[Rockhounds] Another Alabastine Mine Field Trip Report

[Axel Emmermann]

> It is a good day when you get to eat your lunch 85 feet underground.

...or when you join the mile high club ;-)))

Great report, Kreigh.
1/4 with the flu... Bad one this year, but within the statistical
predictions. My company is bracing itself for the Mexican-flu. They even
called upon a temp for lab work. 

Axel

 
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> Namens Kreigh Tomaszewski
> Verzonden: woensdag 4 november 2009 6:22
> Aan: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors
> Onderwerp: [Rockhounds] Another Alabastine Mine Field Trip Report
> 
> I arranged another trip to the Alabastine Mine, in Wyoming, MI, and
> invited the members of the three area clubs to join me a couple
> weekends ago. I had 75 signed up, and 20 could not attend due to flu.
> The rest of us had a great day collecting.
> 
> I showed up in the parking lot a half hour early, expecting to be
> first, and found a half dozen cars already there. I spent the next half
> hour registering each party on my mine list, and collecting the $2 mine
> entry fee from each attendee. It was a cold, windy,  40 something
> degree, drizzle as everyone got ready. The mine was a whole lot more
> comfortable at 50 degrees and high humidity.
> 
> Hard hats (required), buckets, hammers and chisels, and an extra pair
> of shoes. Half of the mine is used for food storage, and the owners
> expect us to not tramp mud through the clean parts of the mine. At 10
> am I opened the door that the mine owner left unlocked for us, and we
> all went in. I turned on the lights, showed everyone where the surface
> bathrooms were, and headed for the elevator.
> 
> Half the rockhounds lined up at the rest room, and the rest joined me
> at the elevator. I gave them a training course in running the elevator,
> and always leaving it closed up and ready to be recalled from the
> surface or mine. It really is fun pushing an elevator button labeled
> "Mine".
> 
> After getting the first group into the mine, 85 feet underground, I
> went back and repeated the process with with the second group.
> 
> Over half of the rockhounds attending had never visited this mine
> before. Almost a third of them had never been underground before. About
> 20% were kids.  Most fun I have ever had hosting a field trip.
> 
> The mine is roughly a 12 foot thick layer of gypsum, sandwiched between
> layers of shale that contains fossils. Alabaster, satin spar, and
> selenite can be found. Iron impurities make some of the gypsum a
> beautiful variety of honey colors. There are over six miles of tunnels,
> and we had full access to almost half of it, the half that has no
> lights and is very muddy. You can't have enough light underground, and
> everyone was required to have two sources.
> 
> Some folks only stayed a couple hours. Most folks stayed about four
> hours. I had to throw a handful of rockhounds out of the mine after six
> hours (limit set by the owner). Everyone had the opportunity to take
> loads to the surface and come back. Several collectors took loaded hand
> carts out more than once.
> 
> I spent part of my time underground doing some geology research in the
> mine, but most of my time was spent  helping the first time rockhounds
> have a good experience. Along the way I managed to fill one bucket with
> specimens.
> 
> I had everyone sign out from my list as they left the mine for good.
> Two people failed to sign out, and I had to walk through the mine one
> last time, calling for them, before I could leave. I was pretty sure
> they had left, but I had to make sure. First time in several years
> someone forgot to sign out (we've had words on the surface, and I don't
> think it will reoccur).
> 
> I turned off the lights, and locked the door to the mine behind me, as
> I left. I did not see an employee all day, but a couple rockhounds
> reported seeing one as they took trips to the surface.
> 
> I'm looking forward to another mine trip so that the sick rockhounds
> get their collecting time underground. I hope to work out another trip
> this winter (and include another regional club).
> 
> It is a good day when you get to eat your lunch 85 feet underground.
> 
> Kreigh
> 
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