More than 3,000 stuck in SA mine

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simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration Topic Starter

18 years ago

In case anybody has not seen this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7027122.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7027122.stm

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

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ChrisP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

Bl'dy ell. Modern mining appears safe enough but when disaster strikes it seems usually serious. Here's to their safe rescue.

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

Sounds like this one will have a happy ending though!

ferret
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

seconded!
poor buggers, even at the height of metal mining or slate for that matter never this many where involved in a disaster!

Barney
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

750 out already, thats good!

Must be one hell of a mine to fit 3,000 workers down there!

jagman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

My sister in laws father worked down there as an electrician a good while back.
The gold mines there are close to a mile and a half deep and huge. Mostly mined by low paid black miners (or were then, I doubt anything has changed) and shift massive volumes of rock to get the gold.
Never been there but would love to visit a mine that deep!!

Captain Scarlet
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

"jagman" wrote:

Never been there but would love to visit a mine that deep!!

Yeah me too. I wonder if there are any back doors we could sneak into ?

STANDBY FOR ACTION!!!!...

jagman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

"Nimrod" wrote:

"jagman" wrote:

Never been there but would love to visit a mine that deep!!

Yeah me too. I wonder if there are any back doors we could sneak into ?

Usually 😉
You got a mile and a half of rope to SRT the other shaft? :lol:
Even if its laddered it may take us a while......

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

"jagman" wrote:

"Nimrod" wrote:

"jagman" wrote:

Never been there but would love to visit a mine that deep!!

Yeah me too. I wonder if there are any back doors we could sneak into ?

Usually 😉
You got a mile and a half of rope to SRT the other shaft? :lol:
Even if its laddered it may take us a while......

erm yes... you might get noticed...
My dad has visited copper mines in africa (70s).. very deep ones... some of the gold mines go well over 6,00 ft I think.

Kein geneis kanaf - Cain gnais canaf
Byt vndyd mwyhaf - byth onddyth moyav
Lliaws a bwyllaf - Líows o boylav
Ac a bryderaf - ac o boryddarav
Kyfarchaf y veird byt - covarcav yr vairth
Pryt nam dyweid - poryth na'm dowaith
Py gynheil y byt - Pa gonail y byth
Na syrch yn eissywyt - na soroc yn eishoyth
Neur byt bei syrchei - nour byth bai sorochai

ChrisP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

#10

The deepest gold and diamond mines can be up to 3500m deep- my geology teacher knows people who have visited these places which get quite warm at the bottom because of the geothermal gradient. Not nice to be trapped in.

Brynlliw2183
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

#11

6000 feet is the norm .

Western Deep Levels , is currantly 15,500 feet or was when I went there 30 years ago.

President Steyn No4 Shaft at the time was the deepest single drop at 8000 feet,

Ken
:thumbup:

John Lawson
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

#12

Thanks Simon for posting this up.
I understood that refrigerated air had to be pumped down to these deep levels.
Presumably this packed up when the steel tube cut the power cables.
Have been told that there is a direct proportionate increase to the depth and temperature of the host rocks?
Cannot remember the details.
Lets us hope that these guys all get out Ok.

wheldale
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

#13

I worked on West Driefontein gold mine about 20 years ago at similar depths. I recall this accident, I don't think the miners was trapped, just that the cages couldn't be used so the workers had to be wound up the shaft in the skips. Fewer men per skip so takes longer to get the men out. I remember this has happened at collieries in the UK before. Still not nice to be stuck underground for hours waiting to get out.