Significant seismic events recorded at Coonabarabran Seismograph Station

Large or unusual events -  the date and time of event is given in UTC.

Date & Time (UTC)
 Region Magnitude Depth Range & bearing
from CBB		 24 hour trace
recorded at CBB
 Expanded
trace
 Spectrum
 PSN format file
recorded at CBB		 Analysis
2006-11-16   11:14:16 Kuril Islands, North Pacific
 8.3
 27
 8635km @ 2.8° 24h-trace Trace
PSN USGS
2006-09-04   02:33:19
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈135km 24h-trace Trace
PSN
2006-09-01   10:18:53 Bougainville, PNG
 6.8
 53
 2786km @ 14.8° 24h-trace Trace
PSN USGS
2006-08-29   03:41:10
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈130km 24h-trace Trace
PSN
2006-08-28   14:24:09
 Santa Cruz Islands
 5.4
 28
 2787km @ 39.3° 24h-trace Trace
PSN USGS
2006-08-25   04:35:19
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈216km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-25   03:12:52
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈147km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-24   21:50:39
 East coast Kamchatka
 6.4
 70
 9162km @ 5.3° None
 Trace
PSN USGS
2006-08-24   03:27:02
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈234km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-24   01:58:28
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈138km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-24   01:24:29
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈146km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-24   01:02:32
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈132km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-23   23:15:21 New Britian Region, PNG
 5.6
 35
 3008km @ 7.9° None
 Trace
PSN USGS
2006-08-23   03:22:17 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈149km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-23   00:24:08
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈203km None
 Trace
PSN
2006-08-20   03:41:47
 Scotia Sea
 6.9
 10
 9784km @ 178.3° None
 Trace
PSN USGS
2006-08-16  17:01:29
 West of Macquarie Island
 5.9
 10
 3082km @ 180.2° 24h-trace Trace -
 PSN USGS
2006-08-16   03:32:16
 NSW
 ?
 ? ≈153km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-16   01:37:21
 NSW ? ? ≈219km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-16   01:36:09
 NSW ? ? ≈249km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-15   05:43:29
 Eastern PNG
 5.7
 68km
 2426km @ 2.8° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN USGS
2006-08-15   04:38:04
 NSW
 ?
 ?
 ≈209km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-15   03:05:14
 Banda Sea
 6.1
 39km
 3755km @ 316.9° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN USGS
2006-08-14   03:12:21
 NSW ? ? ≈289km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-14   01:02:07
 NSW ? ? ≈226km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-13   13:30:04
 Oolong, NSW
 3km ?
 ≈394km @ 181.0° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN GeoAus
2006-08-11   03:55:10
 NSW ? ? ≈196km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-11   02:06:20
 NSW ? ? ≈134km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-11   02:02:09
 NSW ? ? ≈153km
 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-10   03:15:18 NSW ? ? ≈147km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-09   04:34:02 NSW ? ? ≈200km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-09   03:37:52 NSW ? ? ≈277km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-07   22:18:55 Vanuatu 6.7 149km 2537km @ 52.1° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN USGS
2006-08-07   03:25:46 NSW ? ? ≈289km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-04   03:11:46 NSW ? ? ≈133km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-04   01:18:15 NSW ? ? ≈205km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-04   01:12:07 NSW ? ? ≈199km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-03   04:39:57 NSW ? ? ≈265km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-03   03:29:57 NSW ? ? ≈130km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-02   05:58:57 NSW ? ? ≈221 None Trace FFT PSN
2006-08-01   02:05:10 NSW ? ? ≈224km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-31   01:34:19 NSW ? ? ≈218km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-29   01:09:42 SW of Dubbo, NSW 2.2 11km 139km @ 209.6° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN GeoAus
2006-07-28   02:04:13 NSW ? ? ≈143km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-28   02:00:46 NSW ? ? ≈147km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-28   00:43:33 NSW ? ? ≈202km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-26   02:46:29 NSW ? ? ≈265km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-25   00:37:04 NSW ? ? ≈208km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-24   03:41:31 NSW ? ? ≈150km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-24   01:54:40 NSW ? ? ≈223km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-24   00:40:03 NSW ? ? ≈227km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-23   08:22:10 Sulawesi, Indonesia 6.1 86km 4377km @ 316.2° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN USGS
2006-07-21   06:05:07 NSW ? ? ≈108km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-21   02:02:48 NSW ? ? ≈228km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-20   04:16:26 NSW ? ? ≈64km 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-19   11:48:58 New Britain Region, PNG 6.2 25km 2872km @ 3.3° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN USGS
2006-07-17   08:19:30 South of Java, Indonesia 7.7 34km 4960km @ 290.3° 24h-trace Trace FFT PSN USGS
2006-07-07   02:01:15 NSW ? ? 159km None Trace FFT PSN
2006-07-02   23:19:51 Muswellbrook, NSW 2.8 12km 197km @ 128.2° None Trace FFT PSN GeoAus
2006-05-03   15:26:35 Tonga 7.9 55km 3851km @ 80.2° 24h-trace
 None
 None
 None USGS
2008-03-17   10:47:21
 SW of Dubbo, NSW 2.5
 0
 158km
 24h-trace Trace None
 PSN GeoAus
2008-03-18  01:02:08 SW of Dubbo, NSW 3.7
 11
 162km
 24h-trace Trace None
 PSN GeoAus


PSN format data files may be read and analysed with the program WinQuake, available from the Public Seismograph Network (PSN).  Data from many stations affiliated with this network are viewable on the Web.

A clever little computer animation showing seismic wave propagation from recent major earthquakes, including some of those listed above, is available at the Alan Jones website.  Visit this site and scroll down to "Seismic Waves: A program for the visualisation of wave propagation".

Mining activity relative to Coonabarabran Seismograph Station

It is clear that most of the NSW seismic events listed above are mining related, and after logging a couple of dozen such events, they appear to be occurring at certain preferred ranges from CBB.  The very useful Atlas of Australian Mines  incorporates a Google Earth map of currently operating Australian mines.  The following table, based on these mine locations, lists every operating mine site outwards to a range of 400km from CBB.  The table demonstrates the large number of large coal mines within a range of 150-300km, which corresponds with the range of many NSW seismic disturbances received at CBB.

Mine
 Commodities
 Operator
 Distance and Bearing
 P-wave transit time
 S-wave transit time
 Difference
Boral Quarry
 Gravel
 Boral
 10 km  @  124.0° *
 *
 *
Whitehaven
 Coal
 AMCI Carbon
 104 km  @  56.4° 22s
 40s
 18s
Tallawang
 Iron ore
 Unimin Australia
 106 km  @  168.2° 23s
 41s
 18s
Boggabri
 Coal
 ?
 117 km  @  50.6° 24s
 43s
 19s
Ulan
 Coal
 Xstrata 120 km  @  155.6° 25s
 44s
 19s
Werris Creek
 Coal
 AMCI Carbon 140 km  @  106.2° 27s
 49s
 22s
Dartbrook
 Coal
 Anglo Coal Australia
 184 km  @  124.3° 33s
 59s
 26s
Peak Hill
 Gold, Copper
 Alkane Exploration
 189 km  @  210.6° 34s
 1:00
 26s
Bengalla
 Coal
 ?
 191 km  @  126.6° 34s
 1:00
 26s
Charbon
 Coal
 ?
 195 km  @  159.3° 34s
 1:01
 26s
Mount Arthur Coal ?
 196 km  @  128.2° 34s
 1:01
 27s
Muswellbrook No2 Coal
 ?
 196 km  @  124.4° 34s
 1:02
 28s
Drayton
 Coal
 Anglo Coal Australia 200 km  @  127.6° 35s
 1.02
 27s
Liddell
 Coal
 Xstrata 210 km  @  127.3° 36s
 1:05
 29s
Cumnock
 Coal
 Xstrata 211 km  @  127.6° 36s
 1:05
 29s
Northparkes
 Gold, Copper
 Rio Tinto 215 km  @  211.1° 37s
 1:06
 29s
Ravensworth East
 Coal
 Xstrata 216 km  @  126.3° 37s
 1:06
 29s
Newpac No1 Coal Resource Pacific 216 km  @  127.8° 37s 1:06 29s
Mt Owen
 Coal
 Xstrata 217 km  @  125.7° 37s
 1:06
 29s
Ravensworth Narama
 Coal
 Xstrata
 217 km  @  128.2° 37s
 1:06
 29s
Hunter Valley Complex
 Coal
 Rio Tinto, Coal & Allied
 218 km  @  130.2° 37s
 1:06
 29s
Ashton
 Coal
 Felix Resources, Ashton Coal
 220 km  @  128.1° 38s
 1.07
 29s
United
 Coal
 Xstrata 222 km  @  131.0° 38s
 1:07
 29s
Wambo
 Coal
 Excel Coal
 223 km  @  131.6° 38s
 1:08
 30s
Glennies Creek
 Coal
 Consol Energy, AMCI Carbon 225 km  @  127.1° 38s
 1:08
 30s
Camberwell
 Coal
 ?
 227 km  @  127.3° 38s
 1:09
 30s
Rixs Creek
 Coal
 ?
 229 km  @  128.5° 39s
 1:09
 30s
Warkworth
 Coal
 Rio Tinto, Coal & Allied 231 km  @  130.8° 39s
 1:10
 31s
Mt Thorley
 Coal
 Rio Tinto, Coal & Allied 235 km  @  131.2° 39s
 1:10
 31s
Cullen Valley
 Coal
 ?
 236 km  @  161.7° 40s
 1:11
 31s
Baal Bone
 Coal
 Xstrata 237 km  @  161.0° 40s
 1:11
 31s
Lightning Rodge
 Opal
 ?
 238 km  @  329.7° 40s
 1:11
 31s
Tritton
 Gold, Copper
 Straits Resources, Tritton Resources
 238 km  @  265.9° 40s
 1:11
 31s
Bulga
 Coal
 Xstrata 239 km  @  132.2° 40s
 1:11
 31s
Ridgeway
 Gold, Copper
 ?
 244 km  @  185.0° 41s
 1:13
 32s
Cadia
 Molybdenum
 ?
 245 km  @  184.8° 41s
 1:13
 32s
Angus Place
 Coal
 Centennial Coal
 247 km  @  160.9° 41s
 1:13
 32s
Enhance Place
 Coal
 ?
 247 km  @  161.5° 41s
 1:13
 32s
Springvale
 Coal
 ?
 254 km  @  161.0° 42s
 1:15
 33s
Mineral Hill
 Gold, Copper, Lead
 Traikio Resources
 257 km  @  234.7° 42s
 1:15
 33s
Ridgeway
 Gold, Copper
 ?
 261 km  @  158.5° 43s
 1:16
 33s
Stratford
 Coal
 Gloucester Coal 277 km  @  110.8° 45s
 1:20
 35s
Bloomfield
 Coal
 ?
 279 km  @  128.2° 45s
 1:21
 36s
Duralie
 Coal
 Gloucester Coal
 280 km  @  113.9° 45s 1:21 36s
Donaldson
 Coal
 ?
 285 km  @  128.0° 46s
 1:22
 36s
West Wallsend
 Coal
 Xstrata 288 km  @  130.4° 46s
 1:23
 37s
Westside
 Coal
 Xstrata 290 km  @  130.9° 47s
 1:23
 37s
Awaba
 Coal
 ?
 294 km  @  132.5° 47s
 1:24
 37s
Newstan
 Coal
 Centennial Coal 294 km  @  131.4° 47s 1:24 37s
Mandalong
 Coal
 Centennial Coal 295 km  @  135.3° 47s
 1:24
 37s
Myuna
 Coal
 Centennial Coal 300 km  @  132.5° 48s
 1:25
 37s
Inverell-Glen Innes
 Corundum - sapphire
 ?
 302 km  @  53.3° 48s
 1:26
 38s
Chain Valley
 Coal
 Excel Coal 306 km  @  134.5° 49s
 1:27 38s
Mannering
 Coal
 ?
 306 km  @  134.6° 49s
 1:27
 38s
Viney Creek
  Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon
 Mineral Deposits
 317 km  @  118.9° 50s
 1:29
 39s
Perseverance
 Gold, Copper
 Wheaton River Minerals
 319 km  @  262.7° 50s
 1:30
 40s
Endeavour
 Lead, Zinc, Silver
 CBH Resources
 339 km  @  270.9° 53s
 1:34
 41s
McKinnons
 Gold, Silver
 ?
 339 km  @  259.2° 53s
 1:34
 41s
Tahmoor
 Coal
 Illawarra Coal, Centennial Coal 354 km  @  159.4° 55s
 1:38
 43s
Appin
 Coal
 Illawarra Coal 359 km  @  156.3° 55s
 1:39
 44s
West Cliff
 Coal
 Metropolitan 361 km  @  155.9° 56s
 1:39
 44s
Metropolitan
 Coal
 Illawarra Coal, Excel Coal
 365 km  @  153.4° 56s
 1:40
 44s
Berrima
 Coal
 Illawarra Coal
 370 km  @  165.0° 57s
 1:41
 44s
Dendrobium
 Coal
 Dendrobium, BHP-Billiton
 375 km  @  157.9° 57s
 1:42
 45s
Gujarat NRE No1
 Coal
 Illawarra Coal, Gudjarat NRE
 376 km  @  157.3° 58s
 1:43
 45s
Elouera
 Coal
 Illawarra Coal 384 km  @  158.8° 59s
 1:44
 45s
Breadalbane
 Iron
 ?
 394 km  @  176.3° 1:00
 1:47
 47s
Ardlethan
 Tin
 ?
 406 km  @  212.5° 1:01
 1:49
 48s