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Gold Prospecting
Small Scale Gold Mining
Underground Mines - Victoria
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<blockquote data-quote="user 4386" data-source="post: 343007" data-attributes="member: 4386"><p>Yep, that is what I said about bats and caves. Have to disagree re frequency of roof collapse etc in caves versus mines though (as a former underground mine worker - geo - and caver), although I agree collapse can occur in caves. However mines involve blasting in rocks that are commonly highly stratified or fractured (the mineralisation being mined commonly requires the fractures in many cases for it to be deposited there). Caves tend to mostly form by rock slowly dissolving in water over thousands or tens of thousands of years, so many are quite safe although exceptions occur (eg when in massive, little-stratified limestone). But working in underground mines one knows that there are commonly sections of a mine that loosen up on an almost daily basis and have to be checked daily. The old miner approach of barring down and seeing if the rock "talks" will usually identify such areas, but a beginner often simply walks under loose hanging etc without realising it. Gas is more common in old mines, winzes can be hidden in the floor when wading through water-filled tunnels, rock may be supported by timbers that are now rotten and only need a nudge. If you have to go into mines, go initially with a miner and learn.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="user 4386, post: 343007, member: 4386"] Yep, that is what I said about bats and caves. Have to disagree re frequency of roof collapse etc in caves versus mines though (as a former underground mine worker - geo - and caver), although I agree collapse can occur in caves. However mines involve blasting in rocks that are commonly highly stratified or fractured (the mineralisation being mined commonly requires the fractures in many cases for it to be deposited there). Caves tend to mostly form by rock slowly dissolving in water over thousands or tens of thousands of years, so many are quite safe although exceptions occur (eg when in massive, little-stratified limestone). But working in underground mines one knows that there are commonly sections of a mine that loosen up on an almost daily basis and have to be checked daily. The old miner approach of barring down and seeing if the rock "talks" will usually identify such areas, but a beginner often simply walks under loose hanging etc without realising it. Gas is more common in old mines, winzes can be hidden in the floor when wading through water-filled tunnels, rock may be supported by timbers that are now rotten and only need a nudge. If you have to go into mines, go initially with a miner and learn. [/QUOTE]
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Gold Prospecting
Small Scale Gold Mining
Underground Mines - Victoria
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