Vieille Montagne arching on horse level (photo)

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Gwyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

What's "Vieille Montagne arching? Other than the keystones it looks rather like breeze blocks using header stretcher bond?...replace this line with your message...

Photograph:

🔗Nentsberry-Haggs-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-023[linkphoto]Nentsberry-Haggs-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-023[/linkphoto][/link]

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Captain Scarlet
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Vieille Montagne was the Belgian company that took over the mines at Nenthead in 1896. The company was responsible for much development work in their search for and production of Zinc. The arching in the photo is attributed to Vieille Montagne Zinc Co.

STANDBY FOR ACTION!!!!...

Mr Mike
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Its referring to the period that the VM worked the mines around Nenthead. Before VM came along, the levels were arched using sandstone brought in from the surface. When VM started doing arching they would make solid concrete arching that was shuttered before being cast, and like in the photo, they would also use concrete blocks, the work is around 80+ years old.

It was quicker to do, much less skilled and hence cheaper. Even in them days they had cost cutting.

Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk

Gwyn
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

I see! Thanks very much for the explanations. There's shuttered concrete, bottom left of image.

Heb
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

Apparently much of the material for the construction of the blocks came from tailings from the dressing mill.
There seems to be a bit of variety in the quality of the blocks (or something in the water?), as in certain stretches of arched level, the blocks have turned back to gravel!