Thursday, January 14, 2010

Queen Mine Bisbee, AZ

 

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Entrance to the Queen Mine Tours

Here I  am playing catch-up again, sorry.

On Tuesday we drove to Bisbee to take the mine tour.  I could go on and on about what we learned about copper mining in Bisbee but I won’t.  I will show some of the pictures we took though. Link to Queen Mine Tours

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Bisbee is at about 5200 ft. and it is cool in the mornings so the fireplace was a welcome feature.  There was snow on the sides of the mountains on the way there.

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This is where we were issued our mining gear.

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Miner

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We were all loaded on these mine cars the very ones that once transported miners into the Queen Mine.

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We are entering the mine.

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We are 1500 feet into the mine, the tour is all on one level but the mountain soars thousands of feet above us and there are several levels below that go down another 700 feet.

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This is what the ore they were mining looks like

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There was lots of equipment to see and the guide did a good job telling how much of it was used.  Our guide was a third generation miner in this very mine.  It was obvious that even after three generations and being born and living in Bisbee that english is still a second language.

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This is the car that every one in the mine really needed.  Gorgie was the only person in our group brave enough to try it out.  Can you guess it’s purpose?  The man who took care of it was paid more because no one wanted that job.

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We finished up the day with a lunch at the Copper Queen Hotel built in 1902. Link to Copper Queen Hotel

What a wonderful day.

More Later, Rich

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You being the only one brave enough to sit on that toilet...Gloria, no words, just funny! And the memories!!!
A

Anonymous said...

Wow Gorgie...You have spent a lot of time below ground in the last 6 months!! Underground Explorer Gorgie & Her Sidekick The Awesome Richard!! HeeHee~

Love You~Dusty