Earthquakes Canada has verified that a magnitude 3.5 earthquake felt widely in Greater Sudbury on Friday morning was triggered by mining operations in the vicinity. The seismic event occurred at 11:20 a.m. ET.
According to a statement from mining company Vale to CBC News, the earthquake originated at its Creighton Mine near the community of Lively in Greater Sudbury. Vale confirmed that all employees were safe, accounted for, and that standard safety protocols were followed.
Claire Perry, an earthquake seismologist with Earthquakes Canada, informed CBC News that the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth ranging between one and 10 kilometers. This depth indicates a correlation with mining activities.
A separate magnitude 2.9 earthquake earlier in the week also had its source at the Creighton Mine. Perry highlighted that Sudbury is not typically prone to natural earthquakes, and seismic events in the region are usually linked to nearby industrial operations.
She noted that mining-induced earthquakes are generally less intense than natural ones and are unlikely to cause significant damage.