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Are mines more dangerous than common extreme sports? How about rock climbing? Caving, Water Sports, Sky diving, or most sports in general?
We say no!!
Statistically, mine exploration is safe. Since 1982 in Utah, there have been 5 deaths and a few recorded injuries, and the majority of those happened to those under the influence of substances or were not mentally capable of handling the mine.
So, do people actually explore mines? YES!! There are tens of thousands of visits into abandoned mines each year. Mine exploration is a passion and hobby shared by many around the world. With safety incidents as low as they are, it's frustrating to see state and federal governments be so negative about mine safety and insist on destroying these historic areas.
Mines do still pose dangers. Our Utah mines are some of the safest, but there are still perhaps a dozen or so different ways that you can end up dead from exploring old mining areas including (but not limited to) obvious things such as steep drops, hidden vertical shafts, collapse, or the less obvious CO2 buildup, oxygen depletion, getting lost, bumping your head only to pass out and wake up with no battery remaining and then really getting lost. Animal attack, Hantavirus, cyanide, lead or arsenic exposure, etc. A good solid whiff or two of hydrogen sulfide (a.k.a., sour gas) is just as effective as any of these above-mentioned ways.
Because of these safety hazards, we strongly recommend hardhats (climbing/cave helmets in particular), backup lighting and power, a friend or three, and recommend the use of a gas meter.
Certain mines are covered in a mud/rust/oil sludge mixture (a.k.a. Reesty Goo) Hiking through this is dangerous due to its very slippery properties and high FeO2 hydrocarbon content. We recommend wearing gloves and pants that close over your socks. Good waterproof work boots are also an advantage.
Temperatures inside mines average between 40F-70F. This temperature varies through the different seasons. Water temperatures can be even lower. Certain passages require wading through water. Over prolonged exposure, hypothermia may set in. Waterproof boots are a plus. Pack spare socks and a jacket when entering mines that are cold or wet.
Be in good shape for endurance. While many mines don't require extremely fit mountaineers and hikers, being in poor health can be a detriment to yourself and those with you.
We are not responsible or liable for you or to you in any way, shape, or form. We do not accept any responsibility to any entity, including insurance coverage, rescue bills, police fines, or any other expense, obligation, or liability. By using any information found on this site, you agree to this.
By using some simple safety skills, a mine can be as safe as your home.
Some safety tips:
1. Never touch supporting structures.
Supporting structures are usually wooden beams that hold a ceiling up and prevent collapses. Many of the structures were put in place under the direction of the mine engineer who deemed the surrounding rock unstable. Decades later, these structures are decaying and beginning to give away. They may be the only thing holding up a ceiling.
2. Never touch the ceiling.
Prying neat rock or using the ceiling for balance are not good ideas. Since these tunnels have been holding themselves up for decades, it doesn't take much for some of them to give way. Many times, cave ins are so large that it could take days for recovery crews to extract you.
3. Keep your voice down and avoid lower pitches.
Sound waves are vibrations traveling through the air. In a tunnel, your voice is reverberated off the rock walls. Loud voices cause stronger vibrations. Deeper voices cause a deeper penetrating and more powerful wave. By minimizing the vibrations you make, you help protect yourself from a cave in. Speaking softly also help an individual and your peers to concentrate and think more reasonably.
4. Always have at least one spare light and two spare battery sets for each light.
A light going out is never a good thing. We've all heard stories of people getting out of caves with their cell phone or watch. Don't let this happen to you! A great advantage we have is the wonderful technology of white-LED. These bulbs don't burn out or break. Their power usage is minimal compared to Xenon and incandescent bulbs. However, things still do happen to them. If the hardware of the light fails, you've got a backup to get you out. The spare batteries are a must. If your light dies and you have no spare batteries, the red-LED uses much less power that the white, and you can usually get yourself out on that. Always have at least one headlamp mounted securely to your helmet. Being hands-free is a major advantage.
5. Never explore without a buddy.
Splitting up for any reason is a bad idea. If by chance a safety incident occurs, having another person with you may be what it takes to survive or get out if you're lost.
6. Keep tabs on your location.
There are some mines that are a simple one-way adits that eventually dead end, and others that you can spend days in. Keeping either a visual or paper tab on your location can get you out of situations that you might not have been able to get out of otherwise. Pick a system to navigate and stay to it. Such as always choose the left. Or always choose the right. Up to you.
7. Avoid potential cave in areas.
Areas where piles of ore and broken supporting timbers lie are usually some of the most dangerous areas of a mine. If you must cross these, use your best effort to follow the other rules outlined in these basic rules. Be smart!
8. Watch your floor.
On occasion, a miner would dig into the floor of another tunnel; or a shaft could be dug down and later closed with wooden planks. These floors are known as false floors and can give way when walked on. Keep tabs at all times what you are walking on. If you find you are on wooden floors, use extreme caution, and consider returning back to solid ground until you can investigate further.
9. Check your air.
Make sure the air smells normal. If you smell rotter eggs, photo-fixer, or similar, you may be breathing the toxic gas of sulfur-hydroxide. A concentrated pocket of this has killed many a miner. Stale air is caused by a lack of oxygen and higher concentrations of carbon-dioxide. Mold and other fungus are often the cause of this. Heavily wooded areas may be this way. Keep a lighter on you. They help test which way airflow is moving, along with the concentration of oxygen in the tunnel. (If in a coal mine, never light a lighter!! High amounts of methane and coal dust can cause quaking explosions!). You can also dirty your hands with dust, and clap, paying attention to the direction the dust is moving.
10. Research your areas.
If possible, learn the type of mine you are exploring, its rock composition, and a basic history of the area such as last date mined. This little extra information can help you determine the safety of the mine and allow you to use smarter logic.
Last but not least, always inform another trustworthy party where you are going, an approximation of when you will be back, and who to contact if you are not in contact with your party by a certain deadline.
While this list is just the start, mine safety is up to the individual. Use your logic and brains when entering a mine. Don't do anything that jeopardizes you or anyone around you. You are ultimately responsible for you own safety.
And remember... substances and mines don't mix!
We say no!!
Statistically, mine exploration is safe. Since 1982 in Utah, there have been 5 deaths and a few recorded injuries, and the majority of those happened to those under the influence of substances or were not mentally capable of handling the mine.
So, do people actually explore mines? YES!! There are tens of thousands of visits into abandoned mines each year. Mine exploration is a passion and hobby shared by many around the world. With safety incidents as low as they are, it's frustrating to see state and federal governments be so negative about mine safety and insist on destroying these historic areas.
Mines do still pose dangers. Our Utah mines are some of the safest, but there are still perhaps a dozen or so different ways that you can end up dead from exploring old mining areas including (but not limited to) obvious things such as steep drops, hidden vertical shafts, collapse, or the less obvious CO2 buildup, oxygen depletion, getting lost, bumping your head only to pass out and wake up with no battery remaining and then really getting lost. Animal attack, Hantavirus, cyanide, lead or arsenic exposure, etc. A good solid whiff or two of hydrogen sulfide (a.k.a., sour gas) is just as effective as any of these above-mentioned ways.
Because of these safety hazards, we strongly recommend hardhats (climbing/cave helmets in particular), backup lighting and power, a friend or three, and recommend the use of a gas meter.
Certain mines are covered in a mud/rust/oil sludge mixture (a.k.a. Reesty Goo) Hiking through this is dangerous due to its very slippery properties and high FeO2 hydrocarbon content. We recommend wearing gloves and pants that close over your socks. Good waterproof work boots are also an advantage.
Temperatures inside mines average between 40F-70F. This temperature varies through the different seasons. Water temperatures can be even lower. Certain passages require wading through water. Over prolonged exposure, hypothermia may set in. Waterproof boots are a plus. Pack spare socks and a jacket when entering mines that are cold or wet.
Be in good shape for endurance. While many mines don't require extremely fit mountaineers and hikers, being in poor health can be a detriment to yourself and those with you.
We are not responsible or liable for you or to you in any way, shape, or form. We do not accept any responsibility to any entity, including insurance coverage, rescue bills, police fines, or any other expense, obligation, or liability. By using any information found on this site, you agree to this.
By using some simple safety skills, a mine can be as safe as your home.
Some safety tips:
1. Never touch supporting structures.
Supporting structures are usually wooden beams that hold a ceiling up and prevent collapses. Many of the structures were put in place under the direction of the mine engineer who deemed the surrounding rock unstable. Decades later, these structures are decaying and beginning to give away. They may be the only thing holding up a ceiling.
2. Never touch the ceiling.
Prying neat rock or using the ceiling for balance are not good ideas. Since these tunnels have been holding themselves up for decades, it doesn't take much for some of them to give way. Many times, cave ins are so large that it could take days for recovery crews to extract you.
3. Keep your voice down and avoid lower pitches.
Sound waves are vibrations traveling through the air. In a tunnel, your voice is reverberated off the rock walls. Loud voices cause stronger vibrations. Deeper voices cause a deeper penetrating and more powerful wave. By minimizing the vibrations you make, you help protect yourself from a cave in. Speaking softly also help an individual and your peers to concentrate and think more reasonably.
4. Always have at least one spare light and two spare battery sets for each light.
A light going out is never a good thing. We've all heard stories of people getting out of caves with their cell phone or watch. Don't let this happen to you! A great advantage we have is the wonderful technology of white-LED. These bulbs don't burn out or break. Their power usage is minimal compared to Xenon and incandescent bulbs. However, things still do happen to them. If the hardware of the light fails, you've got a backup to get you out. The spare batteries are a must. If your light dies and you have no spare batteries, the red-LED uses much less power that the white, and you can usually get yourself out on that. Always have at least one headlamp mounted securely to your helmet. Being hands-free is a major advantage.
5. Never explore without a buddy.
Splitting up for any reason is a bad idea. If by chance a safety incident occurs, having another person with you may be what it takes to survive or get out if you're lost.
6. Keep tabs on your location.
There are some mines that are a simple one-way adits that eventually dead end, and others that you can spend days in. Keeping either a visual or paper tab on your location can get you out of situations that you might not have been able to get out of otherwise. Pick a system to navigate and stay to it. Such as always choose the left. Or always choose the right. Up to you.
7. Avoid potential cave in areas.
Areas where piles of ore and broken supporting timbers lie are usually some of the most dangerous areas of a mine. If you must cross these, use your best effort to follow the other rules outlined in these basic rules. Be smart!
8. Watch your floor.
On occasion, a miner would dig into the floor of another tunnel; or a shaft could be dug down and later closed with wooden planks. These floors are known as false floors and can give way when walked on. Keep tabs at all times what you are walking on. If you find you are on wooden floors, use extreme caution, and consider returning back to solid ground until you can investigate further.
9. Check your air.
Make sure the air smells normal. If you smell rotter eggs, photo-fixer, or similar, you may be breathing the toxic gas of sulfur-hydroxide. A concentrated pocket of this has killed many a miner. Stale air is caused by a lack of oxygen and higher concentrations of carbon-dioxide. Mold and other fungus are often the cause of this. Heavily wooded areas may be this way. Keep a lighter on you. They help test which way airflow is moving, along with the concentration of oxygen in the tunnel. (If in a coal mine, never light a lighter!! High amounts of methane and coal dust can cause quaking explosions!). You can also dirty your hands with dust, and clap, paying attention to the direction the dust is moving.
10. Research your areas.
If possible, learn the type of mine you are exploring, its rock composition, and a basic history of the area such as last date mined. This little extra information can help you determine the safety of the mine and allow you to use smarter logic.
Last but not least, always inform another trustworthy party where you are going, an approximation of when you will be back, and who to contact if you are not in contact with your party by a certain deadline.
While this list is just the start, mine safety is up to the individual. Use your logic and brains when entering a mine. Don't do anything that jeopardizes you or anyone around you. You are ultimately responsible for you own safety.
And remember... substances and mines don't mix!