australia confirmed the event was subsequently removed from their official earthquake tracking website following this determination.
Senior seismologist Dr Trevor Allen explained that both mining explosions and genuine earthquakes are detected through ground vibration measurements, which can occasionally lead to such confusion. "While it's not a frequent occurrence, it can and does happen," Dr Allen stated regarding the misidentification.
Historical Context of Mining Operations
Leinster, situated approximately 370 kilometers northwest of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, has long been associated with mining activities. The town serves as the location for BHP's Leinster Nickel Operations, which are currently suspended. During peak operational periods, the site accommodated over 800 fly-in-fly-out workers who temporarily resided in the community.
Previous Seismic Event at Mine Site
This incident follows a more substantial seismic event that occurred at the same underground mine more than three years prior. At that time, a magnitude 3.5 earthquake disrupted communications with miners working below ground at the BHP facility, highlighting the region's geological sensitivity.
Fortunately, Thursday's tremors caused no reported damage to infrastructure or property in the small Goldfields community. The event serves as a reminder of how human industrial activities can sometimes mimic natural geological phenomena in remote mining regions.
