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 Post subject: lead mine in england
PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:05 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:26 am
Posts: 7
hi there thought id share a few snaps from across the pond of an old lead mine in northern england by the name of smallcleugh,
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looking back to the entrance
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pic spoilt as we forgot to turn our lamps off
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air door
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nice arch
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bad roof
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hope you like them.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:40 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2005 11:33 pm
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Location: Above the Sterling Hill Mine
Hello,

Very nice shots! Thanks a lot for sharing them! Would you happen to have any information about the mine? Any dates on when this mine was in operation?

The arches under unstable rock are kind of interesting as we really don't see them often around here in mines. Do they do this throughout the mine?

Miner Greg


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:06 pm 
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the arches are pretty much all over the mines in the alston area for more info and some great pics of the whole complex check out this site dedicated to these mines...
http://www.mineexplorer.org.uk/index.htm


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:18 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2005 11:28 pm
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Location: Winnemucca, NV
Hey Bograt, do you know whether it was cost prohibitive to ship and use timber as mine supports? As many of the associated structures are built mostly of stone vs wood for the same applications here, I would imagine there's more to the story than just interesting above and below ground stone architecture.

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"If you thought old, abandoned mines were only in the west, then you haven't been to IronMiners.com!"


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:45 am 
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Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2005 11:33 pm
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Location: Above the Sterling Hill Mine
I guess another consideration for the time, how accessible was timber at the time this mine was in operation. Perhaps timber was a premium and they decided to use cobb rock and tailing instead.

Miner Greg


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:00 pm 
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Location: Shropshire, UK
Smallcleugh is one of many Nenthead mines (see http://www.npht.com/nentheadmines/index.htm and http://www.mineexplorer.org.uk/ ). These mines are about 1,000 feet up on the top of very bleak treeless moors so little or no timber was to hand. However, large quantities of limestone were and Flinty Fell quarry was opened to provide stone for all the arching in the mines. All the major haulage levels, called horse levels, were driven along a vein and then arched so the stoping could continue above with somewhere to put the deads and ore shoots provided to load the tubs in the levels. Many of these mines interconnected and it is still possible to do a five mine underground trip. There are miles and miles of workings, many artefacts (eg an underground horse gin) and some members of our club (Shropshire Caving and Mining Club) spend 3 weeks each year up there. It is well worthwhile.

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Shropshire Andy


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 5:02 pm 
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Location: Above the Sterling Hill Mine
That is pretty interesting actually. In the areas where there isn't much timber, rock is depended on to provide structural support. As a result, these mines end being more structurally sound over the years due to the fact that the supports do not decompose like timber does.

Our group has been talking about doing some international trips, this does look to be an interesting starting place. A lot of great shots on both of those sites you mentioned. Your club spends three weeks at a time there, or you go multiple times a year?

Miner Greg


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:09 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:38 pm
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Location: Shropshire, UK
Not three weeks at a time! There is an organiser, known universally as 'Mole', who arranges these weeks (usually Easter, end July and end October) and the accommodation, and keen mine explorers from all over the UK go along for anything from 1 day to a full 10 days including both weekends. The Shropshire club is always very well represented during these weeks. Of course, it is possible to visit anytime and there are those who live nearby who spend much more time there.

While your comments about the decomposition of timber as against stone are valid, it cannot be assumed that the stone arching is invulnerable. Over the years earth movements, water flows and falls from above can cause all sorts of difficulties and collapses are frequent. Much work has been done digging through these and reinforcing dangerous sections but this is an ongoing activity. Because of the enormous extent of the workings, many of the connections have been lost but there is still so much accessible, even if with some difficulty, that there is always more to see and explore. Many of the access problems are caused by falls down old ore shoots or collapsed shafts and, of course, the timbering higher up in the stopes has either gone or is very unsafe.

The mineralisation is also rather unusual in that there has been mineral deposition in horizontal planes as well as veins. These are called 'flats' locally and can be very large. One is known as 'the Ballroom' becasue it was cleared of waste rock and a party was held there; on September 2nd 1901, 28 members of the local Masonic branch held a dinner down the mine.

You would be most welcome to include some of our Shropshire mines in any visit you may make but serious SRT skills are required to access Snailbeach mine. Should members of your party not be SRT trained there is still much to see and do and we would be pleased to advise if required. When the exchange rate improves (from our perspective) I would not rule out an exchange trip to NY/NJ!

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Shropshire Andy


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:25 pm 
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Location: Winnemucca, NV
Perhaps a trip to the UK is in order sooner rather than later. :D Unfortunately the water table is usually pretty high in our area which narrows the number of accessible mines considerably. But hopefully as you can see in our slideshows, there is still plenty enough to see for a worthwhile trip here. We have repelled down quite a few dry shafts and winzes. And as I'm sure you know, it is down there that you can truly see workings and artifacts left just as they were when the miners last visited. Since our area is relatively populated, most artifacts and even rails have been removed from the "beginner level mines" during the 20th century.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:39 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:38 pm
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Location: Shropshire, UK
A couple of links for you:

Our local mines http://shropshiremines.org.uk/misc/shropshire.htm
A lifetime's work http://www.mining-memorabilia.co.uk/Links.htm

Andy

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Shropshire Andy


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:36 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:17 am
Posts: 754
Location: Monroe, CT
Hey Andy great pics! love the arches, kinda reminds me of a cement arch in a mine in Connecticut Image

are organized mine exploration groups typical in other european countries as well, my girlfiend is from germany and and i am thinking about doing some exploring there this summer, gotta buy a LR defender 90 and register it in her name no other 4x4 will do. best 4x4xfar!


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:16 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:38 pm
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Location: Shropshire, UK
Yep, we get those too. When the Vielle Montagne Zinc Company took over the Nenthead mines, their latest drives were lined with cement. You can see these in the far reaches of Smallcleugh mine.

You are a real person! See below for my Defender 90; no mine explorer should be without one! (at least there would be a pic if I could figure out how to paste it in!)

Some years ago some of our club visited mines in the Harz mountains of Germany. A DVD produced by IA Recordings (club members) is available at http://www.iarecordings.org/compilations/c51.html

The UK seems to be populated by a great many 'anoraks' - usually men of a certain age fascinated by all manner of interesting subjects. Consequently, we seem to be more organised than most with regard to mining remains - or steam engines, or steam trains or model aircraft etc etc. There are some similar groups in European countries now but, as a generalsation, we in the UK seem to be particularly adept at grovelling into our industrial past!

Andy

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Shropshire Andy


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:03 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:17 am
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Location: Monroe, CT
Andy -let me know if you come across any links to german abandoned mine exploration groups or websites, its ok if the website is in german.

what year is your defender? id love to find an 1984 90 with a 200tdi conversion to import to the states! it has to be 25 years old or older to import. most north american defenders here are rediculously overpriced and didnt come with those sweet tdi deisels.
it seems IRONMINERS really needs to take a trip across the pond to hang out with all you defender driving mine anoraks!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:21 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:38 pm
Posts: 10
Location: Shropshire, UK
Mike, try this http://www.untertage.com/cms/ It is recommended on our club website links page http://www.serve.com/scmc/others.html but as it is in German (another language I don't do!) I have no personal experience.

My Defender is a 1991 J-reg estate example complete with the 200Tdi engine, which is why I bought it as there are no complex electronics to confuse. A couple of years ago, No. 2 son put it on its roof and the insurance company wrote it off but I bought it back and had it rebuilt as mechanically it was good. The result is that I now have the Landie I always wanted as all the rotten bits have been replaced! It has done a mere 120,000 miles or so so there is lots of life left in it yet. The main concern is that the chassis starts to go in damp and salty Britain after about 20 years and that is a major rebuild job.

(If someone can tell me how to put a photo into a post, I'll send you pics. Alternatively, let me have your email address and I'll send them directly to you as attachments.)

There are 4 major Land Rover magazines here but the best is Land Rover Owner International, which you should be able to get in the US. There are always lots of Landies of all types and vintages for sale in it as well as many ads from LR specialists. I'd start there if I was looking for one.

[/img]

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Shropshire Andy


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:16 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:17 am
Posts: 754
Location: Monroe, CT
Andy- thanks for the link, they even have a forum so that should get me off to a great start for that summer trip!

also i was thinking alot about some kind of mine explorer exchange program. Andy, if you and some of your group wishes to travel to the US to do a week of mine exploration maybe in the spring or summer i might be able to help facilitate that. fly into JFK international airport in new york and i can pick you up there , it is about an hour and 20 min. from my house. i can set you up at my property for the time as i have two extra rooms and some upstairs rooms in a converted barn. my house and barn were built in 1760, back when this was still your colony, :) and the house is restored very closely to as it appeared at that time with the exception of the kitchen and bathroom of course! from my house it is about 1hr to the iron mine region, 1.5 hours to the limestone mine region and 3 hours to the anthracite region!


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