How To Dig Out An Old Mine

[Deleted member 122652]

Any tips? It's filled to the ceiling. Supposed to be Spanish.

 

[Carl-NC]

Probably not a mine. Are there tailings?

 

[Deleted member 122652]

I've confirmed it with research. Plus a local told me about it. I can promise it's a mine of some sort. I'm also right off the Spanish trail. There was a major operation that went on here. The Natives in this area were almost obliterated because of this mining operation.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

Also, the Spaniards did not leave tailings near the mines. They usually moved them miles away to process at a spring.

 

[IDAu]

My advice is to not start until you do a lot more learning. You don’t know what you can get you killed if you’re asking this question.

If there is a chance it’s flooded and you break through it could blow you out and kill you. Like a damn break.

Do you have a gas Detector?

 

[Deleted member 122652]

My advice is to not start until you do a lot more learning. You don’t know what you can get you killed if you’re asking this question.

If there is a chance it’s flooded and you break through it could blow you out and kill you. Like a damn break.

Do you have a gas Detector?

That's exactly why I am asking, to learn. I know it's dangerous, I've only dug out enough to confirm it's a mine. Now I'm learning what to do. There's a chance many things can happen. No I don't have a detector, but I know people that have them. The main problem at this point is the massive amount of dirt to dig out. It's literally up to the ceiling. There was about a foot of an opening from erosion.

 

[IDAu]

That's exactly why I am asking, to learn. I know it's dangerous, I've only dug out enough to confirm it's a mine. Now I'm learning what to do. There's a chance many things can happen. No I don't have a detector, but I know people that have them. The main problem at this point is the massive amount of dirt to dig out. It's literally up to the ceiling. There was about a foot of an opening from erosion.

The fact that you dug it out at all without knowing the safety hazards and having a gas detector is concerning. It's your own life, do what you want. I'm not trying to stop you or even discourage you. I was in the exact same position last year, and the more I learned the more I realized it's best to leave it alone until I have experienced in person hands involved.

There are too many factors and things to learn that you won't get here. Try to find an experienced underground miner locally. Trying to learn the ins and outs of underground mining from T.net can leave ya hurtin. Or dead. Opening a mine requires a mixture of a bunch of different trades. Do you know how to do various timber sets? How to check that the ground is stable? That you're not about to get blasted with SO2, CO, methane etc? That it's not holding back a ton of water?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you probably shouldn't be digging at all. That's where I'm at. Like I said, not trying to discourage you from doing it. Just from doing it this way, right now.

Asking "How do I open up this buried mine" is like asking "How do I become an equipment operator, a carpenter, a geologist, a skilled laborer, an electrician, an MSHA inspector, and a chemist" all at once.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

The fact that you dug it out at all without knowing the safety hazards and having a gas detector is concerning. It's your own life, do what you want. I'm not trying to stop you or even discourage you. I was in the exact same position last year, and the more I learned the more I realized it's best to leave it alone until I have experienced in person hands involved.

There are too many factors and things to learn that you won't get here. Try to find an experienced underground miner locally. Trying to learn the ins and outs of underground mining from T.net can leave ya hurtin. Or dead. Opening a mine requires a mixture of a bunch of different trades. Do you know how to do various timber sets? How to check that the ground is stable? That you're not about to get blasted with SO2, CO, methane etc? That it's not holding back a ton of water?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you probably shouldn't be digging at all. That's where I'm at. Like I said, not trying to discourage you from doing it. Just from doing it this way, right now.

Asking "How do I open up this buried mine" is like asking "How do I become an equipment operator, a carpenter, a geologist, a skilled laborer, an electrician, an MSHA inspector, and a chemist" all at once.

I'm not sure how to find one of those in my area. Thank you for the advice! I really appreciate it. ☺️

 

[Deleted member 122652]

What does everyone else do if you find an old mine?

 

[DizzyDigger]

What does everyone else do if you find an old mine?

To begin with, I'm going to stay the hell out of it until such a time when it
can be confirmed to be safe to enter. All the concerns IDAu shared are valid,
and hopefully you will heed his warning.

In the case of the mine you pictured, I'd start as you did..clean out everything you
can without taking any risks, meaning you don't have dirt/rock over your head. If I
truly wanted to know more, I'd strap a camera on a RC truck and let it take the risk
of exploring.

If there appeared to be mineral deposits worth working, I'd start at the opening and begin
making timber sets to insure my safety.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

To begin with, I'm going to stay the hell out of it until such a time when it
can be confirmed to be safe to enter. All the concerns IDAu shared are valid,
and hopefully you will heed his warning.

In the case of the mine you pictured, I'd start as you did..clean out everything you
can without taking any risks, meaning you don't have dirt/rock over your head. If I
truly wanted to know more, I'd strap a camera on a RC truck and let it take the risk
of exploring.

If there appeared to be mineral deposits worth working, I'd start at the opening and begin
making timber sets to insure my safety.

That's exactly what I have done. Dug it out to make sure it's actually something and here I stand. I was already thinking of the rc car but I have too much dirt to still be moved. So not sure what to do there. Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it. 🙂

 

[Chilli]

Is what may be in it worth risking your life? I personally knew a guy that died going into old mines to detect the floors and walls. Gas got him.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

Is what may be in it worth risking your life? I personally knew a guy that died going into old mines to detect the floors and walls. Gas got him.

I'm sorry that happened. Thank you for sharing that. I appreciate your response. ♥️

 

[Tesorodeoro]

EVERY mine has non ore (profitable deposits) intact in the native Mother Earth that give a good indication through sampling as to what someone may have been mining.

Is there ANY indication of a lode deposit there and what are the valuable minerals you recovered through simple crushing and panning?

Start there.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

EVERY mine has non ore (profitable deposits) intact in the native Mother Earth that give a good indication through sampling as to what someone may have been mining.

Is there ANY indication of a lode deposited there and what are the valuable minerals you recovered through simple crushing and panning?

Start there.

Gold and silver. Yes, this isn't the only Spanish mine in the area.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Gold and silver. Yes, this isn't the only Spanish mine in the area.

So you panned intact material that showed free gold and silver? Or mines in the area are purported to have been gold/silver mines? Can you see indications of a lode deposit I.e. a vein?

 

[Deleted member 122652]

So you panned intact material that showed free gold and silver?

Yes. As I said this isn't the only mine. The gold and silver is documented in history. Plus I'm right off the Spanish trail.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Yes. As I said this isn't the only mine. The gold and silver is documented in history. Plus I'm right off the Spanish trail.

I’m sorry, I’m dense. You can see a vein and you have crushed and sampled it from this site?

 

[Deleted member 122652]

I’m sorry, I’m dense. You can see a vein and you have crushed and sampled it from this site?

No. I cannot see the vein as I haven't dug it out. I sampled the dirt that came out of the entrance. I can't get to the vein until I figure out how to get the mine safely dug out.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

No. I cannot see the vein as I haven't dug it out. I sampled the dirt that came out of the entrance. I can't get to the vein until I figure out how to get the mine safely dug out.

What did the sampled dirt from the entrance show? Barren? Silver? Gold?