North Mine - Broken Hill NSW

A Tour of Broken Hill, North Mine Operations with appearances by hundreds of locals. Images of town; swimming pool; Mine elevation; underground square set and open stope mining; Eimco and Granby trucking; Open cut; No.3 Shaft and winder house; 36Level A/C plant; No2 Mill; Met Lab; Main Office; and, an excellent quality video and audio. Shot about 1985, by North Broken Hill Limited when the mine was under the general management of Jeff Bills.

[@Fwdking]

I love this, i worked at Hospital , had an opportunity to go down active mine .

[@josh2430]

My father is the man you see at 6:48 in this video on the drill rig. He’s told me many stories from his time some good some bad.

[@latenightlogic]

If it’s shot in about 1985 then I exist somewhere out there in this video… as a new born

[@RandallFrape-n3f]

My great uncle was a forman their , retired in 1986 .

[@brohill7042]

WORK THERE FROM, DEC 1979 TILL MARCH. 2993, THE MINE CLOSURE.

[@flynnorourke7620]

This is the best day of my life wowwweew

[@brendanwilliams7291]

You can get a really good idea of how North Mine worked here in Broken Hill, Dad was a winder driver for NBHC when he was alive, and Uncle Kevin and Grandpa were winder drivers on the Zinc Mine, were the Zinc and NBHC mines operated similarly to Norte, Charles Rasp and South mines or different techniques or operated differently to North Mine?

[@kinekoolband7757]

Basically they were the same to the "non-miner".... :)

[@brendanwilliams7291]

Thank you,, I went down Delprat’s mine on a tour many years ago with some friends from work and three times I have been down the Daydream mine on guided tours, pity the Daydream Mine only operated for 15 years. The @@kinekoolband7757

[@brendanwilliams7291]

@@kinekoolband7757 Thank you, Dad worked for the NBHC mine as a winder driver when he was alive, Uncle Kevin and grandpa worked in the same capacity at the Zinc Mine. I have been on a tour of the former Delprat’s mine with some friends from work several years ago, I have also been three times on tour down the Daydream Mine.

[@kinekoolband7757]

@@brendanwilliams7291 With both of these you will get the feel of being underground, but its a long way different!

[@brendanwilliams7291]

Does the North Mine still operate or was it closed? My father worked on the NBHC as a winder driver like my grandfather and my uncle did on the Zinc Mine.

[@brendanwilliams7291]

What is the machine called at the end trying to remove dirt and debris from the end product?

[@JB4128]

There is no dirt or debris in the final concentrate - that is part of the beneficiation process. Last step in BH was dewatering the final cons with a vacuum bag filter.

[@brendanwilliams7291]

What is the Fitzpatrick Area?

[@Porty1119]

Square-set stoping and unguarded slushers? Take heed! Operation predates safety!

[@JB4128]

slushers??? Are you referring to the miner with the hose??? He is for dust suppression ... not hydraulic mining -- only hydraulic fill...

[@Porty1119]

@@JB4128 No, the double-drum slusher (I've also heard them called scraper hoists) at 3:31. In the US they're required to have guarding to protect the operator in case the wire rope snaps.

[@JB4128]

@@Porty1119 Yes - scraper or scraper winch is is more common here. They do have a huge wire frame between the operator and the hoe. Normally it is mounted immediately in front winch, but in this case the operator is looking off to the side, so it has probably been repositioned to provide the protection. Remember they are pulling within a square set and it looks as if he is pulling around a pully from the rock face directly in front of the winch. i.e. the hoe is moving at 90degrees to the winch pull direction. I know from personal experience at that time that everyone was passionate about safety (as well, filming would not have been allowed unless the workplace had been double checked.) .... But underground hard rock mining is inherently dangerous. Setting the timbers for support is obviously a dangerous task, but miners would be constantly checking the backs, and listening... and the mining foremen would also visit frequently and randomly through the shift to check on progress and safety..... There are several faults crossing the North Mine ore lens and nearby. Occasionally they would become active and the ground would talk... ( like faraway thunder) and work would cease.

[@kinchegayowie6167]

@@JB4128 Pity they didn't have that safety mentality , when my brother was killed on the mine. Complete negligence and the mines threatened his work mates if the spoke up.

[@kinekoolband7757]

@@kinchegayowie6167 no idea the accident happened.. but firstly all serious accidents are examined in detail by the NSW Mines Inspector. They are significantly experienced underground miners, so little chance of hiding much from them. They are independent and the results of their inquiry is public, so you can personally examine and contest that. Secondly "the mines" are unable to threaten anyone... an individual with some complicity might do so to individuals with specific knowledge of some trangresion and they will be exposed if you examine the inquiry.