Earthquakes Canada has confirmed that a magnitude 3.5 earthquake felt widely in the Greater Sudbury area on Friday morning was triggered by mining operations in the vicinity. The seismic event occurred at 11:20 a.m. ET.
According to an email statement from mining company Vale to CBC News, the earthquake’s epicenter was identified at its Creighton Mine near the Lively community in Greater Sudbury. Vale assured that all employees were safe, accounted for, and that all safety procedures were duly followed.
Claire Perry, an earthquake seismologist at Earthquakes Canada, explained to CBC News that the earthquake took place at a shallow depth ranging from one to 10 kilometers. This depth indicated a connection to mining activities, as per Perry.
An earlier magnitude 2.9 earthquake at the Creighton Mine earlier in the week was also noted. Perry highlighted that Sudbury is not typically prone to natural seismic events, with most tremors in the area being linked to nearby industrial operations.
Perry further noted that earthquakes induced by mining activities are usually less intense than natural ones and are unlikely to cause significant harm or damage.