Announcement Date: May 3, 2014
MODERATE UNDERGROUND – We met on a sunny morning off the lane above Kildale and entered the mine through the recently excavated East Entrance. The mine was only worked for a short period during the 1870’s and closed on account of thinning seams and the fall in iron prices. Two short climbs and “windows”led us through the pectern seams with its fossil shells and into the main haulage level. We explored the many offshoots and working areas to the SW and crossed a floor of white kaolinite. Interesting artifacts included a gunpowder flask (powder was decanted from the barrels for carrying to the working areas), shovels and a hat! After visiting the “Sunflower passage” (the sunflowers being the rotting remains of powder barrels) we saw a flooded area and the blocked level leading to the underground furnaces.
Unlike the nearby Monument Mine which the Society visited in 2012 the air was good. After about 2 hours we exited into the woodland and sunshine for lunch.
