Lesson 19 The Top Ten Killers Lurking in Old Mines

howdy folks Keith Bowen here and this is Hard Rock University as previously mentioned the most likely place to find gold or silver is where it has been found before old mines in such areas also offer another big advantage access to rock for sampling that would otherwise be invisible and untouchable but old workings are also dangerous by Nature always wear head protection sturdy shoes and have an extra light when underground since it is impossible to see anything without a light once you get a ways from the portal you need to backup like for safety a good first aid kit is also a good investment I usually carry a shovel which does quadruple duty as a walking stick to prevent Falls a probe for snakes behind cover or holes in the floor beneath water a weapon to kill snakes if needed and as a shovel when needed to move dirt or small rocks the most obvious danger that people think of is unstable ground the one place that is usually most dangerous in old mines is the opening of a tunnel called the portal or the opening of a shaft called the collar because the rock at this point is usually weathered and soft and erosion takes a toll over the years most portals and collars are unstable to some extent portals especially will often cave in and fill partially or completely with debris wash down over the years use extreme caution and don't be afraid to do a little judicious digging if indicated to make things safer this is also the most likely place to run into snakes once inside and keep a close eye out for any loose rock or rotten or unstable Timbers rock and old or chutes can be unstable too especially if held back by rotted Timbers remember that for preliminary exploration you are only trying to get information to decide if more work is justified don't take chances if the preliminary results are good you can stabilize the workings later before proceeding use safety ropes near shafts and steep declines when needed if the edge is crumbly either stay back or rope up while the necessity of a rope is obvious when descending a shaft even steep declines can be difficult or impossible to climb once at the bottom this is a bad thing to learn halfway down when you start sliding over an edge you didn't see coming when in any doubt lay out a rope first learn basic rope techniques and use proper gear before attempting such passages falling rocks knocked over by your rope can be very dangerous clear all loose rocks as you descend it is also important to note that going down to steep rope is much easier than climbing up it jumar ascenders or pressing knots are usually required to go up a steep rope safely be sure to take the time to learn and practice proper rope techniques before trying them out in a mine timbres can rot come loose or otherwise become compromised over the years to the point of imminent failure was very little outward sign keep a close eye out for any ground support that looks weak or in any way sketchy if you are not confident of its integrity stay away or resupport the ground properly before going into that area matters can be especially dangerous reasons in general they are made from small lumber that can lose its strength quickly due to rot dry rot or termites the method of securing the ladders may also become weak or dangerous over time even if they look safe it is best to test ladders while wearing a safety harness and rope if a shafter tunnel is completely blocked do not open it stagnant air can become depleted of oxygen quite easily in old lines due to the oxidation of sulfides lack of oxygen is a deadly and insidious killer you will not get short of breath as that feeling is caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood and you will get rid of carbon dioxide even by breathing air that has zero oxygen the first symptom of lack of oxygen is usually lightheadedness followed a few seconds later by unconsciousness and ultimately death if you are not removed to a safe atmosphere immediately always make sure there is a continuous air movement around you no matter how slight at hunting stores they sell little puffer bottles with fine powder to visualise even the slightest breeze if you enter a dead end drift and stop feeling the breeze and start to get lightheaded leave instantly you may have only seconds to save yourself wet minds are worse when it comes to poor air because the water speeds up the oxidation of sulfides but they have other dangers also the water can cover up the irregularities in the floor and make it slippery resulting in fall injuries the most likely kind water also weakens timber steel ground supports ladders and the rock everything disintegrates faster when it's wet also if you slip or fall into water at the bottom of the steep face you might not be able to get back up what would normally be a climate elope every danger is enhanced by water so use extra caution in wet mines it wins is a shaft connecting two or more levels inside of mine and they can become completely filled with water probe any puddles in the floor with a walking stick or other object if you cannot clearly see the bottom if you unexpectedly step into a flooded winds it is unlikely you will be able to get rid of all your sampling urine samples before you're too deep to survive the presence of small mammals like bats and rats is a good indicator of enough oxygen to keep you going as they have high metabolic rates however large amounts of bat waste called guano can cause dangerous levels of ammonia in the air luckily ammonia is very easy to detect and becomes quite noxious as it approaches dangerous levels there is another danger in the air around rodents in the southwest though certain diseases notably hantavirus are found in rodent waste and you should use care not to stir up dust from rodent waste unless you're wearing hazmat gear pack rats also surround their nests with cactus pads and these can be a real nuisance critters of all types leveled lines as the temperature is relatively constant and water is often available we have found everything from spiders to mountain lions and in-between inside old mines most common are bats and snakes try not to disturb the sleeping bats as the stress is bad for them in the West the only dangerous snakes you are likely to run into are Rattlers as coral snakes are very rare and timid back east water moccasins and copperheads are a real threat down south and Mexico and Central America there are even more snakes that can do a serious hurt make sure to physically probe any areas with a walking stick or a shovel that you can't clearly see also whack things that are lying on the ground or turn them over to see if there are any snakes beneath them before getting close no area is safe until proven safe shooting snakes underground should be done only as a last resort as the noise is terrible and ricochets are dangerous sound also has a slight chance of knocking down something loose it's also very hard to hit a snake with a bullet for snake defense I prefer a shovel to break its neck snake shot from revolver does okay but it will still hurt your ears without good ear protection which dulls your hearing to other potential dangers also remember that the head of a poisonous snake is still dangerous even after it has been cut off in general if you see a dangerous snake and don't need to get past it leave it alone non dangerous critters should be left alone entirely as skunks make sure you do not back animals into corner as even a raccoon couldn't leave a nasty bite to say nothing of a javelina or a bobcat move slowly and examine all shadows at all elevations to avoid dangerous surprises back out if needed old explosives are another serious danger that you may encounter do not disturb them in any way many explosives get more dangerous as they deteriorate only qualified experts can deal with them in a reasonably safe manner explosives can be in the form of sticks or cartridges cord or blasting caps no matter what it is leave it alone and report it to local law enforcement who will then do what it takes to remove the hazard and finally most common injury from exploring old mines is the trip and fall you are usually in the dark often on an uneven surface many times of wet and covered with slime and not uncommon ly steep to boot a din carrying tools or samples while looking all around and you have the perfect storm of trip and fall dangers move slowly and carefully as it takes don't get in a rush and use a walking stick or shovel when possible don't go exploring old mines alone have proper first aid and survival supplies in case you get injured or stranded and always make sure there is someone at home who knows exactly where you were going and when you will be back they need to be someone you can count on to call and inform friends or authorities if you fail to check in on time this is just a general outline of common dangers and cannot be made exhaustive all situations are individual one can have dangers not mentioned or combinations of dangers you don't expect until you become one always go with a qualified guide use your head and don't be afraid to back up or stay away never risk your life for stuff

Channel: Hard Rock University

Views: 91,864

Rating: 4.6593504 out of 5

Keywords: gold mining, gold prospecting, mining, prospecting, hard rock mining, hard rock gold mining, gold processing, gold refining, gold milling, gold extraction, small mining, Dangers of Old Mines, Dangers In Old Mines, Mine safety, Mine dangers, Gold Rush

Id: x3ngILCd5H0

Length: 10min 53sec (653 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 31 2016