Conservation Whilst Digging

Johnny

New member
Dover Dig, the dig at the end of Moose's revenge, is being forced down through rock and sediments. This makes the dig very muddy, mud that would inevitably be spread through the cave.
In order to avoid this each explorer has a separate over-suite, boots and gloves that are kept local to the dig face. This spare clothing is used every time the dig is visited. A swirl cavity, ten meters before the dig, provides standing room in which to store the spare clothing and to change; this area is The Changing Room.

Anyone out there using conservation techniques in thier digs.
 

bubba

Administrator
I dread to think of what state those stored oversuits are in now - last time I was there (and that was a while back) they were gettting pretty repugnant!
 

paul

Moderator
Johnny said:
Anyone out there using conservation techniques in thier digs.

Excellent idea! Unfortunately our current dig is in a cave which doesn't have all that much room for the type of thing that you are doing. :cry:
 

Johnny

New member
paul said:
Excellent idea! Unfortunately our current dig is in a cave which doesn't have all that much room for the type of thing that you are doing. :cry:

Sounds intreguing, anywhere we know?
How about stacking of spoil?

To use Bagshawe, again, as an example and the Eldon PC, Snakes Pyjama's dig;

A previous dig had utilised the tube, in which the dig was located, for stacking of spoil. The planned excavation would require a large amount of stacking for spoil and if the tube were to be used its character would be lost completely.
A decision was taken to stack the spoil, including that from the previous dig, in three selected areas away from the tube.
The Waiting Room is part of the large breakdown chamber called The Hippodrome. It has a bedding roof and is strewn with large blocks. Stacking in the floor would disguise the blocks that are part of the chambers form so three areas where the floor met the roof were selected.
The spoil would be hauled in plastic kibbles from the dig face to a junction where they would be transferred onto another rope and hauled 20m down the passage, through an aperture to one side of a large tab and into the Waiting Room.
The spoil was then stacked behind ginging in the three selected areas.

All of this effort payed off, the spoil is not really noticeable and the tube was saved from becoming one of those typical 'fudge tunnels' that you usually end up with.
 

paul

Moderator
Johnny said:
Sounds intreguing, anywhere we know?
How about stacking of spoil?

I have helped out a lot on digging trips but I am leaving it to Kenny, the main driving force behind the dig to reveal all! After all its his dig. Watch this space or maybe even Descent...

As to stacking spoil. there's a bit of room for that but we haven't the luxury of an available area to set aside for changing in and out of dirty oversuits, etc.
 

SamT

Moderator
Does the journey through the cave up to the dig pass though sensitive cave or not, thats the question :)
 

paul

Moderator
SamT said:
Does the journey through the cave up to the dig pass though sensitive cave or not, thats the question :)

It does, but the problem is that it isn't a big cave!
 

SamT

Moderator
The next question is

Have the potential effects on the existing cave been carefully weighed up against the potential in the dig.

What can be done to protect the existing cave from the digging activites and is it being done.
 

paul

Moderator
SamT said:
The next question is
Have the potential effects on the existing cave been carefully weighed up against the potential in the dig.

Yes.

SamT said:
What can be done to protect the existing cave from the digging activites and is it being done.

Areas which should be kept from harm have been taped and spoil is being distributed among existing piles of rock/mud.
 

SamT

Moderator
paul said:
Areas which should be kept from harm have been taped and spoil is being distributed among existing piles of rock/mud.

Hmm - is it better to designate one area to stacking spoil. A walled area. if the blocks on the floor are breakdown blocks then they too are an important 'feature'

the word 'distributed' cunjours up images of the spoil being spread around.

Only playing devils advocate by the way - :twisted:
 

Johnny

New member
paul said:
existing piles of rock/mud.

:temptation:

Conserving the character of the passage is important, it is sometimes better to completely bury half of the passage than half bury all of it.

Its not mud its sediment! :wink:
 

paul

Moderator
Johnny said:
paul said:
existing piles of rock/mud.

:temptation:

Conserving the character of the passage is important, it is sometimes better to completely bury half of the passage than half bury all of it.

Its not mud its sediment! :wink:

Its sediment when in the cave - but its MUD when its plastered all over my oversuit and gear! :)
 

Johnny

New member
And you car, and your kitchen. The Bagshawe lad's call it Bagshawe Brown, we are trying to get car manufacturers to adopt it for interior trim and Dulux to do a mat emulsion. :wink:
 

SamT

Moderator
Johnny said:
And you car, and your kitchen. The Bagshawe lad's call it Bagshawe Brown, we are trying to get car manufacturers to adopt it for interior trim and Dulux to do a mat emulsion. :wink:

:lool:
 
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