When I was a kid in the 1960’s my 5 or 6th grade class took a tour of the salt mine. It was quite amazing the huge equipment they had deep underground:) Thanks! Haven’t thought of that in a while:)
I took a tour of the Detroit salt mine when it was closed in the eighty's, The walls were covered with soot due to the exhausted of the machinery. I never saw it in operation . At that time they wanted to use it to store nuclear waste (anything for a buck) --Thanks for posting.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It's fascinating to hear about its history and the challenges it faced, including the proposal for nuclear waste storage.
I live in Detroit, I remember when they closed the mine for a few years and they were going to use it for storage but I don't remember hearing anything about nuclear waste. I could be wrong about this but I thought they wanted to use it for strategic oil reserves. Anyway, the mine is still operation today and is considered one of the safest mines in the world.
@@xxdesertstorm ya grew up in that building. Then worked there for 16 years till it closed. Was a bummer taking down all the banners, Gordie Howe banner was the last one we took down
I'd bet that it was a real chore to keep the Machinery, Trucks, and other Heavy Equipment from Rusting and Oxidizing Away to Nothing!.... I'd love to know how they prevented that... I realize that its is an extremely dry environment down there, but its still SALT!.... Wow!.....
Fun fact, ever wonder how they got those big machines way down there? Due to the narrow shafts, each machine was taken down piece-by-piece, then they were reassembled once down there.
I was told the equipment doesn't rust out unless it's brought to the surface. I did some service work at a salt mine in the Port Huron area but they didn't do underground mining like in the video. They pump hot water underground and get the salt from the brine that's extracted. I was in that plant for about two weeks working on their elevators and a lot of my tools were completely rusted by the end of the job.
I went down into the salt mines in the early 2000's to repair a drill rig, the only time I was ever down there. None of the equipment down there was rusted but my boss gave me 2 cans of penetrating oil and told me to drench my tools before I go down and once more when I come up. I purposely left one of my cheap wrenches dry and by the time I got back to the shop (about 10 miles away) it looked like I had left it in the rain for a year. If it stays down there, it won’t rust. But if you remove it, it's instantaneous. It smells like McDonalds because almost everything runs off veggie oil and they never remove any equipment. There is a graveyard that has the first wooden vehicles built down there and it’s all very well preserved.
I read where they used to use mules down there before motor vehicles were used. Once taken down the mules were there for life, no profit in hauling them in and out.
That equipment got down there the Johnny Cash way... 1 piece at a time. There is a Caterpillar 926 wheel loader down there. The frame was completely stripped and was lowered carefully by cable.
There is no way that the Jeeps and other heavy machinery got into the mine via that small shaft that we saw the engineer go down in. I wonder where THAT shaft was and also how big it was. For that matter, why didn't they show it?
They dismantled the equipment so it would fit in the elevator. And bit by bit, sent all of it down to the mine. There, it was reassembled. Solving Problems 101.
Sadly, back in those days as well as today those dangerous jobs don't pay any real kind of money to match the dangers that are involved in this kind of work
@@JMonty2012 do you know which facility? When I was at the salt mine in Detroit, they said the average pay for these miners was upper teens and low 20s per hour.
@@Michael-fl1tm not sure. I did a google search. It said it was 21 to start but another post more recent mentioned 119k to 150k a year. I'm sure experience and certifications have something to do with it too.
@@JMonty2012That is for a few engineers etc., the majority of workers do not make anywhere near that much and there have been continual labor relations issues to this day.
I’ve hauled salt from the Windsor mine across from Detroit by ship. Had the chance to takes a tour but NOPE THAT. Probably safe just the thought of all that rock, salt and the river overhead... nah I’m good.
Oddly enough, a salt mine is one of the most stable underground areas to visit compared to harder rock. It doesn’t shear off or break and actually “self-seals” over time. Can’t fix any claustrophobia, but if you had to hide out somewhere, pick a salt mine.
When I was a kid in the 1960’s my 5 or 6th grade class took a tour of the salt mine. It was quite amazing the huge equipment they had deep underground:)
Thanks!
Haven’t thought of that in a while:)
I took a tour of the Detroit salt mine when it was closed in the eighty's, The walls were covered with soot due to the exhausted of the machinery. I never saw it in operation . At that time they wanted to use it to store nuclear waste (anything for a buck) --Thanks for posting.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It's fascinating to hear about its history and the challenges it faced, including the proposal for nuclear waste storage.
I live in Detroit, I remember when they closed the mine for a few years and they were going to use it for storage but I don't remember hearing anything about nuclear waste. I could be wrong about this but I thought they wanted to use it for strategic oil reserves. Anyway, the mine is still operation today and is considered one of the safest mines in the world.
@@youaskedforit
Lol seeing cobo arena just as skelton structure
sad joe louis is gone
@@xxdesertstorm ya grew up in that building. Then worked there for 16 years till it closed. Was a bummer taking down all the banners, Gordie Howe banner was the last one we took down
I'd bet that it was a real chore to keep the Machinery, Trucks, and other Heavy Equipment from Rusting and Oxidizing Away to Nothing!.... I'd love to know how they prevented that... I realize that its is an extremely dry environment down there, but its still SALT!.... Wow!.....
Fun fact, ever wonder how they got those big machines way down there? Due to the narrow shafts, each machine was taken down piece-by-piece, then they were reassembled once down there.
I was told the equipment doesn't rust out unless it's brought to the surface. I did some service work at a salt mine in the Port Huron area but they didn't do underground mining like in the video. They pump hot water underground and get the salt from the brine that's extracted. I was in that plant for about two weeks working on their elevators and a lot of my tools were completely rusted by the end of the job.
I went down there on a field trip in the 80's and they said the lack of water prevents rust.
I went down into the salt mines in the early 2000's to repair a drill rig, the only time I was ever down there. None of the equipment down there was rusted but my boss gave me 2 cans of penetrating oil and told me to drench my tools before I go down and once more when I come up. I purposely left one of my cheap wrenches dry and by the time I got back to the shop (about 10 miles away) it looked like I had left it in the rain for a year. If it stays down there, it won’t rust. But if you remove it, it's instantaneous. It smells like McDonalds because almost everything runs off veggie oil and they never remove any equipment. There is a graveyard that has the first wooden vehicles built down there and it’s all very well preserved.
I read where they used to use mules down there before motor vehicles were used. Once taken down the mules were there for life, no profit in hauling them in and out.
That equipment got down there the Johnny Cash way... 1 piece at a time. There is a Caterpillar 926 wheel loader down there. The frame was completely stripped and was lowered carefully by cable.
There is no way that the Jeeps and other heavy machinery got into the mine via that small shaft that we saw the engineer go down in. I wonder where THAT shaft was and also how big it was. For that matter, why didn't they show it?
Fr
They dismantled the equipment so it would fit in the elevator. And bit by bit, sent all of it down to the mine. There, it was reassembled. Solving Problems 101.
There is a motive access tunnel but it's location is secret due to security concerns
@@rjp611That is correct.
How many people lost arms in that elevator 😂😂😂
How is they find it and is it a dried up ocean?
All available in a simple web search of Detroit Salt Mines. Do you expect viewers to do that for you?
Amazing is who built that structure and where would you start ?
Europeans
@@Deez80085Your White robes are showing! 🐽
Sadly, back in those days as well as today those dangerous jobs don't pay any real kind of money to match the dangers that are involved in this kind of work
Pays about 130k a year. More than I make.
@@JMonty2012 do you know which facility? When I was at the salt mine in Detroit, they said the average pay for these miners was upper teens and low 20s per hour.
@@Michael-fl1tm not sure. I did a google search. It said it was 21 to start but another post more recent mentioned 119k to 150k a year. I'm sure experience and certifications have something to do with it too.
@@JMonty2012Yeah the higher paying jobs are white color positions.....
@@JMonty2012That is for a few engineers etc., the majority of workers do not make anywhere near that much and there have been continual labor relations issues to this day.
I’ve hauled salt from the Windsor mine across from Detroit by ship. Had the chance to takes a tour but NOPE THAT. Probably safe just the thought of all that rock, salt and the river overhead... nah I’m good.
The Salt is dense and there really is no worry. I get what you’re saying though.
The mine isn't under the river. In fact, most of the mine isn't even in Detroit, but in the Dearborn and River Rouge area
Oddly enough, a salt mine is one of the most stable underground areas to visit compared to harder rock. It doesn’t shear off or break and actually “self-seals” over time. Can’t fix any claustrophobia, but if you had to hide out somewhere, pick a salt mine.
@@DoctorShocktor “we can’t have a mine shaft gap!” Gen. Ripper
So this is why everyone in detroit is so angry.
1100 feet below Detroit, not 2 miles. I went there on a field trip in the '60s
The video says 1037 feet down, not two miles. The two miles it refers to is the horizontal distance traveled by the jeep to travel to the mining face.
Much bigger equipment….and mine area nowadays…
on both sides of the border, the Windsor salt mine might be a bit bigger
Dissamble, transport, and reassemble.
No eye protection. No hearing protection.
So. Much. NOPE! 1100 feet down a hole with all that water above you. 1 thing, just one thing and you'll die in a pitch black you can't imagine.
Where are the pepper mines?
Did he say our electric loader? This place needs to be investigated for old world tech and structures. 100%
Stop making Detroit rich. Salt ruin's everything.
S.C.