Special Visit To The Incredible 16 to 1 Mine: Part 6 - Tightner Shaft
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- Опубликовано: 3 сен 2019
- We continue our explore of the gold mine along the 1700 Level to see a fantastic piece of historical mining equipment in the form of an enormous pump. We also visit the nearby Tightner Shaft before returning on the underground train to the 49 Winze where we then make our way back to the 1300 Level on the way to the ballroom. The quartz we pass through on the 1300 Level should give you an idea of what is to come in the ballroom…
And in case it wasn’t clear when we were looking down the Tightner Shaft, the winze keeps going for thousands of feet. Remember, we were standing on the 1700 Level looking down and the winze drops below 3,000 feet! There is still a lot of water to be pumped out.
I’m going to jump ahead a bit with the history on this mine as by the 1960s, the mine was under extreme pressure from the low (and fixed) price of gold relative to inflation, the fire in the Tightner Shaft, poor management decisions and rising production costs. As such, production was minimal and the mine was leased by multiple parties ranging from a group of Japanese businessmen (remember when Japan was set to take over the world, much as China is supposedly set to do now?) to Lucky Chance Mining Company to Royal Gold before the Original Sixteen to One Mine Inc. regained full title to its property on June 3, 1991.
Of note, Royal Gold spent $7 million on the mine and produced $5 million in gold. The largest pocket mined by Royal Gold contained over 6,000 ounces… On another occasion, Royal Gold recovered over 1,200 ounces of gold from an area five feet by six feet. In other words, in an area covered by a single round. Royal Gold likely could have broken even, or even profited from the Sixteen to One, but high-grading was reportedly a serious problem during this time and a lot of gold left the mine in people’s pockets.
I’m resuming the history of the Sixteen to One Mine from the book just after the Original Sixteen to One Mine Inc. regained control of the property as this is most relevant to the modern history of the mine:
“Since regaining control of its mine it has been feast or famine for the company, which is typical of the mines in the district. Soon after the return of the mine famine set in. The company had no money; then, during the end of 1991 a pair of out-of-work miners, Ian Haley and Randy Yeager, approached Mike Miller, president of the company since 1983, with a plan. The pair wanted to try and use metal detectors in the mine, which was otherwise on maintenance status. The novel idea appealed to Miller, and a 30-day co-op contract was negotiated. Success was immediate. The first day two ounces of gold were found. At the end of the first week 150 ounces had been found, and the next week 50 ounces were recovered from one spot. Some of the gold was “new gold” and some was stolen gold that had been hidden in the mine. Soon every miner had his own metal detector.
During 1992, aided by the use of metal detectors, the company produced 5,237 ounces of gold. During 1993 the company produced 8,163 ounces with a production cost of $183 per ounce. Included in this number is 2,500 ounces produced from the 1330 stope in one day. During five days in July 1995 the mine produced 1,717 ounces of high-grade and 3,327 ounces of specimen gold worth $1,936,829. During this time and up to the present a number of smaller pockets have been mined, which has allowed the mine to survive up to the present.”
Again, the above is excerpted from “Gold Mines of the Alleghany-Forest Mining District” by Raymond W. Wittkopp and Wayne C. Babros.
A couple of small points… The numbers quoted above were in 1990s prices. That would be several times more valuable today. And, yes, in case that didn’t stand out, they produced 2,500 ounces in one day! That’s known as the “million dollar day” around the mine. Today, it would be the “several million dollar day!”
Also, those of you that have been with this channel for a while may have recognized Randy Yeager’s name from our tour of the “Rogue Miner’s Mine.” If you haven’t seen it, it is an excellent video and Randy is a very colorful guide… A link is here:
• Fascinating Visit To T...
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There is absolutely no reason for you to ever apologize for your video footage quality. Your video is extremely high quality as it always is, especially under the conditions you are trying to film in, and if anyone watching were to complain they don't have a clue what is actually going on. Thanks once again for taking me along, it is appreciated.
I appreciate that very much. Ha, yes, the filming conditions are not easy at all! I do a lot of combat filming and despite the explosions and firefights, I actually find that a lot easier to film than underground in the mines with the mud, darkness, water dripping into the microphone, etc.
The miner boss guy is a really cool dude . To give a special tour and show us access to all this awesome history ..Great video ..special thanks to 16 to 1
Yes, we were incredibly fortunate to connect with him. He did it on his day off too!
What a nice guy to have with you. He brings the place to life. I could watch this all day.
We were so lucky to connect up with him...
Tripping!!!
Not bad for city boys.
I am still totally blown away by what really went on inside of these Mines you show. I grew up in the Rand Mining district and never knew or had any idea that this kind of work and the situations that these Miners faced day to day just to earn a living.........I love your videos man!!!
Thank you very much. Yes, the old timers were tough!
“Gly”: Incredible video! That quartz vein was absolutely spectacular! It’s hard to imagine just how much work it took to get all that equipment and timbering that deep into the mine. Just incredible. Loved every minute.
Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying these... And, yes, the amount of work that went into this mine is incredible. The ballroom, which is in the next video, is entirely comprised of quartz.
I know the feel of walking down those muddy levels all too well, one we done recently fills with water in the winter months and is such a wonderful experience trampling through that heavy mud in the levels. I guess it will take a few years to dewater that lower level, but what a project for the guys there, a lot of hard work for sure!
Haha, yes, you're the expert on flooded mines and mud. We get plenty of those too, but we at least we get a break sometimes with the desert mines. You get nothing but flooded mines and mud. I hope they are successful in getting down to those lower levels. Once they're past the stopes, the effort should go much more quickly.
Yess! The suspense has been killing me a bit. Thanks!
Thanks cant wait to see the ballroom, and the surprise!!!👍
Been loving this series. It would be cool if you could film them actually mining and processing the ore.
This has got to be one of the best series I've ever seen on RUclips :)
Thank you very much. We were very fortunate with the circumstances that came together to make this one happen...
Thanks a ton for your work documenting the epic work that has been done at the 16 to 1 mine. Hell I would buy this on DVD to see it over and over again, keep it up good sir. -Grant and Lucky dog
Thank you very much, Grant. I hope to meet you and Lucky dog soon...
@@TVRExploring indeed goodsir, looking forward to it 👍
I saw a video of this mine 20 years ago on Gold Fever with Tom Massey. They had to tote those big ass video cameras of the 90s. Great series of videos 👍
Haha, yeah, that would have been tough. They would have needed huge battery packs too for the lights and cameras.
Wow Oh Boy another look at the Historic 16-1 Mine . thank you gang
Absolutely incredible wow!!! I have no clue as to how they were able to get all of that machinery that deep in the mine? Extremely destined for the gold I guess wow just incredible for sure.
Thanks for having us along for the ride keep them coming 👍👍👍
A lot of the things the old timers did are just incredible...
When he's talking about he bottom levels, they go there and then stopped. No documentation, no one knows why they stopped.
We all know.
Durin's Bane.
Well, you're right, of course, but Duane didn't want to scare impressionable people in the audience...
So I'm confused was there a body down there or something
Thanks again for sharing life with enthusiasm and energy
Thanks for joining us.
Soooo freaking spectacular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe the amount of quartz that is in that mine!
Such rusty majesty
Very well said...
Such an interesting mine, it's a great way to see and hear how they used to mine back in the old days, your guide has what seems like an immense knowledge of both mining and the history on this particular mine too. A very cool video, thank you for letting us tag along. x
Thanks, Sue. Yes, we were very lucky to have Duane reach out to us and very fortunate that he worked at this mine of all of the mines out there!
@@TVRExploring Definitely a great guy and he really explained everything so clearly. A great mine tour. x
this just gets better every time very good
Awesome tour! Thanks for the vids!
Really cool! Thanks guys!
Awesome, thanks again.
Incredible thank you for filming looking forward to the next video
Thank you!
thanks for bringing me along for the adventure, justin. there's so much rust metal everywhere. those old-timers must have been hard workin guys. cp.
The old timers were tough!
Awesome quartz vein , amazing tour thank you 😊
The ballroom, which is in the next video, is entirely comprised of quartz!
Great series!
Great series, great work, thank you much TVR!
Thank you very much.
This is an awesome mine. Of all the other mine exploring videos yours are the best. The way you document everything you see and yet you really dont disturb any artifacts. Bravo to you
Thank you very much. I really appreciate the kind words and support.
Dude the stabilizer problem was minor.. the video however was fucin awesome. The whole series was killer man great job.
Thank you very much.
Holy cow that was the fastest 28 minute video I ever watched I could get enough next thing I know it's over
I agree with his observation the labor and ingenuity required to get some of that equipment way deep into the mine is amazing. When I think about it, I tell myself there would have to be some serious riches to get me to work that hard. I'd have to see some really high-grade seams of gold to get me motivated to do it.
Just the sheer mass of quartz in that place is absolutely unreal. It really is amazing. This walkthrough has been just awesome, every episode. I can't wait to see the rest of this.
Glad you've been enjoying it!
me and Slim have been waiting for this one
Slim would be perfect for squeezing through some of the tight spaces in this mine!
I have fallen in love with this mine! Seriously love watching this!
Hard not to love this mine! I'm glad you're enjoying these...
damn you man! you've got me waiting for your vids to post every wednesday LOL. and i'm not a miner, nor a geologist, i'm a freaking small engine mechanic LMAO. How did i get sucked into this!?!?!?!
Seriously man, thanks for the videos!
Haha, I'm glad I could pull you in with this series! LOL. Glad you're enjoying these...
@@TVRExploring Hey wow! thanks for replying to my comment! and seriously many thanks for these great videos! you've managed to get some good footage not only in the worst filming conditions, but also while this guy dispenses great knowledge at 100 miles a minute, and you somehow manage to catch most all of it haha :) great job! I look forward to the next!
Haha, yes, these were challenging filming conditions to say the least!
I really wanna know what they find when the finally finish draining. Will you go back and see?
More iron ore from tools and machinery left behind ?
Yes, certainly, tools and machinery... Who knows what else? I'd love to go back and see the bottom levels.
How long was the place flooded like that for I wonder if any type of organic life dwelled there there
Cobar. NSW flooded up shot they now run the pumps and flow it though filter oz perà hour did have to mine just pump away. So was wondering where water comes out.
Love it! Thanks again for the great video documentation :)
Thank you!
When you were talking about that small hole at 12.58 where they dug it out for gold, you could see it sparkling from what gold was remaining there. Very very cool video and I agree it looks like you were under a glacier with all that Beautiful white quartz.
A very nice piece of old equipment, and a lot more too find there i guess, this is a great series thnx.
Thank you. Yes, there is a lot of great stuff in there... Anyone that likes the old equipment will appreciate the 49 hoist in the last video in this series.
great info duane
Got an iron ore mine on 1700 level . Great video series . Thanks
Thank you.
Hmm . Whereas I am not sure if the 1700 level actually means 1,700 feet below the surface , but if it does . That pump did a LOT of work and did so under some very high pressure !! A positive displacement piston pump is one of the only ways to create that much LIFT . If you had a pipe full of water that was 1,700 feet high and had a PRESSURE gauge at the bottom of the pipe it would read "about " 740 PSI . Then you have to take friction loss due to pipe resistance , elbows and valves , checks etc . to get the "total" head the pump would have to do, just get it up and flowing out of the top of the pipe ?! Man !! So "if" that pump is 1,700 feet down and it pumped water all the way out as he stated ..... damn !! I wonder what the HP was of that electric motor ?! I personally don't ever remember seeing a pump running above about 350 PSI . Crazy stuff , crazy mine , and a crazy cool mine series !!! BG
I think that they only had to lift it to the 800 level. I believe that was the level at which they entered the mine.
@@nathanhutchins5873 Hmm , ok . Maybe the guy just misspoke , cause I just listened again and he said " it took the water from here , and pumped it all the way outside . OMG , my dah !! I guess there were still some levels above the 800 where they came into this section ?! Sorry , sometimes I'm slow . Gotcha :D Ty . That 800 ft is a LOT different then . ... BG
Yes, 1700 is 1700 feet beneath the surface... The 800 portal, where we came into this section of the mine, is relatively new. The modern pump is sending out the water via the 800 level, but it was not in existence when this historic pump was operating. So, I'm not sure if they were sending the water out one of the other mines that were incorporated into the 16 to 1 or if they were running it up to the 0 level (which, yes, would take some serious pressure!). Hopefully, Duane can weigh in and let us know.
@@TVRExploring Thank you for the reply and the clarity . I also hope Duane replies to you on this . Thanks again ... Gubs
@@TVRExploring - Justin , when I worked at the Billie Mine in Death Valley, CA , we had 3 large positive displacement piston pumps (12 inch diameter pistons) near our 1120 Shaft Station (1120 feet below the surface) as the Billie was a "wet mine" - the mineral we mined was Colemanite (Calcium Borate) and was formed in hot mineralized waters under the Furnace Creek Wash . We only ran 2 pumps at a time , and pumped the water up an 8 inch diameter pipe in the Shaft all the way to the Surface and out to a large evaporation pond . - - I would imagine that the old antique pump was capable of doing the same (pumping directly to the surface) . < Doc > .
It’s hard to show everything when your following someone. But no worry your doing great. Wow what a huge mine.
Thank you for taking us along.
Haha, yes, it's hard to take everything in and also to keep up with the guy that is showing you around! I appreciate your understanding. And I am glad you are coming along on these videos...
They need to run all that silt for the fine gold. I love seeing the videos lots of history. The blm and several other agencies are trying to stop mining 100% besides the large mine. Im trying to get a small mine open.
I'm glad you're enjoying them. Yes, it definitely isn't easy being a miner these days. I wish you the best of luck in getting your mine up and running.
Good luck!
Hi! I've been watching your videos for a while and really enjoy them. My favorite was your video of finding the huge lake in the lead mine! That was so incredible! I am REALLY enjoying this series!! I can't wait for the next one! How did you get into doing these explores? Sorry if you covered that in another video. Keep up the great vids and I'll keep watching and liking them! Take care and be safe! And to the 9 people who disliked this video, WHY?!?!
Thank you. I'm glad you've been enjoying the videos... That underground lake in the lead mine is incredible. That really blew my mind! I'll keep doing the videos as long as I can. This has been a busy summer and so I've got a big backlog of good videos now. In regard to the dislikes, there are some people that are just really unhappy and bitter with their lives and hate everything. So, they'll just automatically be negative in any circumstance they can. As to how I started, I grew up in California’s “Gold Rush Country” and documented a few mines that were almost gone. After posting the videos, I learned that other people were interested in these as well. As I started doing it more and more, I learned more and became more interested. Plus it is an adventure to get underground and to explore these things.
Can't wait for the next instalment!
It's sad to see a once Majestic piece of equipment from the 30s having been reduced to little more than artistic iron oxide.
Keep up the Good work Justin these videos just seem to be much shorter than they are, a testament to your videography skills.
It is sad to see it reduced to a work of modern art, but I'm delighted that we were able to see it at all. Such things allow me to appreciate the past all that much more... I appreciate the kind words.
Again amazing.
That's it Justin I'm so jealous, I would love to spend a day going through this mine even though I'm closticfobic, Thanks again for the show .
Thank you. Yes, it's an amazing site...
This is the coolest shit I've ever seen! Love this hole series! It's just unbelievable what the old timers did to that Mountain! My jaw is on the floor and I keep repeating myself!
Understood. This is an awesome mine...
I am so jealous lol. The nice thing is that people can see the difference in a working mine and an abandoned mine looks like. Maybe some rail and artifacts in an abandoned mine versus shit all over in a working mine. If your in a working mine the last thing you want to do is haul anything out so you find nooks and cranny's and old stopes to store crap in.
Haha, yes, there is a big difference between the working mine and the abandoned mine... You explained the miner's mindset very well!
This is absolutely incredible!! It's hard to believe that this was all done by men. Awesome series so far and I'll definitely be watching the rest of the videos. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you. We were very fortunate to connect with Duane and to be able to see this mine in such detail...
When do we get to see the ballroom? This reminds me when I rehabed a mine in wa, we used 12×12 timbers in some spots. I miss mining underground was great memories. You should try to see the lovitt mine in wa.
You'll see the ballroom tomorrow... It's a pretty impressive sight. 12 x 12 timbers? Those are pretty beefy! I'm not a miner, but I love getting underground with miners and seeing the kind of work that you did.
awesome justin .have not seen chuck in some time in your vids
We just went out last weekend. However, it's been a really busy summer for him...
Wow just wow to have that in your yard be down there every day bet you would find something new every day just priceless
Oh, yeah, you could spend months down there and still be finding new stuff all of the time.
Yeah dewd,great series,the guy seems really cool!!!
We were very fortunate to connect with him...
That's a huge pump. It boggles the mind that it pumped all the way to the surface. With those huge quartz veins, the light is reflected well and gives a much better view of the mineralization.
It was a beast! In the ballroom, which you'll see in the next video, one is entirely surrounded by quartz.
More, more!
Another installment that flew by too fast. Awesome stuff!!!
Thank you.
Amazing
Why is there always a few a**holes who have to down thumb these video's, these are great video's and you can see he goes the extra mile to bring us good content. Thank you TVR
Thank you very much, Blazer... There are some people that are just really unhappy and bitter with their lives. They feel like they have no control, so they end up hating everything. So, they'll just automatically be negative in any circumstance they can.
@@TVRExploring some people just get a kick out of "triggering " people. Kinda sick.
True. Losers...
Magic best binging couldn't stop watching your great thanks makes c19 lock down bearable 🌷💐😁
That place looks amazing wished I lived in the us to see all these mines
Another fantastic segment!
What was the average gold content of the veins they followed, excluding the fabulously rich pockets?
Thank you. I don't know about averages for the modern workings, but the records don't exist for the older workings. Just that they were described as "rich."
TVR Exploring So, probably figure at least several ounces per ton, I would think. Especially considering the pockets! If you find out anything, please let me know, and thank you for your reply!
How many miles of mine are in this mine? It's an incredible mine and so fascinating to watch! Hoping there is still many more episodes to watch.
I think I read that it was 34 miles of workings. Someone might correct me on that though. And, yes, there are probably four more episodes... Glad you're enjoying it!
Yes, a Quartz glacier. Freaking amazing!
Yes, it seemed like those pictures of people you see walking through the caves carved through glaciers by the water melting off of them.
How many hours were you at the mine in total....lots of video to edit I’m sure..good job 👍👍
All day for the stuff you're seeing now and we came back the next day too in order to finish. Haha, yes, lots of video to edit!
Crowdfunding to get the mine drained faster? I wanna see 3000 ft under!
That's a great idea! I'd donate to that. No one has seen those lower levels since the 1930s. So, you can only imagine what might be down there...
It's nice to have friends in the business :)
He reached out to me. It was a friend I didn't even know I had... The best kind of friend!
What type of metal detectors would they use in a mine such as this? Any examples of gold ore that they mine ?
Minelab GPZ 7000, Minelab Gold Monster 1000, Whites GoldMaster GMT series, Fisher Gold Bug Pro and others.
Examples of gold ore? Right here: ruclips.net/video/8bApsF0eswQ/видео.html
This mine needs to be cleaned up ,pumped,and restarted.wish I was young again,sad to see all the waste and rusting machines.
What caused the mine to flood ? ( I might have missed a video in this series)
Or was the mine shut down and abandoned for a long period of time ?
Can't believe these guys would haul all this equipment 2000 feet underground
That “slusher with teeth” is a rocker shovel bucket
Which way get´s the pumped water out of the mine? And which pump they are using? Btw great video´s :)
Thank you. I'm not sure of the type of the pump... The water gets pumped up to the 800 level and is run out through there to the outside.
A pathetic 25 horse power 4 inch submersible pump is doing all the work now.
epic! there's a steam engine underground out by the "red star"....its massive. you got to see the hoist @ 49winze, how did royal gold get that in there?
Wow, that'd be incredible to see that steam engine! Yes, the 49 hoist will be the last video of this series. As to how they got it in... I don't know for sure, but it must have been an extraordinary amount of work.
that is going to be a real treat.. can't wait!
@@TVRExploring Duane and other people of his merit are the true "high grade specimen quality gold"......far exceeding the purest concentration of any mineral. without his colorful commentary and all the other hard working miners behind the scenes....... its just a pretty rock!
Agreed! Duane was fantastic for showing us around... The hoist is almost a whole video by itself.
What I’m wondering is what type of aircraft that drop tank would come off of(the one the miners put their tools in and dragged) i haven’t seen any civilian planes with them, possibly mil-surp?
At around 19:09 there is a metal cylinder on the lower left. Ancient or new?
I don't remember for sure, but I think it was modern.
I can't imagine all the ore that came out of there...and not just gold.
Wonder what this part of the mine looked like when the water was pumped out
Well, pretty close to how it looks now, really... Lots of mud and rust!
Just getting all that timber down there would be a mammoth undertaking much less getting all that ore and out. I am amazed it’s like a say, a city I derground
Yes, it's incredible. There is a whole forest down there... Underground city is a good way of describing it!
Can you imagine being down there and having catastrophic lighting failure
so guessing the quartz that is left is low quality gold?
Well, some quartz is barren and harbors no gold at all. However, this mine is full of pockets of gold within the quartz. It is just a matter of locating those pockets among the barren or low-yielding quartz.
If you start at the end of the mine an strip it to the beginning. Wonder how much money would be after expensiveness in scrap. Also some of the timber just wondering it's worth.
Probably virtually impossible to calculate, but it would be interesting to know...
How they pump that water out? A level at a time? How does it not just flood again, constantly pumping?
Yes, the pumps run 24/7 and slowly take out more water than is flooding in.
@@TVRExploring does it cost alot?
@@Tomijones Yes, the electrical and fuel costs of a mine run very high.
In the 16 to 1 shaft that was not a slusher bucker that was the front of a over shot mucker such as a 12b or possibly an 11b
How much money does a mine have to make to cover it's expenses and stay open? 100%, 200%, what approximately? Many thanks.
It really depends on so many factors. That's one you have to take on a case-by-case basis. Mining is not cheap though!
Open cut the mountain as in Papua take the lot and mill it all soon have the lower levels cleaned up they must of missed heaps. Well that's what we do in Australia with old gold mines.
👍👍👍
The dude clearly loves the mine.
It's a great mine...
Like how did they not know that right on other side of rock wall there could be a huge seam of gold? Just curious.
Any clue why they have blue cat5e cables just about everywhere?
Nevermind lol Phone system.
Yep!
Interesting, but not so much because its all a rusted, ruined muddy mess. Which is sad. I love to see what miners did, what they built. I don't care much myself about the ore or what they dug out. It just amazes me, all them drifts and shafts were created one yard or two at a time. Crazy.
Now its getting good...
Im assuming that the reason they call it the "16 to 1" mine, is because there's 16 parts gold to every 1 part of waste rock?? Lol. Seriously though, he mentioned using metal detectors early on here. Is he saying that they have metal detectors that are sensitive enough that they can just sweep the detector across a solid, untouched quartz vein in the walls, and instantly detect tiny quantities of gold in the quartz(despite the likely presence of other metallic elements that also exist in that vein)? I wonder if that enormous 3 piston pump was still in operating condition when they abandoned it way back in the day?
Yes, the metal detectors can penetrate at least a couple of feet into the rock to detect gold. They're after rich pockets of gold. So, those definitely turn up on the detector. As metal detecting technology improves, they should be able to find increasing amounts of gold.
Were you wishing for ear protection while riding the trammers? Sounds like it was rather noisy.
They're noisy, but they don't leave your ears ringing the way firing a gun or running a chainsaw without ear protection will do...
Human Ants!!!
Seems like you could vacuum, sweep the floors and loose debree and make
Wages.
you can pull aprox 8oz. every other day just going through the old muck in some stopes
Should do a video of it now two years later