In order to improve our understanding in brutal large scale ground failure phenomenon, a salt solution mining cavern was instrumented in 2004 previously to its expected collapse as part of its mining scheme. A permanent early warning system was set up, including a high resolution microseismic monitoring network linked to a surface field displacement measurement system. The important amount of data collected during this 5 years experiment offered real-time insight of the evolution of the geological system. The complete data set recorded during the experiment made it possible to track with precision the main stages in the evolution of the cavern. The early signs of failure were detected by high resolution microseismic monitoring during spring 2008: a shift in microseismic background regime as well as recurrent microseismic episodes were undoubtedly associated to a general process of rock failure due to the salt cavern extending up to a critical size. This was accompanied by a few episodes of massive roof falls while the upper part of the overburden remained elastic, with no ground surface movement detected. During a second and last stage of evolution, on-line processing and analysis of a sudden intense microseismic activity allowed the interpretation of the rapid, energetic failure of a thin and very stiff bed rock underlying 120 meters deep. After this failure, the ground surface measurements indicated an irreversible acceleration of the subsidence up to the general collapse 24 hours later. As it will be shown, the in-depth analysis of the whole data set enables to characterize the dynamic process of rupture and its associated precursory signs. It provides also essential knowledge and feedback experience for operational monitoring of underground operations carried out on other sensitive mining sites.
