Mines like this one, where pyrite or other sulfur compounds are present can have sulfurous gases (H2S and SO2) dissolved in water; please be extremely careful around stagnant pools in these conditions. Breaking the surface tension could liberate a lot of toxic gas that's best left undisturbed.
Porty1119 I was told a long time ago that any stagnant pool of water in a mine is best left undisturbed for the reason you cited. I also heard that flowing water (as seen in this mine) is better than coming across stagnant water. Back in 2008, this mine was reported to have "lethal air" in it by a federal agency; however, I knew that several other explorers had already been in this mine in recent months -- some repeatedly. Once I knew they survived, I knew the risk and danger were diminished greatly but probably not totally eliminated. As with anything dangerous, it's a calculated risk. I do believe some of those other explorers explored the flooded tunnels that were down lower from where Paul and I were. We chose NOT to go down there for the reason you mentioned.
+Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ Mines that don't have multiple portals (or portals close to each other) still "breath", due to changes in barometric pressure and other climate variables. Just because there's healthy air inside on one visit doesn't mean that there can't be unhealthy or lethal air inside the same mine at other times.
+paul niblock (stonedagin1) I just ordered an oxygen meter off of Amazon last week. Granted, it won't detect hydrogen sulfide gas which would be the most likely gas in the Admiral Aaron Ward Mine, but it's a step in the right direction.
From an old retired miner: The two tunnels were driven at the same time and are for the purpose of air circulation. Air is forced down one and comes back up the other. The crossovers with walls are made at intervals for the air to flow. As the tunnels progress, these have to be sealed off (called stoppings) to make the air go on to the next crossover. The doors are both for fine control of airflow and an escape system in case one tunnel caves in. You should leave these doors as found, closing it again if it was closed. Otherwise airflow may be lost to the deeper reaches and dangerous gases will build up. Air flow will usually be good even without the fan because of the temperature differential. Excellent video, thanks for posting it!
Correction (if I may please). Air is never 'forced' into a mine. It is sucked in, initially by means of exhaust ventilation columns and later via the ventilation shaft.
you should carry a green laser with you, theyre great for seeing very far and showing depth since you can see the entire beam, you can also see the depth of water with them if it isnt too disturbed
Corey Martin or one of those laser measurement tools that construction workers use. they're pretty small so he wouldn't have to worry about how much weight he's carrying when he's deep into a mine.
+Panzer Faust Thanks, man! I try to be as accurate as possible given my limited knowledge of mining. Believe me, I've learned SO much over the last five or six years while doing this. Glad to hear that others are enjoying the adventures and the history in the videos.
Exploring With Josh Thanks, Josh! I was a little concerned about possibly getting lost in this mine if we didn't keep track of the turns we took. However, like most mines, it's basically one way in and one way out. The only mine I've been in where getting lost was a real possibility was the Rachel Lincoln Mine in Nevada. That mine has twelve or more levels with interconnected workings totaling 30 or more miles of tunnels (at least I think it's 30 miles). When we were in there, we saw so many branching tunnels going every which way. Definitely needed to keep track of the turns we took in that one. Thanks for watching and commenting, man! Really appreciate it.
+Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ It would seem to my very amateur exploration experience that it wouldn't be a bad idea to drop a sticklight (aka chemlight) every hundred feet or so, no??
Josef Trumpeldor Sounds like a good idea to me! However, these mines are really difficult to get lost in. As I mentioned in a reply above, there have only been one or two mines out of the few hundred I've been in where getting lost was a real danger. I think my videos and the editing make the mines seem so much larger and dis-jointed than what they really are. At any rate, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
If you have been lost like i have, you realize you need to mark every turn. It is very simple,, you could mark with rocks , paint, sticks. ribbons. count your steps and mark your turns. If you lose your light you are better having counted your steps. While this all take some work,, it also takes away any anxiety about getting lost and makes for a fun time. Also remove your marks on the way back so others do not get confused... One of the easiest ways in a mine is to mark with rocks in the form of and arrow on the ground always pointing back from where you came,, and then just kick the rocks away on your way out...
Bulkheads are for ventilation, the parallel decline would be the return airway. As the mine develops deeper these are built to force air further down the mine. There would have been a big fan on the surface to draw air through the portal. The pontoon would have been for a submersible pump in the sump. The steel pipe in the floor is a 'rising main' for water to be pumped up from lower down. The drill bit is a 45mm tungsten button bit for drilling tunnelling blast holes. Beware walking up blind inclines! CO collects uphill. Beware of open stopes and old rises, potentially very dangerous too!! Great video, thanks
Miner 83 - someone asked how that 'rising main' was able to be drilled in such a confined area. I don't recall if they showed how much clearance was over head at that point. I like your comments!
Very cool. I like how you just went down to explore and not to "remove" items in the mine. Too many ppl these days were just go down there to TAKE... instead of just DOCUMENT. MAJOR KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU THAT WENT DOWN THERE!!! Thanks for doing this for all of us that appreciate things such as this!
Thanks for your comment, Tim! Glad you enjoyed this video. Yes, I never understood the need or desire that some explorers have for snatching up artifacts. For example, take a look at the stuff we found in this mine - the old pipe fittings and other odds and ends that were in that one room. It’s all junk. Who would want to take any of that stuff? I know I am more interested in how the mines are laid out, how they were constructed, and the underground geology that is apparent in the tunnel walls and ceiling. The artifacts, if any are left at this late date, are nice to film and document as a bonus.
up here we call those mines decline or ramp mines. a 4100 ft ramp is quite short. normally they are thousands of feet longer where I've worked. you are actually no where near 4100 ft depth. the ramp is a decent enough size for small equipment. they get much bigger. I've worked on a ramp that was 25' x 30' and used 4' wide fiberglass ducting. the dev crews busted ass in 12 hr shifts to cycle a 16' round with rebar bolts/screen and services. @8:00 or so, that drill steel and bit were probably for a jumbo that drilled off blasts. sumps are driven into the sides for use as re-mucks while developing the ramps, and then submersible Flygt pumps are installed to continually move water up the ramp to surface , until at some point large pump systems may be installed at the final bottom of the ramp to pump out mine water. depends on the management and depth.
+kasnitch He replied to another comment and said that the mine started at the base of a mountain, so considering the height of the mountain and all the land above them, TECHNICALLY speaking they are 4100 feet under ground even if they havent descended that much.
+kasnitch you are correct that we didn't descend 4100' vertically from the portal level. We did, however, follow the decline under a mountain. I'd guestimate about a 2000' elevation gain on the surface over that 4100' decline. .9 miles at a 45 degree angle equals approx 2138 foot elevation change. Add 2000 feet of mountain....
Sovereign Sentience I know this is a year old but I'ma chime in. Frank tells us in the first 30 seconds that the main path is 4100ft and is angled at about 25°. Given that the path is straight and elevation is defined as a vertical line from point a to point b this relationship can be modeled with a right triangle. Meaning trigonometry is applicable and thus we can define elevation as path length×Sin(25°). So, 4100ft(Sin(25°))=1733ft. I also understand that Frank is under a mountain so if he truly is 4100ft under ground then mtn. height is 4100ft-1733ft=2367ft.
The inclined entrance is located at 7600 feet elevation. The top of the mountain above the inclined entrance is located at 10,000 feet elevation. Therefore, at the entrance to the inclined ramp, we had approximately 2400 feet of mountain above us. As Paul mentioned above, the journey down the inclined ramp involved an approximate elevation change of 2100 feet. 2400 feet plus 2100 feet equals 4500 feet. At the bottom of that inclined ramp, we had 4500 feet of mountain above us. In other words, as my title states, we were 4100 feet underground (actually closer to 4500 feet underground).
In the UK we have abandoned mines in Easington and Hoarden etc near Peterlee that go more than 2 miles out under the sea. They were coal mines but are almost totally flooded now.
Same here in Kent, Chislet colliery (closed 1968) went out miles under the sea I remember my grandfather telling me about it he worked there until his death just before it closed.
Another awesome video guys. I worked in the biggest Zinc and Lead mine in the world which closed in 2012 after 75 years of operation. It employed thousands of workers on the mine sight alone. Its located outside Bathurst, New Brunswick (Canada). Theres over 400km of tunnel, 3 shafts (Deepest is 4300 feet), and one portal. 14,000 tons of ore was brought to surface daily. The stopes were so big some of them your mining light couldnt make it across. Some stopes were as deep as 800'. After a stope was mined bulkheads were setup at all entrances with a pipe through the bulkhead at the top of the stope which was connect to the main paste line. The waste material from the rock - after the ore was extracted in the mill on suface - was mixed with cement, then pumped down a 16'' pipe from the paste plant on surface down to the empty stope. It would be completely filled to stabilize the mine. If it wasn't for the paste fill the mine probably would of shut down much earlier due to the structural stability . There was also two huges mechanic shops equiped with overheads cranes and concrete floors. The one I worked out of had two big rooms around 100' x 250' connected by a 50' long x 16' wide tunnel. It was something to see. Theres a very interesting documentary on the mine here on youtube. Its about 50 mins long. If your interested search Brunwick Mine Documentary and you should find it. There also a video on here of the demo of the head shaft (about a min long) which was the tallest building in the province while it was still standing. Well i better stop writing here before I have a novel lol. Hope you all enjoy your day.
Awesome comment, Cody! Thanks for the anecdotes! That certainly does sound like one massive mine you were employed in. I have heard about that technique of filling stopes with waste material or cement in order to stabilize a mine. Makes sense when you think about it. Will have to look up those two videos that you recommended, too. Thank you again for a great comment. I’m sure the other viewers will appreciate it, too.
Yes you should definitely check it out. I really enjoyed it. It’s called “Xstrata Zinc Brunswick mine - end of an era”. If you do watch the documentary I would be interested to hear what ya thought of it.
RioDeLaNorte Well, it's certainly is a great pleasure to have viewers and fans like you who watch these videos of mine faithfully. I really appreciate your support and interest. Thank you very much! And, as always, stay tuned because more videos are coming very, very soon!
I've done a lot of exploring around the deserts of California & Nevada and I have NEVER met a homeless person that just "wandered out to the desert" to find a mineshaft to live in - It's harsh goin' in those areas!
Have you ever thought about drawing a plan about the mine? Where you went, were the tunnels are splitting and stuff so you dont get lost? And how do you not get lost in these?
Refuge chambers are used for emergencies if escape is impossible, i.e. prevented by a fall, fire, or other condition. They are intended to sustain miners (food, water, O2) until mine rescue can reach the chamber and evacuate it. I've seen and heard of plenty of types, including dedicated prefab steel units with airlocks, in-place chambers like this one, and (no kidding!) shipping containers with caulking and sealant provided.
If the angle estimate of 25 degrees is correct, then 4100 feet down the length of that tunnel puts you guys roughly 1733 feet deep. That is by far the deepest mine you've been in on this channel.
This mine definitely is extensive. But it is one that I would never go back into simply because of the extremely high risk of encountering hydrogen sulfide gas. There is a lot of pyrite in this mine along with all the water, and I guess that creates the perfect condition for hydrogen sulfide gas to form. Other explorers have spent a few more hours in this mine than Paul and I did and had no problems, but it’s still a very dangerous mine because of that reason. The 4100-foot, inclined entry tunnel is bad enough!
Great story telling vid. As an ex-miner with a lot of underground time I'm impressed by how tidy this mine is. Most are filled with old cables, machine and trash because no one wants to spend money hauling anything out. All old mines I see are flooded so this desert exploration is way more fun. I would be real concerned about carbon monoxide/dioxide and H2S in any old mine, lots of deaths have happened because of that.
+Jimmy Rice Thanks, Jimmy! I normally would not enter such a massive mine as this one, but I knew that two separate sets of explorers had previously explored it within the last year or so. And they spent a LOT more time in it than I did! Based on that intel, Paul and I decided to go for it. The risk of hydrogen sulfide gas is pretty high in this mine due to all the water and pyrite. The other explorers, though, had no problems. Had I not known about their explorations, there is NO way I would've entered this mine. At any rate, we got to document a little bit of it in the few hours that we were in there. I'm not sure how extensive the tunnels are or if they go on for miles. We saw no end in sight before we turned around to make our way back out.
that was not a raft...the miners built that to hold the end of a hose connected to a pump it was to hold the end of the hose up off of the mine floor so it didn't pick up rocks and other trash which would destroy the pump and also block off the end of the pump hose you have to pump water to the heads of the miner and roof bolters for dust control and you also have to pump water out of a mine to keep it from flooding out
I accidentally stumbled across this video. Thank youtubes recommendation algorithm.. and that was enlightening and interesting. I mean I've heard about mines.. but never had any clue about how they were set up, besides the collapses, that looked pretty safe, and roomy.
Just thinking about all the time it took to dig out all of those tunnels and service shafts and stuff is mind boggling. And it's interesting how the earth is just reclaiming the area dug out with the flow stone and mineral growths, very slowly but surely. Thanks for sharing!
Aren't you guys the least worried about getting caught in a sudden cave in, or worse....taking a wrong turn on the way out? Do you guys have a plan in place to contact the surface in case something happens, seeing how radio/cell phone comm is most likely useless at some of the depts. you go to? If so, can ya explain it? I do SAR (search and rescue), would be interesting.
Several people always know the coordinates of every site we visit as well as our timetable. If we don't send a message at a predetermined time, they know something went wrong.
This is the first video of yours I've seen, so I risk asking a question you've already addressed in a separate video, but what else do you incorporate into your emergency or contingency plans? It might be good for someone as experienced as yourself to get some of that info out to others who may be getting into this sort of thing. Personally, I'm pretty curious.
Yeah, definitely was a big mine. Never had seen an entry tunnel that long! A highlight for me was drinking the spring water that was coming out of the wall. Best tasting water ever! Thanks for checking out the video and for taking the time to comment!
we used to use barrels like that to hold up the intake suction hose for pumps, We also used to have vent doors like those to equalise pressure between tunnels when blasting and when the vents were running
The restricted area around 12 minutes looks like a high galena content. Witch means a high arsenic content. Also the large drill head earlier in the video is a steel body with tungsten carbide teeth (nubs)
I've made drill heads just like that one up to 12 inches in diameter. The men keep drilling until the carbide slugs are gone. Then you can drill and add new carbide, about 3 inches long, or weld a new stub onto the end of the used up drill. It ain't pretty but nobody cares.
Really wonderful video and mine. The metal supports are really beautiful. The refuge chamber was where the miners were to meet and stay in case of a cave in that blocked their way out. As you said they had doors to seal it up. There was probably an air vent to the top in it. The "growths" made my smile. A stalactite is a mineral hanging like a cone from the ceiling. A stalagmite is the cone that is made on the floor where it drips. Give that a million years and they'll meet in the middle and make a gorgeous pilar. There is so much beauty in a hole with rocks.
Jennie Wallick Hey, Jennie! Thanks for watching and for your comments. Yes, there can be beauty in out-of-the-way places like a dark, damp, cold abandoned mine. The formations in this one were extraordinary.
From what I could hear of the "Rock Drop" it fell for 8 seconds lets say. That calculates to be approximately 320m or 1,049.87 feet. Ten stories, that's enough for a chute to open before hitting bottom, were it physicaly possibly to try or prove, which it obviously is not, but it's the same difference anyway, about 1,050 feet or so. GR8 vid, thanks, James, San Diego, Ca.
I used to explore abandoned mines when I lived in AZ in the early 1980s. You'd find railcars in them then. Some near old silver mines up around Prescott. I had a fluorescent lamp/light I would use too. Some of the crystalline growth is amazing in that light. Black light really shows them off nicely as well. Might try that in your photography. Stay safe and enjoy.
First time on your channel...really enjoyed the tour, subscribed and gave a thumbs-up too. Reminds me of spelunking with the kids in Calico California and other places 4 decades ago. Once saw an area as long and wide as a football field 10 or 15 feet high completely cleaned out and left separated from collapse by huge timbers...it was unnerving...the kids loved it, so did PaPa! It's easy to see where the iffy parts are with all the minerals showing...will follow more vids...thanks! charlie
+Charles Irby Hey, Charlie! Thanks for your comment an anecdote. Sounds like you saw a really huge stope back in the day at Calico. Thanks, too, for subscribing. Welcome aboard! I really appreciate your interest and support. Just so you know, I upload new content on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month. Certainly glad to have you following along in the adventures, and please feel free to ask questions or comment on any video. Believe it or not, I do try to answer all of the comments if I can. Thanks again!
Okay, that's enough exposition and admonition from me. This has to be my favorite of your videos thus far; this mine really is/was a proper modern trackless mine with all the safety features I would expect. It's a lot closer to what I'm used to than those crazy old workings with plywood covering hundred-foot winzes and other nuttiness.
Porty1119 No problem, man. Glad this was one of your favorites. Any idea what that pipe was used for that I show at 6:33? Rocks dropped into it fell for 20 to 30 seconds, and we could hear a very faint, distant splash. Core sample drilling? Or was that pipe a direct line to a distant sump area?
Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ It's definitely the right diameter for a core sampling hole, but the fact that there was a concrete collar and a steel pipe run down the length of it makes me thing it had an intended long-term use. It's not a drainage line- the magnitude of water involved in dewatering would make it completely impractical. My best guess is that it was a utility line of some sort, probably associated with all the hoses hanging nearby. Compressed air, perhaps? I've never seen anything quite like it in a mine.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. This is one abandoned mine that I will never go into again. It really is a dangerous one because of the increased risk of encountering hydrogen sulfide gas deep in the mine. There is a ton of pyrite in this mine as well as flowing water. When those two mix, hydrogen sulfide gas can form. I do carry a hydrogen sulfide gas detector as well as an oxygen meter, but it just isn’t worth the risk. Other explorers have spent a lot more time in this mine exploring it than Paul and I did, but I don’t think they saw anything really new or unusual. I think Paul and I caught most of the highlights.
This is a very impressive mine, the size is immense. It is amazing the beauty of the crystals forming from the roof and the floor of the mine. These modern mines are certainly very large, in this area we used to have fairly modern coal mines which were also large, the coal was removed on a conveyor belt but the men were taken into and out of the mine by a narrow gauge railroad, it was the best way to do it because of the distances involved to get to the coalface. Thank you for bringing us this excellent video, it is much appreciated.
This is a good example of a modern decline and drift diesel mine . If you ever wondered what a modern underground mine looks like now you have visited an abandoned one . If you were to visit any number of operating mines in NE Nevada you would see the same . The bulkheads were opened and closed to regulate airflow used to remove the diesel fumes from the equipment and provide fresh air to the miners . Most ug mines had a shop located deep in the mine . The long drill rods you filmed were jumbo steel and the bit was a jumbo bit . Usually 12-14' long and used on electric hydraulic 1-2 or 3 boom jumbo drills used to drill the blast holes and rock bolt the back and ribs . Judging from the size of the decline I'd say they mucked with ether a 4 or 6 yd muckers and probably had 20-30 ton haul trucks . The branching side drifts are a form of cut mining used in horizontally bedded deposits . Where you have a fairly uniform bedded ore body and a fairly uniform grade of ore .
+bigwallrog Awesome information as always! Thanks for doing that! Not exactly sure how extensive the tunneling is in this mine. We were in there a good five hours or so and did not see everything. Huge mine, that's for sure!
Thanks, Craig! Upon closer inspection of that one huge stope, we don't think those were tunnels that were down there near the bottom. They were just indentations and shadows. There are no plans to return to this mine anytime soon because we are focusing on mines in Arizona at the moment. But things can change! Thanks for your support and comments!
the bulkheads as you call them are actually airdoors that separate each roadway. for incoming air and outgoing dirty air. I am a former miner. I should know!
I would end up lost in a tunnel like that. I used to be a recreational spelunker til I had a bad anxiety attack in a deep cave I thought I was lost in. I didn’t know I had problems with anxiety til then. I’ve been claustrophobic to a degree ever since.Because of that, watching these videos makes my skin crawl. But it’s like watching a train wreck, I can’t look away. In my old age, it’s my version of extreme sports. An arm chair adrenaline junkie.😀 Great video!
I thought i worked hard my whole life but i cant comprehend the human willpower to dig it, cut down huge timbers to brace it, rig up machines then risk your life e every day.....for what??!?? A boul of soup? Some super salty bacon and a flask of whiskey every day? Usually to make someone else rich im guessing ? Just simply incredible. Makes me wonder what ancient civilizations actually were capable of . Really big never ending reverberating "WOW!!!" GOD BLESS THEM and their countless tears at all times .
Nice video! That pond with the "raft" looks a lot like a sump. The mines I used to work in had a lot of those and the raft was more than likely used to keep a water pump out of the silt as it settled there. Again, another great video! I'd love to come explore with you guys sometime.
Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and leave a comment! And thanks, too, for the clarification on the "raft." I'm always appreciative when you former miners contribute your comments and insights. I'm still learning about mining and all that it takes to create and work in a mine such as this one. We're always looking for responsible, safe, sane people who want to join us on explorations. Definitely no drama here - we just like getting out to as many sites as possible, documenting them safely, and having a good time in the process. You can always send me a private message on here and we can talk further. Thanks again for your support. Much appreciated on this end!
The Tunnel reference is used mostly as a civil term. Mining used the terms drifts, entries, cross passages, cross cuts. The floor is referred to as “bottom” or “floor”. The top or crown is referred to as “Top” or “Back”. The walls are referred to as “Ribs”.
The parallel tunnel is called a RAW. Return air way. The main vent fan will draw air in though the portal down to the bottom of the mine and the air returns to the surface via that RAW.
There was an abandoned mining operation near where I lived that had a large cave opening and in the corner was a massive shaft that was apparently 3,000-4000 feet deep that was entirely flooded. It also had a cool opening in the back that was up on the ceiling for lifting ore out of cave. There was also a vertical shaft mine that a man who own the property (he was VERY rich.) backfilled it for safety. There also was one we couldn't find. But the final one had a smaller entrance but it was a branching mine though sadly the branches were backfilled for safety reasons again. But the middle shaft went down quite far... until it was entirely flooded. The other mines where destroyed and covered by the mining operation people once they were done. Phew good job if you read that.
Man this is so cool, I wish I could explore mines like this. It's so interesting to see everything they used to use and how everything worked. So neat!
+Kevin R Thanks, Kevin! This mine certainly was unique with its 4100 foot long entry tunnel. To tell you the truth, I would not want to go back to this mine. The risk of hydrogen sulfide gas in this one is extremely elevated due to the dampness. I have no idea how many miles of tunnels are in this mine, but I do believe it is quite extensive. One time was enough for me. We only got to see a small portion of the workings, but I was satisfied with that. There was just something inexplicably creepy about the large, wide, modern tunnels AND that 4100 foot long inclined entry tunnel.
Exploring Abandoned Mines How do you come about finding these mines? I'm on the east coast (South Carolina) I'd be interested in doing some some exploring!
Doug P Doug, I have to disagree with you -- this mine was NOT awesome. It was freakin' awesome! haha Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for being a loyal subscriber, man. I really appreciate that.
Wow this was one super awesome video. I hope you do a part two to this video. Seeing as the shop said shop-1 do you think there may be other shops as this mine is so enormous ??? Yet again another fantastic video :D
+Michael David Cilantro Yes, I would think that there would be other workshops in the mine. Other explorers who were here a year or two before us spent around 16 hours in this mine exploring it. There's a lot more to see than what Paul and I saw on our brief expiration. I just can't seem to find any sources that specifically say exactly how many miles of tunnels were in this mine. Would be interesting to actually find that out.
Your videos are fantastic! I have been fascinated with mining since I was little. One extremely dangerous field of work. My maternal grandfather born in 1890 worked in the mines in Centralia, PA. I heard the entire town is off limits now. Frightening how that happened and how its still butning. I just came across your channel by chance!!😊
You have a very good eye for spotting that very strange anomaly in my video! That is either Paul’s flashlight or a ghost. I tried to match it up with the motion of Paul and his light, but it doesn’t seem to match up very well. If it’s a ghost, it looks like the ghost jumps up to take a look at us and then quickly jumps back down once it has seen enough. Thanks for your intriguing comment!
There’s 2 tunnels because you put the fresh air down one tunnel, and your ore and exhaust out he other tunnel, that way you get fresh air and don’t have to breathe the dust, garbage air and equipment exhaust. He refuge chamber is for exactly what it says. If there’s a fire down there that’s where you go. You’d have water and air for a while. If you’re blasting underground everyone is out. The concussion is pretty rank when contained in tunnels. Usually it happens at shift change when everyone is out, then the new crew goes down and sees the blast face. Underground shops are normal too. You fix all your equipment down there. The ones I was in had cranes bolted riht into the back and it was just like being on surface.
Thanks, Jared, for all the information in your comment. I always appreciate when you real miners contribute your thoughts, opinions, and experiences in your comments. They really help the video. Thanks, man!
The water hose was most likely used for steam powered drills. I found similar items in a abandoned mine in the desert out in California back in the '90's. There was an underground river the miners used for the water source and giant abandoned steam engines.
at around 7:00 or so, you drop a stone in a tube down, before it reaches the bottom it takes about 20sec or so. That pipe looks like iron, that tube must be very loooooong. How did they drill that in that tight space?
Vents are because air is forced down to the bottom workings so miners can breathe and machine exhaust can be removed. That parallel tunnel is the return air channel , or, it's where the air is forced down, depending where they put the fans. If there is a mine emergency, like a piece of equipment catching fire, miners would climb out going against the flow of air, in whichever drift had the air coming from surface, so they could survive. If they could not climb out, they would go into the refuge station, which had an air pipe coming into it, and they would seal the door with fire clay. This creates a positive pressure in the refuge station and keeps poisonous air out. Had to spend several hours in one of those at the mine I work at.
Hey Guys! So glad I found your channel...... I would LOVE to do this.. You guys are so damn lucky to be able to do this .. Thanks for the great videos... Just subscribed!
Thanks, man, for subscribing! I really appreciate that. Just so you know, I upload new content on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month. Always feel free to comment or ask questions on any video. I try to get to them all if I can. Thank you, too, for your interest and support. Awesome!
When I was in high school, my friends and I found a shopping cart in an alley in town. We loaded it in my truck and took it to a decent size hill and attempted to ride it down the hill. It wasn't a fancy aerodynamic cart such as the one you found but rather on of those crappy top heavy boxy ones. So, unsatisfied with the downhill dirt track, we knew of a defunct water slide and had grand dreams of a louge (?) experience. So we dragged it to the top through briars and small trees. Let the fun begin!.....not really. While trying to ride it down, the slide had major cracks with trees growing in them so we couldn't go very far without running into them and falling over. Once at the bottom, we decided that the best place for our free cart was in the green lagoon with other metal scrap and rubble. So when I saw the cart you found, I wondered if anyone was daring enough to ride it down......and then laughed internally at what they might've experienced.
***** This may sound weird, but I kept thinking about the spring water and how it tasted long after we left the mine. I still think about it from time to time. I guess it's like when you eat a very expensive, gourmet meal or drink a very expensive glass of wine, you don't forget that moment and how the food or wine tasted. This spring water was the same way, I guess. Thanks, man, for watching and leaving a comment!
Exploring Abandoned Mines and Unusual Places yeah spring water has a specific taste. I went on a backpacking trip up in the sierras at about 12,000ft elevation and the natural creek water is a taste you never forget.
@@joshuaramirez6121 You will never forget creek water that puts you on a toilet for 2 weeks. Even at 12,000 feet a rat can crap or die just upstream of your tasty water.
Great video of this mine! Looks like calcareous growths forming on the ceiling. Calcite forms from precipitating calcium-rich water inside caverns/mines. Which this particular mine does not seem to lack haha.. It exists in the form of stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone, and strange globular growths which just might be what you're looking at along the roof of the mine.
BorlisPass Paul, the other explorer with me, is the mineral expert, and I believe he said exactly what you said when he described what we were seeing. Thanks for watching!
Mines like this one, where pyrite or other sulfur compounds are present can have sulfurous gases (H2S and SO2) dissolved in water; please be extremely careful around stagnant pools in these conditions. Breaking the surface tension could liberate a lot of toxic gas that's best left undisturbed.
Porty1119 I was told a long time ago that any stagnant pool of water in a mine is best left undisturbed for the reason you cited. I also heard that flowing water (as seen in this mine) is better than coming across stagnant water. Back in 2008, this mine was reported to have "lethal air" in it by a federal agency; however, I knew that several other explorers had already been in this mine in recent months -- some repeatedly. Once I knew they survived, I knew the risk and danger were diminished greatly but probably not totally eliminated. As with anything dangerous, it's a calculated risk. I do believe some of those other explorers explored the flooded tunnels that were down lower from where Paul and I were. We chose NOT to go down there for the reason you mentioned.
+Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ Mines that don't have multiple portals (or portals close to each other) still "breath", due to changes in barometric pressure and other climate variables. Just because there's healthy air inside on one visit doesn't mean that there can't be unhealthy or lethal air inside the same mine at other times.
+Lilo 184362 It's an informed risk we take in lieu of a gas meter which is on the wish list.
+paul niblock (stonedagin1) I just ordered an oxygen meter off of Amazon last week. Granted, it won't detect hydrogen sulfide gas which would be the most likely gas in the Admiral Aaron Ward Mine, but it's a step in the right direction.
Awesome!
From an old retired miner: The two tunnels were driven at the same time and are for the purpose of air circulation. Air is forced down one and comes back up the other. The crossovers with walls are made at intervals for the air to flow. As the tunnels progress, these have to be sealed off (called stoppings) to make the air go on to the next crossover. The doors are both for fine control of airflow and an escape system in case one tunnel caves in. You should leave these doors as found, closing it again if it was closed. Otherwise airflow may be lost to the deeper reaches and dangerous gases will build up. Air flow will usually be good even without the fan because of the temperature differential.
Excellent video, thanks for posting it!
Glad to see you post this. These guys are interesting but are not miners and could heed your advice. Hope they listen.
Please Pin this- thanks for your information.
Interesting, props to you for doing the hard work of a miner😎
Correction (if I may please).
Air is never 'forced' into a mine. It is sucked in, initially by means of exhaust ventilation columns and later via the ventilation shaft.
you should carry a green laser with you, theyre great for seeing very far and showing depth since you can see the entire beam, you can also see the depth of water with them if it isnt too disturbed
And a rangefinder.
Corey Martin or one of those laser measurement tools that construction workers use. they're pretty small so he wouldn't have to worry about how much weight he's carrying when he's deep into a mine.
We have, it works great
Great for blinding rushing Goblins as well. Dwarven technology is awesome.
i love how you guys are actually informed about the mines, you aren't just spouting guesses you are giving accurate terms and precise facts.
+Panzer Faust Thanks, man! I try to be as accurate as possible given my limited knowledge of mining. Believe me, I've learned SO much over the last five or six years while doing this. Glad to hear that others are enjoying the adventures and the history in the videos.
Lol, this comment made me think of the "TVR Exploring" video I just watched. Fun to look at but hard to listen to.
6:37 "turn up volume"
*turns up volume*
DEDEDEDEDEEDEDEDEDEDEDED
that's one loud rock
4100 feet is 1.25 km for those wondering
Or 1249680000000 nanometres
Or 62.12121 Chain
OR 1,366.66666 Yards mate!
6.212109 Furlongs
8200 average penises
this is crazy!! how do you guys not get lost inside?? great job guys
Exploring With Josh Thanks, Josh! I was a little concerned about possibly getting lost in this mine if we didn't keep track of the turns we took. However, like most mines, it's basically one way in and one way out. The only mine I've been in where getting lost was a real possibility was the Rachel Lincoln Mine in Nevada. That mine has twelve or more levels with interconnected workings totaling 30 or more miles of tunnels (at least I think it's 30 miles). When we were in there, we saw so many branching tunnels going every which way. Definitely needed to keep track of the turns we took in that one. Thanks for watching and commenting, man! Really appreciate it.
+Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ
Always mark your trail intersections some how,,, getting lost is scary.
+Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ
It would seem to my very amateur exploration experience that it wouldn't be a bad idea to drop a sticklight (aka chemlight) every hundred feet or so, no??
Josef Trumpeldor Sounds like a good idea to me! However, these mines are really difficult to get lost in. As I mentioned in a reply above, there have only been one or two mines out of the few hundred I've been in where getting lost was a real danger. I think my videos and the editing make the mines seem so much larger and dis-jointed than what they really are. At any rate, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
If you have been lost like i have, you realize you need to mark every turn. It is very simple,, you could mark with rocks , paint, sticks. ribbons. count your steps and mark your turns. If you lose your light you are better having counted your steps. While this all take some work,, it also takes away any anxiety about getting lost and makes for a fun time. Also remove your marks on the way back so others do not get confused... One of the easiest ways in a mine is to mark with rocks in the form of and arrow on the ground always pointing back from where you came,, and then just kick the rocks away on your way out...
Bulkheads are for ventilation, the parallel decline would be the return airway. As the mine develops deeper these are built to force air further down the mine. There would have been a big fan on the surface to draw air through the portal. The pontoon would have been for a submersible pump in the sump. The steel pipe in the floor is a 'rising main' for water to be pumped up from lower down. The drill bit is a 45mm tungsten button bit for drilling tunnelling blast holes.
Beware walking up blind inclines! CO collects uphill.
Beware of open stopes and old rises, potentially very dangerous too!!
Great video, thanks
Miner 83 - someone asked how that 'rising main' was able to be drilled in such a confined area. I don't recall if they showed how much clearance was over head at that point. I like your comments!
It may have become a rising main, but likely started out as a core hole from the surface.
Good advice........
Very cool. I like how you just went down to explore and not to "remove" items in the mine. Too many ppl these days were just go down there to TAKE... instead of just DOCUMENT. MAJOR KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU THAT WENT DOWN THERE!!! Thanks for doing this for all of us that appreciate things such as this!
Thanks for your comment, Tim! Glad you enjoyed this video. Yes, I never understood the need or desire that some explorers have for snatching up artifacts. For example, take a look at the stuff we found in this mine - the old pipe fittings and other odds and ends that were in that one room. It’s all junk. Who would want to take any of that stuff? I know I am more interested in how the mines are laid out, how they were constructed, and the underground geology that is apparent in the tunnel walls and ceiling. The artifacts, if any are left at this late date, are nice to film and document as a bonus.
I expected him to find vault 110
FlipFlopGaming or find raiders and a can of pork and beans
FlipFlopGaming his vids do make me think about fallout
I think more about skyrim with the falmer
Helena Of Detroit *Gaaaary, Gary?...Ah, Gary*
It is not funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you want orcs? Because throwing a rock down a pipe is how you get them...
😂😂😂
fool of a took!
+melikesleepy Drums, drums in the deep...
+melikesleepy first thing i thought lol
+melikesleepy a balrog of mordor!
up here we call those mines decline or ramp mines. a 4100 ft ramp is quite short. normally they are thousands of feet longer where I've worked. you are actually no where near 4100 ft depth. the ramp is a decent enough size for small equipment. they get much bigger. I've worked on a ramp that was 25' x 30' and used 4' wide fiberglass ducting. the dev crews busted ass in 12 hr shifts to cycle a 16' round with rebar bolts/screen and services.
@8:00 or so, that drill steel and bit were probably for a jumbo that drilled off blasts. sumps are driven into the sides for use as re-mucks while developing the ramps, and then submersible Flygt pumps are installed to continually move water up the ramp to surface , until at some point large pump systems may be installed at the final bottom of the ramp to pump out mine water. depends on the management and depth.
kasnitch Yeah...those steels where definitely for jumbos.
+kasnitch
He replied to another comment and said that the mine started at the base of a mountain, so considering the height of the mountain and all the land above them, TECHNICALLY speaking they are 4100 feet under ground even if they havent descended that much.
+kasnitch you are correct that we didn't descend 4100' vertically from the portal level. We did, however, follow the decline under a mountain. I'd guestimate about a 2000' elevation gain on the surface over that 4100' decline.
.9 miles at a 45 degree angle equals approx 2138 foot elevation change. Add 2000 feet of mountain....
Sovereign Sentience I know this is a year old but I'ma chime in. Frank tells us in the first 30 seconds that the main path is 4100ft and is angled at about 25°. Given that the path is straight and elevation is defined as a vertical line from point a to point b this relationship can be modeled with a right triangle. Meaning trigonometry is applicable and thus we can define elevation as path length×Sin(25°). So, 4100ft(Sin(25°))=1733ft. I also understand that Frank is under a mountain so if he truly is 4100ft under ground then mtn. height is 4100ft-1733ft=2367ft.
The inclined entrance is located at 7600 feet elevation. The top of the mountain above the inclined entrance is located at 10,000 feet elevation. Therefore, at the entrance to the inclined ramp, we had approximately 2400 feet of mountain above us. As Paul mentioned above, the journey down the inclined ramp involved an approximate elevation change of 2100 feet. 2400 feet plus 2100 feet equals 4500 feet. At the bottom of that inclined ramp, we had 4500 feet of mountain above us. In other words, as my title states, we were 4100 feet underground (actually closer to 4500 feet underground).
In the UK we have abandoned mines in Easington and Hoarden etc near Peterlee that go more than 2 miles out under the sea. They were coal mines but are almost totally flooded now.
Same here in Kent, Chislet colliery (closed 1968) went out miles under the sea I remember my grandfather telling me about it he worked there until his death just before it closed.
this was quite cool. exploring abandoned mines are one of those things that i doubt i would ever do myself, but who knows.
Hey I know you I like your vids :)
Alex Martinez
cool ^^
Another awesome video guys. I worked in the biggest Zinc and Lead mine in the world which closed in 2012 after 75 years of operation. It employed thousands of workers on the mine sight alone. Its located outside Bathurst, New Brunswick (Canada). Theres over 400km of tunnel, 3 shafts (Deepest is 4300 feet), and one portal. 14,000 tons of ore was brought to surface daily. The stopes were so big some of them your mining light couldnt make it across. Some stopes were as deep as 800'. After a stope was mined bulkheads were setup at all entrances with a pipe through the bulkhead at the top of the stope which was connect to the main paste line. The waste material from the rock - after the ore was extracted in the mill on suface - was mixed with cement, then pumped down a 16'' pipe from the paste plant on surface down to the empty stope. It would be completely filled to stabilize the mine. If it wasn't for the paste fill the mine probably would of shut down much earlier due to the structural stability . There was also two huges mechanic shops equiped with overheads cranes and concrete floors. The one I worked out of had two big rooms around 100' x 250' connected by a 50' long x 16' wide tunnel. It was something to see. Theres a very interesting documentary on the mine here on youtube. Its about 50 mins long. If your interested search Brunwick Mine Documentary and you should find it. There also a video on here of the demo of the head shaft (about a min long) which was the tallest building in the province while it was still standing. Well i better stop writing here before I have a novel lol. Hope you all enjoy your day.
Awesome comment, Cody! Thanks for the anecdotes! That certainly does sound like one massive mine you were employed in. I have heard about that technique of filling stopes with waste material or cement in order to stabilize a mine. Makes sense when you think about it. Will have to look up those two videos that you recommended, too. Thank you again for a great comment. I’m sure the other viewers will appreciate it, too.
Yes you should definitely check it out. I really enjoyed it. It’s called “Xstrata Zinc Brunswick mine - end of an era”. If you do watch the documentary I would be interested to hear what ya thought of it.
Be careful! The balrog is sleeping 6:44
Fool of a Took!
drums... drums in the deep..
All Ghimli wanted was to pay some respect... LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE
This really is a great pleasure to watch these videos, thank you very much that you're taking with us in the world of this adventure
RioDeLaNorte Well, it's certainly is a great pleasure to have viewers and fans like you who watch these videos of mine faithfully. I really appreciate your support and interest. Thank you very much! And, as always, stay tuned because more videos are coming very, very soon!
I'll bet money some idiot rode the shopping kart down there and broke it/got hurt.
LOL
I thought it was there because a bum was probably living in the mine and used the shopping cart to keep his stuff with him.
I've done a lot of exploring around the deserts of California & Nevada and I have NEVER met a homeless person that just "wandered out to the desert" to find a mineshaft to live in - It's harsh goin' in those areas!
eric pretorious LOL
eric but wouldn't this mine be a great HQ for a bum to spend time in, since it has running spring water? I think so.
Have you ever thought about drawing a plan about the mine? Where you went, were the tunnels are splitting and stuff so you dont get lost? And how do you not get lost in these?
Refuge chambers are used for emergencies if escape is impossible, i.e. prevented by a fall, fire, or other condition. They are intended to sustain miners (food, water, O2) until mine rescue can reach the chamber and evacuate it. I've seen and heard of plenty of types, including dedicated prefab steel units with airlocks, in-place chambers like this one, and (no kidding!) shipping containers with caulking and sealant provided.
Porty1119 Right on, man! Thanks for that bit of information. Really helps augment what is shown in the video.
7:05 I'm waiting for the Orcs to come storming up from the mineshaft any second now..
I figured when they dropped that rock, they were going to wake the Balrog.
Veldtian1 - "Dums, drums in the deep... we cannot get out... they are coming."
Amazing work of our Heavenly Father most definitely! So beautiful to see! The beauty of replenishment of the minerals! Great work, Frank!
If the angle estimate of 25 degrees is correct, then 4100 feet down the length of that tunnel puts you guys roughly 1733 feet deep. That is by far the deepest mine you've been in on this channel.
This mine is HUGE!!!! Holy moly! Great job on the videos! Love em
This mine definitely is extensive. But it is one that I would never go back into simply because of the extremely high risk of encountering hydrogen sulfide gas. There is a lot of pyrite in this mine along with all the water, and I guess that creates the perfect condition for hydrogen sulfide gas to form. Other explorers have spent a few more hours in this mine than Paul and I did and had no problems, but it’s still a very dangerous mine because of that reason. The 4100-foot, inclined entry tunnel is bad enough!
What some find mysterious and amazing, countless others simply regarded it as "work." Great video. Thanks.
Great story telling vid. As an ex-miner with a lot of underground time I'm impressed by how tidy this mine is. Most are filled with old cables, machine and trash because no one wants to spend money hauling anything out. All old mines I see are flooded so this desert exploration is way more fun. I would be real concerned about carbon monoxide/dioxide and H2S in any old mine, lots of deaths have happened because of that.
it's amazing you didn't see more hostile mobs down there in all that darkness. :)
+Josiah Hill i was waiting for a minecraft reference.... dont..
Thank you for the opportunity to view this amazing mine.
+Jimmy Rice Thanks, Jimmy! I normally would not enter such a massive mine as this one, but I knew that two separate sets of explorers had previously explored it within the last year or so. And they spent a LOT more time in it than I did! Based on that intel, Paul and I decided to go for it. The risk of hydrogen sulfide gas is pretty high in this mine due to all the water and pyrite. The other explorers, though, had no problems. Had I not known about their explorations, there is NO way I would've entered this mine. At any rate, we got to document a little bit of it in the few hours that we were in there. I'm not sure how extensive the tunnels are or if they go on for miles. We saw no end in sight before we turned around to make our way back out.
that was not a raft...the miners built that to hold the end of a hose connected to a pump it was to hold the end of the hose up off of the mine floor so it didn't pick up rocks and other trash which would destroy the pump and also block off the end of the pump hose you have to pump water to the heads of the miner and roof bolters for dust control and you also have to pump water out of a mine to keep it from flooding out
Very cool! Thanks for sharing, Greg!
I accidentally stumbled across this video. Thank youtubes recommendation algorithm.. and that was enlightening and interesting. I mean I've heard about mines.. but never had any clue about how they were set up, besides the collapses, that looked pretty safe, and roomy.
I can imagine hearing a deep,gurgling voice saying"GEeeetttt OOOuuuttt!!!!!!
Vinesauce Joel? Or donkey kong 64?
Your thinking of a chihuahua, wait a minute thats ren and stimpy! why would they be in a mine?
loosingmymemory7 BMW repairs 2003
I'm imagining the mines of moria
Wiiiiiiiiiinstonnnnnnn
Just thinking about all the time it took to dig out all of those tunnels and service shafts and stuff is mind boggling. And it's interesting how the earth is just reclaiming the area dug out with the flow stone and mineral growths, very slowly but surely. Thanks for sharing!
You are absolutely correct about the earth reclaiming the mine slowly. It definitely is!
Now thats some craftsmanship man 50 pipes leading to 1 all tied together
You get my vote for the most educational and the best made exploration videos on youtube.
Thank you for your vote! I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment - I really do appreciate it!
Aren't you guys the least worried about getting caught in a sudden cave in, or worse....taking a wrong turn on the way out? Do you guys have a plan in place to contact the surface in case something happens, seeing how radio/cell phone comm is most likely useless at some of the depts. you go to? If so, can ya explain it? I do SAR (search and rescue), would be interesting.
Several people always know the coordinates of every site we visit as well as our timetable. If we don't send a message at a predetermined time, they know something went wrong.
This is the first video of yours I've seen, so I risk asking a question you've already addressed in a separate video, but what else do you incorporate into your emergency or contingency plans? It might be good for someone as experienced as yourself to get some of that info out to others who may be getting into this sort of thing. Personally, I'm pretty curious.
Wow absolutely huge mine! Awesome formations like that neon green crazyness! Great adventure I bet that one was a blast!
Yeah, definitely was a big mine. Never had seen an entry tunnel that long! A highlight for me was drinking the spring water that was coming out of the wall. Best tasting water ever! Thanks for checking out the video and for taking the time to comment!
According to Wikipedia HQ office supplies warehouse went defunct back in 1999
Lost too much money on shopping cart theft...
we used to use barrels like that to hold up the intake suction hose for pumps, We also used to have vent doors like those to equalise pressure between tunnels when blasting and when the vents were running
The restricted area around 12 minutes looks like a high galena content. Witch means a high arsenic content. Also the large drill head earlier in the video is a steel body with tungsten carbide teeth (nubs)
+Aaron nutter Thanks for that bit of information! Arsenic! Scary stuff.
+Aaron nutter Amazing that you know where arsenic comes from but can't spell which...
Shit happens
+Aaron nutter Which, son, which. Witches ride brooms.
I've made drill heads just like that one up to 12 inches in diameter. The men keep drilling until the carbide slugs are gone. Then you can drill and add new carbide, about 3 inches long, or weld a new stub onto the end of the used up drill. It ain't pretty but nobody cares.
5:20 I swear his buddy scared the shit outta me creeping around the corner like that for a second haha xD
you need to take Cody's Lab along with you on one of these adventures :)
omg yes
Really wonderful video and mine. The metal supports are really beautiful. The refuge chamber was where the miners were to meet and stay in case of a cave in that blocked their way out. As you said they had doors to seal it up. There was probably an air vent to the top in it. The "growths" made my smile. A stalactite is a mineral hanging like a cone from the ceiling. A stalagmite is the cone that is made on the floor where it drips. Give that a million years and they'll meet in the middle and make a gorgeous pilar. There is so much beauty in a hole with rocks.
Jennie Wallick Hey, Jennie! Thanks for watching and for your comments. Yes, there can be beauty in out-of-the-way places like a dark, damp, cold abandoned mine. The formations in this one were extraordinary.
From what I could hear of the "Rock Drop" it fell for 8 seconds lets say. That calculates to be approximately 320m or 1,049.87 feet. Ten stories, that's enough for a chute to open before hitting bottom, were it physicaly possibly to try or prove, which it obviously is not, but it's the same difference anyway, about 1,050 feet or so. GR8 vid, thanks, James, San Diego, Ca.
+James Polloreno Thanks, James, for your comment! Always glad to hear from a fellow San Diegan!
How do you figure? 1/2G*T^2 = height.
@@rogerscottcathey Is that a real formula?
I used to explore abandoned mines when I lived in AZ in the early 1980s. You'd find railcars in them then. Some near old silver mines up around Prescott. I had a fluorescent lamp/light I would use too. Some of the crystalline growth is amazing in that light. Black light really shows them off nicely as well. Might try that in your photography. Stay safe and enjoy.
First time on your channel...really enjoyed the tour, subscribed and gave a thumbs-up too.
Reminds me of spelunking with the kids in Calico California and other places 4 decades ago. Once saw an area as long and wide as a football field 10 or 15 feet high completely cleaned out and left separated from collapse by huge timbers...it was unnerving...the kids loved it, so did PaPa!
It's easy to see where the iffy parts are with all the minerals showing...will follow more vids...thanks! charlie
+Charles Irby Hey, Charlie! Thanks for your comment an anecdote. Sounds like you saw a really huge stope back in the day at Calico. Thanks, too, for subscribing. Welcome aboard! I really appreciate your interest and support. Just so you know, I upload new content on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month. Certainly glad to have you following along in the adventures, and please feel free to ask questions or comment on any video. Believe it or not, I do try to answer all of the comments if I can. Thanks again!
Okay, that's enough exposition and admonition from me. This has to be my favorite of your videos thus far; this mine really is/was a proper modern trackless mine with all the safety features I would expect. It's a lot closer to what I'm used to than those crazy old workings with plywood covering hundred-foot winzes and other nuttiness.
Porty1119 No problem, man. Glad this was one of your favorites. Any idea what that pipe was used for that I show at 6:33? Rocks dropped into it fell for 20 to 30 seconds, and we could hear a very faint, distant splash. Core sample drilling? Or was that pipe a direct line to a distant sump area?
Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ It's definitely the right diameter for a core sampling hole, but the fact that there was a concrete collar and a steel pipe run down the length of it makes me thing it had an intended long-term use. It's not a drainage line- the magnitude of water involved in dewatering would make it completely impractical. My best guess is that it was a utility line of some sort, probably associated with all the hoses hanging nearby. Compressed air, perhaps? I've never seen anything quite like it in a mine.
did you see any signs of Gollum?
I was thinking the exact same thing.
I was thinking about pippin being a fool of a took lmao
I would never do it, but great job. A lot of neat artifacts
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. This is one abandoned mine that I will never go into again. It really is a dangerous one because of the increased risk of encountering hydrogen sulfide gas deep in the mine. There is a ton of pyrite in this mine as well as flowing water. When those two mix, hydrogen sulfide gas can form. I do carry a hydrogen sulfide gas detector as well as an oxygen meter, but it just isn’t worth the risk. Other explorers have spent a lot more time in this mine exploring it than Paul and I did, but I don’t think they saw anything really new or unusual. I think Paul and I caught most of the highlights.
Nice work Frank and Company, Thank You!
Curiosity You're welcome! And thanks, too, for watching and commenting. Appreciate the support.
This is a very impressive mine, the size is immense. It is amazing the beauty of the crystals forming from the roof and the floor of the mine. These modern mines are certainly very large, in this area we used to have fairly modern coal mines which were also large, the coal was removed on a conveyor belt but the men were taken into and out of the mine by a narrow gauge railroad, it was the best way to do it because of the distances involved to get to the coalface. Thank you for bringing us this excellent video, it is much appreciated.
Amazing how large these projects were and how much material was moved, you should explore some old coal mines in Pennsylvania
This is a good example of a modern decline and drift diesel mine . If you ever wondered what a modern underground mine looks like now you have visited an abandoned one . If you were to visit any number of operating mines in NE Nevada you would see the same . The bulkheads were opened and closed to regulate airflow used to remove the diesel fumes from the equipment and provide fresh air to the miners . Most ug mines had a shop located deep in the mine . The long drill rods you filmed were jumbo steel and the bit was a jumbo bit . Usually 12-14' long and used on electric hydraulic 1-2 or 3 boom jumbo drills used to drill the blast holes and rock bolt the back and ribs . Judging from the size of the decline I'd say they mucked with ether a 4 or 6 yd muckers and probably had 20-30 ton haul trucks . The branching side drifts are a form of cut mining used in horizontally bedded deposits . Where you have a fairly uniform bedded ore body and a fairly uniform grade of ore .
+bigwallrog Awesome information as always! Thanks for doing that! Not exactly sure how extensive the tunneling is in this mine. We were in there a good five hours or so and did not see everything. Huge mine, that's for sure!
Hopefully there is a revisit to this one, it would also be interesting to see if one of those tunnels connects with the bottom of the large chamber.
Thanks, Craig! Upon closer inspection of that one huge stope, we don't think those were tunnels that were down there near the bottom. They were just indentations and shadows. There are no plans to return to this mine anytime soon because we are focusing on mines in Arizona at the moment. But things can change! Thanks for your support and comments!
the bulkheads as you call them are actually airdoors that separate each roadway. for incoming air and outgoing dirty air. I am a former miner. I should know!
I've been looking for a channel like this! You have yourself a subscriber!
word
I would end up lost in a tunnel like that. I used to be a recreational spelunker til I had a bad anxiety attack in a deep cave I thought I was lost in. I didn’t know I had problems with anxiety til then. I’ve been claustrophobic to a degree ever since.Because of that, watching these videos makes my skin crawl. But it’s like watching a train wreck, I can’t look away. In my old age, it’s my version of extreme sports. An arm chair adrenaline junkie.😀
Great video!
you guys are doing what I've always wished I could do, thanks for sharing!
I thought i worked hard my whole life but i cant comprehend the human willpower to dig it, cut down huge timbers to brace it, rig up machines then risk your life e every day.....for what??!?? A boul of soup? Some super salty bacon and a flask of whiskey every day? Usually to make someone else rich im guessing ? Just simply incredible. Makes me wonder what ancient civilizations actually were capable of . Really big never ending reverberating "WOW!!!" GOD BLESS THEM and their countless tears at all times .
Am I the only one who keeps expecting some kind of monster attack?
PlotwistInc Especially after he dropped that rock down that pipe. I was half expecting beating drums and orcs.
I'm still waiting for a balrog to pop up.
Plotwistlnc HAAHHAHA 😂😂 me too dude I totally was expecting weird nasty monster to come popping out any minute
@@tatooweeny i know right...
@Al mines of Moria scene in lord of the rings
Nice video! That pond with the "raft" looks a lot like a sump. The mines I used to work in had a lot of those and the raft was more than likely used to keep a water pump out of the silt as it settled there. Again, another great video! I'd love to come explore with you guys sometime.
Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and leave a comment! And thanks, too, for the clarification on the "raft." I'm always appreciative when you former miners contribute your comments and insights. I'm still learning about mining and all that it takes to create and work in a mine such as this one. We're always looking for responsible, safe, sane people who want to join us on explorations. Definitely no drama here - we just like getting out to as many sites as possible, documenting them safely, and having a good time in the process. You can always send me a private message on here and we can talk further. Thanks again for your support. Much appreciated on this end!
Wow, huge mine! Better invest in an ATV to explore it all! LOL! Great video Frank, thanks!
Rob Farrow You and your motorcycle would have a blast in this one, Rob1
Exploring Abandoned Mines in CA, NV, and AZ That would be a blast!
Internal combustion engines make carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide + enclosed area = shortened life span.
Andrew G. Whitaker they make electrical engines now
Great idea, ATV down the mine. Great way to find the unstable parts and seal it off behind you.
The Tunnel reference is used mostly as a civil term. Mining used the terms drifts, entries, cross passages, cross cuts. The floor is referred to as “bottom” or “floor”. The top or crown is referred to as “Top” or “Back”. The walls are referred to as “Ribs”.
Has anyone ever told you that you sound like John Cussack?
+mr10man69 Holy shit he totally does!
+mr10man69 Yep, he sure does.
+mr10man69 heh, now i can't unhear it
Crazy huh. Should do commercial voice work.
+mr10man69 John Cusack meets Alex Baldwin.
Re-watching binge continues, thanks Frank 5 stars
The parallel tunnel is called a RAW. Return air way. The main vent fan will draw air in though the portal down to the bottom of the mine and the air returns to the surface via that RAW.
ChrisYanicki .... "Rootes" blower
There was an abandoned mining operation near where I lived that had a large cave opening and in the corner was a massive shaft that was apparently 3,000-4000 feet deep that was entirely flooded. It also had a cool opening in the back that was up on the ceiling for lifting ore out of cave. There was also a vertical shaft mine that a man who own the property (he was VERY rich.) backfilled it for safety. There also was one we couldn't find. But the final one had a smaller entrance but it was a branching mine though sadly the branches were backfilled for safety reasons again. But the middle shaft went down quite far... until it was entirely flooded. The other mines where destroyed and covered by the mining operation people once they were done. Phew good job if you read that.
Man this is so cool, I wish I could explore mines like this. It's so interesting to see everything they used to use and how everything worked. So neat!
+Kevin R Thanks, Kevin! This mine certainly was unique with its 4100 foot long entry tunnel. To tell you the truth, I would not want to go back to this mine. The risk of hydrogen sulfide gas in this one is extremely elevated due to the dampness. I have no idea how many miles of tunnels are in this mine, but I do believe it is quite extensive. One time was enough for me. We only got to see a small portion of the workings, but I was satisfied with that. There was just something inexplicably creepy about the large, wide, modern tunnels AND that 4100 foot long inclined entry tunnel.
Exploring Abandoned Mines How do you come about finding these mines? I'm on the east coast (South Carolina) I'd be interested in doing some some exploring!
even recently closed operations are fascinating. well done
Thanks, man!
Exploring abandoned mine tunnels is a very, very dangerous activity. .......
Its amazing to see such beautiful colors in that complete darkness..amazing.
@7:00
Just after the rock splash "Fool of a Took!" would have been a VERY appropriate joke :)
This mine is AWESOME!. Great find, and another great video.
Doug P Doug, I have to disagree with you -- this mine was NOT awesome. It was freakin' awesome! haha Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for being a loyal subscriber, man. I really appreciate that.
Wow this was one super awesome video. I hope you do a part two to this video. Seeing as the shop said shop-1 do you think there may be other shops as this mine is so enormous ??? Yet again another fantastic video :D
+Michael David Cilantro Yes, I would think that there would be other workshops in the mine. Other explorers who were here a year or two before us spent around 16 hours in this mine exploring it. There's a lot more to see than what Paul and I saw on our brief expiration. I just can't seem to find any sources that specifically say
exactly how many miles of tunnels were in this mine. Would be interesting to actually find that out.
Michael David Cilantrgu
Michael David Cilantro BMW 2003 allwheel repair
How many people have told you, that you sound like John Cusack? I think it's spot-on!
those drill bit nubs are prolly made of tungsten carbid
Tuzz Nation They are.
You mean cunston targlide? Wait... wrong channel.
thethePete actually it's: cuntstain tongueglide
Your videos are fantastic! I have been fascinated with mining since I was little.
One extremely dangerous field of work.
My maternal grandfather born in 1890 worked in the mines in Centralia, PA. I heard the entire town is off limits now.
Frightening how that happened and how its still butning.
I just came across your channel by chance!!😊
the nubs on that hammer drill are tungsten carbide.
brings back memories of when u worked underground in a gold mine and we use to drive into the mine like this mine
Go 4 minutes and 48 seconds in and look to the top right over that mound of debrie what jumped down then back up right there on top of it 😳
You have a very good eye for spotting that very strange anomaly in my video! That is either Paul’s flashlight or a ghost. I tried to match it up with the motion of Paul and his light, but it doesn’t seem to match up very well. If it’s a ghost, it looks like the ghost jumps up to take a look at us and then quickly jumps back down once it has seen enough. Thanks for your intriguing comment!
Nice catch. Wow this comment was posted and got pinned 3 years after video came out and I'm here 20 minutes after the fact!
reflection off of water
light reflection from the camera man
4:48 for people looking for the timestamp
Looks like a great place to put a vault! Nice fresh water for the vault-dwellers!
Thanks for the tour!
Drops a rock down, floor collapses.
Sick! :P
There’s 2 tunnels because you put the fresh air down one tunnel, and your ore and exhaust out he other tunnel, that way you get fresh air and don’t have to breathe the dust, garbage air and equipment exhaust. He refuge chamber is for exactly what it says. If there’s a fire down there that’s where you go. You’d have water and air for a while. If you’re blasting underground everyone is out. The concussion is pretty rank when contained in tunnels. Usually it happens at shift change when everyone is out, then the new crew goes down and sees the blast face. Underground shops are normal too. You fix all your equipment down there. The ones I was in had cranes bolted riht into the back and it was just like being on surface.
Thanks, Jared, for all the information in your comment. I always appreciate when you real miners contribute your thoughts, opinions, and experiences in your comments. They really help the video. Thanks, man!
The water hose was most likely used for steam powered drills. I found similar items in a abandoned mine in the desert out in California back in the '90's. There was an underground river the miners used for the water source and giant abandoned steam engines.
Sounds like you're talking about the Kokoweef Mine and the infamous underground river there! Thanks, Don, for watching and commenting!
Nope water is used to spray down much piles to control dust, also drills are hooked up to water to control dust.
@@AbandonedMines11 Steam was never used for drilling. Got enough trouble with compressed air!
wow a modern day ore cart ( plastic shopping cart) thanks frank & paul, nice rainbow room many a color.
Those metal plates are to keep the demon locked in. Do not remove those plates under any circumstances.
Incredible mine. I've never seen you explore such a massive excavation. Outstanding video.
at around 7:00 or so, you drop a stone in a tube down, before it reaches the bottom it takes about 20sec or so. That pipe looks like iron, that tube must be very loooooong. How did they drill that in that tight space?
+Machil Verweij same thing i was wondering
+Machil Verweij underground drilling.
It's a production casing
It was 13 or 14 seconds.
Long drill bit
You got big cajones my friend. I wish we had mines like that where i live. Id definately go in.
You guys should invest in a 500mw laser, so you can really see how far those long dark passages are.
Other have mentioned that idea, and it's a good idea! I need to invest in one. Thanks for the reminder!
green is best ^_^
How does a laser light tell you how far a tunnel is?
SanFranciscoBay wow, are you serious?
Yes, I am serious. Are you able to answer the question? How does a laser light tell you how far a tunnel is?
Vents are because air is forced down to the bottom workings so miners can breathe and machine exhaust can be removed. That parallel tunnel is the return air channel , or, it's where the air is forced down, depending where they put the fans. If there is a mine emergency, like a piece of equipment catching fire, miners would climb out going against the flow of air, in whichever drift had the air coming from surface, so they could survive. If they could not climb out, they would go into the refuge station, which had an air pipe coming into it, and they would seal the door with fire clay. This creates a positive pressure in the refuge station and keeps poisonous air out. Had to spend several hours in one of those at the mine I work at.
Hey Guys! So glad I found your channel...... I would LOVE to do this.. You guys are so damn lucky to be able to do this .. Thanks for the great videos... Just subscribed!
Thanks, man, for subscribing! I really appreciate that. Just so you know, I upload new content on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month. Always feel free to comment or ask questions on any video. I try to get to them all if I can. Thank you, too, for your interest and support. Awesome!
Wow. Amazing. You're so calm. You sound like you're taking a walk in a park. I'd be worried about running into Gollum... ;)
at 6:46, "Be careful of the sound of drums!"
When I was in high school, my friends and I found a shopping cart in an alley in town. We loaded it in my truck and took it to a decent size hill and attempted to ride it down the hill. It wasn't a fancy aerodynamic cart such as the one you found but rather on of those crappy top heavy boxy ones. So, unsatisfied with the downhill dirt track, we knew of a defunct water slide and had grand dreams of a louge (?) experience. So we dragged it to the top through briars and small trees. Let the fun begin!.....not really. While trying to ride it down, the slide had major cracks with trees growing in them so we couldn't go very far without running into them and falling over. Once at the bottom, we decided that the best place for our free cart was in the green lagoon with other metal scrap and rubble. So when I saw the cart you found, I wondered if anyone was daring enough to ride it down......and then laughed internally at what they might've experienced.
Thanks for another great tour, that Spring water sure looked nice and clean, you could start up a Spring water bottling business!
***** This may sound weird, but I kept thinking about the spring water and how it tasted long after we left the mine. I still think about it from time to time. I guess it's like when you eat a very expensive, gourmet meal or drink a very expensive glass of wine, you don't forget that moment and how the food or wine tasted. This spring water was the same way, I guess. Thanks, man, for watching and leaving a comment!
Exploring Abandoned Mines and Unusual Places yeah spring water has a specific taste. I went on a backpacking trip up in the sierras at about 12,000ft elevation and the natural creek water is a taste you never forget.
@@joshuaramirez6121 You will never forget creek water that puts you on a toilet for 2 weeks. Even at 12,000 feet a rat can crap or die just upstream of your tasty water.
Always wanted to hike into one of those mines. I had heard they were dangerous, so the better part of chicken said don't. Thanks for the adventure.
6:00 I thought it said "refuge harambe" at first
Khorps i
Khorps dead lol
😂😂😂😂
Great video! Love this stuff! Thank you for posting!
Thanks, Braden! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. This mine is definitely quite massive in scope.
6:50 - Is this the part where the goblins and trolls wakeup and come after you?
Great video of this mine! Looks like calcareous growths forming on the ceiling.
Calcite forms from precipitating calcium-rich water inside caverns/mines.
Which this particular mine does not seem to lack haha..
It exists in the form of stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone, and strange globular growths which just might be what you're looking at along the roof of the mine.
BorlisPass Paul, the other explorer with me, is the mineral expert, and I believe he said exactly what you said when he described what we were seeing. Thanks for watching!