Minnesota - Hill Annex Mine - 1

Hill Annex Mine, Tour Leg 1



Much of the old mine is now a lake that extends over a few other mines to the west. The tour starts on the south side of this lake, and this is the brief glimpse you get.


The main road heads left at what appears to be a parking area for some kind of equipment only.


The tour then skirts the south and east sides of this giant overburden (waste rock) pile.


The road threads between two smaller piles to the north. The southern one features some sort of hut on top that I'm unclear on. Mine supervision? Outgassing?


This is a steam drill and the base of an accompanying tripod used for exploratory drilling for iron deposits.


The most recognizable equipment left is the old rail car. As the tour continues, there's more scattered around in pieces. I hope this series brings you Joy.


This is the far end of the tour, on the north side of the lake. This photo looks south at 'A' Pocket, one of the locations where trucks deep in the now-underwater mine would dump rocks to be lifted up the side in a conveyer belt system. You can see the top belts have been left atop the mine pit wall.


Starting out looking west at the bend in the lake where it continues to other mines, photos pan around the south to the 'A' Pocket east.


This was a churn drill, another iteration of boring machine that postdates the steam drill.


This may have been a fueling hose setup?


With some time to explore on foot, I made friends with this person-sized Amsco shovel.


Featuring the Caterpillar motor and transmission.


Fire in the hole? Hie ye to the blasting shack.

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