The whole place looks extremely unstable. The undercut area reminded me of the time I most scared myself in an abandoned mine (on the north side of Butte Creek Canyon near the top of the 1000' butte, walking distance from my house). I crawled on my belly up a short incline shaft where there was a hole in the floor about 4' across. When I got to the hole and looked down I could see a huge underground fast flowing river about 300' below me, and realized I was laying on a very thin layer of lava cap near the top of a giant cavern. I knew there were underground rivers coming from Mount Lassen but that was the largest one I have ever seen. I later found out that a few years earlier a woman had fallen into that same hole, never to be seen again.
Yes, off of the top of my head, this is probably the sketchiest lode mine I have been inside of. Usually it is placer mines that are like this... The geology is certainly unusual because the other iron mines I have been inside were very solid. The experience you described in Butte Creek Canyon would definitely rank near the top of my list! I'll bet that one spiked the ol' heart rate a little, no? Jesus, man, that is insane... If that thin layer had gone out on me, I probably would have just ended up with a broken leg. Drops of 300 feet to underground rivers? Not really my preferred way to go. That's interesting about the underground river though... It makes sense given how many old lava tubes must be spinning out from Lassen, but I didn't know of their existence. Pretty cool.
Duck Landes People sinking fresh water wells have broke through the lava shelfs, causing a lot of Paradise's ground water to be lost. That's why a moratorium on drilling on the ridge.
Wow this is another very deteriorated mine. I was getting tense just watching you explore it. Wet, rotted and unstable mines really give me the creeps. You are one brave soul. Great series on this Italian mine!
Thank you very much. Yes, I believe this is the worst lode mine that I have ever been inside. I still can't believe they were driving a loaded LHD over that tiny crust of rock where those pits were. How did that not collapse on them? Fortunately, the other mines in Italy have been very stable and sound so far.
Good exploring! That LHD driving on the thin floor was crazy. It's possible that collapse you found ended that! Love seeing the mines in Italy. Keep up the awesome and amazing feature videos. :)
Dude, sketchy doesn't even begin to describe that mine. Some of the previous mines you've been in that you've described as sketchy look downright rock solid stable compared to this place. I'm pretty sure I would have bailed at the collapsed floor at this one.
Yes, I think this is the worst lode mine that I have been inside. I remembered that this mine got slightly better after the section shown in this video, but I was working on the final video in this series last night and I was like, "No, actually, this isn't any better at all." Ha, so, perhaps needless to say, I am not too eager to return to this one...
No need to... I've explored it as much as one can or that I am willing to. You'll see in the next video that one could theoretically have kept going, but I don't know anyone that would have. Not even me.
the small pipe is definitely electric and the square tube on the ground i think is ventilation the pipe hung off the wall is probably compressed air. real cool video.
Yes, I think that was an older ventilation pipe running along the left side of the adit and the squared one on the right was a more modern ventilation system.
It's definitely worth the visit, but I think id take ropes with me in mines like that. I wouldn't be surprised if those tunnels which collapsed were going down to the lower level you were in earlier, I think that's why those were blocked.
The problem is that there is nothing to anchor the ropes to. It's difficult to say if the drifts we saw that were collapsed were focused on this level exclusively or if they dropped down to connect to the lower adit. You'll see what I mean in the next video...
Here I am again watching this crazy guy go down into the devils domain of the underground, and treating it like just a walk in the park............ must be Wednesday ! 😊 Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍
That was pretty awesome... That hairy growth like thing on that beam reminded me of those old fashioned etch a sketches with that hairy looking magnetic stuff lol.. 👍 video!
As an ex cave diver, I think your lack of fear will soon get you killed. At least take someone with you and give him an extra copy of your car key so he can go for help.
The other folks are right. That squared ducting on the right side is indeed for ventilation, and fed by that big blower outside. The large round pipe hanging on the left is compressed air (to run the drills), fed by those two big compressors in that outbuilding and the reservoir tanks outside. The smaller conduit on the right side is electricity for lights. That corroded bit of that line that you looked at was a lamp fixture.
Amazing mineralogy glimpsed in the video, I have a small amount of experience with it but never managed to see it in situ. Ag, Sn and Hg to name a few of the components, nasty concoctions in the drainage!
I don't recall ever claiming to be one... In fact, I frequently mention my lack of knowledge in matters relating to geology. Did you intend for that comment to come across as snotty and as arrogantly as it did? I'm hoping something didn't come across properly in the format of dry text. What is interesting to you may not be interesting to others and vice versa.
I did not think so as you seem a pleasant and knowledgeable individual... Yes, I was impressed when I read about the geology of this mine in more detail after I got home. There are indeed some unique deposits here. And, some very bad ground and nasty drainage, as you correctly indicated! This is one of those mines that I wouldn't be in a huge rush to go back into outside of the main workings. Thank you for the comment.
Great video as always! That’s awesome you get to check out these mines in other countries. This weekend I had the chance to go out to the Hidden Treasure mine in Utah it was the best mine I’ve been in and it was massive. They say there was over 20 miles of workings ranging from the late 1800s up to about 1972. Very well preserved mine with lots of artifacts, mineral deposits there was a dynamite and just about everything you could think of. Any way I could share some pictures and videos we got with you? You should try to come out to Utah sometime very rich mining history and tons of mines. That canyon had at least 7 mines that we know of.
The date on the magazine was 1971. Cool. By the way the metal pipe is this really for air? There was another pipe. They must have three pipes. One for air, one for electrical stuff and another one for compressed air or some kind of hydraulic? Meh idk
You saw a date? I looked all over and couldn't find one... You must have good eyes! Well, the metal pipe on the left was the oldest and so I assumed it must have been for air at one time based on its appearance. My interpretation was that it was abandoned when they put in the newer system on the right. That was just a guess though.
This whole sight is amazing. I never wanted to go to Italy before watching this series, now I somewhat want to go to Italy. Thank you for making these amazing videos.
As always, thank you for the comment... Haha, believe me, that section had me cringing too! The next video is of the newer workings and it isn't quite as bad. Interestingly, I've been in a bunch of Italian mines now and this is the only one that was sketchy. The others (for the most part) have been quite solid.
This is the first mine in Italy that I explored, but the others have proven to be very impressive as well. One of them is the most impressive abandoned mine I have ever explored.
"Straws." Thank you... I like that a lot better than "stringlets" or "stalagmites." I call them that again in the last video in this mine, but I'll have it right in the future.
What you have there is modern workings trying to bypass original old workings and one has collapsed into the other . The oldworkings were probably either too dangerous to use or two small for modern equipment. The old pipe looks as though it probably was a compressor air line or water both were generally the same size. Since there are rails the equipment was possibly diesel driven or electric in the seventies we used both for hauling ore. Later tyred vehicles were used and no rails would of been present.
Yes, it was interesting how the modern workings and older workings intersected in this mine. I'm used to seeing the older and the newer more separate from each other. At this mine, they were mixed together.
@@TVRExploring I've never seen this close proximity either. Presumably the later mining intention was to remove all viable ore knowing that it would be the last time it could take place. The extensive stoping has made that too dangerous to take place and will cause considerable surface environmental impact in the future as they collapse inwards.
Glad you enjoy the videos... Believe it or not, I'm not actively looking to get killed. My day job is a war reporter and the exact same question could be asked many times there as well. Is the picture or interview under heavy fire worth it? I don't really have a satisfactory answer for you, but I can't be successful if I am distracted worrying about being killed. So, I compartmentalize that and put it aside in order to focus on what is in front of me. Maybe that will come back and bite me someday. All I know is that I enjoy doing what I do (most of the time) and I think it is important.
i came across a string of vids about a mine that was just been abandoned (and was for sale) it had a ball mill, and two abandoned load haul dump in the tunnels, does anyone know thoes vids, i cant find em no more
Can almost smell the decomposing products of Pyrite etc. Thanks for taking us fellow explorers on these long journeys and risking your ass while we sit back and have a cold brew.
you may be standing on a huge winze. Collared shaft. Big hole. The Big Edge. lotsa down. Endless pit. Shaft to hell. (Don't mean to freak you out ;) Cheers, and thanks again!
Yes, I think you're right about that. I wouldn't want to do either again, but if you had an equal distance, I would choose the Diamond over this one... And I can't believe I am saying that!
Haha, yeah, I'm still kicking as of now... There was enough air blowing in through the large portal that it was pretty fresh on this top level. The levels in the next video smelled really bad though. I wasn't too sorry to get out of them!
MY friend I have been watching your video's for a long time. I have to say you are starting to lose your perspective on what is safe and what is not. That is the kind of mine that will kill someone. When you have working on top of working with ceiling/floors starting to give way like that the worth of documentation is not worth the risk. You know I have never told you tto NOT go somewhere. As an old miner I can tell you this mine was way beyond sketchy. You had ceiling fissures all over the place. You had wet conditions which was not only rotting the timber in the old working but softening the floor/ceiling everywhere. Everywhere you looked was undercut. Your documentation is far above average but it's not worth getting killed. I have seen men underground fall thru a floor and it usually isn't just a quick fall and oh shit. Take it from someone who has worked underground and loves your stuff. Take a step back and examine your risk/payoff setting. I would hate not to see more video's damn it. Stay safe guy.
Some really bad ground in there for sure! Interesting way they mined it, quite strange. The long thin iron formations we call "Straws" or "Needles", seen lots in copper and tin mines over here. Looking forward to seeing more from down there.
Yes, I think this is the sketchiest lode mine that I have been inside. I wouldn't be eager to go back, to be sure... The way they mined it really threw me when I first went in, but I think I made sense of it (for the most part) by the end. I try to break down what I think they were doing at the end of the last video. They definitely were going after every scrap of ore inside there! That's really interesting about the "straws" and I am surprised that we haven't seen those in California since we have the right water/iron combinations out there too. Thanks for telling me that term.
The problem is that there is nowhere to anchor the ropes... There have been several mines I'd like to get deeper in to where I can't because of the inability to utilize the ropes.
19:20 looks like snoties that I saw in a cave documentary. I don't think they are though. Snoties live of of acid of some sort. Google it for better answers.
Yes, I've heard about these in caves as well. We see variations of them in mines, formed by mineral-rich water dripping down. However, I've never seen them like this before or since.
Well the undercut could be an example of early 'Block Caving' of the main ore body. The primary purpose of this mine was Barite, Iron and Pyrites and one wonders why the owners would have pursued the underground mining methods when an open-cut or block caving mine might have been far more economical! Maybe being part of the EUROPEAN union it may have been heavily subsidized?
Creating huge pits, open cuts and other large surface mining projects are mostly a relatively recent phenomenon made possible by modern machinery. There is quite a lot of mountain still above these workings and it was probably not economical to remove a mountain when this was being worked. For most of Italy's history - especially after World War II - Italian labor was dirt cheap. This mine closed down before the European Union integration and subsidies were flowing... Those are my thoughts anyway. Hopefully, that was coherent enough to understand. It's been a long day.
As far as I know, the drones won't work underground because they need a satellite signal. At least that was my understanding... I'm sure there is some hack that could work around that, but I'm not that technically savvy. Man, I would be nervous using my drone underground because it would take some very delicate fingers to avoid clipping the side of an adit. I have unintentionally helped trim trees or bushes several times and they're a lot more forgiving than solid rock!
@@TVRExploring I looked through all the comments to see if anyone else noticed, I cant believe after all this time no one noticed it. It stuck out like a sore thumb to me! That mine was intense, glad you didnt get sucked in, and can still explore more stuff for us.
If you slow the playback speed down you cam also see what appears to be 2 eyes reflecting the light as the camera pulls away, possibly an animal? Definitely something though
Great video that is a huge mine to explore so cool to see the history of those old workings, at least over there they don't have BLM trying to close everything down.
Thank you. Yes, it is very refreshing to not have to worry about the BLM or the Forest Service destroying everything... That allows Italian explorers to be much more open and to share locations and such (something that can't safely be done in the U.S. since the BLM and Forest Service monitor social media and online forums to prioritize closures).
Thumbs up 150. TVR so much suspense all you need is a background music. Aren't you scare? When I use to go down the caves in Afghanistan I was scared and I had marines go with me and you sound like you are in town somehow. Great video.
Haha, yeah, but I don't have to worry about Terry Taliban being in the mines I go into! In Afghanistan, you had to worry about the normal dangers of a cave, but also be concerned about head hackers waiting for you inside... THAT would make me a little jumpy.
@ 9:30 in....anybody else see the skull sitting to the left of the timber that is sticking up? I've been over it three times now. Looks like a skull...
I do like your videos but not these ones. establish deciding factors and stick to them in regards to safety. You're in treasure seeker mode (even though you're respectable), and not weighing danger factors correctly man! Be safe.
Yea, I was surprised at the thin floor too. Mind you, I've been surprised underground as well. Poking a brand new tunnel into the mountain, only to be thwarted by a centuries old mine cutting across the vein we were chasing Even in the Klondike, you have to be careful where you placer, as you might find yourself falling in a big hole, BTW, did you film the young couple for a bit first ??? Post that, and you will get 1,000,000 subscribers I;m sure (Grin), little pinky in corner of mouth, Cheers!
Haha, I think I was as surprised as they were because I really didn't expect anyone out there either. So, no, I'm afraid I didn't do any filming... That certainly would have been an attention-getting introduction to a mine video! That's got to be a surprise to hit old workings when you're pushing into a mountain. And even in the Klondike? I know they had their big rush up there, but it still seems hard to wrap your head around it given the rugged wilderness... Those old-timers were pretty good at getting to the gold even without all of the technology available today. Thank you for the comments.
Atria Wulf usually it's the minerals in the air from it being so damp. We've seen formations where the wood was completely gone and the calcified shape was all that remained.
I love it. Honestly I am ready to get into mine exploration myself, I just wish there were more in my area. I have definitely checked around and the groups that existed fell apart. But I have a couple of friends and myself who are aware of what is stable and isn't, so I think our first mine will be a gold mine near home, then maybe expand. I hope I get to see things like that in person.
Atria Wulf Hopefully you have someone with you that's fairly experienced for the first few times till your comfortable with your own group. I don't advise doing it all but at least be safe first and foremost. Now having said that, yes you will see things that are pretty incredible underground. Most times it's a bit monotonous unless your a die hard freak for the punishment ( we are ) but every so often you come across something that will either have you scratching your head in confusion when you leave or awestruck and amazed till you get home! Lol
Yeah no doubt i have training as a geologist, and i do have an experienced friend. but i have never been in a mine personally. hopefully it"ll be a good experience :). safety first then exploration hehe.
Atria Wulf That's awesome you know geology cuz you'll have a field day underground! Every trip we've done or that either of us had gone on always has something interesting! Let us know what you find when you do get to go.
Your call your life but may I suggest gravity is winning the game on this mine too many false roofs and the drops already on the ground are natures warning.Hello from Australia a humble opal miner here Lightning Ridge.You Americans use the word sketchy we here down under say don't be where that sound that is akin the falling water its actually material sliding.Love your videos but that is one that should be sealed shut its a widow maker at every step.I do not agree with what apparently happens over your way with your lands people gating off mines and hiding history but this one needs all the adits being spoken to with HE.Just my humble opinion its a death trap set to be triggered by gravity and you have earthquakes over there ?
This one was sporty, to be sure... As far as I know, this part of Italy has not been impacted by earthquakes, but this mine doesn't seem to need them to come apart!
you scare the hell out of me. I enjoy your vids. what I wish, is that you would persuade some geologist, with no fear of death, to come with you, to explain the geology. you do a good job, but a fearless scientist, could in moments of stopping, explain the whole process of what happened to make the area what it is today. like the place on spore mountain in utah, where the only beryllium deposit is located. geology, when you do it scares me. stay safe, get a crazy helper.
If you find any volunteers, please send them my way! I'd love to have a scientist come in with us and explain some of what we're seeing... Thanks for the comment.
Nah, don't worry about that. I went in barefoot to that lowest level. I actually had the waders with me in the car, but this mine ended up being much, much bigger than I expected. So, I didn't feel like walking back half an hour to the car to retrieve the waders. An hour of hiking to get the waders? Easier to go in barefoot through the flooded section!
I was rocking a pair of waders I picked up in Italy... They're fucking heavy though so they would never work for the kinds of places you and I visit. We'd collapse before getting halfway there. Having waders like a tank was great in this setting though because I was able to smash right through the blackberry bushes. Our California waders would have been shredded into ribbons by that.
I don't know how the fetishists do it... These things are heavy as fuck and I've only used them in cold weather, but I'm sure they'd be horrible in warm weather.
The whole place looks extremely unstable. The undercut area reminded me of the time I most scared myself in an abandoned mine (on the north side of Butte Creek Canyon near the top of the 1000' butte, walking distance from my house). I crawled on my belly up a short incline shaft where there was a hole in the floor about 4' across. When I got to the hole and looked down I could see a huge underground fast flowing river about 300' below me, and realized I was laying on a very thin layer of lava cap near the top of a giant cavern. I knew there were underground rivers coming from Mount Lassen but that was the largest one I have ever seen. I later found out that a few years earlier a woman had fallen into that same hole, never to be seen again.
sounds very freaky!
Yes, off of the top of my head, this is probably the sketchiest lode mine I have been inside of. Usually it is placer mines that are like this... The geology is certainly unusual because the other iron mines I have been inside were very solid. The experience you described in Butte Creek Canyon would definitely rank near the top of my list! I'll bet that one spiked the ol' heart rate a little, no? Jesus, man, that is insane... If that thin layer had gone out on me, I probably would have just ended up with a broken leg. Drops of 300 feet to underground rivers? Not really my preferred way to go. That's interesting about the underground river though... It makes sense given how many old lava tubes must be spinning out from Lassen, but I didn't know of their existence. Pretty cool.
Phew that was a scary scenario I'll bet. If the rock had collapsed ! it chilled me to read your comment !
Duck Landes People sinking fresh water wells have broke through the lava shelfs, causing a lot of Paradise's ground water to be lost. That's why a moratorium on drilling on the ridge.
Duck Landes : Lordy !
Dang man, that was stressful to watch, thanks for making it out!
Haha, I assure that the pleasure of making it out was all mine. I appreciate your concern.
Wow this is another very deteriorated mine. I was getting tense just watching you explore it. Wet, rotted and unstable mines really give me the creeps. You are one brave soul. Great series on this Italian mine!
Thank you very much. Yes, I believe this is the worst lode mine that I have ever been inside. I still can't believe they were driving a loaded LHD over that tiny crust of rock where those pits were. How did that not collapse on them? Fortunately, the other mines in Italy have been very stable and sound so far.
Good exploring! That LHD driving on the thin floor was crazy. It's possible that collapse you found ended that! Love seeing the mines in Italy. Keep up the awesome and amazing feature videos. :)
Dude, sketchy doesn't even begin to describe that mine. Some of the previous mines you've been in that you've described as sketchy look downright rock solid stable compared to this place. I'm pretty sure I would have bailed at the collapsed floor at this one.
Yes, I think this is the worst lode mine that I have been inside. I remembered that this mine got slightly better after the section shown in this video, but I was working on the final video in this series last night and I was like, "No, actually, this isn't any better at all." Ha, so, perhaps needless to say, I am not too eager to return to this one...
Sketchy. That has got to be the understatement of the century.
Yeah, I wasn't too sorry to get out of that one...
DO NOT RISK IT!! Thanks for your videos there’s always another mine. 🇺🇸🇺🇸👍
Thank you.
Man I'm glad you got out of there safely!
If I were you I wouldn't attempt to return to this collapsing mine! TOO DANGEROUS and no point.
No need to... I've explored it as much as one can or that I am willing to. You'll see in the next video that one could theoretically have kept going, but I don't know anyone that would have. Not even me.
This is really cool to watch because you explain a bunch of stuff that I never knew befoee
Thank you. I'm glad you were able to get something out of it...
I appreciate how thorough you are! Thanks for taking me along.
Thank you for coming along.
the small pipe is definitely electric and the square tube on the ground i think is ventilation the pipe hung off the wall is probably compressed air. real cool video.
Yes, I think that was an older ventilation pipe running along the left side of the adit and the squared one on the right was a more modern ventilation system.
This looks like a dangerous mine to explore! They mined the heck out of it! They mined so much it all collapsed
Yes, this is not one that I would want to go back into...
Amazing colors, another really cool document again....
The HD looks awesome
Glad to hear it... Yes, there were some good colors in this mine. It was almost like a copper mine with the colors.
I just had to watch it again
It's definitely worth the visit, but I think id take ropes with me in mines like that. I wouldn't be surprised if those tunnels which collapsed were going down to the lower level you were in earlier, I think that's why those were blocked.
The problem is that there is nothing to anchor the ropes to. It's difficult to say if the drifts we saw that were collapsed were focused on this level exclusively or if they dropped down to connect to the lower adit. You'll see what I mean in the next video...
Here I am again watching this crazy guy go down into the devils domain of the underground, and treating it like just a walk in the park............ must be Wednesday ! 😊
Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍
I would have crapped my pants in there. I certainly wouldn't have gone alone.
Haha, thank you...
That was pretty awesome... That hairy growth like thing on that beam reminded me of those old fashioned etch a sketches with that hairy looking magnetic stuff lol.. 👍 video!
Haha, that's hilarious. That's exactly what I thought of when I saw that!
TVR Exploring 😅
I would love to go exploring with you sometime... Oh what fun!! "
The classic cliffhanger! haha. keep em coming man! \m/
Haha, I'll keep them coming for as long as I can... Thanks for watching.
As an ex cave diver, I think your lack of fear will soon get you killed. At least take someone with you and give him an extra copy of your car key so he can go for help.
What a dangerous way you go but no risk no fun between the limlits
Thanks for sharing
Yours Frank
Great video, love seeing other people post abandoned mine videos.👍
Thank you. We try to post new videos quite consistently here - every Wednesday...
The other folks are right. That squared ducting on the right side is indeed for ventilation, and fed by that big blower outside. The large round pipe hanging on the left is compressed air (to run the drills), fed by those two big compressors in that outbuilding and the reservoir tanks outside. The smaller conduit on the right side is electricity for lights. That corroded bit of that line that you looked at was a lamp fixture.
Thank you.
Amazing mineralogy glimpsed in the video, I have a small amount of experience with it but never managed to see it in situ. Ag, Sn and Hg to name a few of the components, nasty concoctions in the drainage!
I don't recall ever claiming to be one... In fact, I frequently mention my lack of knowledge in matters relating to geology. Did you intend for that comment to come across as snotty and as arrogantly as it did? I'm hoping something didn't come across properly in the format of dry text.
What is interesting to you may not be interesting to others and vice versa.
@@TVRExploring No not at all hence the smiley face, I shall edit it accordingly!
I did not think so as you seem a pleasant and knowledgeable individual... Yes, I was impressed when I read about the geology of this mine in more detail after I got home. There are indeed some unique deposits here. And, some very bad ground and nasty drainage, as you correctly indicated! This is one of those mines that I wouldn't be in a huge rush to go back into outside of the main workings. Thank you for the comment.
I hold my breath watching you in these sketchy mines! This one looks bad. You are a brave soul!! Thanks for leaving us hanging again! 😂
Thank you. This one was sketchier than normal, to be sure... The last video is of the newer workings, which are in slightly better shape.
Thanks for doing this so we can tag along all warm dry and safe at home :-)
Much better that way... I'll take one for the team so everyone else can enjoy it and see what's here.
Sketchy to say the least from what I remember this mine had some of the most sloughing of large rock.
Yes, especially in the older workings, a lot of large rocks were sloughed off.
Great video as always! That’s awesome you get to check out these mines in other countries. This weekend I had the chance to go out to the Hidden Treasure mine in Utah it was the best mine I’ve been in and it was massive. They say there was over 20 miles of workings ranging from the late 1800s up to about 1972. Very well preserved mine with lots of artifacts, mineral deposits there was a dynamite and just about everything you could think of. Any way I could share some pictures and videos we got with you? You should try to come out to Utah sometime very rich mining history and tons of mines. That canyon had at least 7 mines that we know of.
The date on the magazine was 1971. Cool. By the way the metal pipe is this really for air? There was another pipe. They must have three pipes. One for air, one for electrical stuff and another one for compressed air or some kind of hydraulic? Meh idk
You saw a date? I looked all over and couldn't find one... You must have good eyes! Well, the metal pipe on the left was the oldest and so I assumed it must have been for air at one time based on its appearance. My interpretation was that it was abandoned when they put in the newer system on the right. That was just a guess though.
This whole sight is amazing. I never wanted to go to Italy before watching this series, now I somewhat want to go to Italy. Thank you for making these amazing videos.
Thank you for the comment. Italy has a lot going on... It is definitely worth a visit. There is so much more to it than Rome, Florence and Venice.
Great job, what camera are you using?
Thank you. I'm just using a battered Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100.
Amazing video stay safe and keep up the great work
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed seeing this mine... It was an interesting one for me too.
That fractured 'tight-squeeze' section had me cringing! That's gnarly stuff man, stay safe! Great video as always looking forward to the next one!
As always, thank you for the comment... Haha, believe me, that section had me cringing too! The next video is of the newer workings and it isn't quite as bad. Interestingly, I've been in a bunch of Italian mines now and this is the only one that was sketchy. The others (for the most part) have been quite solid.
Loving this series, can't wait to see part 4.
Thank you. Glad you're enjoying the series... I have been really impressed by the Italian mines.
fantastic this place is great but not completed to your dedication to your craft....now I'll go watch
This is the first mine in Italy that I explored, but the others have proven to be very impressive as well. One of them is the most impressive abandoned mine I have ever explored.
Oh, and those 'thin' stalagmites are called 'straws' for obvious reasons. Cheers!
"Straws." Thank you... I like that a lot better than "stringlets" or "stalagmites." I call them that again in the last video in this mine, but I'll have it right in the future.
Rob Gandy : Straws above sea level, Rusticles deep down below.
What you have there is modern workings trying to bypass original old workings and one has collapsed into the other . The oldworkings were probably either too dangerous to use or two small for modern equipment. The old pipe looks as though it probably was a compressor air line or water both were generally the same size. Since there are rails the equipment was possibly diesel driven or electric in the seventies we used both for hauling ore. Later tyred vehicles were used and no rails would of been present.
Yes, it was interesting how the modern workings and older workings intersected in this mine. I'm used to seeing the older and the newer more separate from each other. At this mine, they were mixed together.
@@TVRExploring I've never seen this close proximity either. Presumably the later mining intention was to remove all viable ore knowing that it would be the last time it could take place. The extensive stoping has made that too dangerous to take place and will cause considerable surface environmental impact in the future as they collapse inwards.
@@adrianbew9641 You're right about that! This is one of the most dangerous mines that I have been in...
I enjoy your videos but are some of these worth getting killed over?
Glad you enjoy the videos... Believe it or not, I'm not actively looking to get killed. My day job is a war reporter and the exact same question could be asked many times there as well. Is the picture or interview under heavy fire worth it? I don't really have a satisfactory answer for you, but I can't be successful if I am distracted worrying about being killed. So, I compartmentalize that and put it aside in order to focus on what is in front of me. Maybe that will come back and bite me someday. All I know is that I enjoy doing what I do (most of the time) and I think it is important.
@@TVRExploring Well, that goes to explain where you got that daredevil bit of you, I must say that I'm pretty admirative.
What is that beautiful light blue/green mineral at 12:24?
Major friggin sketch bro! Your balls must be solid brass cuz I would've cut & run after seeing that mess.
Excellent!! I am really enjoying this series. Thx Justin. 👍
Thank you very much. You'll really like some of the Italian mine videos coming up if you liked this one!
i came across a string of vids about a mine that was just been abandoned (and was for sale) it had a ball mill, and two abandoned load haul dump in the tunnels, does anyone know thoes vids, i cant find em no more
Can almost smell the decomposing products of Pyrite etc. Thanks for taking us fellow explorers on these long journeys and risking your ass while we sit back and have a cold brew.
My pleasure. Thank you for watching...
There is a map online for this mine.
In this area are hundrets of mines and quarrys.
you may be standing on a huge winze. Collared shaft. Big hole. The Big Edge. lotsa down. Endless pit. Shaft to hell. (Don't mean to freak you out ;) Cheers, and thanks again!
You're not far off as you'll see in the last video... The mine corkscrews down through the mountain and ends at a big, black pit of unpleasantness.
Even more iffy than the Diamond Mine, imo.
Yes, I think you're right about that. I wouldn't want to do either again, but if you had an equal distance, I would choose the Diamond over this one... And I can't believe I am saying that!
Since you posted the video, we know you made it out ! Watch yourself brother, that place must stunk to high Hades.
Haha, yeah, I'm still kicking as of now... There was enough air blowing in through the large portal that it was pretty fresh on this top level. The levels in the next video smelled really bad though. I wasn't too sorry to get out of them!
MY friend I have been watching your video's for a long time. I have to say you are starting to lose your perspective on what is safe and what is not. That is the kind of mine that will kill someone. When you have working on top of working with ceiling/floors starting to give way like that the worth of documentation is not worth the risk. You know I have never told you tto NOT go somewhere. As an old miner I can tell you this mine was way beyond sketchy. You had ceiling fissures all over the place. You had wet conditions which was not only rotting the timber in the old working but softening the floor/ceiling everywhere. Everywhere you looked was undercut. Your documentation is far above average but it's not worth getting killed. I have seen men underground fall thru a floor and it usually isn't just a quick fall and oh shit. Take it from someone who has worked underground and loves your stuff. Take a step back and examine your risk/payoff setting. I would hate not to see more video's damn it. Stay safe guy.
Agree with Doc. I know nothing about mines, but it was bit of unease in how things look on your video. Keep it cool, but stay safe buddy.
Doc McCoy His safety net and conscious ( me ) wasn't there.
Thank you for your concern, Doc. Yes, I think this was probably the sketchiest lode mine I have been in...
TVR Exploring : Yes and yes and but BE SAFE.
Some really bad ground in there for sure! Interesting way they mined it, quite strange. The long thin iron formations we call "Straws" or "Needles", seen lots in copper and tin mines over here. Looking forward to seeing more from down there.
Yes, I think this is the sketchiest lode mine that I have been inside. I wouldn't be eager to go back, to be sure... The way they mined it really threw me when I first went in, but I think I made sense of it (for the most part) by the end. I try to break down what I think they were doing at the end of the last video. They definitely were going after every scrap of ore inside there! That's really interesting about the "straws" and I am surprised that we haven't seen those in California since we have the right water/iron combinations out there too. Thanks for telling me that term.
Great video. Loved the detail with the string things hanging down. Keep safe.
Thank you. Weren't those stringlets cool? I've never seen them that fine before...
super sketchy justin better start taking some rope looking forward to the next vid be safe man
The problem is that there is nowhere to anchor the ropes... There have been several mines I'd like to get deeper in to where I can't because of the inability to utilize the ropes.
NO! DO NOT GO DOWN THERE! JEEZUS!
Have you met anyone who has been trapped during an exploration of one of these old mines?
Anybody else have the headphones on fullblast when the video began then get your eardrums busted?!?! 😂😂😒
Sorry about that... I didn't consider the risk of starting with a picture with no sound. I should've put a warning in!
No worries.. thats what I get for not checking volume level first.. lol
Haha, well, I do care about my viewers and don't wish to add to the problems and pains that normal life already delivers upon them...
Material looks heavily mineralized.
19:20 looks like snoties that I saw in a cave documentary. I don't think they are though. Snoties live of of acid of some sort. Google it for better answers.
Yes, I've heard about these in caves as well. We see variations of them in mines, formed by mineral-rich water dripping down. However, I've never seen them like this before or since.
Well the undercut could be an example of early 'Block Caving' of the main ore body. The primary purpose of this mine was Barite, Iron and Pyrites and one wonders why the owners would have pursued the underground mining methods when an open-cut or block caving mine might have been far more economical! Maybe being part of the EUROPEAN union it may have been heavily subsidized?
Creating huge pits, open cuts and other large surface mining projects are mostly a relatively recent phenomenon made possible by modern machinery. There is quite a lot of mountain still above these workings and it was probably not economical to remove a mountain when this was being worked. For most of Italy's history - especially after World War II - Italian labor was dirt cheap. This mine closed down before the European Union integration and subsidies were flowing... Those are my thoughts anyway. Hopefully, that was coherent enough to understand. It's been a long day.
TVR Exploring : Reading all these subs to your main : mate Keep On Keepin On!
Think waters been the main enemy of the construction!
Yes, that causes the death of many a mine...
Old Victaulic fittings on that 4" airline.
You have good eyes!
Maybe a drone would help with some explores?
As far as I know, the drones won't work underground because they need a satellite signal. At least that was my understanding... I'm sure there is some hack that could work around that, but I'm not that technically savvy. Man, I would be nervous using my drone underground because it would take some very delicate fingers to avoid clipping the side of an adit. I have unintentionally helped trim trees or bushes several times and they're a lot more forgiving than solid rock!
@@TVRExploring My son is finishing his engineering degree at UNR. They are developing autonomous drones for the mining industry.
Something like that has a lot of potential.
@17:08 it looks like there is someone up in the top left, from where you came from, looking back at you
Haha, that mine was already sketchy and creepy enough. I didn't need THAT as well!
@@TVRExploring I looked through all the comments to see if anyone else noticed, I cant believe after all this time no one noticed it. It stuck out like a sore thumb to me! That mine was intense, glad you didnt get sucked in, and can still explore more stuff for us.
If you slow the playback speed down you cam also see what appears to be 2 eyes reflecting the light as the camera pulls away, possibly an animal? Definitely something though
You're nuts dude.
Well, somebody's got to do it...
Great video that is a huge mine to explore so cool to see the history of those old workings, at least over there they don't have BLM trying to close everything down.
Thank you. Yes, it is very refreshing to not have to worry about the BLM or the Forest Service destroying everything... That allows Italian explorers to be much more open and to share locations and such (something that can't safely be done in the U.S. since the BLM and Forest Service monitor social media and online forums to prioritize closures).
TVR Exploring : Almost sounds like spooky old 🇬🇧 and the H&SEx "don't dare do a thing, that's an order!"
Looks sketchy even when it was open and working
I imagine it was given the size of the timbers inside of this one... Wait until you see the size of the timbers in the newer workings.
Thumbs up 150. TVR so much suspense all you need is a background music. Aren't you scare? When I use to go down the caves in Afghanistan I was scared and I had marines go with me and you sound like you are in town somehow. Great video.
Haha, yeah, but I don't have to worry about Terry Taliban being in the mines I go into! In Afghanistan, you had to worry about the normal dangers of a cave, but also be concerned about head hackers waiting for you inside... THAT would make me a little jumpy.
🤘
@ 9:30 in....anybody else see the skull sitting to the left of the timber that is sticking up? I've been over it three times now. Looks like a skull...
As ever : tites come down, mites crawl up!
I do like your videos but not these ones. establish deciding factors and stick to them in regards to safety. You're in treasure seeker mode (even though you're respectable), and not weighing danger factors correctly man! Be safe.
A very fair comment...
Nothing but respect!
Looks healthy 😵
Yeah, real nice place...
that's one scary looking hole!
Yes, this was a sketchy one, to be sure.
i like dry mines better i think, nothing but rot and decay in these...
Dry mines are certainly more pleasant to explore. However, the wet and/or flooded abandoned mines can harbor some real treasures as well.
Yea, I was surprised at the thin floor too. Mind you, I've been surprised underground as well. Poking a brand new tunnel into the mountain, only to be thwarted by a centuries old mine cutting across the vein we were chasing Even in the Klondike, you have to be careful where you placer, as you might find yourself falling in a big hole, BTW, did you film the young couple for a bit first ??? Post that, and you will get 1,000,000 subscribers I;m sure (Grin), little pinky in corner of mouth,
Cheers!
Haha, I think I was as surprised as they were because I really didn't expect anyone out there either. So, no, I'm afraid I didn't do any filming... That certainly would have been an attention-getting introduction to a mine video! That's got to be a surprise to hit old workings when you're pushing into a mountain. And even in the Klondike? I know they had their big rush up there, but it still seems hard to wrap your head around it given the rugged wilderness... Those old-timers were pretty good at getting to the gold even without all of the technology available today. Thank you for the comments.
Seen those iron things on the Titanic.. ha ha
Mercmad : dem damn Rusticles!!
The pipe on left is for water
No reason for having those type of fittings for air
Water did not occur to me.
Thank you.
17:26 oh man, those timbers are so sparkly. I wonder if they are starting to petrify
Atria Wulf usually it's the minerals in the air from it being so damp. We've seen formations where the wood was completely gone and the calcified shape was all that remained.
I love it. Honestly I am ready to get into mine exploration myself, I just wish there were more in my area. I have definitely checked around and the groups that existed fell apart. But I have a couple of friends and myself who are aware of what is stable and isn't, so I think our first mine will be a gold mine near home, then maybe expand. I hope I get to see things like that in person.
Atria Wulf Hopefully you have someone with you that's fairly experienced for the first few times till your comfortable with your own group. I don't advise doing it all but at least be safe first and foremost. Now having said that, yes you will see things that are pretty incredible underground. Most times it's a bit monotonous unless your a die hard freak for the punishment ( we are ) but every so often you come across something that will either have you scratching your head in confusion when you leave or awestruck and amazed till you get home! Lol
Yeah no doubt i have training as a geologist, and i do have an experienced friend. but i have never been in a mine personally. hopefully it"ll be a good experience :). safety first then exploration hehe.
Atria Wulf That's awesome you know geology cuz you'll have a field day underground! Every trip we've done or that either of us had gone on always has something interesting! Let us know what you find when you do get to go.
I can’t believe the minuscule thickness of the floors before you reach more workings making a lot of adits that are undercut
I was surprised by that as well. I can't believe they were driving heavy equipment over those sections...
Nope. Nope. Nope.
You got way more guts than me.
Element of Kindness Me too!
Might be less brains rather than more guts in my case...
TVR Exploring guts n nuts will get you far in life sometimes tho!
It’s probly safe😂
Oh, of course. I'll just wait out here and enjoy some fresh air while you go in and check it out...
Baba Dagaa : Un.
Your call your life but may I suggest gravity is winning the game on this mine too many false roofs and the drops already on the ground are natures warning.Hello from Australia a humble opal miner here Lightning Ridge.You Americans use the word sketchy we here down under say don't be where that sound that is akin the falling water its actually material sliding.Love your videos but that is one that should be sealed shut its a widow maker at every step.I do not agree with what apparently happens over your way with your lands people gating off mines and hiding history but this one needs all the adits being spoken to with HE.Just my humble opinion its a death trap set to be triggered by gravity and you have earthquakes over there ?
This one was sporty, to be sure... As far as I know, this part of Italy has not been impacted by earthquakes, but this mine doesn't seem to need them to come apart!
look at 10:57 you can clearly see what look like two human faces
you scare the hell out of me. I enjoy your vids. what I wish, is that you would persuade some geologist, with no fear of death, to come with you, to explain the geology. you do a good job, but a fearless scientist, could in moments of stopping, explain the whole process of what happened to make the area what it is today. like the place on spore mountain in utah, where the only beryllium deposit is located. geology, when you do it scares me. stay safe, get a crazy helper.
If you find any volunteers, please send them my way! I'd love to have a scientist come in with us and explain some of what we're seeing... Thanks for the comment.
Why were you wearing shoes this time? Don't go soft on us. jk
Nah, don't worry about that. I went in barefoot to that lowest level. I actually had the waders with me in the car, but this mine ended up being much, much bigger than I expected. So, I didn't feel like walking back half an hour to the car to retrieve the waders. An hour of hiking to get the waders? Easier to go in barefoot through the flooded section!
Hey I hate to burst your bubble but.........I have your waders. Just fyi
I was rocking a pair of waders I picked up in Italy... They're fucking heavy though so they would never work for the kinds of places you and I visit. We'd collapse before getting halfway there. Having waders like a tank was great in this setting though because I was able to smash right through the blackberry bushes. Our California waders would have been shredded into ribbons by that.
TVR Exploring what are they neoprene?
I'm not sure. They were only the equivalent of $30 and I thought neoprene was more expensive.
TVR Exploring it can be. It's like wetsuit material, makes you hot as hell too. Sounds like you got a thick ass pair of rubber ones.
I don't know how the fetishists do it... These things are heavy as fuck and I've only used them in cold weather, but I'm sure they'd be horrible in warm weather.
Gnarly.
Yeah, this was a sketchy one, to be sure...