Question about detecting underground

[The Shadow]

If anyone here has any experiance running an SD inside drifts please let me know if there was any issues related to the operation of the unit I should be aware of. Was balanceing any trouble, did the vein material all sound off renduring it pointless from all the mineralization being around, etc?

Thanks.

[DOC]

The only thing I know is that I heard that the Minelab Pulse Induction Unit was what made it possible for them to re-open the 16 to 1 mine and become profitable. My understanding was that they used the machine to scan the walls to give them and indication of where to drill and blast.

DOC

[nuggethunting]

Hello The Shadow,

I've only used a Minelab detector a few times in an actual "Mine Shaft," but have used a metal detector in placer drifts many times with no trouble whatsoever. Like Doc mentioned, the early Minelab PI's were a major contributor when the 16:1 and many local pocket mines started to locate pockets that were missed my conventional location methods. I've heard of some small pockets being found in Arizona by the use of VLF/PI detectors in gold bearing mines.

It's very possible to find something overlooked, but then again SAFETY is very important when you're playing around and chipping away at old mines walls and overheads. Some might ask, "is a small pocket worth risking your life over?"

It might be worth spending a bit more time examining and hand-shorting through the actual tailing pile. It's amazing what the old-timers tossed out onto some of the piles.

Best of luck to you,

Rob Allison

[whats4supper]

Balances will be a little different due to metal salt concentrations in ore veins.

Besides that, be careful when deciding to hit the side of the drift or whatever in an old mine as the whol thing can come down and bury you. Air affects wall rock, causing deteoration that is not readily apparent by non-miners. even then, things happen.

You'd do well to get a gas or vapor meter as unventilated mines have gas that is heavier than air, and you will suffocate withjout even knowing it at first. If you are a ways from the portal, you have a serious problem if that happens.

Last, Mine shafts were mainly for hauling out ore, while drifting off to the sides of a shaft were either for hauling out ore via the mine shaft, of connecting with an ore body or vein somewhere.

Your best bet would be to work the dumps and figure out if there is a finger of graded ore, ore what grades each finger represents. if you are getting good stuff there, chances are, the miners were shipping higher grades off to a mill, and stockpiling the lower grades on individual fingers, according to values.

Of course, you do what you want. I am not a worry wart, but I have been called on at times to fish the body out. Not all come back out as some places are just too dangerous for recovery. at which the body is left where it dropped and died.