The Mine Shafts Project. Hydrology.

The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
The two types of lode seen at The Hole In The Wall. The white " Heavy Spar " lode and the softer coloured laminated lode. Not sure what they are. Maybe both are forms of Baryte. Baryte, barite or barytes is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate. Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine, anglesite, and anhydrite. Baryte and celestine form a solid solution SO₄.

 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Lovely short section of hand cut level at the bottom but blocked.



From the pick marks it looks like the miners came from beyond the blockage. This a blank heading going the other way.

 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
The Tuesday Diggers Return 19th March.

As ever all the gear down the shaft. Peter with his drill and all my drill bits (safely returned.) Screwed a hook into the beam for a bag to carry the wire. Solid wood after a couple of mm. Loads to clear which went on until lunch time. Peter up the level so I kindly took his lunch down to the bottom platform. Measured the water at 1.10 mm. 210 mm down since last Sunday. Digging and hauling continued with Peter Goldie swopping from a tiring Brian. After about five hours we called it a day and went back to the hall for coffee and scrummy biscuits.
From the platform edge to the in situ lode is 5.25m. Another 2.5m can be probed on ahead in the muddy development. So basically 7.75m in from the platform. Back to last week. Same arrangement with Mike has to be repeated to carry on but there is more room at the end now.
 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member




Dig face now 5.5m in following the airspace and the white spar lode that can be seen in the distance.



Measuring point at the platform.



Hauling route.



Dig end. For the moment.



The hypogenic development continues 2.5m plus.

 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
At the other place today.

I think that I have sprained my pancreas. Feel wiped out.

Up to Aisholt the jolly diggers went ( Just the two. Me and Mr Glanvill )

He dug and I bagged until all 34 bags were full up. Then I loaded the skip and Peter hauled all 34 bags back to the slope. A lot of rocks went as well. Neither of us could then resist a poking session so some more big rocks went down. As ever there seemed to be a cold inward draught. Much progress made and its looking a bit differant though the roof is not nice. We can get another digging session in filling the bags again and see what we need to do next. Scaffold the roof or poke more down. In any case the 34 bags and the rocks now need to come out. The end is turning a bit to the left with smaller rocks and mud. Spaces between as usual and the left wall remains solid.


https://flic.kr/p/2pFCSvK
 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Good Friday. ( Depending on your point of view )

Met Mike at the hall at 10 am sorry to say I was in a bad mood. First I got the wrong potatoes from the shop so SWMBO got cross. Then I had an altercation with a nob driving a 4WD on the way up.
Had a chat with Chad and Jamie then up to BG with two drills and accessories. Mike got three 600mm holes in the roof . One in the lower block then after a struggle a 800mm one going forward. We adjourned for lunch then Ian arrived. I measured the water at 1 metre up a bit again which after some 50mm of rain was not surprising.
All down to the level. I had forgotton how good the 83m of passage looked. Also the veritcal lode all the way down from THITW to the Alcove on both sides of the shaft. Numerous vughs on that both sides. Arrived at Peter's Prospect. The holes drilled were 500mm not longer so Mike put in a third hole. While this was going on Ian and I widened the access passage but gave up on one final boulder which needs the plug and feathers. ( see photo ). Wiggled at all around but could not get it out . Found Peter's other hole in the front lump but that needs plug and feathers now really. Peter will need a drill, his plug and feathers and a chisel for another visit .Anyway that section was dealt with satisfactorily.
The Hole In The Wall went satisfactorily as well and Ian hauled up the kit. By then Mike had a headache. All out to a lovely rainbow over H. P. So Weds. was suggested for next week. There will be a lot to do. Please let me know who is coming . Brian hopefully but he may have to leave earlier. I suggest 10 am at the hall. A few drain rods would be useful to see the way on.


 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Putting The Hole In The Wall into Context.

After going through all of the data, 1801 mine plans and cavern description from c1795 and 1816 I have drawn up this section. Its based on an original mine section showing shafts and the void to the right but its not orientated. My view and another author favour NW to the left giving this scenario. Scale arrived at by using the mine section and measurements on site. This shows the shaft as it is now with the three platforms. Its aligned along the " heavy spar lode " which the miners noted in the caverns. Basically the caverns if they exist at all should be to the NW or SE of the shaft. We have ruled out the NW and the old dig seen at the 25m level running through large debris filled vughs went too deep in the lode to be flooded out over winter. THITW is at the 15m level following the lode to the SE coincidentally at the same level as the branch shown in the miners cavern section. Iis possible that the natural caverns are the central area and that the two " arms " are workings driven along the lode. My optimistic section shows us to be 14m away from the caverns. The HITW dig will continue towards that perceived goal until we loose access or the situation becomes impossible to pursue. The original access the miners used is flooded out now and looks too dangerous to pursue by diving.

 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
The Four likely lads met at the Hall at 10 am then trooped up the hill to the shaft. Kit lowered but somebody had to go back for the tray hauling ropes then took ages faffing about getting them down. Eventually debris clearance got going whilst Peter Gl. went up the 83m level to the other hole in the wall. Lots got pulled out then we all sat on the platform for lunch. I thought that I had better check on Peter Gl but he was having lunch as well. Up there I cleared a few rocks and took some photos of the lode.I think that it took him nearly all day to clear debris and move a big boulder back so progress was made. Back at the real Hole In The Wall digging continued until Brian left at 3pm . Peter Go and I then took turns to bash and haul at the end. A very large rock in the floor moved a bit but would not come out. Peter Gl returned at 4.30 then we all went out. Its 6m to the clay choke on the right with the gap over the top going back another 1.8 m.The drain rods would not push paste the bits of debris up ahead. The shaft water was at 0.9 m a 100mm up from Friday.















 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
Final plans came together later on Monday evening. Brian at the hall Tuesday am. We were late stuck behind a tractor and trailer for miles. Peter, Brian and I up to the shaft with two drills and three lunch packs. Two lots of plug and feathers. Peter made offerings in the woods . Brian and I scooted down carrying our kit and set a pin in the wall of The Hole In The Wall at the 5m mark. Peter then appeared and disappeared to the other hole in the wall along the dry level. My legs were Brians pillow as he gave the boulder in the floor a damn good thrashing. That went on for a considerable time. Eventually it came out revealing a mud filled hole going down. Peter appeared for lunch with Brian whilst I carried on thrashing the dig face and roof.Brian passed in the drain rods which went forward 2,5m over the dig face in sticky clay. They would have gone further with effort. Anyway they went to a point 8.5m from the shaft still going on fairly level with a metre wide rock roof. Good news I guess as were are not at the end of the development but it wont be easy. After lunch Brian heaved the trays out and I bashed. That produced about another six loads so in total all day a lot came out. About 3pm Brian departed so I tidied up and did the video. I then wandered down to Peter whose nether end was poking out of the other hole. I did make him jump but I could have done worse. He had made a great pile of rocks and strash so I moved most of it into the undercut. A very large boulder went part way back to the bridge until I gave up on it. The end of Peter's dig goes gently up hill about 5m in from the level. A big rock blocks the way on but its fairly friable and moves abit. In all looking a better prospect than previously.
Next week hoping for me and Mike to make a visit. At the end of the month it all gets hazy. Peter and Brian in Scotland 26th - 7th May. Mr Goldie in France.Time for a clearance on 23rd if all goes to plan. The dig face is now a metre high and wide. As ever it got colder and fresher later in the day.
Stopped at the main road to take a photo. Matches well with the section I think.
Last X on the plan at 8.5m. Pink dots my drill holes.

Oh . Water at 800mm



https://flic.kr/p/2pJhhhW
 
The Old Ruminator

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
The two lodes have come together to form a thicker one. The hypogenic void goes on horizontally for 2.5m plus. Its also getting wider to the right with more mud fill.

 
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