Down in the mine

We can hardly imagine... here mines are open sky ones (mineral). I am claustrophobic, it would be hard on me even just visiting...
Your main picture is my fave.

Thank you very much, Isabel. We have some underground mines, but many here also are open-cut.

Superbe série sur ces restes de vieilles mines et tunnels +++++
Bonne semaine.

Merci beaucoup, Malik.

Absolutely mesmerizing, George. It's so thought-provoking to look at these images and think about the work entailed in this line of business...it's a hard, hard life. Your pictures are all super and really show us your visit quite well. Each is perfect and shows an important angle. Really neat.

Now, I can add a twist: How about scuba diving in submerged lava-tubes that are filled with a layer of fresh-water and a layer of salt water? Steve and I got the chance to do this on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and with our guide, we got to visit cenotes full of bats, birds, and dripping roots in these mind-blowing caves which seem to come from a sci-fi/fantasy movie but they are real! www.google.com/search?q=cenotes&oq=cenotes&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Back to mining...one of the things Steve and I are looking forward to is visiting some of the old gold and silver mines here in Oregon and California. You have certainly piqued my interest! :D

Many thanks indeed, Janet. I'm no scuba diver though, so I think I'd pass on diving through submerged lava-tubes.:-) I hope your travels take you to some of those old mine sites, I'll be interested to see your images of them.

Simply beautiful.
Thank you for the note George.

Thank you, Jaap.

Stunning shot, George !

Thank you very much, Ulrich.

I WENT ON THAT TOUR MANY YEARS AGO ! ITS FUN WHEN THEY SWITCH THE LIGHTS OUT !

MANY OG YHR MINES ACTUALY PRE-DATE ROMAN TIMES.

THANK YOU, PAM. YES, I WAS SURPRISED HOW LONG AGO SOME OF THESE MINES DATE FROM.

What a hard life miners had and still have. The only mine I've been down was a Neolithic flint mine in Norfolk where antlers were used as tools. Not bad as it wasn't that deep.

Thank you, Jean. I'd been caving, but never down a mine before. I'd think that underground mining would be incredibly tough.

Excellent shot and PIPs!

Admired in:
www.ipernity.com/group/tolerance

Thank you very much, William.

Great shot, scary place

Thank you very much, Sarah.

Superbe *************

Merci beaucoup.

Wow, how cool is that? Pam visited this place too! :D

Today's visit:
www.ipernity.com/doc/tiabunna/48580696

Thanks, Janet, yes this area was Pam's home turf.

Beautiful my friend!
Happy new week:)

Thank you, Annemarie, I hope your week is going well.

That is not a place I would care to go. Have friends in Wales whose parents and grandparents were miners and the stories they tell are appalling.

As a tourist visit the risks are minimal (they fortunately provide helmets to cushion heads bumping on the low tunnel roofs), but I'm sure it must have been a very tough existence for those working there.

It fits perfect, very nice! :-)

Thank you very much.

Superb shots George. It shows what a hard life it was for them with much danger and little reward.

Thank you very much, Rosa. All I can say is that they had to be tough - I'd hate to have been in their shoes.

I hope when I'm gone and the ages shall roll
My body will blacken and turn into coal.
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home
And pity the miner digging my bones.
--Merle Travis

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CP8FgkmBpA

Many thanks for bringing this song to my attention, John. I've taken the liberty of linking it with my latest image. :-)

What a hard working life this must be....never complain about my job again...thanks for showing George!

Lovely light and detail. A superb photo, George. An ace musical match for 'Sight and Sound'.

Thank you for posting to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music

As you say George, Cornwall is littered with these old mines. Much were for copper and tin but anything of value was sought. We once did an old mine tour in this region armed with helmets with lamps and I can say from experience, when you are a few hundred feet underground heading for the sea -its unnerving when the lights are switched off. A hard life for the common man in those days when life expectancy was all too short -armed only with a pick-axe and candle.

Great job! ~ Herb