Here's some more history on this mine. The owner, Captain J.R. DeLamar, invested $800,000* into developing the mine and mill before it had made its first shipment, and after its first months of operation in early 1895 the Delamar mine (alternately DeLamar) had produced around $60,000 of gold bullion. One of the early challenges was the scarcity of water in the area to run the mill with, they ended up having to pipe it in. (* Note that all dollar amounts are as they were listed in the 1890s-1900s article sources) A May 1895 article was titled "Don't Go To Delamar" and contained the impressions that a veteran miner named P. Crotty reported after he looked for work in the fledgling Delamar camp. Crotty said it was "the worst mining camp he ever saw in an experience of 30 years on this coast." The camp was overrun with men who couldn't get work and were unable to leave as they hadn't a dollar to their name. They were paid with checks and "small aluminim coins" stamped with their value that were issued by the company and were being used instead of silver currency in the camp. These coins led the United States District Attorney to investigate the camp for counterfeiting as their coins ended up in general circulation in the area and even parts of Utah. As a result of the investigation they ended up replacing their "tin" money with regular gold and silver coins. By August 1895 the success of the Delamar had caused it to become a major destination, with the Eureka newspaper reporting that all their unemployed had headed for Delamar. Through 1896 the Delamar had been processing around 200 tons of ore a day in the mill with the monthly output worth over $200,000 at the time. Nearly 400 men were employed in the mine and mill. The Delamar was considered one of the most productive mines in the West and the pride of Nevada and in 1898 the output remained between $200,000-$300,000 a month with 300 tons of ore passing through the mill each day. With hundreds of tons of ore being mined and crushed every day it is no wonder the mine was infamous for the deadly "Delamar dust," aka silicosis. An April 1899 article said they had made changes to the mill in hopes it would "do away with the dust," and said the dust had taken the lives of around 200 men by that point. In 1900 it was found there was over 400,000 tons of tailings in the dumps at Delamar, worth about $1 per ton, so they built a plant to treat it. A December 1900 article said that the main shaft at Delamar was down 1,500 feet (457.2 meters), a tunnel was in 3,100 feet (944.88 meters), and the mine had 10 levels. Steam and electricity were used to run thirteen Griffin mills and a 300-ton cyanide plant. 225 men were employed at this time. In 1902 the mine became known as the Bamberger-Delamar after Simon Bamberger bought it from Captain DeLamar. At the time of the 1902 purchase the Delamar mine had produced gold bullion worth over $14,000,000 (over $417,000,000 today), though profits seemed to be on the decline since 1900.The new owners of the Delamar spent around a year doing construction and development of the mills and underground, and began processing 500 tons of ore a day in June 1903. After 14 years of operation, the Delamar was closed down in early September 1909 after they had spent the past three years unable to break even. The mine's affairs were wound up in April of 1911 and Nevada newspapers eulogized the "passing" of the mine: "The Bamberger-Delamar was one of the leading gold producing mines of the United States a few years ago; it was splendidly equipped with all the modern devices required to operate with economy. But became exhausted; the richer ores were worked out and when the mine could no longer be operated at a profit, there was but one thing left to do - to close down. In the hey dey of its prosperity the company employed a force of several hundred men in its mine and mill. Delamar was a thriving mining town and supplied a market for the products of the great Pahrangat Valley. The mill, when it was owned by Captain DeLamar and operated with the dry process for the treatment of ores, caused the death of scores of the employees of the mill, who fell victims of the "fatal Delamar dust." Probably no other metal mine in the world left such a trail of sadness as did the once famous Bamberger-Delamar."
Thank you for taking the time to dig up this information on the Delamar Mine. I knew the viewers would appreciate it, and their comments prove that! That was some very detailed information you provided. Thanks again!
Yes, I’m still getting out there but not with the frequency I once did prior to May 2017. I guess you could say I’m “semi-retired.“ Glad to have you following along in all the videos, though, Lane. Thanks for your support!
Finally an american youtuber cared enough to include dimensions in metric system for foreign viewers. The only feet I know are embedded to my legs. One love brother!
Great comment! The only meters I know are the ones that are affixed to the exterior of my house and measure how much gas and electricity I use each month! LOL
This is amazing. In the early 80's I camped in the town. My uncle and I went in. The 1st collapse is exactly as I remember it. I remember thinking this would fend off most of the curious. We made it to the back room with the shelves. Didn't take anything. Some hammers and nails were in those shelves and there was a couple of benches. The collapse in that room wasn't there when I was in it. Plenty of things to blow yourself up with so we left all that alone as well. Thank you so much for sharing this. I think I was 11 or 12. Great memories.
Thanks for the great comment, Jon! I always enjoy hearing other people’s anecdotes about these mines - especially when they explored them back in the 1970s and the 1980s when they were still pretty much pristine and untouched. Those were the glory days for abandoned mine exploration. As you mentioned in your anecdote, one could go in a mine and find many artifacts including tools, equipment, and even explosives that were still in place from the day the mine closed. That’s not the case so much these days. Glad you enjoyed the video! And thanks for sharing your memories of this abandoned mine!
More or less. It’s pretty amazing when you think about it. The miners certainly knew what they were doing for the most part because nearly all of these timbers are still in place.
This is a real 17 min immersion into life in the USA (like being with you in person)! A day of caving in Kentucky during the undergraduate days feels like this. Have many more fascinating trips like this one in the future. Thank you for this amazing video, for including the history post below at a prominent place, and for including data in SI units (meters)! Explore safely.
Wow, that fault line was at an unusually shallow angle. Lot of wooden structure missing from that raise, wouldn't have liked to have been using it when that collapsed. Furthest I've seen a portal from on the inside is around 3000ft. That's actually in one of my early videos.
I don’t know much about the fault lines, but they are always fascinating to see. There are many raises in this mine which seem to be in relatively poor condition with no real intact ladder systems left anymore. However, upper levels can be accessed via portals outside which are higher up on hillside from what I’ve been led to believe. Thanks, man, for stopping by and commenting! I appreciate it!
Reading a book called "Ghost of the glory trails" 60 years ago (that was probably the only book I read at that age) she had the story of this mine. It was called the "widow maker" because there was so little water and I believe at that time the drills didn't have the water jets to keep the dust down, the miners (a lot of them were young men unmarried) didn't last very long. As you can see in the video, it seems like it has a lot of dust. Great video, Frank. It's great to have you back again. You were the one who got me watching mine videos.
The details and carpentry done in the work area with the square set timbering is truly a work of art. The time and effort to do all that, in an underground mine no less, is a testament to the work these guys did that unfortunately is becoming a rare thing these days. Great video as always Frank!
I agree! Keep in mind, too, that they did not have all the high-tech equipment and computers that we have today. That’s what’s really amazing about all of these underground workings.
Thanks, Tom! If you watched my Wicked Wash Mine videos, we found really well-preserved chute gates that had the rack and pinion gears. The gates were at both levels off of the inclined shaft in that particular mine. The ones in this mine weren’t as well-preserved or as in good a condition.
Great history there with those smaller tree timbers. Very bad ground! Your game to go in there🤕. Nowadays, well 20 or so years ago in mines with that type of ground that I worked in - 'the backs' we would call them (roof of the tunnel-drive), they would rockbolt with steel square mesh. Even that would come down! The green rock is a definite sign of gold. So is quartz, probably under the dust. The raise, we would call them 'raise bores'. They usually fit extraction fans to them in modern times, on the surface to draw fresh air through the portal. Great info reply about the mine from Knight Templar. That metal drum looks like the old 44 gallon type. Looking forward to part 2👍
Thanks for the information you provided in your comment! I appreciate that. I didn't realize your were a former miner. I really like when you guys comment and contribute your knowledge and experience with mining to help clarify stuff in my videos. Thanks, man!
@@AbandonedMines11 of course!! I love your videos! I've always wanted to explore old mines but there aren't any around me to do so, so i get to do that through watching your videos!
Thanks, Muriel! Were you able to watch this one using your virtual reality headset? I hope so! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment - I really appreciate it. I hope all is going well with you.
Jim Doss It sure is, Jim! I’ve heard, though, that some areas are no longer accessible due to internal collapse. Depending on how long ago you were in this mine, there are probably parts that you saw that will never be seen again.
I would venture to guess that all the timbering you see near chutes is because they kick up lots of extra rock/dirt when opened and closed that it piles up. Not so much for weak parts of the mine, but for the extra rocks and bits that fall down from chute area above. Kinda like how a concrete truck has the big splashguard at top of mixer when it starts to pour, so not getting rained down on with concrete coming out fast.
I tend to agree with you! The heavy timbering would also be reinforcement from the weight of all those boulders and rocks crashing down through the chute.
Dude!! I was just there. Made it to the minor collapse but turned around because I wasn’t really prepared to go in by myself. Also went in the adit to the right of that one a couple hundred yards to the East. Awesome
Glad to hear you made it out there, Jerald! Lots of underground workings in that whole vicinity! I still have two or three openings out there that I haven’t gotten into yet, but I hope to within the next week or two. When you go in that main tunnel that you were in, there is a branch off to the right. If you go down that branch it eventually loops around underground and brings you back into the main tunnel only further in the mine. It’s like a loop! Back in that loop there are some really deep vertical shafts. I think there are three of them. They are all in a row and are like hoisting rooms. Very heavily timbered and stuff like that. Those go way down to some lower levels. It’s really worth seeing!
I've been to Delamar several times although I never found the tunnel. A couple of side notes: 1) The Delamar dry lake was used as an emergency landing strip for the X-15 project and Neil Armstrong had to put it to use one time. 2) The small town of Caliente nearby is a beautiful place (Just my opinion :). Great video thanks so much!
Interesting anecdotes, John! Thanks for sharing them. I ate dinner recently in Caliente at the Knotty Pine Restaurant there. Excellent food and pretty cheap. Highly recommended! This tunnel at Delamar is right next to the road as you enter the town. It's on the left.
@@AbandonedMines11 Wow! How did I miss it? I remember seeing the terrace of streets and some remembrance of buildings, an old jail and another partial concrete building (obviously a populated place at one time). I entered the town from the north heading south (roughly) past the cemetery first. It's been 20+ years since I've explored there so I'm a little foggy. Cool videos Thanks you very much.
Awesome video as always Frank, this is the first time I've watched one of your videos using my computer (usually watch on my phone), the colors in some of the frames were fantastic! Interesting timbering towards the end. Thanks for sharing Frank, stay safe.
Wow.. that's a big one. The triangular top of the tunnel looked kinda odd. I liked the tree timbering, it looks shaggy with the bark hanging off of it. Once again thank you for the journey and I can't wait to see the rest.
Yes, I believe those tree trunks were Pinyon pine tree trunks or something like that. Very shaggy, as you mentioned. But also very old-school at the same time. This definitely is one of the biggest mines I have ever been in, so there will be more fascinating footage in Part 2. Thanks for following along, Mike!
Wow Frank that mine looks huge, especially with them bringing in large and smaller tree trunks for support. Looking forward to the next part. Have a great rest of your day.
I know there is a massive ballroom somewhere down there that still has intact square set. I think the whole room was square until most collapsed. I haven't seen it myself, but saw a video. It still fascinates me to this day and got me hooked on seeing that ghost town. I hope you get to see it and show us.
I believe the ballroom you are talking about was above us in the mine. Somewhere in my video I provide a shot looking up another raise. I think it's the second raise we found on that level. Anyway, I zoom in to the top of the raise where you can see a jumble of timbers laying across it at the top. That must be the bottom of that ballroom where the square-set timbers collapsed and covered up the opening of the raise. I'll have more video footage of the ghost town and other mines in the area at a later date. Thanks for your comment!
Thanks, Richard! In Part 2, we come across three very deep vertical shaft inside the mine. The workings get a lot more dangerous and a lot more crazy further in! Video coming soon....
Thanks for doing what you do man!I'm always watching your videos,And I work at a Underground Mine.lol Neat you get to witness all that History in those Mines,and i can tell you definitely dont take it for granted.
thank you for uploading great content and for putting ure life at risk just to teach and entertain us all about these places i have a really deep intrest in mines so thank you so much for all your hardwork and bravery.
Glad you enjoyed it! I was just working on Part 2 which gets a little more exciting. This is a very extensive, massive, multi-level gold mine. Lots to see here, that's for sure!
As I mentioned when we were there, this was the second mine in the last 12 years or so in which I got tired of all the walking. LOL It definitely is extremely extensive! So much more there to see and discover. I put a link to your channel in a slide-out card and I also put a link in the video’s description.
@@AbandonedMines11 I saw that, thanks. Yeah, I got pretty worn out too! Holy cow, I think I registered five miles that day, all told! Most was in that mine, too.
Do you really think we walked 5 miles inside that mine? That seems kind of high. I would guess at least 2 miles if not three. But who knows? The damn thing was so extensive that it was difficult to keep track of time and distance. LOL
@@AbandonedMines11 No, I don't believe we walked 5 miles, I just walked that far that day...total. I think you're right, it was closer to two or three miles in the mine itself.
Could you take some high resolution still shots on some of your explorations of the most interesting tunnels and make them available for download? I would love to have some for my computer desktop background image.
There is a ton of square-set timbering in this mine on other levels which I have seen pictures of and videos of. I hope to capture some of that on video as well. Thanks, Drew!
@@AbandonedMines11 I'm not sure if you'd be up to using reddit but the r/flashlight community is pretty nice and can easily give you a ton of reccommendations on lights based off of your needs. They helped me find some good lights
Thanks for another very interesting mine explore, this place is showing its age wow strangely no ladders in that last raize, looks a bit like it was filled up from above.
I’m sure the ladders fell off a long time ago, Rolf. Hey, thanks for taking the time to watch this video and to comment! Always appreciate your ongoing support.
Any chance you will ever visit South Africa?would like to meet you and maybe check out a few abandoned gold mines lol(you go first) love watching your stuff sir.
@@AbandonedMines11 I've spent a lot of the last 40 years exploring around DeLamar and researching it's history--although I draw the line at exploring inside the mines! Anyway, I've got a big file on it all, but it's in storage at the moment. When I find the report, I'll let you know so I can send you a PDF.
Awesome huge mine! I'm thinking the yellow mineral you saw is sulphur, that's usually hanging out wherever gold is found. I like the mines that employed timbering, imho the timbering isn't just for safety reasons but it's also an art form, it lots really nice! Thanks for taking us along, your adventures are a blast and I'm looking forward to part 2! As always, stay safe out there!!
I think you’re right about that yellow stuff being sulphur. Yes, the timbering really is a lost art form because modern mines don’t employ those methods anymore. It’s amazing how after 125 years, the timbering in this mine is still basically intact except for a few areas here and there. The miners back then really knew what they were doing, it seems. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment! As always, I really appreciate your support here.
@@AbandonedMines11 You know, if not for explorers like you Frank, most of the old mines would be lost to the BLM and history and I want to thank you for what you do! Mining is part of California's history and I feel it's important that that history be documented and known. So, keep up the good work and I'll keep watching!!
At 1;55 " Ahh the Alcoves" Nod to Yuri . Frank and Associate thank you for this explore ,thats a neat Mine . At abote 2:50 the yellow looks like Sulphur on Calcite ? I cant not tell from quick look but i like the way you recorded it . Stay safe please .
Yes, I always have to film the alcoves. LOL Thanks, Mark, for your comment! I’m not sure if that yellow stuff was sulfur. Nick did report that he thought he smelled sulfur at one point in the tunnel, but I’m not sure. When I reached where he was, I really didn’t smell anything like sulfur.
Hi Frank, below that ore chute at 10:50 it looks like there is a hole possibly leading to a lower level ?? and it looks like you were possibly standing on a false floor right in front of the chute too. You actually covered quite a bit of ground in this episode, I can't wait to see what comes up next in part 2. Thanks for having us along on the explore. x
Hi, Sue! I did look briefly at that gap under the ore chute when I was there. Yes, I think there might have been a vertical shaft there at some point but they built an ore chute over it instead. The reason I say that is because directly opposite that ore chute was a large, rectangular “room” with what looked like foundations for an engine and winch. We saw three other rooms that looked similar to that which were deeper in the mine that you will see in Part 2. Those other rooms had really deep vertical shafts on the far side of them as well. You’re very observant to have picked up on all of that. You might have an inner calling to be an abandoned mine explorer after all! LOL Thanks for all of your support and comments!
@@AbandonedMines11 I would love to explore abandoned mines, but beings as I have a disintegrating spine it might not be a good idea. I can adventure all I want by watching your channel. Take care. x
Definitely learning more about it but nothing yet on the winze interesting mine took little break scouting around on google earth in Nevada for a bit refresh my brain a little lol
I went thru old newspapers online from 1900 -1915 about 8-9 hours worth interesting stories but a lot of stuff I guess was not talked about much not sure I was determined though 😂😂
I love this channel 👍👍 your Exploring Abandoned Mines is my favorite show on you tube You really should send a one page idea to the producers of those ghost shows or any reality studios, they would pick this up in a minute Have a great day 😊💪💪
There definitely was a forest’s worth of trees down inside this mine! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I really appreciate your support!
I've seen different types of chute gates in abandoned mines. Sometimes the gate is simply a wooden plank that is inserted into the mouth of the chute. Other gates can have a gear that lowers and raises a metal gate. You'll see both types in this video. Thanks for your comment!
@@AbandonedMines11 thanks for replying! I've always wondered, is it possible to close the gates if the chute is passing chunks of ore? I sure wish there were more videos of this stuff in action, seeing all the abandoned mines make we wish I knew how they were back in the day!
I don’t think they would’ve been able to close the chute gate while ore was falling through it. The miners probably knew how much rock to throw down into the chute to fill up the ore cart that was waiting at the mouth of the chute.
I got no idea what that 44 Gal drum was for, but could possibly be an old parts washing tub or something that would have been filled with kerosene or some other such solvent
Fantastic video Frank. Absolutely loved it. Always wondered though about a raise. Wouldn't the looking up in a raise be the same as looking down a winze? What would be the difference? Is just depends on up or down. Always kinda confused by those 2 terms. It's a connecting tunnel between 2 levels. Great video man! Looking forward to part 2.
gmoneypower Great comment and great questions! Yes, a raise and a winze are basically the same thing - a vertical shaft that connects levels in a mine. To me, a raise is a pretty substantial vertical shaft going up in a tunnel ceiling. It is usually square or rectangular in shape and might be heavily timbered and have ladders in it and even a hoisting mechanism. On the other hand, a winze is a smaller and much narrower shaft going down in a tunnel floor. Winzes can also be inclined somewhat. Winzes were not usually used to transport ore and, instead, just had a ladder in them that allowed the miners to traverse between levels. Winzes seem to be much narrower and more rickety and more likely to be inclined at varying angles along their length. In contrast, a raise is like a huge elevator shaft. Hopefully this information helps! It’s basically what I’ve been able to glean over the years on my own. I may not be 100% correct. Thanks again for all of your support and interest here over the years! I really do appreciate it.
Hey Frank! Long time subscriber here! Love the videos. You could try adding a bit of contrast in post in the editing software you use to bring some of the colours back that may have been washed out due to the brightness of the lights.. Keep it up!
Thanks for the tip! I think I might need to invest in a new camera as well. The one I have is about six or seven years old and full of dust. You can really see the dust when I'm filming outdoors into the sunlight. It makes the picture all hazy. Underground in low light, that isn't a problem, but it probably still degrades the video somewhat. Thanks, Dinara, for the tip about adjusting the contrast. Will have to look into that. I use Windows Movie Maker, and I don't think it has that ability, though. I need to upgrade to a better editing software. LOL
@@AbandonedMines11 Haha no problems mate! A good free tool you can put to good use is DaVinci Resolve Lite! It might look a little complicated at first look but I promise you, once you get the hang of it, you'll never go back. It's a really powerful tool to edit and color the videos. And it's free!
Thanks for your comment, Robert! I’m not really worried about a one-time, brief exposure to the dust in this mine like Nick and I experienced when we were there. It’s the miners who had to work in there day after day for an 8 or 10 hour shift who really suffered.
Glad to help! It's very common for these abandoned mines to have had their ore cart tracks and the wooden cross-ties removed to be used in other nearby mines. Normally, though, the ruts from the wooden cross-ties aren't as deep or as pronounced as you saw in this video. Thank you very much for your comment!
Hi frank, could you pls explain what the difference between a raise, vertical shaft, and a winze are? Awesome video as well, cool to see a tunnel that wide!
Will do! For starters, I think the definitions of the three terms you asked about depend upon one’s perspective inside the mine. For example, when you’re standing in a tunnel and looking up at a large opening in the ceiling that extends vertically hundreds of feet, that would be a raise. But are you really looking up from the bottom of a vertical shaft? Not necessarily. Raises tend, in my opinion, to not have any ladders in them or any hoisting mechanisms. They were dug to connect levels of a mine, to perhaps serve as ore passes, and for ventilation. Vertical and inclined shafts, on the other hand, tend to have hoisting mechanisms and ladders and tracks for the ore cart that was used to bring the ore up from lower levels. In my opinion, a winze is a usually much smaller, cruder shaft connecting levels in a mine. Winzes are often very small and sometimes don’t have ladders in them. A winze would almost never have a complicated hoisting mechanism, tracks, and a full set of ladders in it. if there is a hoisting mechanism, it was usually a very simple hand-cranked spool positioned over the winze with a cable on it that was manually operated. I hope this information helps! The words raise and shaft are somewhat interchangeable, but winzes are in a separate class by themselves due to their much smaller size. That’s what I’ve come to learn over the years.
@AbandonedMines11 wow thank you so much!! I was curious in part because I was interested in understanding the features of these old mines, and because I'm actually in the process of making a really extensive mine in the popular game Minecraft and I wanted to make sure to include some of the real-world aspects of these old drift mines!!
I’ve never come across any gold. However, I’m not actively looking when I’m exploring, either. You see a lot of quartz veins in these mines. Those veins were where the gold was.
wow mate - when I see you and Nick walking under those big slabs of rock without much in the way of ground support or shotcrete I worry a bit! I know that most of the time it is all good, and in this case the rock is pretty hard, but walking into unsupported areas like that in a modern mine would be likely to get the crew fired lol
Heyyyyyyy Fr Portland Oregon always Loving your video's 💙💙💙😁 and I love listening to the background for Spirts in these places I haven't COMMENTS in a long time.. So at 7:12 Listen because in the background someone was says HELP it was really loud surprised you didn't hear it! LoL 😂😂😱 BTW you are brave only cause I knw what could be lurking in their I Can't LMAO 😳😳😂
Hi, Marida! I replayed the portion of my video that you pointed out. I think what you heard was Nick somewhere off in the distance doing his own narration for his own video. At least that’s what I hope it was! Thanks for taking the time to comment, though. I appreciate your ongoing support and interest here. It means a lot.
I think the problem is I’m using too much light which whites-out the image. I have two bright LED flashlights on my helmet that are usually on full power as well as my handheld flashlight. I don’t know - I have to experiment some more with my lights and try to get a good balance between showing the actual colors and not being too washed-out. Thanks for the feedback, Ronnie!
Thanks for the update! I’m surprised to hear that because that mine seemed pretty stable for the most part due to its sheer size and the many levels that are in it. But, as we all know, collapse is inevitable in these abandoned mines if given enough time.
So, am I right in assuming that the miner's dots and graffiti were burnt onto the surfaces mainly with their carbide lamps? THANKS FOR ALL THE AWESOME WORK! I have stayed up wayyyy too late binge-watching your videos..
That is correct, John! The miners’ dots and all of their graffiti was burned into the wooden timbers by using their carbide lights. It’s always really cool when we come across their graffiti. Those guys probably didn’t ever imagine that their carbide scrawls would be seen decades later if not a century later by people all over the world on something called the Internet.
@@AbandonedMines11 Thank you for your reply! I find everything about your adventures to be fascinating. It is unreal how much Earth and Rock a small group of men can remove from underground all the while dragging in countless timbres that are being brought at a steady pace from who knows where in the middle of the desert.. Then to think that it was done almost entirely by hand and in the dark with no kind of ground penetrating radar or GPS guidance.. Humans have definitely become soft of the last 50 years.. Most people today (especially in the US) couldn't even fathom the amount of labor and the toll it would have taken on your body and mind.. The men whose footsteps you have been following in your videos did more manual labor in a day's time than most people under 30 today will do in their entire lifetime. They deserve to be remembered as well as their accomplishments. I'm glad to have come across your channel.
It depends. Sometimes the ore does run out. Other times the price of the ore falls so low that it isn't worth mining anymore. Sometimes the government steps in and orders the mines closed like they did for the World Wars. Most of these abandoned mines do have ore left in them, though. That's why you see a lot of foreign mining companies buying up the abandoned claims after doing some core sampling and then going in there and digging huge, open-pit mines to get the rest of the ore the old-time miners missed or couldn't get to due to technological limitations.
With whatever video editing software you're using, after its all done you should increase the volume on the whole video by +10 or +20db. At max volume its only at like half volume compared to other youtube videos. Keep up the good work man!! Be safe!!
Very interesting and I am looking forward to the next installment! However, could you please increase the audio level of the recording? I have a bad hearing loss and was not able to get more than maybe 1/2 of what you said. Or if you could include CC - Closed Captioning - then I can see what is being said! Thanks and SAFE exploring!
Thanks, Bob, for your comment and suggestion! Some other people have complained of low volume in this video. I'm not sure what's going on. I think maybe I just need to speak louder although I've not made any conscious decision to speak softer. The only other thing I can think of is that my video camera is starting to malfunction. Will look into it.
Most of these old tunnels you go down I see loads of dust that has accumulated over the years. I've wondered how long of a work life some of the miners had breathing fine dust daily. I'm sure your aware of Black Lung an the dust produced by Widow Maker drills. Can just about hear the owners telling the men 'what's wrong with you men? A little dust isn't going to hurt you!'.
Thanks, David! This is definitely one of the biggest abandoned mines I have ever been in. There are many levels and thousands and thousands of feet of tunnels.
Through lots of research, Eric. However, this mine has been visited by everybody and their mother going back at least a decade if not longer. Popular mines like this one are usually well-documented online via other explorers' photographs, trip reports, and videos. It's nice to supplement all of that by obtaining old mining reports and related things from the time period when the mine was actually active. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
In many mine exploration vids, evidence of prior ground-fall/collapse is present, yet seeing it 1st-hand appears rare. Have u ever witnessed either occur while exploring?
TheSWolfe Yes! If you watch my video of the Black Mine, I was crawling past a clogged ore chute on my stomach while Jeremy was filming me. Video is here: ruclips.net/video/p6akuzMpVF4/видео.html. Suddenly, rocks that were clogged up in the ore chute came loose and started tumbling out of the chute’s mouth right at my head as I was squeezing through the narrow area. Luckily the rocks stopped coming out after a few seconds. I laid there motionless and was listening intently, and I could hear rocks moving and shifting which sounded like they were far away up in a stope. I’m assuming the behind that ore chute was an enormous stope with rocks that had been either stacked up or heaped up in large piles. I guess me crawling past the chute caused some kind of disturbance which caused the rocks to start coming out of the mouth of the chute. Needless to say, I ended up carefully backing out of that area, and then Jeremy came back through himself as fast as he could.
Love your videos, thanks for yet another adventure! My grandpa was a geophysicist for the Dept. of the Interior/U.S.G.S./Bureau of Mines so watching your videos makes me think of the old workings he would have seen going into older mines in the 1960s to 1990s. In regards to the 'washed out colors' in your videos - even with being set to 1080p with ethernet cable (no quality loss from wifi) some of your videos only look like 360p or 480p. Perhaps a better camera and/or software to make the videos? Just a thought, either way awesome vids.
My camera is about six years old, Jeff, and full of dust from these mines. I think the dust inside the lens degrades the video quality somewhat. Also, when rendering the video files, I have to convert them to a different file format which also loses some of clarity. Probably need to buy a new video camera. I'm surprised the one I have has lasted this long considering all the dust, all the drops, and all the general abuse it gets while on a trip.
We have flooded mines out here, too, but not usually in the desert areas. How flooded are your mines? They can still be explored even if there is only a couple feet of water in them. Thanks for your comment!
@@AbandonedMines11 they are completely filled one of the last mines to give tours had to pump 2 to 3 million gallons a day to keep it free of water but went broke and shut down
Here's some more history on this mine. The owner, Captain J.R. DeLamar, invested $800,000* into developing the mine and mill before it had made its first shipment, and after its first months of operation in early 1895 the Delamar mine (alternately DeLamar) had produced around $60,000 of gold bullion. One of the early challenges was the scarcity of water in the area to run the mill with, they ended up having to pipe it in. (* Note that all dollar amounts are as they were listed in the 1890s-1900s article sources)
A May 1895 article was titled "Don't Go To Delamar" and contained the impressions that a veteran miner named P. Crotty reported after he looked for work in the fledgling Delamar camp. Crotty said it was "the worst mining camp he ever saw in an experience of 30 years on this coast." The camp was overrun with men who couldn't get work and were unable to leave as they hadn't a dollar to their name. They were paid with checks and "small aluminim coins" stamped with their value that were issued by the company and were being used instead of silver currency in the camp. These coins led the United States District Attorney to investigate the camp for counterfeiting as their coins ended up in general circulation in the area and even parts of Utah. As a result of the investigation they ended up replacing their "tin" money with regular gold and silver coins.
By August 1895 the success of the Delamar had caused it to become a major destination, with the Eureka newspaper reporting that all their unemployed had headed for Delamar. Through 1896 the Delamar had been processing around 200 tons of ore a day in the mill with the monthly output worth over $200,000 at the time. Nearly 400 men were employed in the mine and mill. The Delamar was considered one of the most productive mines in the West and the pride of Nevada and in 1898 the output remained between $200,000-$300,000 a month with 300 tons of ore passing through the mill each day.
With hundreds of tons of ore being mined and crushed every day it is no wonder the mine was infamous for the deadly "Delamar dust," aka silicosis. An April 1899 article said they had made changes to the mill in hopes it would "do away with the dust," and said the dust had taken the lives of around 200 men by that point.
In 1900 it was found there was over 400,000 tons of tailings in the dumps at Delamar, worth about $1 per ton, so they built a plant to treat it. A December 1900 article said that the main shaft at Delamar was down 1,500 feet (457.2 meters), a tunnel was in 3,100 feet (944.88 meters), and the mine had 10 levels. Steam and electricity were used to run thirteen Griffin mills and a 300-ton cyanide plant. 225 men were employed at this time.
In 1902 the mine became known as the Bamberger-Delamar after Simon Bamberger bought it from Captain DeLamar. At the time of the 1902 purchase the Delamar mine had produced gold bullion worth over $14,000,000 (over $417,000,000 today), though profits seemed to be on the decline since 1900.The new owners of the Delamar spent around a year doing construction and development of the mills and underground, and began processing 500 tons of ore a day in June 1903.
After 14 years of operation, the Delamar was closed down in early September 1909 after they had spent the past three years unable to break even. The mine's affairs were wound up in April of 1911 and Nevada newspapers eulogized the "passing" of the mine:
"The Bamberger-Delamar was one of the leading gold producing mines of the United States a few years ago; it was splendidly equipped with all the modern devices required to operate with economy. But became exhausted; the richer ores were worked out and when the mine could no longer be operated at a profit, there was but one thing left to do - to close down. In the hey dey of its prosperity the company employed a force of several hundred men in its mine and mill. Delamar was a thriving mining town and supplied a market for the products of the great Pahrangat Valley. The mill, when it was owned by Captain DeLamar and operated with the dry process for the treatment of ores, caused the death of scores of the employees of the mill, who fell victims of the "fatal Delamar dust." Probably no other metal mine in the world left such a trail of sadness as did the once famous Bamberger-Delamar."
WOW! Thank you for the info!!!
Great history write up which complimented very nicely with the video.
Dang thats some great info
Thank you for taking the time to dig up this information on the Delamar Mine. I knew the viewers would appreciate it, and their comments prove that! That was some very detailed information you provided. Thanks again!
Thank you for this large piece of history, it complements the video perfectly.
I'm am certainly glad that you didn't retire from mine exploration awhile back. I (we) enjoy your underground visits. Always informative. Thanks.
Yes, I’m still getting out there but not with the frequency I once did prior to May 2017. I guess you could say I’m “semi-retired.“ Glad to have you following along in all the videos, though, Lane. Thanks for your support!
Finally an american youtuber cared enough to include dimensions in metric system for foreign viewers. The only feet I know are embedded to my legs.
One love brother!
Great comment! The only meters I know are the ones that are affixed to the exterior of my house and measure how much gas and electricity I use each month! LOL
Converting small measurements doesn't frustrate me to much, it's when science educators use imperial really does my head in
I approximate between metric and imperial A LOT. One meter is just over one yard, and one yard is three feet.
This is amazing. In the early 80's I camped in the town. My uncle and I went in. The 1st collapse is exactly as I remember it. I remember thinking this would fend off most of the curious. We made it to the back room with the shelves. Didn't take anything. Some hammers and nails were in those shelves and there was a couple of benches. The collapse in that room wasn't there when I was in it. Plenty of things to blow yourself up with so we left all that alone as well. Thank you so much for sharing this. I think I was 11 or 12. Great memories.
Thanks for the great comment, Jon! I always enjoy hearing other people’s anecdotes about these mines - especially when they explored them back in the 1970s and the 1980s when they were still pretty much pristine and untouched. Those were the glory days for abandoned mine exploration. As you mentioned in your anecdote, one could go in a mine and find many artifacts including tools, equipment, and even explosives that were still in place from the day the mine closed. That’s not the case so much these days. Glad you enjoyed the video! And thanks for sharing your memories of this abandoned mine!
A bit of sanity with mines while the world goes insane.
Glad you’re escaping with my videos, Paul! Thanks for the support!
paul h Agreed
sanity?? creepy sounds and glowing eyes...
You know it's bad when the *abandoned mines* are the sane places lol.
So those timbers have been there at least 120 years amazing.
More or less. It’s pretty amazing when you think about it. The miners certainly knew what they were doing for the most part because nearly all of these timbers are still in place.
This is a real 17 min immersion into life in the USA (like being with you in person)! A day of caving in Kentucky during the undergraduate days feels like this. Have many more fascinating trips like this one in the future. Thank you for this amazing video, for including the history post below at a prominent place, and for including data in SI units (meters)! Explore safely.
Great comment! Thanks, Karl, for stopping by and checking out the video. I appreciate it. Thanks for the feedback, too.
Wow, that fault line was at an unusually shallow angle. Lot of wooden structure missing from that raise, wouldn't have liked to have been using it when that collapsed. Furthest I've seen a portal from on the inside is around 3000ft. That's actually in one of my early videos.
I don’t know much about the fault lines, but they are always fascinating to see. There are many raises in this mine which seem to be in relatively poor condition with no real intact ladder systems left anymore. However, upper levels can be accessed via portals outside which are higher up on hillside from what I’ve been led to believe. Thanks, man, for stopping by and commenting! I appreciate it!
Reading a book called "Ghost of the glory trails" 60 years ago (that was probably the only book I read at that age) she had the story of this mine. It was called the "widow maker" because there was so little water and I believe at that time the drills didn't have the water jets to keep the dust down, the miners (a lot of them were young men unmarried) didn't last very long. As you can see in the video, it seems like it has a lot of dust. Great video, Frank. It's great to have you back again. You were the one who got me watching mine videos.
Good hearing from you again, Dan! Yes, the Delamar Mine was known as the "Widow Maker." Many miners died from silicosis due to the dust.
The details and carpentry done in the work area with the square set timbering is truly a work of art.
The time and effort to do all that, in an underground mine no less, is a testament to the work these guys did that unfortunately is becoming a rare thing these days. Great video as always Frank!
I agree! Keep in mind, too, that they did not have all the high-tech equipment and computers that we have today. That’s what’s really amazing about all of these underground workings.
Gettin' caught up on abandoned mine videos after a little while now, and this one must be extensive to be a 3 parter!
It certainly is an extensive mine! We actually got tired from all the walking in this one. Thanks for checking out the videos. I appreciate it!
Good stuff, Frank. I like that chute gate that's operated by the rack and pinion device. Some nice natural timbers, too.
Thanks, Tom! If you watched my Wicked Wash Mine videos, we found really well-preserved chute gates that had the rack and pinion gears. The gates were at both levels off of the inclined shaft in that particular mine. The ones in this mine weren’t as well-preserved or as in good a condition.
@@AbandonedMines11 I watched them but my memory is no where near good enough to remember that type of thing, unlike your memory.
@@AbandonedMines11 cool I'll check it out!
Amazing timber works and a treat to see the shoot slides all intact. That's actually a realy cool mine.
More to come in this one. This was one of the most extensive mines I have ever been in. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great history there with those smaller tree timbers. Very bad ground! Your game to go in there🤕. Nowadays, well 20 or so years ago in mines with that type of ground that I worked in - 'the backs' we would call them (roof of the tunnel-drive), they would rockbolt with steel square mesh. Even that would come down! The green rock is a definite sign of gold. So is quartz, probably under the dust. The raise, we would call them 'raise bores'. They usually fit extraction fans to them in modern times, on the surface to draw fresh air through the portal. Great info reply about the mine from Knight Templar. That metal drum looks like the old 44 gallon type. Looking forward to part 2👍
Thanks for the information you provided in your comment! I appreciate that. I didn't realize your were a former miner. I really like when you guys comment and contribute your knowledge and experience with mining to help clarify stuff in my videos. Thanks, man!
Ive been rewatching your videos all day!!
Thanks, man! I appreciate that!
@@AbandonedMines11 of course!! I love your videos! I've always wanted to explore old mines but there aren't any around me to do so, so i get to do that through watching your videos!
I am so happy to see each new video from you and your friends! Thank you, Frank! 💕
Thanks, Muriel! Were you able to watch this one using your virtual reality headset? I hope so! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment - I really appreciate it. I hope all is going well with you.
I was in that mine years ago. It certainly is extensive!
Jim Doss It sure is, Jim! I’ve heard, though, that some areas are no longer accessible due to internal collapse. Depending on how long ago you were in this mine, there are probably parts that you saw that will never be seen again.
I would venture to guess that all the timbering you see near chutes is because they kick up lots of extra rock/dirt when opened and closed that it piles up. Not so much for weak parts of the mine, but for the extra rocks and bits that fall down from chute area above. Kinda like how a concrete truck has the big splashguard at top of mixer when it starts to pour, so not getting rained down on with concrete coming out fast.
I tend to agree with you! The heavy timbering would also be reinforcement from the weight of all those boulders and rocks crashing down through the chute.
Looks like the tunnel of death to me, like I would not go there alone at midnight, nope.
Pretty cool stuff!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Dude!! I was just there. Made it to the minor collapse but turned around because I wasn’t really prepared to go in by myself. Also went in the adit to the right of that one a couple hundred yards to the East. Awesome
Glad to hear you made it out there, Jerald! Lots of underground workings in that whole vicinity! I still have two or three openings out there that I haven’t gotten into yet, but I hope to within the next week or two. When you go in that main tunnel that you were in, there is a branch off to the right. If you go down that branch it eventually loops around underground and brings you back into the main tunnel only further in the mine. It’s like a loop! Back in that loop there are some really deep vertical shafts. I think there are three of them. They are all in a row and are like hoisting rooms. Very heavily timbered and stuff like that. Those go way down to some lower levels. It’s really worth seeing!
@@AbandonedMines11 sounds awesome. I’m am definitely going back prepared. I’m not sure when but most likely in the next year for sure.
I've been to Delamar several times although I never found the tunnel. A couple of side notes: 1) The Delamar dry lake was used as an emergency landing strip for the X-15 project and Neil Armstrong had to put it to use one time. 2) The small town of Caliente nearby is a beautiful place (Just my opinion :). Great video thanks so much!
Interesting anecdotes, John! Thanks for sharing them. I ate dinner recently in Caliente at the Knotty Pine Restaurant there. Excellent food and pretty cheap. Highly recommended! This tunnel at Delamar is right next to the road as you enter the town. It's on the left.
@@AbandonedMines11 Wow! How did I miss it? I remember seeing the terrace of streets and some remembrance of buildings, an old jail and another partial concrete building (obviously a populated place at one time). I entered the town from the north heading south (roughly) past the cemetery first. It's been 20+ years since I've explored there so I'm a little foggy. Cool videos Thanks you very much.
Awesome video as always Frank, this is the first time I've watched one of your videos using my computer (usually watch on my phone), the colors in some of the frames were fantastic! Interesting timbering towards the end. Thanks for sharing Frank, stay safe.
Thanks for the feedback, Dan! Interesting how the colors vary between your desktop and smartphone.
You're spoiling us!!!! I love it!!!!!!
Thanks for chiming in, Jay! Sounds like you’re enjoying the videos - awesome!
Wow.. that's a big one. The triangular top of the tunnel looked kinda odd. I liked the tree timbering, it looks shaggy with the bark hanging off of it. Once again thank you for the journey and I can't wait to see the rest.
Yes, I believe those tree trunks were Pinyon pine tree trunks or something like that. Very shaggy, as you mentioned. But also very old-school at the same time. This definitely is one of the biggest mines I have ever been in, so there will be more fascinating footage in Part 2. Thanks for following along, Mike!
Wow Frank that mine looks huge, especially with them bringing in large and smaller tree trunks for support. Looking forward to the next part. Have a great rest of your day.
Thank you, Doug! Always appreciate you stopping by, watching, and commenting.
I know there is a massive ballroom somewhere down there that still has intact square set. I think the whole room was square until most collapsed. I haven't seen it myself, but saw a video. It still fascinates me to this day and got me hooked on seeing that ghost town. I hope you get to see it and show us.
I believe the ballroom you are talking about was above us in the mine. Somewhere in my video I provide a shot looking up another raise. I think it's the second raise we found on that level. Anyway, I zoom in to the top of the raise where you can see a jumble of timbers laying across it at the top. That must be the bottom of that ballroom where the square-set timbers collapsed and covered up the opening of the raise. I'll have more video footage of the ghost town and other mines in the area at a later date. Thanks for your comment!
That very well could be the case. I read that the mine had 16 levels, mind boggling! Thanks for the video!
The best is yet so better watch Part 2 Thank's Frank and Frank's minions!!!; )
Thanks, Richard! In Part 2, we come across three very deep vertical shaft inside the mine. The workings get a lot more dangerous and a lot more crazy further in! Video coming soon....
Thanks for doing what you do man!I'm always watching your videos,And I work at a Underground Mine.lol Neat you get to witness all that History in those Mines,and i can tell you definitely dont take it for granted.
thank you for uploading great content and for putting ure life at risk just to teach and entertain us all about these places
i have a really deep intrest in mines so thank you so much for all your hardwork and bravery.
Thank you for your nice comment, Cameron! And thank you for taking the time to watch the video and for commenting.
I like your videos Frank such a joy to watch you explane what must things you see
Good hearing from you again, Ronnie! Glad you are enjoying the videos. Thanks for your support!
Something special about this mine, really enjoyed this one!
Glad you enjoyed it! I was just working on Part 2 which gets a little more exciting. This is a very extensive, massive, multi-level gold mine. Lots to see here, that's for sure!
Love your videos, cant wait for pt.2!
Thanks so much! Part 2 is coming soon!
This was a lot of fun to explore. Can't wait to get back out there! Nice video, Frank, I enjoyed watching it.
As I mentioned when we were there, this was the second mine in the last 12 years or so in which I got tired of all the walking. LOL It definitely is extremely extensive! So much more there to see and discover. I put a link to your channel in a slide-out card and I also put a link in the video’s description.
@@AbandonedMines11 I saw that, thanks. Yeah, I got pretty worn out too! Holy cow, I think I registered five miles that day, all told! Most was in that mine, too.
Do you really think we walked 5 miles inside that mine? That seems kind of high. I would guess at least 2 miles if not three. But who knows? The damn thing was so extensive that it was difficult to keep track of time and distance. LOL
@@AbandonedMines11 No, I don't believe we walked 5 miles, I just walked that far that day...total. I think you're right, it was closer to two or three miles in the mine itself.
Miner49er Got it! Thanks for the clarification.
That square set is super cool! I have never seen so much of it and in such great shape. Nice work Frank!
Thanks, Robert! I believe there is a ton of square-set timbering in other levels in this mine. Stay tuned!
The Track and Ties were "High graded" from there and went to the Kokoweef mine in California back in the early 80s.
Wow what an extensive Mine. Keep up the good work Frank!
This definitely was one of the most extensive mines I have ever been in. Stay tuned because more fascinating footage is coming in Part 2!
Could you take some high resolution still shots on some of your explorations of the most interesting tunnels and make them available for download? I would love to have some for my computer desktop background image.
This would be Cool as Hell
The carpentry work is really impressive.
There is a ton of square-set timbering in this mine on other levels which I have seen pictures of and videos of. I hope to capture some of that on video as well. Thanks, Drew!
I would reccomend a warmer tinted flashlight for preserving the color. I'd probably go with a 4000k. And great video. Can't wait for part two!
Thanks for the tip regarding the flashlights. I’m going to have to make some changes here soon.
@@AbandonedMines11 I'm not sure if you'd be up to using reddit but the r/flashlight community is pretty nice and can easily give you a ton of reccommendations on lights based off of your needs. They helped me find some good lights
Thanks for another very interesting mine explore, this place is showing its age wow strangely no ladders in that last raize, looks a bit like it was filled up from above.
I’m sure the ladders fell off a long time ago, Rolf. Hey, thanks for taking the time to watch this video and to comment! Always appreciate your ongoing support.
AMAZING colors!!! Makes me want to go rockhounding!!!
Yes, there did seem to be a lot of color in this mine which I normally don’t see. Thanks, Tina, for watching the video and commenting!
Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting. Can’t wait for p2
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your support!
Any chance you will ever visit South Africa?would like to meet you and maybe check out a few abandoned gold mines lol(you go first) love watching your stuff sir.
I don't think I'll be in South Africa anytime soon. I'm sure there are a lot of gold mines down that way. Thanks for watching and commenting, Brennan!
That is a beautiful mine! Thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your comment.
Frank thank you for all your awesome videos you make
Glad to hear you are enjoying them, Chris! Thanks so much for your comment.
Have you guys ever seen the old USGS report on the DeLamar District that has a map of all the tunnels in the mountain? It's practically an anthill.
Never heard of that particular report, Andy. Thanks for bringing it up. I’ll have to look into it.
@@AbandonedMines11 I've spent a lot of the last 40 years exploring around DeLamar and researching it's history--although I draw the line at exploring inside the mines! Anyway, I've got a big file on it all, but it's in storage at the moment. When I find the report, I'll let you know so I can send you a PDF.
Awesome huge mine! I'm thinking the yellow mineral you saw is sulphur, that's usually hanging out wherever gold is found. I like the mines that employed timbering, imho the timbering isn't just for safety reasons but it's also an art form, it lots really nice! Thanks for taking us along, your adventures are a blast and I'm looking forward to part 2! As always, stay safe out there!!
I think you’re right about that yellow stuff being sulphur. Yes, the timbering really is a lost art form because modern mines don’t employ those methods anymore. It’s amazing how after 125 years, the timbering in this mine is still basically intact except for a few areas here and there. The miners back then really knew what they were doing, it seems. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment! As always, I really appreciate your support here.
@@AbandonedMines11 You know, if not for explorers like you Frank, most of the old mines would be lost to the BLM and history and I want to thank you for what you do! Mining is part of California's history and I feel it's important that that history be documented and known. So, keep up the good work and I'll keep watching!!
I appreciate that!
At 1;55 " Ahh the Alcoves" Nod to Yuri . Frank and Associate thank you for this explore ,thats a neat Mine . At abote 2:50 the yellow looks like Sulphur on Calcite ? I cant not tell from quick look but i like the way you recorded it . Stay safe please .
Yes, I always have to film the alcoves. LOL Thanks, Mark, for your comment! I’m not sure if that yellow stuff was sulfur. Nick did report that he thought he smelled sulfur at one point in the tunnel, but I’m not sure. When I reached where he was, I really didn’t smell anything like sulfur.
Hi Frank, below that ore chute at 10:50 it looks like there is a hole possibly leading to a lower level ?? and it looks like you were possibly standing on a false floor right in front of the chute too. You actually covered quite a bit of ground in this episode, I can't wait to see what comes up next in part 2. Thanks for having us along on the explore. x
Hi, Sue! I did look briefly at that gap under the ore chute when I was there. Yes, I think there might have been a vertical shaft there at some point but they built an ore chute over it instead. The reason I say that is because directly opposite that ore chute was a large, rectangular “room” with what looked like foundations for an engine and winch. We saw three other rooms that looked similar to that which were deeper in the mine that you will see in Part 2. Those other rooms had really deep vertical shafts on the far side of them as well. You’re very observant to have picked up on all of that. You might have an inner calling to be an abandoned mine explorer after all! LOL Thanks for all of your support and comments!
@@AbandonedMines11 I would love to explore abandoned mines, but beings as I have a disintegrating spine it might not be a good idea. I can adventure all I want by watching your channel. Take care. x
I appreciate all of your comments and support here, Sue! Always nice to know that you are following along in the videos.
@@AbandonedMines11 I feel honoured to be a part of the adventures, thank you. x
Great stuff guys amazing mine love all the timbering that’s the mine that keeps on giving as always be safe
Thanks, Steve! Good hearing from you again! How’s the research going on the Grizzly Gulch Mine?
Definitely learning more about it but nothing yet on the winze interesting mine took little break scouting around on google earth in Nevada for a bit refresh my brain a little lol
I wasn’t able to find much information myself.
I went thru old newspapers online from 1900 -1915 about 8-9 hours worth interesting stories but a lot of stuff I guess was not talked about much not sure I was determined though 😂😂
Thanks for doing that, Steve! If you ever make it out here to join me for an abandoned mine exploration, the drinks are on me!
I love this channel 👍👍 your Exploring Abandoned Mines is my favorite show on you tube
You really should send a one page idea to the producers of those ghost shows or any reality studios, they would pick this up in a minute
Have a great day 😊💪💪
Thanks, James, for your suggestion! Really glad to hear that you're enjoying my channel. Thanks, man!
This was a really cool mine, thanks for the upload bud.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this one. Lots more footage coming in Part 2. Thanks for your support!
@@AbandonedMines11 You bet and trust me, i impatiently await part 2 lol.
If you are where I think you are they started open pit in the late 1070's Dad was there back in the late 60's surveying for the open pit
Good to know! And that's pretty cool that your dad worked their in the late 1960s. You have a connection to the place that most people don't have!
Thanks showing scales in metric really aprciate that. I enjoy your video.
My pleasure!
Yea. That's a big mine.
I want orange barrel.
Sounds like you were exploring a forest with all them branches...LOL!
There definitely was a forest’s worth of trees down inside this mine! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I really appreciate your support!
Enjoy your commentary and explorations
Awesome! Thank you very much! Glad to have your support.
I always wondered what the ore chute gates looked like! And I'm always surprised that those timbers are holding that much weight for so long.
I've seen different types of chute gates in abandoned mines. Sometimes the gate is simply a wooden plank that is inserted into the mouth of the chute. Other gates can have a gear that lowers and raises a metal gate. You'll see both types in this video. Thanks for your comment!
@@AbandonedMines11 thanks for replying! I've always wondered, is it possible to close the gates if the chute is passing chunks of ore? I sure wish there were more videos of this stuff in action, seeing all the abandoned mines make we wish I knew how they were back in the day!
I don’t think they would’ve been able to close the chute gate while ore was falling through it. The miners probably knew how much rock to throw down into the chute to fill up the ore cart that was waiting at the mouth of the chute.
I got no idea what that 44 Gal drum was for, but could possibly be an old parts washing tub or something that would have been filled with kerosene or some other such solvent
Fantastic video Frank. Absolutely loved it. Always wondered though about a raise. Wouldn't the looking up in a raise be the same as looking down a winze? What would be the difference? Is just depends on up or down. Always kinda confused by those 2 terms. It's a connecting tunnel between 2 levels. Great video man! Looking forward to part 2.
gmoneypower Great comment and great questions! Yes, a raise and a winze are basically the same thing - a vertical shaft that connects levels in a mine. To me, a raise is a pretty substantial vertical shaft going up in a tunnel ceiling. It is usually square or rectangular in shape and might be heavily timbered and have ladders in it and even a hoisting mechanism. On the other hand, a winze is a smaller and much narrower shaft going down in a tunnel floor. Winzes can also be inclined somewhat. Winzes were not usually used to transport ore and, instead, just had a ladder in them that allowed the miners to traverse between levels. Winzes seem to be much narrower and more rickety and more likely to be inclined at varying angles along their length. In contrast, a raise is like a huge elevator shaft. Hopefully this information helps! It’s basically what I’ve been able to glean over the years on my own. I may not be 100% correct. Thanks again for all of your support and interest here over the years! I really do appreciate it.
Hey Frank! Long time subscriber here! Love the videos. You could try adding a bit of contrast in post in the editing software you use to bring some of the colours back that may have been washed out due to the brightness of the lights.. Keep it up!
Thanks for the tip! I think I might need to invest in a new camera as well. The one I have is about six or seven years old and full of dust. You can really see the dust when I'm filming outdoors into the sunlight. It makes the picture all hazy. Underground in low light, that isn't a problem, but it probably still degrades the video somewhat. Thanks, Dinara, for the tip about adjusting the contrast. Will have to look into that. I use Windows Movie Maker, and I don't think it has that ability, though. I need to upgrade to a better editing software. LOL
@@AbandonedMines11 Haha no problems mate! A good free tool you can put to good use is DaVinci Resolve Lite! It might look a little complicated at first look but I promise you, once you get the hang of it, you'll never go back. It's a really powerful tool to edit and color the videos. And it's free!
Dinara Will look into it. Thanks, man!
I hope the powder cleaned out of your lungs quickly. A lot of the miners died young, one or two exposures wouldn't do it though. Loved this video.
Thanks for your comment, Robert! I’m not really worried about a one-time, brief exposure to the dust in this mine like Nick and I experienced when we were there. It’s the miners who had to work in there day after day for an 8 or 10 hour shift who really suffered.
Also I think it’s especially worse while the mine is worked with rocks being broken
At 8:23 the insulator had a bottom piece that was attached to it for over head line for the mine motor to run.
Wasn’t aware of that. Thanks for letting me know! We found a few of these further on in the mine which will probably see in Part 2.
Thanks for telling us what the ruts in the dirt were! I was curious
Glad to help! It's very common for these abandoned mines to have had their ore cart tracks and the wooden cross-ties removed to be used in other nearby mines. Normally, though, the ruts from the wooden cross-ties aren't as deep or as pronounced as you saw in this video. Thank you very much for your comment!
Looks like a big mine!
It definitely was! One of the biggest I’ve been in for quite some time.
Hi frank, could you pls explain what the difference between a raise, vertical shaft, and a winze are?
Awesome video as well, cool to see a tunnel that wide!
Will do! For starters, I think the definitions of the three terms you asked about depend upon one’s perspective inside the mine. For example, when you’re standing in a tunnel and looking up at a large opening in the ceiling that extends vertically hundreds of feet, that would be a raise. But are you really looking up from the bottom of a vertical shaft? Not necessarily. Raises tend, in my opinion, to not have any ladders in them or any hoisting mechanisms. They were dug to connect levels of a mine, to perhaps serve as ore passes, and for ventilation. Vertical and inclined shafts, on the other hand, tend to have hoisting mechanisms and ladders and tracks for the ore cart that was used to bring the ore up from lower levels. In my opinion, a winze is a usually much smaller, cruder shaft connecting levels in a mine. Winzes are often very small and sometimes don’t have ladders in them. A winze would almost never have a complicated hoisting mechanism, tracks, and a full set of ladders in it. if there is a hoisting mechanism, it was usually a very simple hand-cranked spool positioned over the winze with a cable on it that was manually operated. I hope this information helps! The words raise and shaft are somewhat interchangeable, but winzes are in a separate class by themselves due to their much smaller size. That’s what I’ve come to learn over the years.
@AbandonedMines11 wow thank you so much!! I was curious in part because I was interested in understanding the features of these old mines, and because I'm actually in the process of making a really extensive mine in the popular game Minecraft and I wanted to make sure to include some of the real-world aspects of these old drift mines!!
Sounds cool! Good luck with your game!
Frank, is this the Delamar Mine at Silver City Idaho? Been there but its portal didn't quite look like this mine. Cool video, keep them coming.
Hey, Rick! No, this is the Delamar Mine at Delamar, NV. Surely you've heard of it! Massive, massive, multi-level gold mine.
Any info on that steel wheel above "The End" roof beam. Maybe there's an old rail cart thrown up there?
Hello my friend, just want to know did you ever find gold while you were exploring around the mine and were you able to keep it.
I’ve never come across any gold. However, I’m not actively looking when I’m exploring, either. You see a lot of quartz veins in these mines. Those veins were where the gold was.
Glad to see you
Good hearing from you as well!
wow mate - when I see you and Nick walking under those big slabs of rock without much in the way of ground support or shotcrete I worry a bit! I know that most of the time it is all good, and in this case the rock is pretty hard, but walking into unsupported areas like that in a modern mine would be likely to get the crew fired lol
Very good video. Thank you.
Great! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment.
Nice... If not too much to carry maybe (in another video) take a small black light to see if anything glows
That’s a great idea, Kevin! Thanks for reminding me of it.
Heyyyyyyy Fr Portland Oregon always Loving your video's 💙💙💙😁 and I love listening to the background for Spirts in these places I haven't COMMENTS in a long time.. So at 7:12 Listen because in the background someone was says HELP it was really loud surprised you didn't hear it! LoL 😂😂😱 BTW you are brave only cause I knw what could be lurking in their I Can't LMAO 😳😳😂
Hi, Marida! I replayed the portion of my video that you pointed out. I think what you heard was Nick somewhere off in the distance doing his own narration for his own video. At least that’s what I hope it was! Thanks for taking the time to comment, though. I appreciate your ongoing support and interest here. It means a lot.
@@AbandonedMines11 Thank You for the reply😁😁 I get that could be but didn't sound like his voice at all LOL Much Love ♥️💙♥️💙
How does outbound airflow happen in caves? Where does the air come from? Is there an opening on the other side where the cave draws in air?
Yes, when there’s airflow coming through a mine tunnel that means there is another opening or entrance somewhere else.
I think at one time your camera really showed the colors I n the mines. Off to number 2
I think the problem is I’m using too much light which whites-out the image. I have two bright LED flashlights on my helmet that are usually on full power as well as my handheld flashlight. I don’t know - I have to experiment some more with my lights and try to get a good balance between showing the actual colors and not being too washed-out. Thanks for the feedback, Ronnie!
incredible!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
13:10
As of June 2021 this section has collapsed much more than is seen in this video. Still passable, but you might have to scramble over debris now.
Thanks for the update! I’m surprised to hear that because that mine seemed pretty stable for the most part due to its sheer size and the many levels that are in it. But, as we all know, collapse is inevitable in these abandoned mines if given enough time.
wow thats massive , great vid , loved it
Thanks for watching and commenting, Roy!
My new favorite video of yours :)
Thanks for commenting! And watching!
This is so cool!
This is a huge, massive mine. With the three videos I posted of it, that is only a small fraction of what to see there.
I would love to spend 4 hours down a mine because I would love it.
So, am I right in assuming that the miner's dots and graffiti were burnt onto the surfaces mainly with their carbide lamps?
THANKS FOR ALL THE AWESOME WORK! I have stayed up wayyyy too late binge-watching your videos..
That is correct, John! The miners’ dots and all of their graffiti was burned into the wooden timbers by using their carbide lights. It’s always really cool when we come across their graffiti. Those guys probably didn’t ever imagine that their carbide scrawls would be seen decades later if not a century later by people all over the world on something called the Internet.
@@AbandonedMines11 Thank you for your reply!
I find everything about your adventures to be fascinating. It is unreal how much Earth and Rock a small group of men can remove from underground all the while dragging in countless timbres that are being brought at a steady pace from who knows where in the middle of the desert.. Then to think that it was done almost entirely by hand and in the dark with no kind of ground penetrating radar or GPS guidance.. Humans have definitely become soft of the last 50 years.. Most people today (especially in the US) couldn't even fathom the amount of labor and the toll it would have taken on your body and mind.. The men whose footsteps you have been following in your videos did more manual labor in a day's time than most people under 30 today will do in their entire lifetime. They deserve to be remembered as well as their accomplishments. I'm glad to have come across your channel.
big slabs of... rock
So....when do they abandon these mines? When they get all the ore, or when they hear the first crack and crap starts falling?
It depends. Sometimes the ore does run out. Other times the price of the ore falls so low that it isn't worth mining anymore. Sometimes the government steps in and orders the mines closed like they did for the World Wars. Most of these abandoned mines do have ore left in them, though. That's why you see a lot of foreign mining companies buying up the abandoned claims after doing some core sampling and then going in there and digging huge, open-pit mines to get the rest of the ore the old-time miners missed or couldn't get to due to technological limitations.
It is a tradition for me to watch your videos to get ready before sleep ... Do you use a phone to record your videos ? regards..
No, I have a dedicated video camera that I use to record my videos. Thanks for your comment!
With whatever video editing software you're using, after its all done you should increase the volume on the whole video by +10 or +20db. At max volume its only at like half volume compared to other youtube videos.
Keep up the good work man!! Be safe!!
I was wondering why it sounded so quiet!
Thanks for letting me know about the volume issue. Will look into it. I think I might just need to speak louder.
Very interesting and I am looking forward to the next installment! However, could you please increase the audio level of the recording? I have a bad hearing loss and was not able to get more than maybe 1/2 of what you said. Or if you could include CC - Closed Captioning - then I can see what is being said! Thanks and SAFE exploring!
Thanks, Bob, for your comment and suggestion! Some other people have complained of low volume in this video. I'm not sure what's going on. I think maybe I just need to speak louder although I've not made any conscious decision to speak softer. The only other thing I can think of is that my video camera is starting to malfunction. Will look into it.
Most of these old tunnels you go down I see loads of dust that has accumulated over the years. I've wondered how long of a work life some of the miners had breathing fine dust daily. I'm sure your aware of Black Lung an the dust produced by Widow Maker drills. Can just about hear the owners telling the men 'what's wrong with you men? A little dust isn't going to hurt you!'.
This mine, the Delamar Mine, is ground zero for silicosis!
Nice video looked like a big mine!
Thanks, David! This is definitely one of the biggest abandoned mines I have ever been in. There are many levels and thousands and thousands of feet of tunnels.
I like the lower light level Frank... Great vid, thanks!
What light is Nick using?
Nick showed me his light but I can't remember. I liked his light, though. Nice, clean, white light. Thanks for your feedback, Darin!
How coools!
Can you explain a typical day for these miners ?
wow this is cool.
Thanks for your comment! I appreciate it.
@@AbandonedMines11 thanks for doing this and thansk for talking back to me . made me happy
How do you find abandoned mines to explore?
Through lots of research, Eric. However, this mine has been visited by everybody and their mother going back at least a decade if not longer. Popular mines like this one are usually well-documented online via other explorers' photographs, trip reports, and videos. It's nice to supplement all of that by obtaining old mining reports and related things from the time period when the mine was actually active. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
Hey guys I have been working on a documentary of Delamar for a while would love to talk with you guys
What do you want to know? You can email me at frank @ excite . com.
In many mine exploration vids, evidence of prior ground-fall/collapse is present, yet seeing it 1st-hand appears rare. Have u ever witnessed either occur while exploring?
Ditto same question re timbering failure, as these oft coincide, yet not always.
TheSWolfe Yes! If you watch my video of the Black Mine, I was crawling past a clogged ore chute on my stomach while Jeremy was filming me. Video is here: ruclips.net/video/p6akuzMpVF4/видео.html. Suddenly, rocks that were clogged up in the ore chute came loose and started tumbling out of the chute’s mouth right at my head as I was squeezing through the narrow area. Luckily the rocks stopped coming out after a few seconds. I laid there motionless and was listening intently, and I could hear rocks moving and shifting which sounded like they were far away up in a stope. I’m assuming the behind that ore chute was an enormous stope with rocks that had been either stacked up or heaped up in large piles. I guess me crawling past the chute caused some kind of disturbance which caused the rocks to start coming out of the mouth of the chute. Needless to say, I ended up carefully backing out of that area, and then Jeremy came back through himself as fast as he could.
@@AbandonedMines11 Crazy (& chilling)! Thx, I'll check it out.
Love your videos, thanks for yet another adventure! My grandpa was a geophysicist for the Dept. of the Interior/U.S.G.S./Bureau of Mines so watching your videos makes me think of the old workings he would have seen going into older mines in the 1960s to 1990s. In regards to the 'washed out colors' in your videos - even with being set to 1080p with ethernet cable (no quality loss from wifi) some of your videos only look like 360p or 480p. Perhaps a better camera and/or software to make the videos? Just a thought, either way awesome vids.
My camera is about six years old, Jeff, and full of dust from these mines. I think the dust inside the lens degrades the video quality somewhat. Also, when rendering the video files, I have to convert them to a different file format which also loses some of clarity. Probably need to buy a new video camera. I'm surprised the one I have has lasted this long considering all the dust, all the drops, and all the general abuse it gets while on a trip.
All those timbers means forests cut down for mining gold
Humans are so dangerous
I live in ne oklahoma and all our mines are filled with water no exploring of them
We have flooded mines out here, too, but not usually in the desert areas. How flooded are your mines? They can still be explored even if there is only a couple feet of water in them. Thanks for your comment!
@@AbandonedMines11 they are completely filled one of the last mines to give tours had to pump 2 to 3 million gallons a day to keep it free of water but went broke and shut down
Don’t think you were alone...