My own family history is tied very closely to the mining industry as my grandfather moved there as a young man and worked in the depths of the mines for many years. My own father worked in the offices of ASARCO (the American Smelthing and Refining Company) for many years as well, until the last of the mining operations ceased in the mid 1980's.
This earthcache will take you to the site of the glory hole of the Lucky Strike minesite. The deckhead of this mine, visible from anywhere on Main Street, is featured in almost any Buchans related pictures and souveneir type items. Lucky Strike was so named as the discovery of the ore deposit here was made by chance after an unplanned change in exploration. Over 6, 000, 000 tonnes of ore were produced at this site during it's operation from 1928 to 1958 and again between 1972 to 1979.
One of the main characteristics of a glory hole is that the resulting excavated area is normally large and visually impressive. This type of excavation may be used in deep mining to create a mine shaft that opens a large and relatively open work space underground, allowing for relatively easy transport of collected ore,coal, or other materials to the surface. This is in contrast to a mine shaft that is somewhat narrow and does not allow for the use of heavy equipment to transport the mined materials to the surface. A glory hole can occur in the form of what is known as an open-pit mine. This approach involves the creation of a wide pit through excavation that covers a considerable amount of area. Pit mining is common in many operations, making it possible to dig deeper in order to locate and remove the required materials. Technically, this type of mining may begin by digging a pit from the surface, or by digging in an underground chamber that was reached by drilling a shaft directly into the chamber.
Another example of the glory hole has to do with the block caving method. In this scenario, minerals or ore found in the ceiling of a mine shaft collapses directly into the shaft. As the material is removed, the ground surface over the shaft may become somewhat weak, eventually leading to a collapse that results in a large hole which exposes the shaft. The end result is a large open pit that can then be excavated from the surface for any remaining ore.
In order to log this earthcache, you must do the answer the following questions;
1) How do you believe the Lucky Strike glory hole was formed? What evidence can you see to support this?
2) Estimate the dimensions of the Lucky Strike glory hole, including the depth.
Pictures are not required for this earthcache, but are certainly appreciated!!