PSA: I just wanted to inform (or remind) subscribers that, in order to get the most out of the experiences Justin provides on video, you really should read the narratives he provides in the description boxes. You will find (when available) all kinds of extra details, or special information nuggets, that really add to the story of that particular adventure. Plus, he's an excellent writer. That helps. 👍 Justin - maybe pin this?
Thanks, AGDinCA, for the kind words and the PSA... I'd throw in that many of the questions asked in the comments are answered in the description as well.
You manage to provide so much information, it really does make your videos top notch. I would love to do what you do, but I have to admit that I would miss a majority of the details you pick up on. These videos are great, and I enjoy being able to learn something while I watch!
In all your explorations, I'm amazed that you always leave the oddities and artifacts you find. It shows that you are a respectful student of History, and I thank you for it sir!
@@TVRExploring you're not taking anything away from the next brave soul that ventures there, you're preserving these places through these videos. Thank you for what you're doin man, and keep safe!
My great-grandfather had gone home for lunch from the mine at the time the Milford Mine flooded, sparing his life. Mines mean a lot to Minnesotans, and it's great to see them not lost to time.
Salvagers. I knew a guy whose uncle or dad was a mine salvager. The company that owns the mine brings in a savager to extract anything of value and then they seal the "hole" to human entry. However not all mines remained sealed!
that is an old starter bit .... looks like sulfur leaching out of the wall rock in the back of the drift ....wonder what is at the bottom of the winze ....be safe out there
Thank you. It certainly looked like sulfur, but I'm not enough of a geologist to know whether it's possible to see sulfur in that area or not. Given the results of the rock test and the presence of the windlass rather than a hoist, our presumption was that the workings at the bottom of the winze were minor. However, yes, it would have been nice to see for sure what was down there!
Wow. I believe all who have passion for what you do appreciate the effort and time and money you fork over for us all to be better educated, fill the voids in our prospecting addiction. “Not all of us can just dip out and go mine exploring” but we can virtually do it by you posting your videos. Thankyou
Nice little explore! That ore car was fantastic! That all felt pretty untouched for quite a few years! Enjoyed the photos at the end. Thanks for the share👍
A simple guide I've learned in my 60 years of collecting dynamite boxes is, first are the notched fitting wood boxes then the nailed wooden boxes then the cardboard boxes. After that the fertilizer stuff. You can see on the sign at the mouth of the portal is nailed. Others can add or correct If I'm wrong, You're still making great videos. Keep up the great work.
That was an amazing video. Great narration and video footage and knowledge throughout the exploration of an undisturbed mine like that. Keep up the good work. Following.
As someone who hauls quite some heavy stuff up and down inside of ships, I guess doing the same in I mine sounds even more difficult. I have mad respect for miners.
Great video! Mines are sketchy. Around 1980 when I was a Boy Scout we did a annual camping trip to Calico ghost town. We were exploring and found a mine. This area was extremely remote and the mine didnt look to be explored or picked through that much. There were mine cars, newspapers, birdcage, sardine cans, Hercules dynamite boxes...empty. I kept one of the boxes. Its in beautiful condition. It was a very large mine. Wish I could remember where it was...i would go back for sure.
You could get dynamite in four strengths, or grades back in the 1950's, commonly 20% and 40%. Then 60%, which was obviously handled more carefully and finally, 80%, which was rarely seen because of it's stability. It looks like this mine has been surveyed twice in the last fifty years or so. The early distance markers were sprayed in a faint orange, the later ones, deeper in the mine were light green. At no point did I see ribbon hanging on the ribs with codes indicating samples taken. It did appear that the ladder on the left side of the winze was fairly modern in construction, with rungs inset into the rails, rather than nailed on top of the rails. '
As kids, (~6-10years old), we used to find old bottle dumps and would spend the day smashing old bottles. Lord only knows how much those would be worth today.
When I was 18 [I'm 61 now] I worked for a sand and gravel company that was hired to clean sand out of an old irrigation ditch from the 1800's. After the ditch was no longer used for irrigation, local people used part of it as a trash dump. As we dug the sand out, we screened it to use making concrete. Old bottles started popping out of the screening machine! Beautiful things of every shape and size. Many were broken, but even more were not. Some of them even had glass stoppers! By the time we were done, I had saved boxes and boxes of old bottles!
Nice little mine there! Nice to see those old timber ties still in place, we see a lot of raw timber in our mines too, just amazing to see it still standing too, the old miners knew what they were doing and how to make it last. Nice gypsum crystals at the back, we see a lot of those too. I noted the green paint from more modern surveying, but glad the people that done it left all the boxes and other things in place.
Yes, many of these practices were perfected in your Cornish mines before being introduced over here... Perhaps the surveyor took the really, really good artifacts and we're seeing the "junk" that the surveyor didn't bother taking? It is very difficult to locate the elusive unvisited mines.
The purple in the glass wasn't intended as a colorant. Magnesium powder was put into the old glass to combat the iron in the sand so to speak. It kept the glass from turning brown from the iron when it was fired. The magnesium kept the glass clear. When left out in direct bright sunlight over a very long period of time that glass will slowly turn purple(ish) and purple. You can find that sometimes with very very old insulators on telegraph and telephone poles. The dark purple shards indicate there was a fair amount of magnesium in the mix to make it so dark. With large old sulphide glass marbles you will occasionally see the same thing - where the marbles were left on a window sill for years. The deep purple sulphide marbles are very valuable. The very deep purple in the once clear glass is a result of the direct almost desert like sulight at the mine.
Not going to read all the comments, but purple glass was from manganese content. This element was removed from glass after about 1910. Glass partially buried will show clear under earth and pink or purple above ground. In the western US, whiskey bottles were easily dated this way. As a former USFS archeologist (don’t hate me for that, it was a cool job), I found many such bottles in Sierra and Plumas counties.
My grandfather worked for California cap before the depression. They went out of business about 1930. He then went to work for Hercules powder. Mining engineer. Graduate of Cal Berkeley in 1907. Married the daughter of Rueben Rickard, first Berkeley Manager. Also a mining engineer. Rueben died when he fell out of a second story window of their Berkeley home on Bancroft. My great uncle, Thomas and a cousin, Thomas were both mining engineers. The cousin was good friends with H. Hoover. Also a mining engineer and 31st POTUS
Herbert Hoover spent quite a bit of time in Western Australia (and other places, like China) plying his trade as a geologist, and later, mining engineer/manager and entrepreneur/financier. It does appear he did a few other things later in his life too.
@@daveg2104 Memory is a funny thing. It was Edgar who was friends with Hoover. And, Rueben didn't die falling out of a window. He died on his way to Australia where he was inspecting mines. I have no idea who fell out of the window. Some relative. Probably drunk.
Yes Justin finding a pristine mine is golden. And you really had to work for it with research and physical effort. I've seen over 500 mines since 1974 but I think you found one that no one has been to in a long long time. I tried to do research on Veribest Cooked Beef but no luck. maybe related to Armour products, such as today's Spam. Also did you know that the term "civilian MRE" is connected to Armour's Compleats meal entrees. They are delicious and are available for $2 when on sale.
Given the remoteness and difficulty of just getting supplies to the mine it makes me wonder why they chose that spot to dig. It's really nice to see such a pristine mine full of artifacts. I like the stills at the end of the vid!!!
@@deezynar I'm talking about the original miners. They dug a huge amount of material out of a mine in an inaccessible location. My question is, what did they do with all that material? Given there was no road or even trail anywhere in the area, how did they get the mined material out to be processed? Seems almost impossible unless they did it on site somehow. Also, as others have mentioned, where did they even get the water for their mules? So many questions.
@@michaelrudolph7003 I answered your question. NOTHING was mined. No "processing" was required. They dug a hole in the mountain and all they found was worthless rock that they tossed in a pile outside. The operation was done on speculation, called "prospecting." It was done in hopes of finding something worth mining. They found nothing that was worth the trouble, so they abandoned it. The thing with mining before core sample boring was developed, is that you would mine an outcrop of worthwhile minerals revealed on the surface and follow it down, but you had no idea what you were getting into. If the outcrop ran out quickly, you'd keep digging because you were haunted by the idea that a valuable vein may be just another foot inside of the rock. Core sampling in a grid lets engineers "see" what's down there, and plan a mine's shafts, levels, etc., before they even start work. Anyway, I have no idea what motivated the men to dig in that spot. It appears that there was no outcrop, and the rocks there don't appear to be a type that harbors worthwhile minerals. To sum up, they went out with hopes of finding something. If they had found any rock that they thought contained worthwhile minerals in them, they would have carried them to a town with someone qualified to analyze them. If they had enough value, they'd get look for investors in hopes of expanding the operation with more equipment. It's possible that they did find something worthwhile, but nothing worth enough to pay for building a road to the place.
I believe the can you found @8.53 is a candle powered lamp, the hole in the bottom is where you poke the candle through ,the can stops the wind from blowing it out, the shiny insides act as a reflector and the string handle keeps your hands from getting burnt
The axe-cut timbers at the winze are yet another clue as to the age of this site. Thanks for the detailed, meaningful description above and for venturing in to find this way cool mine!
For some reason this mine didn't really alarm me, I think this was one I could have actually entered ! Not sure why being underground bothers me so much. Genetic memory? My grandfather was a coal miner in Eastern Kentucky in his youth, before he came up to Ohio before WWI and started a new life. Fascinating mine. I hope you are able to find more like this.
Except for the very last section, this mine was very safe and solid. I'd say this would be an excellent gateway mine for someone harboring grim genetic memories of coal mines! I can imagine that your grandfather didn't regret starting a new life...
I live down the street from that town Louviers, Colorado. There was a dynamite plant there for many years and now it's a little town hidden in the trees. It's kind of creepy. Really cool to see that dynamite box.
Mining terminology is so confusing . The miners REMOVE ore and waste rock , so instead of an "Adit" , technically shouldn't it be called a "Subtract-it" . LOL .
As great piece of history and documentation. It's great to see everything untouched since the miners left. Another great video. Thanks for sharing, Paul in Lower Boddington UK
Thanks I like the artifacts that was left in the mine and there had tp be a wagon track or some form of road there at one time to transport the minerals from that location and bringing that ore cart there.
Have you thought of getting a 360 camera and then use a very small fishing pole and a LED array to lower the camera down in to the winds to see what you can record?
Yes, but we are limited in how much we can carry and we never know what we will be encountering and so it is difficult to anticipate what we might want in the way of gear. On a day like this, we essentially had room for lights, cameras and sufficient water given the hike in.
is it possible that they pulled the track for another mine in the area? that cart is beautiful. its so nice when the average person cant get to stuff like this.
Yes, I'm sure the rail was pulled for another mine, but it wasn't one in this area. There are no other mines within miles. The rock in this area was very pale and stands out sharply against the dark green of the vegetation. There were no other spots.
if there was a producing mine there why would`nt be one close by? any idea what they were mining? it is a good thing you videoed what you were able to just in case some so called experts contact you . have done any more exploreing in the area? that was what i liked to do before i became to disabled to walk very far! thank you for taking us along, great view , great viedo
Thank you very much for the kind words. Yes, I believe those were sulfur layers in the back, which I wouldn't have expected. It was completely soft to the point where my boots were just sinking into the floor and, as you heard, there was absolutely no echo at all!
Thank you for the Explore you Bushwhackers . Very nice Video . I suspect that the Mine Cart was partially buried or tipped on end for a while . The Handle end looks like it is rusted more ? Somebody retrieved it and pulled it back in the Mine to protect It ? The DuPont Powder box just inside said Hercules, California . It got me Thinking I once Hand loaded a ot of .44 spl using Unique which was Hercules Powder Co . I suppose if i cared to dig I might find out that DuPont owned Hercules at one time ? I once had a Light Green flavored Hercules Powder Box with faded red Lettering in the Camper Trailer . It was soo faded there was no Address or what type . I have to guess that at 9 minutes it said Hell Hole at one time . At least it was not full of Goat Droppings .
My guess on the blue crystals possibly blue Calcite or Celestite. I would have really loved a specimen to identify in person. Really interesting mine, best one I've seen yet. Thanks for the video!
@@TVRExploring Me too! If you ever need any mineral identification I'm more than happy to help. I love watching your videos, they give real insight to what it might have been like back then. My late grandfather was in a (coal) blasting accident. Somebody wrongly gave the all clear before he could get out, yet he survived by shielding himself with his arm above his head. They dug him out after seeing a hand poking through the rubble. How do you check the safety of a mine like this one before you visit? Thanks again!
@Ryan May -- I agree on the Celestite crystals (Strontium Sulfate - SrSO4) . -- I have a beautiful Light Blue cluster of Celestite crystals in the form of a ''Celestite Rose'' on a base of Colemanite crystals , from the ''Spooky Claim'' of the American Borate Company in Death Valley , California . I was able to retrieve it from the Ore Body (Colemanite) before the Continuous Miner ground it to dust , when I worked for A.B.C. . -- < Doc , Miner for over 50 years > .
@@ryanmay1298 That's a hell of an experience your grandfather went through! For safety, it is a combination of experience, common sense and tools like gas meters. That said, abandoned mines are inherently dangerous and so no mine is completely safe. It is a question of weighing the odds and hoping that you chose correctly.
@@001desertrat3 I'd love to see a photo! Sounds like you've got quite the knowledge on crystals. I've never gotten one direct from a mine before, must have been quite special.
What is it with can piles? I found a old mine here in Tucson called the Carlo mine .. and on Google Earth you can see the can pile. I went there and sure enough, a huge pile of cans .. no glass .. matter of fact I couldn't find any glass? There were also 55 gal drums welded together .. 20 to 30 foot section .. air pipe? I found only one shaft and it was almost 3 seconds to the bottom. The sides of the shaft slope in and there was no safe way to get close to look down ..
That's a huge can dump if you're able to spot it on Google Earth! The 55 gallon drums welded together may have been an ore chute. I've seen that a handful of times.
Very interesting mine added bonus can label's plus Explosives box and crimping blasting caps can too!!!; ) looks around the back side of death valley did you run into the bee's then if it is!!!; )
Just started watching and loving loving the in-depth information and historical parts of the places you show each episode. Do you guys actually take out samples and test them? Do you do any actual minning like slusbox or pan? Be awesome if you did take a few pounds to crush later on when you find possibilities in some of the great looking ore you and we see on camera. Anyways just thought I would ask if you guys did. Maybe I have not watched enough yet to know. But glad I found your channel. Buy if you don’t you should test with metal detectors and a little gentle pick cause you don’t want that coming down on you. Could always wedge boards to prop and hold up the ceiling well you take your sAmple. Sorry it’s been awhile and wanna get back out checking out new areas and pickin around. I’m inB.C what about you guys? Sorry that was so long of a text. Any just thought I would ask and say hi. I subscribed and I will have video up very soon
Bet they hauled the ore cart up there in pieces and riveted it together using the smithy. It was probably too much to take down all put together so it just got left. They could have easily salvaged the strap rail bit by bit I think.
When you guys were looking at the can of spam, bottle and caps can, there was a piece of cloth next to it looking like jean material but covered with dust. Did you see it? Nice video for sure!
I really love your uploads Mr, living in UK we don't have many mines like this unfortunately they've been blocked off even my local mine in the park near me I cannot find hardly any history of it existing other than see the entrances with my own eyes as a child and all I could find online was couple of paragraphs and and old painting of the entrance it's like they've errazed any memories of it ever bein there other than a bandstand in centre of the park when I was a child I so regret not lettin my uncle take me in to explore them mines xx
Thank you. Glad you're enjoying them... Unfortunately, that history is being rapidly erased in the United States as well. I also wish I had visited more places when I was younger and had spent more time with the old timers, but I didn't know how quickly these things we care about would disappear.
@@TVRExploring it's such ashame them old timers have the best story's to tell from there past experiences just ashame the mines cannot be made save to preserve them so generations to come could learn about the history of miners, I find it so fascinating I will admit I do have to put you on pause and Google stuff you mention just so I understand I've come to the conclusion I was born in the wrong country I'd love to explore caves and mines and walk the trails. You have me hooked at this new mine your fixing up cannot wait to see many many more uploads from you weather it's this new mine or others sending hugs and love stay safe xx
@@Ladylilz Thank you for the positivity! Yes, I wish I had understood what was being lost around me when I was younger. I would have made much more effort to seek out the old timers and to ask them questions. However, at the time, it seemed like they would be around forever... And, yes, I agree with you on being born in the wrong century. We were born at an awkward time, with the old business of being too late to explore the frontiers of this world and too early to explore the stars.
@@TVRExploring sounds such a peaceful way of life back then bet they all had some tails to tel round a camp fire and the songs they would sing, back then you work put food on tables for you and the family, amazing that they all knew alot of trades to get them though life before the world gone to pot as seems more people are living off state benefits n living in brick prisons (houses) bring back the good old days I say xx
Dude, if I ever want to visit an abandoned mine I hope you're with me. Your vast experience can make the exploring seem easy, but I know its very difficult.
Nice mine! There had to be a road of sorts to get that ore cart in plus dynamite boxes. It seems as if the neck of that bottle was removed to make a finger slide for Hawaiian slide playing or some blues guitar picking.
Ha! I live across the Nisqually River delta from the Dupont Washington site. It was the main explosives and ammunition depot for old Camp Lewis, now called Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
@Scott B -- Sorry , NO , that only happens at large operations , not at small one or two man operations . In all probability it was a hand written copy of the Location Notice , so that when the miner(s) went to Town to get supplies , if someone else came along and found the Mine they would know that it was currently being operated and would leave it alone . -- < Doc , Miner for over 50 years > .
On the note of the Du Pont crate found at the portal; I grew up next to the plant in Louviers Colorado (I still go there to this day). They made det cord there up until around 1990. Fond memories of my house shaking them id run to the window to see big plumes of dirt go up into the air when they would test batches of cord. On a side note, there was a sign at entrance to the little town of Louviers that said HELLSVILLE due to how often workers at the plant would get killed in mishaps.
What a find. I am puzzled by all the same things you are, and that at least means I am not crazy. Looking at the cans, it is clear the miner(s) stayed there, and think of hauling every dang one of those in on your back. Or, as you said, on a mule. There would have to be water nearby for the mules, as even on a picket line if they can't get to water and fodder they will get loose...and won't be fun to find. Was there enough grass to sustain a mule or two? Surely they didn't haul feed in for them, or water, it is just too dang heavy, right? Or was there "mule water" down that ladder at one time? Really so many questions. I wonder what it was that prospector saw on the surface that energized him to expend so much of himself on single jacking that shaft, hauling in all the rail, and my lord that cart. Sure it was disassembled, but even then. Was he solo, or did a couple of guys see the same signs? Amazing place. a time capsule....crazy cool.
There was no grass with which to sustain mules. So, perhaps they browsed a little on the local vegetation, but they would have needed some sort of supplemental feed. As you correctly observed, water is exceptionally heavy. Even if they did eventually end up taking water from the mine, it would have taken them a long time to carve the mine out to the point where they were getting water from it, you know? Like you said, so many questions...
The more remote and hard to reach, the better... I've hiked into one site with aircraft wreckage, but I'm no G. Pat Macha. The subject is quite interesting to me though.
Very nice. Wish more were in such un touched condition. I wonder how extensive that winze is, did you see any waste rock piles that suggest a big mine ? Did the mine cart arrive in pieces on a mule train ? Poor mules.
The winze is small based on the results of the rock test and because they were using a windlass... The ore car (and other heavy equipment) would have arrived in pieces on the backs of mules and then been assembled on site.
No other foot prints? Other sign of mines or well used trail for mule lines? Thanks for your effort! Do you do rigging lines to see whats down the shaft. Second level or anything up hill from porthole?
No other footprints. Absolutely no trails or roads. There were a couple of old prospect shafts, but they were tiny... We did not bring ropes on this trip. No other levels.
Very nice old ore cart!!! Did yall find any dates on those dynamite boxs? I want to say lower left corner on one of the short sides. Really nasty clay lookin stuff at the end, but looked like it could hold some gold. Yall stay safe out there.
We looked, but saw no dates... Other evidence and the style of the box suggests early 1900s. Yes, that wet clay at the end was horrible, but I sure hope the miners were able to pull some gold out of it!
How do you start about finding mines like these? And if or when someone does find a mine like this, is it legal for them to start working that mine again if they thought it might be worth doing so?
Yes, we usually camp out. Very few mines are within "day trip" range and they often take more than a day to reach - particularly with a mine like this that required an extensive hike to reach.
The California cap company has been out of business for years , it’s one of the more common tins found in mines from California to as far away as Colorado and across the sw states . Most common cap tins are du pont or atlas . They normally held #6 blasting caps which are much shorter than the standard #8’s used today . Having worked as an underground miner for 45 years I’ve actually used both . 40% dynamite is pretty standard back when they used nitroglycerin in stick powder with 60% being the strongest I’ve ever seen used in underground mines and that was normally reserved for extreme hard rock ie granite or hard metamorphic rock . Sometimes it was common practice to prime with 60% and load the remaining length of hole with 40% . Nitroglycerin powder went out of widespread use with the invention of modern emulsion or water gel stick powder and the wider use of ANFO as anfo is cheaper and gives about the same results as 40% .in fact unless you have wet holes or super tough rock anfo is always used even in raise and stope rounds up holes being plugged off with “ Pilgrim Hats “ to keep the anfo from rattling out of the the up holes during blasting. It’s interesting seeing you visiting some of the mines this ole tramp miner has made a shift or two in . Along with quite a few some of my older pards worked in and told me about. One word of advice never assume something is a winze underground! I’ve yet to meet a miner who enjoys drilling, blasting or timbering yet alone mucking out a narrow cramped hole that runs down under there feet ! Unless that so called winze has absolutely no connections with a shaft or drift off a shaft . Otherwise it’s most certainly was driven as a raise / ore pass etc . Nobody likes mucking and gravity is always a miner’s friend when it comes to moving muck. We work smarter never harder . One interesting side note on that power box 7/8” X 8” sticks were normally what was referred to as hand steel powder used in you guessed it holes drilled with hand steel my guess is they got it cheap and used it in jackleg holes b/c the got a deal on 1”-1 1/4” bits or they actually hand drilled . Common stick powder used today is 1 1/8” X 16” .
Thank you for the insightful comment... Yes, we use ANFO and the emulsion in our mine. Some things haven't changed much in mining, but that definitely has. I think it is pretty cool that you have worked in some of the mines that I/we have visited.
PSA: I just wanted to inform (or remind) subscribers that, in order to get the most out of the experiences Justin provides on video, you really should read the narratives he provides in the description boxes. You will find (when available) all kinds of extra details, or special information nuggets, that really add to the story of that particular adventure.
Plus, he's an excellent writer. That helps. 👍
Justin - maybe pin this?
Thanks, AGDinCA, for the kind words and the PSA... I'd throw in that many of the questions asked in the comments are answered in the description as well.
I usually the written text before I start watching the video.
@@brucevanderzanden9638 That's because you are a good and faithful subscriber, and you are, obviously, extremely intelligent. 😉👍
You found a time capsule, untouched for decades! Great job and thanks again for taking us along!
These are my favorite kinds of mines.
You manage to provide so much information, it really does make your videos top notch. I would love to do what you do, but I have to admit that I would miss a majority of the details you pick up on. These videos are great, and I enjoy being able to learn something while I watch!
In all your explorations, I'm amazed that you always leave the oddities and artifacts you find. It shows that you are a respectful student of History, and I thank you for it sir!
Thank you for being of a like mind on that subject... You wouldn't believe how many complaints I get for not taking things from these mines.
@@TVRExploring you're not taking anything away from the next brave soul that ventures there, you're preserving these places through these videos. Thank you for what you're doin man, and keep safe!
My great-grandfather had gone home for lunch from the mine at the time the Milford Mine flooded, sparing his life. Mines mean a lot to Minnesotans, and it's great to see them not lost to time.
Rail removed but very remote? Perhaps there is another mine nearby that it was reused in?
You bastard! That was my exact thought! You stole it!
Maybe another level lower or higher on the mountain
Possibly... We looked all around and just found a couple of tiny prospect shafts in the area, but we, obviously, could have missed something.
I agree - the rail was likely reused at the next mine. I can't imagine another reason to go to all that trouble to remove it all.
Salvagers. I knew a guy whose uncle or dad was a mine salvager. The company that owns the mine brings in a savager to extract anything of value and then they seal the "hole" to human entry. However not all mines remained sealed!
that is an old starter bit .... looks like sulfur leaching out of the wall rock in the back of the drift ....wonder what is at the bottom of the winze ....be safe out there
Thank you. It certainly looked like sulfur, but I'm not enough of a geologist to know whether it's possible to see sulfur in that area or not. Given the results of the rock test and the presence of the windlass rather than a hoist, our presumption was that the workings at the bottom of the winze were minor. However, yes, it would have been nice to see for sure what was down there!
@@TVRExploring jeffs tha shit!
@@TVRExploring both my fav channels!
Good call Sunny Jim...............JB.
Lower a running camera on a rope?
After doing a little bit of research, it looks like Dupont only produced dynamite under that name for 2 years between 1911-1912.
Thank you for looking that up. That really narrows things down!
The purple glass puts it right there too.
@@napalmholocaust9093 Nice, I didn't think about that! I know the turquoise glass was most common but I haven't seen much purple.
No, they started under their own name in 1905. They ran until 1911-12.
Strange I just saw a video showing a box from 1903 for DuPont.
Wow. I believe all who have passion for what you do appreciate the effort and time and money you fork over for us all to be better educated, fill the voids in our prospecting addiction. “Not all of us can just dip out and go mine exploring” but we can virtually do it by you posting your videos. Thankyou
Nice little explore! That ore car was fantastic!
That all felt pretty untouched for quite a few years!
Enjoyed the photos at the end.
Thanks for the share👍
I was thinking that a blacksmith created it at the mine.
Another excellent exploration. The more remote the better. Certainly worth the effort. Great job.
I can't believe you found a museum in the forest. The pictures at the end really let me take in each artifact you found. This was a small gem.
A museum in the forest is exactly what this was... Thanks for supplying that description.
A simple guide I've learned in my 60 years of collecting dynamite boxes is, first are the notched fitting wood boxes then the nailed wooden boxes then the cardboard boxes. After that the fertilizer stuff. You can see on the sign at the mouth of the portal is nailed. Others can add or correct If I'm wrong, You're still making great videos. Keep up the great work.
That was an amazing video. Great narration and video footage and knowledge throughout the exploration of an undisturbed mine like that. Keep up the good work. Following.
Thank you very much. These are my favorite kinds of mines...
This reminds me of a perfectly preserved alpine mine I explored. These hard to get to mines are always well worth it.
I agree!
What a beautiful setting! Thanks for sharing!
I hope there's a part 2. This one was a great find. Thanks
I am constantly amazed at how they got all those materials that deep into a mine.
As someone who hauls quite some heavy stuff up and down inside of ships, I guess doing the same in I mine sounds even more difficult. I have mad respect for miners.
Great video! Mines are sketchy. Around 1980 when I was a Boy Scout we did a annual camping trip to Calico ghost town. We were exploring and found a mine. This area was extremely remote and the mine didnt look to be explored or picked through that much. There were mine cars, newspapers, birdcage, sardine cans, Hercules dynamite boxes...empty. I kept one of the boxes. Its in beautiful condition. It was a very large mine. Wish I could remember where it was...i would go back for sure.
You could get dynamite in four strengths, or grades back in the 1950's, commonly 20% and 40%. Then 60%, which was obviously handled more carefully and finally, 80%, which was rarely seen because of it's stability. It looks like this mine has been surveyed twice in the last fifty years or so. The early distance markers were sprayed in a faint orange, the later ones, deeper in the mine were light green. At no point did I see ribbon hanging on the ribs with codes indicating samples taken. It did appear that the ladder on the left side of the winze was fairly modern in construction, with rungs inset into the rails, rather than nailed on top of the rails.
'
I saw those survey markings as well. Really wonder when they were done.
As kids, (~6-10years old), we used to find old bottle dumps and would spend the day smashing old bottles. Lord only knows how much those would be worth today.
Haha, yes, you probably smashed a small fortune...
When I was 18 [I'm 61 now] I worked for a sand and gravel company that was hired to clean sand out of an old irrigation ditch from the 1800's. After the ditch was no longer used for irrigation, local people used part of it as a trash dump. As we dug the sand out, we screened it to use making concrete. Old bottles started popping out of the screening machine! Beautiful things of every shape and size. Many were broken, but even more were not. Some of them even had glass stoppers! By the time we were done, I had saved boxes and boxes of old bottles!
Nice little mine there! Nice to see those old timber ties still in place, we see a lot of raw timber in our mines too, just amazing to see it still standing too, the old miners knew what they were doing and how to make it last. Nice gypsum crystals at the back, we see a lot of those too. I noted the green paint from more modern surveying, but glad the people that done it left all the boxes and other things in place.
Yes, many of these practices were perfected in your Cornish mines before being introduced over here... Perhaps the surveyor took the really, really good artifacts and we're seeing the "junk" that the surveyor didn't bother taking? It is very difficult to locate the elusive unvisited mines.
The purple in the glass wasn't intended as a colorant. Magnesium powder was put into the old
glass to combat the iron in the sand so to speak. It kept the glass from turning brown from
the iron when it was fired. The magnesium kept the glass clear. When left out in direct bright
sunlight over a very long period of time that glass will slowly turn purple(ish) and purple.
You can find that sometimes with very very old insulators on telegraph and telephone poles.
The dark purple shards indicate there was a fair amount of magnesium in the mix to make
it so dark. With large old sulphide glass marbles you will occasionally see the same thing -
where the marbles were left on a window sill for years. The deep purple sulphide marbles are
very valuable. The very deep purple in the once clear glass is a result of the direct almost
desert like sulight at the mine.
Cool mine! Great artifacts, and those thin crystals were beautiful! Thanks, as always.
Another great video. Lighting, audio, camera speed and angle all on point. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Man, you guys are hardcore! Thanks for videoing these out of reach, for me, mines!
Wow! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I am watching right now, for the third time. This is amazing.
Not going to read all the comments, but purple glass was from manganese content. This element was removed from glass after about 1910. Glass partially buried will show clear under earth and pink or purple above ground. In the western US, whiskey bottles were easily dated this way. As a former USFS archeologist (don’t hate me for that, it was a cool job), I found many such bottles in Sierra and Plumas counties.
Awesome intro story!!! That was well written man. Now onto da show!!
Thank you!
Thanks for the video...Nice hard rock mine....And lots of kool artifacts still in the mine.............JB..............
Thank you. My favorite kind of mine!
@@TVRExploring mine too......
Nice video. Love seeing artifacts. Can't imagine what it took to get supplies and tools in that mine. Stay safe.
My grandfather worked for California cap before the depression. They went out of business about 1930. He then went to work for Hercules powder. Mining engineer. Graduate of Cal Berkeley in 1907. Married the daughter of Rueben Rickard, first Berkeley Manager. Also a mining engineer. Rueben died when he fell out of a second story window of their Berkeley home on Bancroft. My great uncle, Thomas and a cousin, Thomas were both mining engineers. The cousin was good friends with H. Hoover. Also a mining engineer and 31st POTUS
Herbert Hoover spent quite a bit of time in Western Australia (and other places, like China) plying his trade as a geologist, and later, mining engineer/manager and entrepreneur/financier. It does appear he did a few other things later in his life too.
@@daveg2104 Memory is a funny thing. It was Edgar who was friends with Hoover. And, Rueben didn't die falling out of a window. He died on his way to Australia where he was inspecting mines. I have no idea who fell out of the window. Some relative. Probably drunk.
Thank you for sharing that... I love stories like that which bring history alive.
Yes Justin finding a pristine mine is golden. And you really had to work for it with research and physical effort. I've seen over 500 mines since 1974 but I think you found one that no one has been to in a long long time. I tried to do research on Veribest Cooked Beef but no luck. maybe related to Armour products, such as today's Spam. Also did you know that the term "civilian MRE" is connected to Armour's Compleats meal entrees. They are delicious and are available for $2 when on sale.
Awesome mine. Thanks for the video.
Given the remoteness and difficulty of just getting supplies to the mine it makes me wonder why they chose that spot to dig. It's really nice to see such a pristine mine full of artifacts. I like the stills at the end of the vid!!!
Thank you. Yes, it is extraordinary to us where some of these prospectors ended up!
Yeah, how did they process all the material without any major access? Is it possible they somehow processed it on site?
@@michaelrudolph7003 Since it didn't get any bigger, it appears that the mine did not produce any worthwhile minerals that needed to be processed.
@@deezynar I'm talking about the original miners. They dug a huge amount of material out of a mine in an inaccessible location. My question is, what did they do with all that material? Given there was no road or even trail anywhere in the area, how did they get the mined material out to be processed? Seems almost impossible unless they did it on site somehow. Also, as others have mentioned, where did they even get the water for their mules? So many questions.
@@michaelrudolph7003
I answered your question.
NOTHING was mined. No "processing" was required.
They dug a hole in the mountain and all they found was worthless rock that they tossed in a pile outside.
The operation was done on speculation, called "prospecting." It was done in hopes of finding something worth mining. They found nothing that was worth the trouble, so they abandoned it.
The thing with mining before core sample boring was developed, is that you would mine an outcrop of worthwhile minerals revealed on the surface and follow it down, but you had no idea what you were getting into. If the outcrop ran out quickly, you'd keep digging because you were haunted by the idea that a valuable vein may be just another foot inside of the rock. Core sampling in a grid lets engineers "see" what's down there, and plan a mine's shafts, levels, etc., before they even start work.
Anyway, I have no idea what motivated the men to dig in that spot. It appears that there was no outcrop, and the rocks there don't appear to be a type that harbors worthwhile minerals.
To sum up, they went out with hopes of finding something. If they had found any rock that they thought contained worthwhile minerals in them, they would have carried them to a town with someone qualified to analyze them. If they had enough value, they'd get look for investors in hopes of expanding the operation with more equipment. It's possible that they did find something worthwhile, but nothing worth enough to pay for building a road to the place.
Wow very awesome mine. Very interesting. Thank you for sharing
Super cool video with an amazing mine
Thank you. This is my favorite kind of mine to uncover!
@@TVRExploring I have always wanted to find a mine like this however where I live there are not many hard rock mines that are safe to explore.
Nice find and all that stuff is in really good shape too 😉👍👍🇺🇸
Nice artifacts, that mine cart is amazing! Love the old 1800s mine with raw rail cross ties, All very rare finds 👍🏻
I believe the can you found @8.53 is a candle powered lamp, the hole in the bottom is where you poke the candle through ,the can stops the wind from blowing it out, the shiny insides act as a reflector and the string handle keeps your hands from getting burnt
The axe-cut timbers at the winze are yet another clue as to the age of this site. Thanks for the detailed, meaningful description above and for venturing in to find this way cool mine!
Thank you!
awesome find! thank you for your time!
For some reason this mine didn't really alarm me, I think this was one I could have actually entered ! Not sure why being underground bothers me so much. Genetic memory? My grandfather was a coal miner in Eastern Kentucky in his youth, before he came up to Ohio before WWI and started a new life. Fascinating mine. I hope you are able to find more like this.
Except for the very last section, this mine was very safe and solid. I'd say this would be an excellent gateway mine for someone harboring grim genetic memories of coal mines! I can imagine that your grandfather didn't regret starting a new life...
I have a pair of those wheels off of a cart. Thanks for capturing a picture of them so now I know!
Well worth the hike great mine explored
Excellent share! I love my Arizona mines
Excellent video as always, really cool mine, old too....!
I live down the street from that town Louviers, Colorado. There was a dynamite plant there for many years and now it's a little town hidden in the trees. It's kind of creepy. Really cool to see that dynamite box.
I still go to Plum Creek with the dogs. Might have grown a pot plant or 2 near the little brick building that still stands just off the road.
Found a prospectors museum of a old mine from some 120+ years ago, untouched! All hand hewn woodwork, amazing. Thanks for the tour.
Awsome artifacts up there ... One of your more interesting mines. Thanks for sharing.
This is my favorite kind of mine.
WOW! That addit is absolutely gorgeous!
I agree! Picture perfect.
Mining terminology is so confusing . The miners REMOVE ore and waste rock , so instead of an "Adit" , technically shouldn't it be called a "Subtract-it" . LOL .
As great piece of history and documentation. It's great to see everything untouched since the miners left. Another great video.
Thanks for sharing,
Paul in Lower Boddington UK
Thanks, Paul. These are my favorite kinds of mines to find - a "perfect" mine for me!
Great video, thanks. 👍 👍
I am very intrested in exploring old mines and such......how do people locate these old mines?
great video. i love the long description as well
Great job, really like your mine tours.
Given the green vegetation at the winze, I am betting there was an opening to the outside somewhere close by. That would also explain the fly.
Rodents bring in juniper branches through the tunnel.
@@deezynar There was also a considerable amount of mud and a bit of standing water there, too. Could be a natural spring? Or outside access?
Thanks I like the artifacts that was left in the mine and there had tp be a wagon track or some form of road there at one time to transport the minerals from that location and bringing that ore cart there.
Pack mules?
Yes, they used pack mules. There were absolutely no roads and not even any trails...
Have you thought of getting a 360 camera and then use a very small fishing pole and a LED array to lower the camera down in to the winds to see what you can record?
Yes, but we are limited in how much we can carry and we never know what we will be encountering and so it is difficult to anticipate what we might want in the way of gear. On a day like this, we essentially had room for lights, cameras and sufficient water given the hike in.
@@TVRExploring yah for sure you want to keep it as light as you can. Just wondering if you thought of it.
The giant powder co. 1867 - 1912, Hercules powder co 1912 - 1966, DuPont 1802 - 2017.
i would guess this mine is pre 1912 to around the 20s
Dupont only made dynamite until 1912 so its probably closer to the first date.
I thought I saw some green spray-paint a few times. I wonder if that is common back then, or if it is from later visitors.
is it possible that they pulled the track for another mine in the area? that cart is beautiful. its so nice when the average person cant get to stuff like this.
Yes, I'm sure the rail was pulled for another mine, but it wasn't one in this area. There are no other mines within miles. The rock in this area was very pale and stands out sharply against the dark green of the vegetation. There were no other spots.
I love how in your clips, everything is either "right here" or "right there"...
Great mine video! Can I ask...when miners resorted to strip rail, how did they cope with curves? Often wondered this..
The resident blacksmith (if they had one) would use heat to bend the iron rail.
if there was a producing mine there why would`nt be one close by? any idea what they were mining? it is a good thing you videoed what you were able to just in case some so called experts contact you . have done any more exploreing in the area? that was what i liked to do before i became to disabled to walk very far! thank you for taking us along, great view , great viedo
Yes, we explored around, but did not locate anything else other than a couple of tiny prospect shafts.
@@TVRExploring i wonder what they were chasing? great views of that far away place! my kind of place to seek out my own company.
Thanks for making the video
Was that solid sulfite layers where it was light yellowish and you said its soft and no echo!! If so wow, really cool!! Im at awe!! Amazing
Oh yeah keep up you awesome hobby that no one in the whole world does like you or for why you do it!! Really kool
Thank you very much for the kind words. Yes, I believe those were sulfur layers in the back, which I wouldn't have expected. It was completely soft to the point where my boots were just sinking into the floor and, as you heard, there was absolutely no echo at all!
Thank you.
Thank you for the Explore you Bushwhackers . Very nice Video . I suspect that the Mine Cart was partially buried or tipped on end for a while . The Handle end looks like it is rusted more ? Somebody retrieved it and pulled it back in the Mine to protect It ? The DuPont Powder box just inside said Hercules, California . It got me Thinking I once Hand loaded a ot of .44 spl using Unique which was Hercules Powder Co . I suppose if i cared to dig I might find out that DuPont owned Hercules at one time ? I once had a Light Green flavored Hercules Powder Box with faded red Lettering in the Camper Trailer . It was soo faded there was no Address or what type . I have to guess that at 9 minutes it said Hell Hole at one time . At least it was not full of Goat Droppings .
Giant was a company town along the shore of San Francisco bay. I recall driving through the town in about 1956/7
Thank you. I didn't know that...
My guess on the blue crystals possibly blue Calcite or Celestite. I would have really loved a specimen to identify in person. Really interesting mine, best one I've seen yet. Thanks for the video!
Thank you very much. Since you know your minerals, I wish you could have been there in person as well!
@@TVRExploring Me too! If you ever need any mineral identification I'm more than happy to help. I love watching your videos, they give real insight to what it might have been like back then. My late grandfather was in a (coal) blasting accident. Somebody wrongly gave the all clear before he could get out, yet he survived by shielding himself with his arm above his head. They dug him out after seeing a hand poking through the rubble. How do you check the safety of a mine like this one before you visit? Thanks again!
@Ryan May -- I agree on the Celestite crystals (Strontium Sulfate - SrSO4) . -- I have a beautiful Light Blue cluster of Celestite crystals in the form of a ''Celestite Rose'' on a base of Colemanite crystals , from the ''Spooky Claim'' of the American Borate Company in Death Valley , California . I was able to retrieve it from the Ore Body (Colemanite) before the Continuous Miner ground it to dust , when I worked for A.B.C. . -- < Doc , Miner for over 50 years > .
@@ryanmay1298 That's a hell of an experience your grandfather went through! For safety, it is a combination of experience, common sense and tools like gas meters. That said, abandoned mines are inherently dangerous and so no mine is completely safe. It is a question of weighing the odds and hoping that you chose correctly.
@@001desertrat3 I'd love to see a photo! Sounds like you've got quite the knowledge on crystals. I've never gotten one direct from a mine before, must have been quite special.
What is it with can piles? I found a old mine here in Tucson called the Carlo mine .. and on Google Earth you can see the can pile. I went there and sure enough, a huge pile of cans .. no glass .. matter of fact I couldn't find any glass? There were also 55 gal drums welded together .. 20 to 30 foot section .. air pipe? I found only one shaft and it was almost 3 seconds to the bottom. The sides of the shaft slope in and there was no safe way to get close to look down ..
That's a huge can dump if you're able to spot it on Google Earth! The 55 gallon drums welded together may have been an ore chute. I've seen that a handful of times.
Very interesting mine added bonus can label's plus Explosives box and crimping blasting caps can too!!!; ) looks around the back side of death valley did you run into the bee's then if it is!!!; )
Yes, I love mines that are "museums" like this.
Just started watching and loving loving the in-depth information and historical parts of the places you show each episode. Do you guys actually take out samples and test them? Do you do any actual minning like slusbox or pan? Be awesome if you did take a few pounds to crush later on when you find possibilities in some of the great looking ore you and we see on camera.
Anyways just thought I would ask if you guys did. Maybe I have not watched enough yet to know. But glad I found your channel. Buy if you don’t you should test with metal detectors and a little gentle pick cause you don’t want that coming down on you. Could always wedge boards to prop and hold up the ceiling well you take your sAmple.
Sorry it’s been awhile and wanna get back out checking out new areas and pickin around. I’m inB.C what about you guys?
Sorry that was so long of a text. Any just thought I would ask and say hi. I subscribed and I will have video up very soon
Bet they hauled the ore cart up there in pieces and riveted it together using the smithy. It was probably too much to take down all put together so it just got left. They could have easily salvaged the strap rail bit by bit I think.
Love the stills Justin!
TY
Seen this mine on U tube.. Neat how everyones view add to it!!
What was the other channel that showed this mine?
When you guys were looking at the can of spam, bottle and caps can, there was a piece of cloth next to it looking like jean material but covered with dust. Did you see it? Nice video for sure!
Thank you. Yes, we did see that and, if memory serves correctly, it was denim...
Swoop up that denim and pay for your next adventure!
@@TVRExploring cool :)
best mine video I've seen.
I really love your uploads Mr, living in UK we don't have many mines like this unfortunately they've been blocked off even my local mine in the park near me I cannot find hardly any history of it existing other than see the entrances with my own eyes as a child and all I could find online was couple of paragraphs and and old painting of the entrance it's like they've errazed any memories of it ever bein there other than a bandstand in centre of the park when I was a child I so regret not lettin my uncle take me in to explore them mines xx
Thank you. Glad you're enjoying them... Unfortunately, that history is being rapidly erased in the United States as well. I also wish I had visited more places when I was younger and had spent more time with the old timers, but I didn't know how quickly these things we care about would disappear.
@@TVRExploring it's such ashame them old timers have the best story's to tell from there past experiences just ashame the mines cannot be made save to preserve them so generations to come could learn about the history of miners, I find it so fascinating I will admit I do have to put you on pause and Google stuff you mention just so I understand I've come to the conclusion I was born in the wrong country I'd love to explore caves and mines and walk the trails. You have me hooked at this new mine your fixing up cannot wait to see many many more uploads from you weather it's this new mine or others sending hugs and love stay safe xx
@@Ladylilz Thank you for the positivity! Yes, I wish I had understood what was being lost around me when I was younger. I would have made much more effort to seek out the old timers and to ask them questions. However, at the time, it seemed like they would be around forever... And, yes, I agree with you on being born in the wrong century. We were born at an awkward time, with the old business of being too late to explore the frontiers of this world and too early to explore the stars.
@@TVRExploring sounds such a peaceful way of life back then bet they all had some tails to tel round a camp fire and the songs they would sing, back then you work put food on tables for you and the family, amazing that they all knew alot of trades to get them though life before the world gone to pot as seems more people are living off state benefits n living in brick prisons (houses) bring back the good old days I say xx
The colors were very good 👍 loved the ore car how they moved was a chore I bet Boxes and cans what a mess
Dude, if I ever want to visit an abandoned mine I hope you're with me. Your vast experience can make the exploring seem easy, but I know its very difficult.
Nice mine! There had to be a road of sorts to get that ore cart in plus dynamite boxes. It seems as if the neck of that bottle was removed to make a finger slide for Hawaiian slide playing or some blues guitar picking.
Ha! I live across the Nisqually River delta from the Dupont Washington site. It was the main explosives and ammunition depot for old Camp Lewis, now called Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Where is this mine located??
Look like one I went to as a kid with my father in 1978.
Jim
3:14 Someone had a decent blacksmith, that bit is well hardened ("ding dingading" setting it back down).
That sign at the entrance was for Miner's to hang there tag so they knew who was in the mine. Miner would remove it when they were out
@Scott B -- Sorry , NO , that only happens at large operations , not at small one or two man operations . In all probability it was a hand written copy of the Location Notice , so that when the miner(s) went to Town to get supplies , if someone else came along and found the Mine they would know that it was currently being operated and would leave it alone . -- < Doc , Miner for over 50 years > .
TVR , @21:25 - Magnify your still photo of that Hercules box , on the bottom edge below the ''40% Strength'' is a date of ''1913'' .
Good spot! Thank you. That fits in perfectly with our estimated age of this mine.
On the note of the Du Pont crate found at the portal; I grew up next to the plant in Louviers Colorado (I still go there to this day). They made det cord there up until around 1990. Fond memories of my house shaking them id run to the window to see big plumes of dirt go up into the air when they would test batches of cord. On a side note, there was a sign at entrance to the little town of Louviers that said HELLSVILLE due to how often workers at the plant would get killed in mishaps.
Amazingly cool! What state is this in?
What a find. I am puzzled by all the same things you are, and that at least means I am not crazy. Looking at the cans, it is clear the miner(s) stayed there, and think of hauling every dang one of those in on your back. Or, as you said, on a mule. There would have to be water nearby for the mules, as even on a picket line if they can't get to water and fodder they will get loose...and won't be fun to find. Was there enough grass to sustain a mule or two? Surely they didn't haul feed in for them, or water, it is just too dang heavy, right?
Or was there "mule water" down that ladder at one time? Really so many questions.
I wonder what it was that prospector saw on the surface that energized him to expend so much of himself on single jacking that shaft, hauling in all the rail, and my lord that cart. Sure it was disassembled, but even then. Was he solo, or did a couple of guys see the same signs?
Amazing place. a time capsule....crazy cool.
There was no grass with which to sustain mules. So, perhaps they browsed a little on the local vegetation, but they would have needed some sort of supplemental feed. As you correctly observed, water is exceptionally heavy. Even if they did eventually end up taking water from the mine, it would have taken them a long time to carve the mine out to the point where they were getting water from it, you know? Like you said, so many questions...
Very cool seeing so many old things still there.No roads or trails to it,that's how we have seen entire old aircraft wreakadge to
The more remote and hard to reach, the better... I've hiked into one site with aircraft wreckage, but I'm no G. Pat Macha. The subject is quite interesting to me though.
Awesome as always!
A fine little mine .
If you return you can explore the deeper levels
Stay safe
Yours Frank
Very nice. Wish more were in such un touched condition. I wonder how extensive that winze is, did you see any waste rock piles that suggest a big mine ? Did the mine cart arrive in pieces on a mule train ? Poor mules.
The winze is small based on the results of the rock test and because they were using a windlass... The ore car (and other heavy equipment) would have arrived in pieces on the backs of mules and then been assembled on site.
No other foot prints? Other sign of mines or well used trail for mule lines? Thanks for your effort! Do you do rigging lines to see whats down the shaft. Second level or anything up hill from porthole?
No other footprints. Absolutely no trails or roads. There were a couple of old prospect shafts, but they were tiny... We did not bring ropes on this trip. No other levels.
Very nice old ore cart!!! Did yall find any dates on those dynamite boxs? I want to say lower left corner on one of the short sides. Really nasty clay lookin stuff at the end, but looked like it could hold some gold. Yall stay safe out there.
We looked, but saw no dates... Other evidence and the style of the box suggests early 1900s. Yes, that wet clay at the end was horrible, but I sure hope the miners were able to pull some gold out of it!
How do you start about finding mines like these? And if or when someone does find a mine like this, is it legal for them to start working that mine again if they thought it might be worth doing so?
I have to ask you if you ever camp out at these beautiful locations ?
He did. Justin mentions it in the description under the video.
Yes, we usually camp out. Very few mines are within "day trip" range and they often take more than a day to reach - particularly with a mine like this that required an extensive hike to reach.
TVR Exploring , it’s just beautiful
The California cap company has been out of business for years , it’s one of the more common tins found in mines from California to as far away as Colorado and across the sw states . Most common cap tins are du pont or atlas . They normally held #6 blasting caps which are much shorter than the standard #8’s used today . Having worked as an underground miner for 45 years I’ve actually used both . 40% dynamite is pretty standard back when they used nitroglycerin in stick powder with 60% being the strongest I’ve ever seen used in underground mines and that was normally reserved for extreme hard rock ie granite or hard metamorphic rock . Sometimes it was common practice to prime with 60% and load the remaining length of hole with 40% .
Nitroglycerin powder went out of widespread use with the invention of modern emulsion or water gel stick powder and the wider use of ANFO as anfo is cheaper and gives about the same results as 40% .in fact unless you have wet holes or super tough rock anfo is always used even in raise and stope rounds up holes being plugged off with “ Pilgrim Hats “ to keep the anfo from rattling out of the the up holes during blasting.
It’s interesting seeing you visiting some of the mines this ole tramp miner has made a shift or two in . Along with quite a few some of my older pards worked in and told me about.
One word of advice never assume something is a winze underground! I’ve yet to meet a miner who enjoys drilling, blasting or timbering yet alone mucking out a narrow cramped hole that runs down under there feet ! Unless that so called winze has absolutely no connections with a shaft or drift off a shaft . Otherwise it’s most certainly was driven as a raise / ore pass etc . Nobody likes mucking and gravity is always a miner’s friend when it comes to moving muck. We work smarter never harder .
One interesting side note on that power box 7/8” X 8” sticks were normally what was referred to as hand steel powder used in you guessed it holes drilled with hand steel my guess is they got it cheap and used it in jackleg holes b/c the got a deal on 1”-1 1/4” bits or they actually hand drilled . Common stick powder used today is 1 1/8” X 16” .
Thank you for the insightful comment... Yes, we use ANFO and the emulsion in our mine. Some things haven't changed much in mining, but that definitely has.
I think it is pretty cool that you have worked in some of the mines that I/we have visited.