Estudio gravimétrico preliminar sobre una zona afectada por problemas de subsidencia en la proximidad de El Timbó (Tucumán, Argentina)

Abstract

Ground subsidence and collapse are major problems associated with subsurface mining, causing damage to the existing surface structures. This problem is of par- ticular concern around salt mines due to the high plasticity and solubility of salty sediments. For this reason, non destructive methods are crucial for the prevention, early detection and control of this kind of processes. 

At the El Timbó (Tucumán, Argentina) salt is exploited by a set of wells where freshwater is first injected and then, the salt brine originated by dissolution pumped up to produce halite, mainly for domestic consummation. The mining process has given a result a regional subsidence and some episodes of local collapse. In this paper the interpretation of a detailed gravity survey over a highway crossing the El Timbó salt mine is presented.