Mining, especially for gold and silver, made a great contribution to the United States. Mining in the United States caused one of the biggest transfers of population from the eastern to the western part, and it also helped economic growth,
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Mining in the United States was not that popular unitil silver and gold were discovered in Colorado in 1850. In order to dig into a mountain to find a gold and silver, miners developed a tool to blast the rock underground. The tool evolved rapidly but fast develop also led to an explosion accident.
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This is a picture of Mine West of Carbonate Hill- Leadville, Lake Country, CO. It shows the mine in the background and shows how the mine looks.
Image Citation- "View of Carbonate Hill - Leadville Colorado." View of Carbonate Hill - Leadville Colorado. Accessed December 02, 2016. http://westernmininghistory.com/gallery-image/709/38143. |
Gunpowder in minesAt first, people used drills, hammers and wedges to break rocks. Nevertheless, breaking rock was a very laborious task. So people started using gunpowder which made the work more convenient. Gunpowder was widely known to be useful in mining by Dutchmen in the 17th century. When miners make a hole with a hammer or drill which is about two feet deep and one inch across, that hole will be charged with gunpowder and a long thin metal stick called a 'pricker' will be placed inside. Then the hole will be covered by clay, the pricker will be pulled out, and straw will be used as a fuse. After finishing this process, miners would light the paper and run away. Yet, since it was too dangerous and lots of accidents ocurred, this method was discontinued after 1870. |
This is a picture of real dynamite and the timer. After the time people set is passed, this will explode and destroy huge parts of the mine.
Image Citation- HowStuffWorks Science. Accessed December 02, 2016. http://science.howstuffworks.com/question397.htm. |
Discovery of DynamiteDynamite is different from nitroglycerin but this also use it in order to activate Dynamite. Dynamite is built into explosive sticks that looks like a wick and a blasting cap. The wick is lit that leads to a small explosion when it reaches the blasting cap. When the blasting cap explodes, the nitroglycerin then causes a very large explosion.
Some people think that the burning wick actually sets off the nitroglycerin. But, a stick of dynamite can be burned without exploding. It is the small explosion of the blasting cap that is required to cause the nitroglycerin to explode. |
This is an electric train which workers are using in the underground. On the cart, there are also the ore cans.
Image Citation- "An Overview of Mining in Southwestern Wisconsin." MiningJamisonMuseum. Accessed December 02, 2016. http://mining.jamison.museum/mining-in-southwestern-wisconsin. |