HISTORY
Sallet hole has been worked for Lead, Barytes and in its more recent years Flourspar, a common occurrence in Derbyshire where old lead mines were re worked for Flourspar once the un profitable by-product of Lead was now where the riches lay.
Fluorspar is used directly or indirectly to manufacture products such as aluminum, gasoline, insulating foams, refrigerants, steel, and uranium fuel.
It has been worked for this mineral on and off since the 1920's working 'deep rake' below Longstone edge, Drives were made into the limestone in the process of 'stoping' where ore was extracted leaving behind an open space known as a stope.
In 1987 the connection to the nearby 'Watersaw Mine' was made and mining was still going strong with 73,000 tonnes extracted in 1990.
The mining operations would drastically slow down in the 90's due to a decline in demand by chemical and steel sectors and the cheaper alternative of importing, China accounts for around 64% of the worlds Flourspar supply and Mexico around 27%.
EXPLORE
Having previously explored the flooded levels and 140 level more times than i care to admit it ide often see old photos of 'beyond the collapse' where extensive workings,collapsed connections and even some funky looking zig zag ladders lay.
On one of my previous visits the plan was to get the wet suits on and photograph the flooded levels with the idea of making the most of it and never returning but after hearing a rumor of someone having an on going active dig at the main haulage collapse we decided to have a nosey.
It looked worse than i thought with most of the rings and timers in bits on the floor surrounded by VERY unstable Toad stone crumbling at the touch, it did however look as if someone had been busy at work with a shovel, It looked far to unstable at the time but hopeful that if the digger didn't bury themselves alive then it may open up.
Fast forward a couple of months and there was word of a breakthrough and the following Saturday morning plans were made to tackle it, when we arrived it was clear that the original potential way through had been completely buried and a new way to the right hand side had been dug out.
This required a sort of superman feet first slide down with bags off whilst making every effort into not moving the unstable Toad stone above.
Once through we observed where the old dig had completely run through and anxiety levels were high,nether the less we fired up the 4 gas and cautiously moved forward knowing we'd have to get back out this way.
(photos are a mix of camera and go pro)
Once through the collapse this main haulage splits of into 5 ways
Looking ahead are 3 visible ways leading to the sub levels, a ladderway and fanshaft. to the right out of view is the west incline which is where the connection to Watersaw is... or was.
Sallet hole has been worked for Lead, Barytes and in its more recent years Flourspar, a common occurrence in Derbyshire where old lead mines were re worked for Flourspar once the un profitable by-product of Lead was now where the riches lay.
Fluorspar is used directly or indirectly to manufacture products such as aluminum, gasoline, insulating foams, refrigerants, steel, and uranium fuel.
It has been worked for this mineral on and off since the 1920's working 'deep rake' below Longstone edge, Drives were made into the limestone in the process of 'stoping' where ore was extracted leaving behind an open space known as a stope.
In 1987 the connection to the nearby 'Watersaw Mine' was made and mining was still going strong with 73,000 tonnes extracted in 1990.
The mining operations would drastically slow down in the 90's due to a decline in demand by chemical and steel sectors and the cheaper alternative of importing, China accounts for around 64% of the worlds Flourspar supply and Mexico around 27%.
EXPLORE
Having previously explored the flooded levels and 140 level more times than i care to admit it ide often see old photos of 'beyond the collapse' where extensive workings,collapsed connections and even some funky looking zig zag ladders lay.
On one of my previous visits the plan was to get the wet suits on and photograph the flooded levels with the idea of making the most of it and never returning but after hearing a rumor of someone having an on going active dig at the main haulage collapse we decided to have a nosey.
It looked worse than i thought with most of the rings and timers in bits on the floor surrounded by VERY unstable Toad stone crumbling at the touch, it did however look as if someone had been busy at work with a shovel, It looked far to unstable at the time but hopeful that if the digger didn't bury themselves alive then it may open up.
Fast forward a couple of months and there was word of a breakthrough and the following Saturday morning plans were made to tackle it, when we arrived it was clear that the original potential way through had been completely buried and a new way to the right hand side had been dug out.
This required a sort of superman feet first slide down with bags off whilst making every effort into not moving the unstable Toad stone above.
Once through we observed where the old dig had completely run through and anxiety levels were high,nether the less we fired up the 4 gas and cautiously moved forward knowing we'd have to get back out this way.
(photos are a mix of camera and go pro)
Once through the collapse this main haulage splits of into 5 ways
Looking ahead are 3 visible ways leading to the sub levels, a ladderway and fanshaft. to the right out of view is the west incline which is where the connection to Watersaw is... or was.
We decided to venture left first and ascend up some lovely looking ladders
Through a small hole in a breeze block wall was a muddy passage which went past penis level and became a bit to hard to wade through
back through said hole
A nice wet passage leading to the top of a tipping shaft
Back down the ladder into more mud
Looking back up the incline leading towards sub level 2 & 3
The mud and silt has built up quite high in this area leaving around 4ft of room where the gate is
A nice telephone left behind from the 80's ft some mycelium creeping in from the right
From memory i think this was the end of sub level 2 or as far as we could be bothered to venture before it turned into a muddy crawl
Another tipping shaft
Following the drive towards sub level 3
The end of sub level 3 where the ceiling meets the silt
A wet passage which leads towards the fanshaft with the fan still there (forgot to snap it)
One of the many workshops dotted about
Back up the incline looking back at the start of sub level 2
The last bit i wanted to see was west incline
A loose network of passages which most have collapsed
The zig zag ladders, was debating on climbing up but it turns out they don't go anywhere at the top
refuge point
One of the passages would have been the connection to watersaw which is also in a similar way to this place
And now i can confidently say i have no need to ever return to this place thank fuck
, I shall have to try find the mad head he/ she is more nuts than me
