Round two of mine pics......a few other pieces of equipment and some clearer mine shots.....

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

n/t

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

of salt.

What is this three feet of ceiling salt is the desired safety margin? Does this mean that there has to be three feet of salt before you hit dirt? You have a very fascinating and interesting job. I have never known anyone that worked in a salt mine. Thanks for taking the time to explain things, much appreciated. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

the next layer of mineral above the salt is shale. It is very hard and brittle and constantly breaks off in pieces whenever they blast. The percussion underground from these faces when blasted is incredible. Areas with only shale on the ceiling are a constant hazard because there are always "loose" pieces waiting to fall from the ceiling. The salt is a soft rock and still strong at the same time. It has much more "give" to it. When I alluded to older areas of the mine that had "caved-in", it was due to the fact that there was not a layer of salt left on the ceiling in that area. Over time, the shale and subsequent layers of earth broke free and collapsed from the daily blasting. A few years back we had to change the time of day of our blasting schedule. We would literally wake people up in the night in their homes and it wasn't uncommon for pictures to be knocked off walls and such. If standing on ground above an area to be blasted, you could feel the earth tremble below you. I have felt it as far as three miles away in my fathers back yard. No lie !! Have a great one today Kelley,

Rob

 

[Wayne in BC]

what an excellent tutorial and set of pics

I do not think i could handle that kind of mining.......this my kind of mining
Here are me (furthest away) and a buddy deciding how to "think" the gravel into our sluices (those green objects in the water are plastic "LeTrap sluices").
[attachment 28729 WayneandDarrenontheriver.JPG]

Here are some results, this gold in a 100+ year old perfume bottle belongs to my wife.
[attachment 28728 Carolsgoldbottleandquarter.jpg]

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

The views are simply beautiful ! Is all of B.C. that gorgeous ? And Royal in northern Michigan ! You folks sure are living the good life. I've never prospected for gold. Don't laugh at me now but is that what the sluices are for ? And please don't tell me your wife found that old bottle with THAT gold in it ! How long does it take to accumulate that much gold ? Awesome stuff Wayne and awesome pics. And get yourself some good painkillers will ya ! Sure miss ya on this forum.

 

[Wayne in BC]

but once we had found over two ounces in a day, followed by lots of days with two bits worth a great hobby and much like detecting. Yep the sluices are for fools to spend many hours shoveling several yards of gravel through, then ooh and aw! about a few flecks of gold
A prospector friend of mine from the Yukon gave Carol that bottle. He found it in the rubble of an old cabin in 1950 and said the cabin was old when was a kid, he is 95 now!
Thanks Rob, i have some "Oxycoton" but use it sparingly and time will be the only real help....."patience my azz.....i'm gonna kill somthing"!"

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

Just relaxing and scooping here and there. The gold prospecting looks like a good time. You just never know what's going to turn up. Take it easy Wayne. Was a time last year when I was afraid my back was finished. But, time did make it better as it will yours. Hang in there !!

Rob