Lead, South Dakota- Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, Homestake Open Cut and Yates Shaft, and Black Hills Mining Museum June 7, 2018
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Outside the Yates Shaft, our guide, Donna, explains the compressed air locomotives used in the mine after 1901.
Compressed air rock drilling sure beats single and double jacking.It also reduced the need for miners.
The cross-section of the mine shows that it reached a depth of 8000 feet.CLICK HERE for a full view of the layout.
The double drum Nordberg hoist was installed in 1939.It served the mine down to the 4800 foot level.A series of winzes (internal shafts) served the levels below to a depth of 8000 feet.
Our guide explains the operation of the hoist.The hoist operator is just visible in the upper left.
During the life of the mine, it had 5 deep shafts along the orebody, numerous shallower shafts, and many internal shafts.
Silvia stands next to the Nordberg Manufacturing Co. 1939 nameplate.
The large dials tell the hoist operator the positions (depths) of the cages.The MHAers got to see the hoist in action.
Welcome to the Sanford Underground Research Facility.The Yates Shaft is now used to carry scientists and their equipment to and from the lab.
It is only a short ride down to the 4850 Level where the laboratories are located.The mile thickness of rock shields the experiments from destructive cosmic rays.
The Yates Shaft has two skip compartments used for transporting ore.
Dr. Ray Davis of Brookhaven National Lab conducted his Solar Neutrino Experiment in the Homestake Mine as early as 1965.He won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
The MHAers follow the transport drift to the surface.
The tracks that once carried the mine cars are now embedded in the concrete.
(Photos Courtesy of Henry Djerlev, Johnny Johnson, Mike Kaas, Mark Langenfeld, Silvia Pettem, and Bob Spude.
