The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-22
Transyaal Deep Min NO

John Yates. IN paper read before the
South African Association OF Engineers
at Johannesburg IN July. outlined a pan
to develop further the mines OF the VIZ
watersrand, in the TrAusvaal, by SINKING
the shafts TO a depth Of l209 feeS ana
working the rich auriferous bankiet beds
In The Rand district there are already
being worked the outcrop mines, the nfs'
and second deep levels, and work Eas
been begun on q third row OF shafts.
which are to reach veins at depth vary
ing from 4.ooo to 500 feet These last are
known as the Deep Deep" level mines,
and they are expected TO produce richly
But in the plan outlined by Mr.. Yates,
il is proposed TO go much beyond the
5.000-foot level, down TO the point where
the temperature Of the earth Is such that
work can no longer be carried on. He
proposes &c go down below this lowest
level by = system of inclines Teachins
down 10 the reef He believes that II
will be impossible TO go TO grea-er
depth than 1900 feet, because the heat
viii prevent men from doing effective
work
A plan was outlined not long ago for
EtdEnlAS very 0EtR AtNNAS - 49,
inclines broken into number Of lifts.
The calculation upon which an estimate
of the maximum depth 10 which the In
clines may be carried Is based upon an
increment OF heat at one degree Fahren-
heit for every 2O5 feet OF increased depth.
and at 1900 feet. according TO this esti-
mate. the temperature would be 100 de-
grees Fahrenheit.
BY this plan It IS proposed 70 work
1000 claims, and furnish ore 70 400
stamps, by sinking only one shaft. and
connecting il with another one on an adj
Joining eco claim site. This would neces-
state haul OF half n mile in the IN
foreground trans, but the saving in cost
is compared to two smaller vertical
shafts would justify It. IT IS estimated
that this shaft would be IS By feet In
side measurement. and be broken into a
vertical shaft extending down 5000 feet.
and connected with an incline Of reoH
feet. which in turn. would be broken In
to three or four stage windings- Alto
gether the cost would amount to $3.50 400.
or about $500 TO the claim. when the
cost of underground power. ropes and
equipment is taken into consideration.
The Engineering and Mining Journal
believes that the mines in this particular
ueighborhood may be carried down TO an
even greater depth than 12,o00 feet, and
suggests 1900 feet as a possible limit.
With the opening of the workings. this
paper declares. the temperature would be
materially lowered. and the feasibility or
forcing an abundant air supply 10 that
depths and circulating it freely seems to
he settled
should the banket beds Of the Wit
vatersrand maintain their richness over
the extent which biologists and mining
engineers now attribute them" saws the
journal referred to- Eve think It Is alto
gether possible that in due time they
NAV be worked to a depth OF 1890 feet or
more. the determining element being me
nossibilitv of conducting work at profit.
and II may safely be assumed that tne
reductions in cost through improvements
in mining. handling. and Transporting
ore. will exceed the necessary increase In
cost due 10 depth. and that. consequent
w II Will cost less to mine a loOoe 10
IL. 600 feet in depth when we get there
than 1t did at a depth of 1000 or 1900
feet"
Rut instead Of a series Of iuclines.
either one long. unbroken. vertical lift or
series Of vertical shafts with landing
stages may be feasible. With the use OF
an electrical trolley arrangement II Is
maintained that a hoist Of 1900 feet may
be made with as much ease and safety
as attend the 5.0O0-foot hoiset at the
Calumet & Hecla and Tamarack mines.
Though the Yates plan contemplates an
outside limit of one hour in which 70 low
or shift of men necessary to supply
a 4c0-stamp mill, the vertical ift plan
would effect a sensible saving Of time in
this regard. as well as in the hosting of
ore. II there are no insurmountabie en-
cheering difficulties in the way OF min
ing at depth Of 1900 feet. the whole
problem resolves itself into the economic
one Of whether or not the ore az this
depth will be rich enough TO pay the in
creased cost Of extracting H.
The whole question will soon have to be
thoroughly discussed. as the new deep
level workings will have 20 be begun
soon. II they are to be completed in suf-
fcient time to enable them 10 keep M
the gold output. as the upper section or
original mines are exhausted