Mine Exploring Isn't Easy
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- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2025
- I would hope that viewers on this channel would have already realized that mine exploring is not easy, but in case a reminder was needed, well, here we are… As difficult as it was to drop this mine with its shaft filled with obstacles that repeatedly tangled our rope, it was even more tough to frog up and out of this mine. There was just enough of an angle in the shaft that it made frogging awkward and, of course, it was a constant challenge to maneuver around all of the collapsing infrastructure in the shaft.
I’m sorry to say that Andrew has reported that this mine was destroyed about two weeks after we visited. And, no, this time I cannot point fingers at aggressive mine closure teams from the Forest Service or BLM. Instead, this time, it was a private company carrying out a surface drilling program. For those that haven’t experienced it, core drilling is quite violent. As such, the drills apparently caved the stopes we saw and filled the voids with rubble.
I’m often asked if there is still valuable ore in these abandoned mines. Yes, there is. The destruction of this mine is evidence of that. I can assure you that a drilling program is not cheap. We’re talking millions of dollars… Investors would not have funded a drilling program with a price tag like that if there were not good ore left.
The ore the miners at this site were after was comprised of silver, gold and manganese. The earliest records I could locate on this mine date back to 1883 and it seems the mine was worked up until the early 1950s.
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All of these videos are uploaded in HD, so I’d encourage you to adjust your settings to the highest quality if it is not done automatically.
You can see the gear that I use for mine exploring here: bit.ly/2wqcBDD
As well as a small gear update here: bit.ly/2p6Jip6
You can see the full TVR Exploring playlist of abandoned mines here: goo.gl/TEKq9L
Several kind viewers have asked about donating to help cover some of the many expenses associated with exploring these abandoned mines. Inspired by their generosity, I set up a Patreon account. So, if anyone would care to chip in, I’m under TVR Exploring on Patreon.
Thanks for watching!
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Growing up in California’s “Gold Rush Country” made it easy to take all of the history around us for granted. However, abandoned mine sites have a lot working against them - nature, vandals, scrappers and various government agencies… The old prospectors and miners that used to roam our lonely mountains and toil away deep underground are disappearing quickly as well.
These losses finally caught our attention and we felt compelled to make an effort to document as many of the ghost towns and abandoned mines that we could before that colorful niche of our history is gone forever. But, you know what? We enjoy doing it! This is exploring history firsthand - bushwhacking down steep canyons and over rough mountains, figuring out the techniques the miners used and the equipment they worked with, seeing the innovations they came up with, discovering lost mines that no one has been in for a century, wandering through ghost towns where the only sound is the wind... These journeys allow a feeling of connection to a time when the world was a very different place. And I’d love to think that in some small way we are paying tribute to those hardy miners that worked these mines before we were even born.
So, yes, in short, we are adit addicts… I hope you’ll join us on these adventures!
#ExploringAbandonedMines
#MineExploring
#AbandonedMines
#UndergroundMineExploring
The amount of handwork required to excavate all that rock is insane ! respect to the old miners.
I seriously can't get over that either! How the hell did they dig vertical shafts 500 feet into the earth and get all that rock out of there too
agreed.
The old timers were tough!
March 17th 1958. The day the US launched Vanguard 1, the first solar powered satellite. And made a box of dynamite. The dynamite has all gone bang, but Vanguard 1 is still up there, and will be for another 180 years.
I love the story behind Killroy as well as the myriad offshoots that sprung up from it. He's the _"OG"_ of memes. Always keeping his eyes on the prize. A globe trotter of epic proportions.
Watching these mine exploring videos are more scary than a horror movie. You guys are really risking everything. Shoutout too people with no fear 🤙🏼
Apache Powder of Benson, Arizona is just north of Tombstone, Arizona by 25 miles or so. Started making dynamite in 1920 or so, stopped about 1971. Good explore, keep up the good work.
A lot of Spanish speaking miners. Love the graffiti! Didn’t realize you’re accomplished on the rope. Fun explore, thanks!
I don't know, but it was a lot!
I am very thankful for you guys exploring these mines, that way I don’t have to. I’m sitting here watching it on my iPad in my living room, and every now and then when you look down into one of those deep pits I get a bit of a panic attack. I tip my hat to you guys, you are very brave, or nuts
Cool pattern at 46.02 is the Cretan Labyrinth pattern - a seven ring design
Two wks. later, huh? and what you documented on this explore is now going to be a lasting , historical accounting of this mine. It appears from the graffiti names, that this company employed many Mexican workers, some as early as 1911 and 1925. At 47:35, that is the longest "foot" or fault wall that I've seen on anyone's mine explore film!! These workings were very extensive and very interesting. Thanks much for filming this for us.
Thanks as always Justin for the video. It IS sad to see historic mines succumb to the damages of modern mining but at the same time we have to be mindful that minerals are still in demand. Still, it would be sad to see it turn into an open pit if that were the case. Also, if the minerals were never mined in the first place there would be no addits, shafts, raises, winezes or stopes to explore. I used to feel the same way about logging near where I lived when prime hunting grounds down old logging roads would be obliterated when new logging took place. In the same way if the forest were never logged initially I'd never have had places to hunt. Stay safe all.
A wise perspective...
These videos are so good. You are really to be commended, as is your whole team. It is pretty apparent by watching the video that it is extremely hard work getting in and out of some of these mines. As I have mentioned before in other comments, I am from Montana, and the amount of old and probably unexplored mines there is astounding. There are tailings dripping down every hill and mountainside it seems like. I grew up in a very old mining town in Montana, and we would play amongst old mining equipment as children, and of course, dare each other to go into some of the old mining shafts, which none of us did, thankfully. I think we will leave it up to you guys, as you are professionals and know what you're doing. Growing up where I did, history was oozing out of every nook and cranny. That is what got me interested in history and antiques and now, even as the much older man that I currently am, I find that I want to share as much of the knowledge and history as I possibly can with younger generations. It is just very cool to see you guys exploring and documenting the history of these old mines. Especially before they are destroyed by our Federal 'friends'. Keep up the great work, guys! All the best.
As a side note in case anyone is interested: It is Manganese that was added to glass back in the day that made glass turn purple or amethyst in the sunlight. Manganese was added to glass all the way up to about WWI, when they stopped with that process. This is why some old bottles and old glass are that purple amethyst colour when dug up or found.
Hi, I'm glad your able to explore these old mines. I couldn't, to old and fat. Apache powder is still alive and well, they produce powder to this day, I go to almost all the big mines in Arizona delivering quicklime
Makes a nice dry change from watching the Lost Mines boys in Wales!
Great stuff 👏
Those guys go into some sketchy places….
Excellent mine and explore! Too bad about the collapse from drilling, but at least you got it recorded (and they didn’t do the drilling while you were in there!). Thanks, and awaiting the most awesome stuff!
it's Fulton Iron Works, Hinckley, Spiers & Hayes out of San Francisco. found a reddit post specifically on that ore cart from 8 months ago as well.
You should do a video of you and your exploring partners sitting around a campfire telling stories of how you met and other interesting stories that didn’t make on camera.
What a really unique mine! Incredible sulfur samples! Can't wait for the next installment...
Yes, that shaft was rough!
14:00 I might be wrong, but I feel like I've seen or heard "Apache Powder" before. I might be remembering it from one of your older videos... or perhaps that's just déjà vu.
16:10 Seems like Buckley Iron Works, which apparently still exists today as a West Virginia LLC.
This is a nice one, 2 ore carts together is super rare these days, let alone one having its manufacturers plate. The sulfur was interesting aswell coming across a massive concentration of that, after a 12 hours shift you wouldn't be smelling much of anything.
I appreciate seeing you do a bit of repelling, we don't get to see that side of things from you all that often.
Hey, if you ever want to poke around the largest/most historic mine in Western Oregon that's been caved for many decades, my dad and I have been threatening to repel down a particular vent shaft for years 😜
*rappelling
@@tutekohe1361 nah, I like to think he's just magically using the force to repel the rocks and float down 😂
Haven't made it out to mines in Oregon yet, but Mines of the West is all over that region...
@@TVRExploring I'd not checked out Mines of the West until now, but browsing their video catalog it actually doesn't look like they've been to the mining district (which is rather massive) that is nearest to where I live.
The exception is one video just peeking though the closed doors of the largest mine in the area (which it seems I've watched before). In the years since, someone has busted open the doors on both of the major levels of that mine. While I hate to see that sort of vandalism, I couldn't resist exploring the largest mine in this part of the state... Can confirm, it's massive. There's a mostly intact hoist with 300 ft deep shaft, ore shoots just as deep, and ladders that go both up and down in both directions for hundreds of feet before turning out of sight. There's so much more to see if one was to return with some ropes and gear.
One of the best mine explores I've seen. Well done all of you for bringing us this extraordinary film. Stay safe. ❤️😊👍
Thank you. Yes, this was a fun one...
Top shelf guy's, waiting with bated breath for next installment.
I can't even imagine how many loads that ore car at 17:05 had to haul to wear grooves like that into it's wheels. How many miners did that ore cart wear out before it was parked there?
I'd love to know the answer to that question...
Jason at home. Well it looks like we’re coming into the kitchen area looks like there is a counter here that someone left some bread let’s check out what looks like a refrigerator, interesting it looks like lunch meat Apparently I’m gonna have to make a sandwich. I guess I’ve been watching too many of your videos lol. I always look forward to a new video.
Big mine, I don't recall seeing sulfur like that in "clumps" in any of the mines you've taken us to recently. Looking forward to part 2!
There have been one or two other mines where we ran into unexpected veins of it, but it is definitely unusual.
Spettacolare come sempre Amico!!! Grazie per il Tour 👍👍 saluti, Fausto 🇬🇷🇮🇹
Very cool mine! Lots of artifacts. Wild climb down!
The ore car you found in the shaft with the damaged manufacturer's plate might be from the American Iron Works in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. This is only a guess but I thought I would throw it out there. Also, since you are in a Manganese mine, I thought people might be interested in knowing that it was Manganese that was added to clear molten glass back in the day, that turned old bottles and other glass purple or amethyst in the sunlight. This is why many people find old bottles that have turned a bright shade of purple or amethyst. Manganese was added to clear glass all the way up until about WWI when they stopped doing so.
Thank you for adding the interesting details about manganese... I didn't know that.
Extraordinary mine, thanks for the exploration!
I looked up the Apache Powder Company. It's in Arizona and it's still operating.
Awesome mine explore, sorry to hear it was destroyed. Some company may just open pit that mineral deposit. Anyway, glad you got to explore it.
25:32 box of track bolts for fish plates, to hold the track together.
Yes, I don't know anything about the results, but this wouldn't be the first mine we've explored that ended up open pitted!
You guys are getting extreme! Keep up the great vids Justin!
@45:20 the warmth you feel is likely the sulfur crystals drawing the moisture out of the air and this super dry air is drawing out of your skin.
Spectacular!!!
This mine keeps on giving. Theres so much that hidden away, think of whats not filled in behind the backfilled areas. The sulfurous area has me curious as to whats supplying it. Cant wait for the rest to be shown.
38:30 no esconder la problema señor fiedo y coco "Don't hide the problem mr. Fiedo and Coco"
Muy bien!
This was a fantastic explore! Lots to see. That headframe & ore-bin combo was really a creative installation. Did the miners live in shacks out on the plane below? Pretty harsh environment to live & work in!
Thank you. It was close enough to town that I imagine they walked to and from the the mine every day.
Hi Justin, whoa that shaft looked so sketchy, no way I would go down it, you guys must be experts at yoga to climb through all of that.
Thank you for sharing, much love. xx 💖
Haha, yes, it did require a lot of stretching to get down that one... Not easy!
Great old mine. Thank you for showing us everything. You always make it enjoyable. Thanks again.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and positivity. You've been with us for a long time and it is greatly appreciated.
one of my scout masters a s child was with AZ search and rescue back then he'd periodically check shafts for the remains of lost hikers/explores, they would close shafts that were too close to popular hiking trails or if they had to do a rescue... Some of the open pits south of Tucson I'm Thinking the Mission but possibly Silverbell pits had installed metal detectors due to the left over rail from the old underground operation... Drilling the best place to find minerals is where they've been found before, and its now economic to mine much lower concentrations especially with leach and or float operations.
One of my buddies works at Mission. They periodically have old rails and roof bolts go through the primary crusher and get caught by the magnets or metal detectors.
Cool mine, cool graffiti, cool artifacts. Awesome! My wife is a native Mandarin speaker, and she states those "characters" are not Chinese writing at all. Well there you go, it will remain a mystery...
Thank you for asking her. Curious... Like you said, the mystery remains.
That pottery was made in Ohio from what I saw on the Google machine
Hiram Shaw Kitchen
Birthdate: April 03, 1893
Birthplace: Ruby Hill, Eureka Co., Nevada
Death: April 23, 1972 (79)
Ely, Nevada
Place of Burial: St. Brendan's Catholic Cemetery, Eureka, Eureka Co., Nevada
Immediate Family:
Son of John George Kitchen and Abbe Busch Kitchen
Husband of Theresa Irene Kitchen
Father of Private
Brother of John George Kitchen, Jr.; Joseph Henry Kitchen; Elizabeth Grace Myers; Private; Walter Robert Kitchen and 2 others
Half brother of Thomas Kitchen and Ethel Rebecca West
Reviewing some of these older videos, I noticed a spool of wire from Columbia Steel Company hanging on a stud. If I'm correct this is the same Columbia Steel out of Pittsburg CA, founded in 1913. Later it was bought by United States Steel, and after that became USS/POSCO (Pohang of South Korea), the leading manufacturer and supplier of cold rolled steel for most of the western US until it's closing earlier this year (2024).
I worked there for 14 years. Over 100 years of Steel history
Thanks for the great background on that!
Thank you, really enjoying this adventure. Looking forward to part 2
I drive past Apache Powder Road in Benson AZ all the time. I have seen Apache powder before but never connected them until now.
What a huge mine. Loved every minute. Thank you.
At 16:34 there's is eyes or something that is reflective in the shadow area of the tunnel!
Man this was another awesome explore thanks for doing what you do my friend 👍
At 7:40, what you call and oil can is actually a "Coal Oil Can" very old design back into the 1800's from memory. Made well before pressed metal oil cans with flat ends. Generally was filled from a larger barrel or tank. Used for filling kerosene "Hurricane" lamps in homesteads and old works.
Thank you for the clarification and additional details.
@@TVRExploring you're welcome, not many people would remember them, or even kerosene lamps, except for those see in old western movies, LoL
I can remember John Wayne swinging one about in one of his many movies.
Is it called hurricane lamps Because it took a hurricane to blow the light out
i Think I remember hearing that somewhere
Use a rope bag to save all the snagging. Tie a BIG knot in ther loose end of the rope (so you don't accidentally fall off the end, it won't pass thru your decender), coil the rope up in the bag and hang the bag from your harness as you decend. No more snagging.
Works for the first person, but it doesn’t really make sense to pull the rope back up, recoil it and bag it for each additional person.
@@MinesoftheWest Once the first person is down they leave it in place for the next person. It only gets pulled back up when the last person has got back up it (unless you're doing a thru trip, then you could do a pull thru).
Great video. Apache powder area is a super fund sight now
Can't say I'm surprised...
Always great videos!!! Thanks for sharing your adventures.
One of the better mines for artifacts! Guess with it being so collapsed they couldn't remove everything. Wish they all were left like that!👍
My best guess is, that ore cart with partial manufacturers' plate was made by Iron Works Buckley (now Point Pleasant, WV).
A mine with very nice items in it, cant wait too see the next one.
Good afternoon from Southeast South Dakota
This is the mine that all the ore cart wheels end up in from all the other mines they're taken from.
Thank heavens you or any other mine explorer was not underground when the core sample drills collapsed the stopes.
Love your adventures and the research and all those mining finds that you and us all enjoy ⛏️🇺🇸 .p.s. may you allways have lots of rope and put a big knot on the end of your rope. 🤔thank you
Thank you very much.
Wow that mine just 😱 DANGEROUS!!!!
How dreadful this mine was destroyed.. destruction of history.. absolutly criminal.. lucky your team documented and filmed it .
Such a shame to destroy.
Benson az . Small town glad I didn't grow up there.! Omg
Great GoPro footage. I forgot how treacherous that damn shaft was….
I bet this guy's grandfather "Churi" was the miner in the graffiti ----
Fri, Feb 20, 2009 The Tombstone News
Robert Anthony Molina passed away at Sierra Vista Regional Hospital on February 13, 2009. He was known as “Tone” to many friends and family. He was preceded in death by his grandfather Jesus (Churi) Molina and his nephew Emiliano Altamirano.##M(READMORE)##
He leaves behind his mother, Addy Altamirano, grandmother, Isabel Molina, his sons Roberto and Antonio Molina, his brothers, Thomas (Tonya) Molina, Jai (Elicia) Altamirano. Sisters , Brandie (Manny) Sierra, Blanca Altamirano, Wanda Stamey, Veronica (Keith) Scroggins, Rose Marie (Dan) McGrew, also several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
“Tone” was born and raised in Tombstone, AZ. He was always there for anyone and asked for nothing in return. He will be missed by many people. “May He Rest In Peace.”
Very cool! Thank you for looking that up.
4:47 That... is weird. It's a late 50's-early 1960's product that I was hoping you'd grab and turn around... they made dry cleaning soap and solvents mostly. That Texaco Valor can may be around the same time frame.
28:33 Ah, there she is. Mar 17 1958.
What a mess! How exciting!! Really cool mine!
Cool video!
THanks great footage. But I kaint figure out where on Earth I'm Exploring with you guys.
Kilroy must be a time traveler. He gets up everywhere.
amazed at the amount of wood the old miners hauled underground
It is a fine line between Mine Exploring and Spelunking!
I have regarded them as being rather akin, one to another.
These videos are EXCELLENT
Thank you very much.
4:48 Caled Products Company, Inc. of Brentwood, MD made liquid soap for dry cleaning. It appears that they also made other dry cleaning products.
Any people who go that far into the earth are absolute mad lads and I commend them
Did a search on the ore car. I didn't find much (because I was tired). I'm pretty sure the car is from Hinckley, Spires & Hayes. No pics, just some Fulton Foundry references.
Thank you.
Seemed odd to have a chunk of raw sulphur in the middle of the path, until y'all ran into the huge stope fail... I guess there's sulphur in them thar hills?
Yes, we run into veins of it at times that are really unexpected.
16:29 are those eyes at the top of that shaft? Looks like you might not have even noticed when you were filming
There's some interesting chemistry that occurs as sulfide ores are mined, fractured and exposed to oxygen and water. The sulfides oxidize, dissolve and form sulfates and sulfuric acid. I've seen tunnels plugged with green masses of melanterite (iron sulfate from pyrite oxidation). It can form H2S which can be dangerous. But where did the massive sulfur come from? Usually that's native or forms under reducing condition.
The problem is when there's lots of water, and the ore continues to oxidize after the mines are abandoned.
Could you find some old miners and interview them ?
Cool idea
Possibly Hinkley & Egery Iron Co. Aka Union Iron Works.
TOP JOB GUYS!
I wish that there was a longer and wider mine that would have stable enough so a vehicle could drive through... That would be fun but that would be really scary if something were to go wrong or the vehicle get stuck like yeah ..
Mainly by an electric compact car. Not a giant Diesel truck lol
most modern mines are this way, not as interesting to look at though.
ruclips.net/video/nVysoVzCr2U/видео.html
Looks like fun! Did you drop into this mine because all of the adits were caved and this was the only way in?
There never was adit access into this mine. It’s far below the surface in an area of low hills.
American wire rope company was a very big supplier of cable. It maybe still in operation.
It could have been absorbed into another company as well. The need for cable or "wire rope" has not disappeared.
@@TVRExploring we used all kinds of wire rope where I worked. I would have our hoist cables replaced all the time to prevent failure. To tell you the truth if I even saw one strand of wire damaged I would shutdown the entire operations to replace. You cannot afford having a 60-100 ton rope fail, the damage and risk of death were far too great.
I’ve had to pull my share of bodies from machinery over the years, it is horrid. Only two cable related injuries happened during my thirty years of operation. Both of which were minor, with one being a broken elbow. Even that was too much. (Most of our injuries were form a bunch of other issues related to these large operations.) ( in all I had three people killed over the years, five major amputations, many burns, dozens and dozens of fracture, many heart attacks. In fact I’ve done full CPR five times at work alone. Treating injuries wasn’t a full time job it was something I did as needed.
Wire rope can never be taken for granted. While being extremely strong and tough it is very easy to become complacent when working with it everyday.
how many miners would work in a mine this size at one time?
Thats a Good question.
All of them
Bit of an odd question, but what does it smell like down there? Is it stale, dusty, mouldy, earthly?
That soot and char dust is actually pretty minimal. A burning head frame would have drawn smoke up and out right where it was, until the point it collapsed and flushed the burning/burnt material down into the mine, stopped the airflow, but immediately tamped most of itself out with it's own rubble fall.
Very entertaining and educational….take care. Look for your next adventure.
Thank you.
Since some of those names are clear, it would be interesting to do a Goggle search to see it relatives could be found. Be safe. Love and Peace.
Another person left a comment on someone they looked up.
Imagine if one day you enter a mine and you are suddenly surprised by a little goblin selling chimichangas what do you do? 😂
Oh, I would definitely buy one.
@@TVRExploring LoL - that's what I said, then I recalled the witch queen that konked Snow White out with her apples, temporarily breaking those hi-ho mining dwarves' wee hearts until she was revived by the dapper, purple manganese cloaked, shift-manager/prince/landlord's smooch. Which took me back to the "Kiss Betsy" head & pipe-smoking, carbide graffiti Godiva & I thought better of it. Esp. if proffered by a goblin - probably toxic/illusory, deep-fried, sulfer-stuffed, explosive tortillas!
Why are the ore cars so often missing their wheels?
Pity about the mine destruction. Great viewing as always Thanks, stay safe guys.
Yes, it is, but that's a big reason why we are doing what we do.
All Washington state mines are a soggy mess.
Same with pa southern fields.
Lot of hand work, think how many tons of rock was removed
59 minutes of awesome.
I waz wondering if you and your buddies still working on your mine that yall brought back to life??
Yes, we are. Weather permitting, we'll work all winter.
Are those Crye Precision pants?
Buckley iron works
Did the solvent tin have 'Caled' on the label? Good luck with that one! Nothing on the internet about that.
Yes, "Caled".
I’m sure you have been asked this before but have you ever tried lightning a piece of fuse.
Yes, they still light right up.
I wonder if theres a mine out there nemmed The Ore Wh0re mine?
If there isn't, there should be!
I want more!