The Influence of Vibrations Induced by Blasting Works in an Open-Pit Mine and Seismic Events in an Underground Mine on Building Structures—A Case Study

Abstract

Monitoring induced vibrations caused by blasting works is becoming an increasingly common form of preventive activity conducted in open-pit mines. Measurement stations also record other events unrelated to blasting works. This article presents a comparison of the intensity of vibrations induced by blasting works in an open-pit mine and mining tremors in an underground mine. The recorded data and conducted analyses of vibration intensity and frequency structure also allowed for a comparison of the impact of vibrations on a building structure. Calculations and analyses, conducted in accordance with the procedures provided in the standard PN-B-02170:2016-12 and the rules for applying the Mining Seismic Intensity Scale MSIS-2017, demonstrated a stronger impact on the building from induced vibrations in an underground mine located 10 km away compared to vibrations induced by blasting operations conducted in an open-pit mine, which is approximately 600 m away from the building. The presented material constitutes a unique set of data that can be used to introduce any necessary corrections in the methodology of analyzing vibrations regarding their harmfulness to building structures. The velocity value of vibrations correlated with frequency alone, without taking into account the vibration duration, can lead to incorrect interpretation.

1. Introduction

Monitoring the intensity of vibrations induced during blasting operations in open-pit mines of rock materials is a crucial component of the mines’ preventive activities, aimed at minimizing the impact of these vibrations on structures in the vicinity. This yields a positive outcome in terms of documenting vibration intensity, conducting ongoing control, and assessing their effects on objects, providing important information for mining supervision while being positively received by residents and users of neighboring properties. In Polish open-pit mines, monitoring is mostly conducted using the Mining Vibration Monitoring System (MVMS) [1,2]. Since 2013, the measurement stations of the system have been equipped with full automation for data measurement and transmission. Measurement data, in the form of complete vibration records, are collected on a server, eliminating the need for the direct handling of the measurement stations, thus ensuring their continuous operation 24/7. As a result, the server collects data not only from blasting operations but also from other events that may cause vibrations. It is easy to identify incidental influences (e.g., household movement, traffic, etc.) by analyzing the vibration records—the timing of the event, its duration, and the nature of the vibration record. Open-pit mines conduct blasting operations during specific hours defined in the mining plant’s schedule, so occurrences at other times prompt the verification and identification of the vibration source [3,4]. In regions with several open-pit mines, it sometimes happens that stations record vibrations from blasting operations at all surrounding mines where the measurement station is installed. For example, Figure 1 (based on own research) shows the percentage contribution of three open-pit mines to the events recorded by a single measurement station.

In regions where underground mining is also conducted, the historical records of the system’s operation include registrations of mining tremors generated in these mines. The underground exploitation of coal deposits is accompanied by mining tremors of various origins and mechanisms [5]. Depending on the energy and hypocentral distance of the events that occur, different intensities of their impact on the surface terrain are observed. In the southern regions of Poland, events with energies E ≥ 10⁴ J are recorded annually, ranging from 3.2 to 6.5 thousand, while strong mining tremors with energies E ≥ 10⁵ J are recorded annually, ranging from 400 to 1000 [1,3,6].

In the analyzed case, the recorded vibrations are induced by two different sources: vibrations induced by the detonation of explosive material during blasting operations in an open-pit mine and vibrations induced by mining tremors associated with coal exploitation in an underground mine. It should be noted that blasting operations are a controllable source of vibrations, whereas mining tremors are random events, mostly associated with rock mass relaxation. An important distinction between these sources is the ability to determine the occurrence time and forecast the intensity of the impact [7,8,9,10,11]. In the case of blasting operations, research is conducted on predicting the impact of induced vibrations on the surrounding environment since the introduction of large quantities of explosive material [12,13]. Research places a significant emphasis on designing blasting operations with consideration for protecting buildings in the vicinity of the mine, which is related to forecasting the intensity of induced vibrations [14,15]. Computational tools such as Orica’s Multiple Seed Waveform (MSW) and Multiple Blasthole Fragmentation (MBF), or Austin Powder Company’s Paradigm, are used in design work [16,17]. Increasingly, research has been focusing on controlling the structure of induced vibrations by selecting millisecond delay to local conditions, which allows not only for reducing vibration intensity but also for increasing damping when transitioning from the ground to the foundation [18,19]. This is an important issue because the Polish standard PN-B-02170:2016-12 predicts the assessment of impact based on vibrations measured at the building’s foundation [1,20,21]. Singh and Roy observed that vibration magnitude in structures decreases with increased structure height. The dominant frequency of blast vibrations plays a crucial role in vibration persistence and its amplification or reduction characteristics in structures [22,23,24]. Several methods and models have been developed to predict and optimize blast-induced ground vibrations [25,26,27,28]. Guo and Li proposed a hybrid intelligent model using a least-squares support vector machine (LSSVM) optimized with a particle swarm algorithm (PSO) for vibration prediction [10,29]. The occurrence of mining tremors in underground mines is due to mechanical stress in the rock mass caused by exploitation activities [30,31,32,33]. Pilecka et al. estimated the impact of high-energy mining-induced events in fault zones on building damage and concluded that seismic energy propagation from the hypocenter of mining-induced events causes an uneven distribution of damage to buildings located on the ground surface [34,35,36,37]. In mining areas where tremors induced by mining activities occur, monitoring stations are localized [38,39,40,41,42,43], enabling the development of local models for predicting peak horizontal vibration velocities (PGV_Hmax). The choice of this parameter is related to its use for assessing the intensity and harmfulness of vibrations according to the Mining Seismic Intensity Scale MSIS-2017 [44,45,46,47]. However, there is a lack of research comparing the impact on the same building structures of vibrations generated by blasting operations in an open-pit mine and mining tremors induced from underground coal mines. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of vibrations on a building induced by the detonation of explosive charges during blasting operations in an open-pit mine with the impact on the same building caused by mining-induced tremors from underground coal mining. For this purpose, devices were used that monitor vibrations in the vicinity of the open-pit mine (triggered by blasting operations) and simultaneously record mining tremors. The dynamic impact scales (SWD scales) commonly used in Poland, in accordance with the PN-B-02170:2016-12 standard, as well as the Mining Seismic Intensity Scale (MSIS-2017), were used for the calculations and analysis of the recorded vibrations. It is not often possible to measure vibrations induced from two sources with significantly different characteristics and compare the impact of these vibrations on the same building. The considerations undertaken in this work are an attempt to fill this gap.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Materials

During the period from 1 January 2022 to 31 May 2023 [48], a total of 904 tremors related to underground coal mining were registered in the analyzed region of southern Poland, occurring in two mines (Figure 2). In both mines, extraction is carried out exclusively using the longwall system with caving. The seam is mined at heights ranging from 2.0 to 4.0 m. The longwalls are 200–300 m in length, and their main equipment includes mechanized shields, longwall shearers, and armored face conveyors. Coal extraction is conducted with roof caving, which affects the surface of the terrain, causing subsidence troughs and mining damage to both volumetric and linear structures. The geological profiles in the area of extraction are dominated by formations from the Quaternary and Carboniferous periods. Lithologically, the Quaternary formations consist mainly of sands and clays, while the Carboniferous formations comprise thick-bedded, variously grained sandstones interbedded with clay shales and coal seams.

The numerical distribution of events in individual years and months of the study period is shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4.

As depicted in Figure 4, the highest number of tremors occurred during the spring and towards the end of 2022. In November and December, the number of events exceeded 100 per month. The events were characterized by the following energy values: 73.7% at <10⁵ J, 24.0% at 10⁶ J, 2.3% at 10⁷ J, and one event at 10⁸ J. The strongest tremor with an energy value of 10⁸ J occurred on 24 December 2022, at 4:52 a.m. The percentage distribution of event energy is shown in Figure 5.

Approximately 10 km from the underground mines, there is an open-pit mine extracting a dolomite deposit, where blasting operations are conducted using explosives. Two measurement stations of the MVMS system are installed in buildings surrounding this mine. The task of these stations is to monitor the impact of vibrations on buildings induced during blasting works. During the analyzed period, these stations recorded a total of 318 vibrations related to mining tremors in the underground mines. Analyzing the number of events and their impact on the buildings where the MVMS stations were installed (Figure 6), it should be noted that since October 2022, the number of registrations has been steadily increasing, and in March 2023, it exceeded 40 registered events. This indicates an elevated level of event impact in the built-up area where the MVMS stations are installed.

As mentioned earlier, the task of MVMS stations is to document the impact of vibrations induced during blasting operations in the nearby open-pit mine on buildings. From January 2022 to May 2023, a total of 588 series of charges were detonated in the mine using long-hole blasting. The masses of the explosive charges are determined based on previously established constraints that consider the protection of buildings surrounding the mine. As a result, the blasting operations use the following parameters: total charge masses ranging from 135.0 kg to 1488.0 kg, and delay stage charge masses ranging from 7.4 kg to 80.0 kg (the mass of the explosive charge depends on the distance from the blasting site to the protected structures). Emulsion explosives or ANFO are used as the explosive materials, and the charges are initiated using a non-electric system. During this time, the MVMS system stations recorded 422 registrations (station No. I) and 289 registrations related to blasting operations (station No. II). The blasting operations were carried out at distances ranging from 400 m to 850 m from the buildings where the MVMS measurement modules are located.

2.2. Methods Used to Compare Vibrations Induced by Blasting Works and Underground Mine Tremors

For the comparison of the characteristics of seismic vibrations generated by two different sources, the following analyses were conducted:

• Comparison of the frequency structure of vibrations using third-octave filtering;
• Comparison of the impact using dynamic impact scales (SWD scales) [50,51];
• Comparison of the impact using the Vibration Perception Index for Buildings (VPIB) [20,51];
• Comparison of the impact using the Mining Seismic Intensity Scale (MSIS-2017) [47,52].

The analysis focused on the waveforms of vibrations characterized by the highest intensity both for blasting works conducted in the open-pit mine and tremors in the underground mine (highlighted in bold in

Table 1. Results of vibration intensity measurements—blasting works in open-pit mine.

Date	Time	PPV (mm/s)			Frequency (Hz)			Vector (mm/s)
		vz	vx	vy	fz	fx	fy	PVSxy
02.08.2022	1:31 p.m.	0.664	0.931	0.893	5.7	4.4	4.7	1.290
21.03.2023	1:40 p.m.	0.870	1.312	0.954	5.7	5.7	6.0	1.622
05.04.2023	1:36 p.m.	0.885	0.916	1.076	9.2	6.0	7.6	1.413
07.04.2023	1:35 p.m.	0.755	0.992	0.862	6.7	4.9	6.1	1.314
04.05.2023	1:34 p.m.	0.557	1.198	0.824	6.1	5.7	6.4	1.454

and

Table 2. Results of vibration intensity measurements—underground mine tremors.

Date	Time	Magnitude of the Event (J)	PPV (mm/s)			Frequency (Hz)			Vector (mm/s)
			vz	vx	vy	fz	fx	fy	PVSxy
23.11.2022	4:52 p.m.	8 × 107	1.976	1.816	2.602	8.3	9.4	7.7	3.173
15.12.2022	2:55 a.m.	8 × 107	1.801	2.411	1.877	7.8	7.6	5.0	3.055
24.12.2022	4:52 a.m.	1 × 108	1.923	2.892	2.655	6.6	6.5	4.9	3.926
27.01.2023	7:19 a.m.	2 × 107	1.320	2.335	1.923	5.9	6.8	6.2	3.025
14.03.2023	6:44 a.m.	4 × 106	1.312	1.953	2.068	6.6	5.2	6.3	2.844

). Selected vibration waveforms are presented in Figure 7 and Figure 8 in the form of seismograms for three components: vertical z and horizontal x and y.

For clarity, the traces for blasting works are depicted in blue, while those for mining tremors are depicted in brown. This color distinction is also used throughout the remainder of the article.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Results of Vibration Intensity Measurements

Further analysis was conducted on the measurement results recorded by station No. I: 422 events from blasting works and 223 tremors from underground mining excavation.

Table 1 and Table 2 present the analysis results in terms of peak values of registered vibrations (v_z, v_x, and v_y) and their corresponding frequency-time values (f_z, f_x, and f_y), as well as the maximum values of the horizontal vector (PVS_xy). Due to the large number of registrations, the results for the five events with the highest intensity are presented in the tables. Additionally, events characterized by the highest values of the horizontal vector are highlighted in bold in the tables, and their seismograms are depicted in Figure 7 and Figure 8.

To compare the intensity of vibrations induced during blasting works and those induced by tremors in underground mines, Figure 9 and Figure 10 graphically depict the values of the apparent flat vector. This allows us to conclude that the intensity of vibrations in most cases is at a similar level, but it is also worth noting individual events with significantly higher intensity for vibrations induced by mining tremors in underground mines, which qualifies their stronger impact, as shown later in the article. This is further illustrated in Figure 11, which presents the quantitative distribution of event intensities in specific ranges of the apparent horizontal vector value. As depicted in the figure, values above 1.5 mm/s correspond to 1 event related to blasting works and 13 events related to tremors.

Analyzing the seismograms of vibrations and the data provided in Table 1 and Table 2, as well as in Figure 11, it must be concluded that the intensity, assessed based on the maximum velocity values, is noticeably higher for vibrations induced during events. Frequencies correlated with the maximum velocity values are in a similar range.

3.2. Comparison of Vibration Frequency Structure Using Third-Octave Filtering

To facilitate a more detailed comparison of the vibration structures induced by two different sources, an analysis was conducted using third-octave filtering. The resulting effect, in the form of a comparison of histograms of maximum vibration velocities for the canter frequencies of each third-octave band, is presented in Figure 12 and Figure 13.

As evident from the figures, the vibration structure induced by blasting works is dominated by frequencies ranging from 5.01 Hz to 7.98 Hz, while the range of dominant frequencies in the structure of vibrations induced by underground mine tremors is broader, ranging from 3.98 Hz to 10.00 Hz. It is also apparent that the maximum vibration velocities (PPVs) for dominant frequencies are nearly twice as high in the case of events.

3.3. Comparison of Vibration Impact Using SWD Scales

To assess vibrations transmitted through the ground to buildings, the current standard in Poland is PN-B-02170:2016-12 [20]. An approximate characterization of the harmfulness of vibrations, according to the standard, can be presented using the dynamic impact scales SWD I and SWD II. These are nomograms (velocity or acceleration versus vibration frequency), allowing for a quick assessment of the degree of harmfulness of recorded vibrations after plotting measurement results.

In the evaluation using SWD scales, full vibration waveforms of horizontal components, i.e., in the x and y directions recorded at the measuring point from the source side, at a rigid structural node—intersecting load-bearing walls in two directions—located at the building’s foundation or at a rigid node on the floor of the underground level in the level of the surrounding terrain, should be used. These waveforms should be analyzed in third-octave bands, obtaining maximum values of acceleration or velocity in each band.

To assess the impact of vibrations using SWD scales, registrations of full waveforms of horizontal components x and y are required. The analysis of full waveforms x and y is performed by filtering the signal with a third-octave filter. The resulting values, as a histogram of maximum velocity values in a given frequency band, are plotted on the SWD scales, assigning them the corresponding effects in a given zone. This is a method of analysis based on which, in the case of short-term (impulsive) vibrations, a final assessment is made. Short-term vibrations are understood to be vibrations whose duration does not exceed 3 min within a day [20].

A comparative analysis of vibrations was conducted in accordance with the procedure provided in the standard [20], and the results were plotted on the SWD-I scale (Figure 14 and Figure 15). Figure 15 indicates that vibrations induced during blasting works in the open-pit mine qualify for zone I, allowing their impact to be considered negligible in assessing their effect on the building.

The zones of influence have the following interpretation (PN-B-02170: 2016-12):

zone I	- vibrations negligible in the evaluation of the impact of vibrations on the building,
line A	- a lower limit for taking into account dynamic influences on the building; for vibrations below this limit, dynamic influences may not be taken into account,
zone II	- vibrations harmless to the structure; However, accelerated wear of the building and the first scratches in plaster, wall corners and facets, etc., can be expected,
line B	- limit of building stiffness, a lower limit of the formation of scratches and cracks in structural elements,
zone III	- vibrations harmful to the building, causing local scratches and cracks, thus weakening the building structure and reducing its load-bearing capacity and resistance to further dynamic influences; plaster may fall off, scratches may appear on the joints of structural elements, etc.,
line C	- strength limit of individual building elements, a lower limit of heavy construction damage,
zone IV	- vibrations which are highly harmful to the building, pose a threat to people’s safety; numerous cracks appear, as well as local damage to walls and other individual structural elements of the building; there is a possibility of suspended objects falling, ceilings sheets falling off, cornices falling off, roof tiles falling, roof beams slipping out of bearings, etc.; required to remove the source of vibrations as quickly as possible or reduce its influence,
line D	- structure stability limit, a lower limit of failure of the entire building; vibrations above this limit may cause a building failure and endanger the safety of human life,
zone V	- vibrations cause the building to fail due to collapsing walls, falling ceilings etc., a full threat to the safety of human life; if there is a risk of vibrations, this type of building must not be used.

However, in the case of vibrations induced by mining tremors in the underground mine, they should be classified into zone II of the SWD-I scale (Figure 15) and the effects of the impact should be described as harmless to the building structure. However, an accelerated wear of the building and initial cracks in the coatings and plaster, on the corners of walls, facets, etc., can be expected.

3.4. Comparison of Vibration Impact Using the VPIB

As seen in Figure 14 and Figure 15, the SWD scales are in a logarithmic arrangement, and furthermore, the boundary lines of the impact zones on the scale are broken lines, making it difficult to unequivocally assess the position and comparison of the analysis results. Therefore, in 2016, the concept of the VPIB (Vibration Perception Index for Buildings) was introduced into the norm [37]. This indicator can be defined as the ratio of the maximum velocity values determined as a result of the seismogram analysis in third-octave bands to the velocity value in a given third-octave band corresponding to the lower boundary of dynamic effects consideration on buildings, i.e., line A on the SWD scale [20,51].

The VPIB indicator provides numerical information about the following:

• How distant the vibration parameters occurring in the building are from the lowest boundary line (line A)—VPIB ≤ 1;
• How many times this boundary has been exceeded—VPIB > 1.

The positions of lines with equal values of the VPIB indicator are presented in Figure 16. According to the definition of the VPIB indicator, line A has a VPIB indicator of 1, while line B has a VPIB indicator of 5 (Figure 17). This means that vibrations with velocity values even five times different can be classified into zone II in a given frequency band.

Using the VPIB indicator greatly facilitates the comparative analysis of vibration intensities induced by different sources. Therefore, this indicator was applied to compare vibrations induced by blasting works in the open-pit mine and those induced by tremors in the underground mine. The results of the calculations are presented in

Table 3. Results of the analysis using the VPIB indicator.

Central Frequency of Third-Octave Filter (Hz)	Value of the VPIB Indicator
	Line A of the SWD-I Scale	Blasting Works in Open-Pit Mine	Mining Tremors in the Underground Mine
3.16	1.00	0.02	0.19
3.98	1.00	0.06	0.72
5.01	1.00	0.44	1.48
6.31	1.00	0.90	2.10
7.94	1.00	1.09	1.95
10.00	1.00	0.18	3.59
12.59	1.00	0.16	1.61
15.85	1.00	0.43	0.83
19.95	1.00	0.49	0.69
25.12	1.00	0.19	0.26
31.62	1.00	0.11	0.16

and graphically depicted in Figure 17. Figure 17 numerically illustrates the comparison of vibration effects from different events.

The value of the VPIB indicator for vibrations induced by blasting works only at a frequency of 7.94 Hz minimally exceeded 1, while in the case of tremors, at a frequency of 10.0 Hz, the VPIB indicator reached a value of 3.59 Hz. This means that vibrations from underground mine tremors exert 3.6 times stronger impact than vibrations induced during blasting works.

3.5. Comparison of Impact Using MSIS-2017

For the assessment of seismic impacts of mining tremors, which are sporadic events, the Mining Seismic Intensity Scales (MSIS) are applied. The empirical-measurement-based MSIS-2017 is used to monitor and evaluate the effects of mining-induced events on surface structures and the perception of vibrations by people. According to this scale, the effects of events are distinguished, taking into account the type of building and its technical condition. It also includes an assessment of the dynamic resistance of buildings, which allows determining the level of ground vibrations that is safe for structures, guaranteeing the absence of damage.

It should be noted that any vibration measurements should be performed on the ground or in buildings where the transition function from the subsoil to the building foundation is close to unity, for the frequency range from 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Typically, these are small single-family buildings. In the case of installations in buildings, it is permissible to install vibration receivers directly above the foundation to the load-bearing wall, in a rigid joint of the structure.

The parameters used to assess the intensity of vibrations in the MSIS-2017 are as follows [11,45,47,53]:

Maximum amplitude of horizontal vibration velocity (PGV_Hmax), determined as the resultant of the horizontal maximum length vector.

$${\mathrm{P}\mathrm{G}\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{H}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{x}}={\mathrm{m}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{x}}_{\mathrm{t}}(\sqrt{{\mathrm{v}}_{\mathrm{x}}^2\left(\mathrm{t}\right)+{\mathrm{v}}_{\mathrm{y}}^2\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}),$$

(1)

• v_x(t)—seismogram of the horizontal x component of vibration velocity;
• v_y(t)—seismogram of the horizontal y component of vibration velocity.

Arias intensity:

$${\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{v}}\left({\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{k}}\right)={\int }_0^{{\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{k}}}{(\mathrm{v}}_{\mathrm{x}}^2\left(\mathrm{t}\right)+{\mathrm{v}}_{\mathrm{y}}^2\left(\mathrm{t}\right))\mathrm{d}\mathrm{t},$$

(2)

• t_k—a variable describing the dependence of intensity on time.

Duration of the horizontal vibration velocity component (t_Hv), which represents the time interval between those time moments when the Arias intensity reaches 5% and 95% of its value:

$${\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{H}\mathrm{v}}={\mathrm{t}}_2-{\mathrm{t}}_1$$

(3)

• t₁—time after which (2) reaches 5% of the value of this integral, calculated for the entire recorded vibration record;
• t₂—time after which (2) reaches 95% of the value of this integral, calculated for the entire recorded vibration record.

The variability of the horizontal vibration vector over time and the calculation of the vibration duration (t_Hv) for the analyzed events are presented in Figure 18 and Figure 19.

A comparison of vibration parameters for blasting and mining tremors, calculated for the assessment of their impact using the MSIS, is presented in

Table 4. Calculated vibration parameters for assessment using MSIS-2017.

Station No.	Vibration Source	Iv (mm2/s)	tHv (s)	PGVHmax (mm/s)
MVMS no. 1	Blasting works	0.32	2.54	1.31
	Underground mine tremors	3.98	5.36	3.40

.

From Figure 18 and Figure 19 and the data in Table 4, it can be observed that vibrations induced during blasting works have over ten times lower Arias intensity, shorter duration, and a significantly smaller horizontal vibration velocity vector.

The results of the analysis (based on data from Table 4) are plotted on the MSIS-2017 (Figure 20).

The assessment conducted using the MSIS-2017 categorizes vibrations induced by both blasting works in the open-pit mine and tremors in the underground mine as Grade 0—weakly perceptible, no damage.

It should be added that MVMS measuring stations are installed on building foundations, which is consistent with the guidelines of the standard. Evaluation using the MSIS requires ground vibration measurements, which in this case introduces a certain discrepancy with the assumptions. However, this does not hinder the proposed analysis, as its aim is to compare the intensity and structure of recorded vibrations under the same measurement conditions, rather than to make a significant assessment of vibration effects on the object.

4. Conclusions

This article compares vibrations induced by fundamentally different sources:

• Vibrations generated during blasting operations in an open-pit mine, whose intensity can be controlled by adjusting the parameters of the blasting operations (e.g., the mass of the explosive charges). This is the result of prior research aimed at minimizing the impact on structures surrounding the mine.
• Vibrations induced by natural mining tremors in an underground mine, which cannot be predicted in terms of occurrence time, location, and energy.

The conducted analyses allow us to conclude the following:

• Vibrations induced by blasting in open-pit mines and those caused by seismic events in underground mines are both sporadic events with short durations, resulting in brief interactions with the building structures.
• In the analyzed examples, the frequency characteristics of vibrations (vibration structure) from both sources are significantly similar. Vibrations induced by blasting predominantly range from 5.01 Hz to 7.98 Hz, while the dominant frequency range for vibrations induced by seismic events is broader, ranging from 3.98 Hz to 10.00 Hz.
• The assessment of the impact, conducted using the SWD-I scale of the PN-B-02170:2016-12 standard, categorizes vibrations induced by blasting in open-pit mines into zone I—negligible impact on building structures. However, vibrations induced by seismic events in underground mines fall into zone II of the SWD-I scale—non-damaging vibrations for the structures, but accelerated wear of the building can be expected.
• The previous conclusion is also supported by the comparative analysis using the VPIB indicator, which shows significantly higher values for seismic-induced vibrations.
• The assessment of the impact conducted using the MSIS-2017 categorizes vibrations induced by both blasting in open-pit mines and seismic events in underground mines as level 0—weakly perceptible, no damage.
• The parameter significantly differentiating vibrations is the Arias intensity of the seismic signal, as confirmed by the assessment using the MSIS-2017.

The presented material constitutes a unique dataset (in the literature, it is difficult to find publications concerning the impact on the same building of vibrations induced by blasting operations in an open-pit mine and mining tremors in an underground mine), that can be used in potential disputes regarding mining damages resulting from open-pit mining activities. The results clearly demonstrate that the Arias intensity of mining tremors induced in an underground mine located 10 km from the measurement site is nearly 10 times greater than the Arias intensity of vibrations induced by blasting performed in an open-pit mine located approximately 400 m away, with very similar maximum vibration velocities recorded at the protected site. Further observations may serve to introduce potential corrections in the methodology of analyzing vibrations regarding their harmfulness to building structures. Simply correlating vibration velocity with frequency, without considering the duration of vibrations, can lead to erroneous interpretations.