It doesn’t always go smoothly underground – I can imagine this caused considerable hazard underground, loads of toxic fumes, smoke and, worst of all, a lack of oxygen.
(image courtesy of Alan M Franks)
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An example of the immense working pressures involved. This pillar was located in the far south of the mine in a panel mined late 2001 and completed early 2002, (and the instability of the crystal structures involved, possibly). (image courtesy of A Franks and information kindly supplied by Tim Coleman – who actually took this image when he was the Rock Mechanics Engineer at Boulby.)
An accident at Boulby Potash, the vehicle has gone from one level to another the short way! (image courtesy of A Franks)
Just to show that even modern mining isn’t without its hazards, here’s an image of a roof fall caused by the somewhat unstable (in air) compound Carnalite. (Carnalite (KMgCl3·6H2O, hydrous magnesium and potassium chloride). Carnalite crystallizes in a rhombic system and has a hardness of 2.5, the same as the finger nail. It usually displays a granular structure. Carnalite can be colourless, pinkish or reddish, always with a vitreous gloss. Carnalite is deliquescent, it dissolves even in the air humidity. Its taste is salty, spicy after the potassium and bitter after the magnesium content – from a web definition, rodders)
Sometimes it just isn’t your day! Running repairs on a big Cat! (image courtesy of A Franks) |
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