Books/movies about mines
November 18, 2024 9:48 AM Subscribe
I toured an old mine recently and now I want to learn more about how they operate.
I don't want a textbook. Something that is an engrossing read would be great. If it's a movie I'd like it to be somewhat factual. Bonus point for something gold related in the pacific north west. I'd love something relatively recent -- within 50 years or so because I'm curious about the industrial technology aspect of it. Historical would work too though.
I don't want a textbook. Something that is an engrossing read would be great. If it's a movie I'd like it to be somewhat factual. Bonus point for something gold related in the pacific north west. I'd love something relatively recent -- within 50 years or so because I'm curious about the industrial technology aspect of it. Historical would work too though.
There are lots of informative YouTube videos. I just searched for “mines mining”.
posted by at at 10:14 AM on November 18, 2024
posted by at at 10:14 AM on November 18, 2024
Doesn't fit your guidelines -- older, not about the PNW or gold -- but I would be remiss if I didn't add How Green Was My Valley, the Oscar winner for Best Picture in 1941.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:19 AM on November 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:19 AM on November 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
Germinal, by Zola is one of the greatest books of all time. It's about mining and labor in France in the 1860's.
posted by so fucking future at 10:25 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by so fucking future at 10:25 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
Matewan on the unionization of a coal mine in WV.
On the specific subject of gold mines outside California (but much too early and probably too little on the technology), I can highly recommend Deadwood as good TV, especially the later seasons.
On the technology side, check out Practical Engineering on Youtube. Search his archive for mining and tunneling content.
posted by caek at 10:27 AM on November 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
On the specific subject of gold mines outside California (but much too early and probably too little on the technology), I can highly recommend Deadwood as good TV, especially the later seasons.
On the technology side, check out Practical Engineering on Youtube. Search his archive for mining and tunneling content.
posted by caek at 10:27 AM on November 18, 2024 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I think you might appreciate this Michael Lewis article, which concerns modern mine safety. It’s a good read.
posted by reren at 2:16 PM on November 18, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by reren at 2:16 PM on November 18, 2024 [2 favorites]
King Solomon's Mines - H. Rider Haggard
posted by el_presidente at 12:18 AM on November 19, 2024
posted by el_presidente at 12:18 AM on November 19, 2024
That would be Dan Hurd of Dan Hurd Prospecting up in B.C.: gold, garnets and gneiss. He talks about the hierarchy of prospectors, miners and developers. Also government regulation, environmental consequences, claims and claim jumpers.
posted by BobTheScientist at 12:30 AM on November 19, 2024
posted by BobTheScientist at 12:30 AM on November 19, 2024
Best answer: Harlan County, USA is a great documentary about a coal miners' strike
posted by Chenko at 11:29 AM on November 19, 2024
posted by Chenko at 11:29 AM on November 19, 2024
Best answer: October Sky is a movie about rockets and is a coming of age story, kind of. But it takes place in a mining town where all men are expected to become miners and work for "the company." The main character wants to build rockets, but his dad is the big boss of the mine and doesn't approve of his choice of hobby.
It is based on a true story and gives a good glimpse at life in a mining town - and in a mine - in the late 1950's.
It was one of Jake Gyllenhaal's first movies and he is fantastic in it. So is his father, played by Chris Cooper, and his teacher played by Laura Dern. It is funny, touching, and makes me cry every time I watch it (in a good way).
posted by tacodave at 2:06 PM on November 19, 2024
It is based on a true story and gives a good glimpse at life in a mining town - and in a mine - in the late 1950's.
It was one of Jake Gyllenhaal's first movies and he is fantastic in it. So is his father, played by Chris Cooper, and his teacher played by Laura Dern. It is funny, touching, and makes me cry every time I watch it (in a good way).
posted by tacodave at 2:06 PM on November 19, 2024
Best answer: I'm curious about the industrial technology aspect of it
Basicaly you got placer mining, unerground mining and open pit mining.
Canadian Malarctic is a gold mine which uses open pit.
It went into production in 2011
The ore grade is low,
The gold grade is less than 1 gram per tonne i.e. 1 gram per 1000 kilograms or 1 gram per 1,000, 000 grams
You can't see the gold .To say it's microscopic is an understatement
Grade is 0.83 grams per tonne/,
To make it work you use an open pit and a monstrous size mill.
They mill over 50,000 tonnes a day of ore
That is crush to a powder 50 000 tonnnes of rock. They then refine it using various reagants.
By comparison Kienna underground gold mine down the road has a 2000 ton a day mill.
What will take Kienna a month will take Malarctic 24 hours.
They have a fleet of 34 haulers . each with a capacity of 240 tons
It costs Malarctic about $750 an ounce
--
I'm just using Malarctic as a modern example
Most people think people think of gold nuggets , gold flakes, Typical placer mining or high grade underground mining People don;t realize that they can actually mine profitably at grades under 1 gram per tonne
posted by yyz at 2:27 PM on November 19, 2024
Basicaly you got placer mining, unerground mining and open pit mining.
Canadian Malarctic is a gold mine which uses open pit.
It went into production in 2011
The ore grade is low,
The gold grade is less than 1 gram per tonne i.e. 1 gram per 1000 kilograms or 1 gram per 1,000, 000 grams
You can't see the gold .To say it's microscopic is an understatement
Grade is 0.83 grams per tonne/,
To make it work you use an open pit and a monstrous size mill.
They mill over 50,000 tonnes a day of ore
That is crush to a powder 50 000 tonnnes of rock. They then refine it using various reagants.
By comparison Kienna underground gold mine down the road has a 2000 ton a day mill.
What will take Kienna a month will take Malarctic 24 hours.
They have a fleet of 34 haulers . each with a capacity of 240 tons
It costs Malarctic about $750 an ounce
--
I'm just using Malarctic as a modern example
Most people think people think of gold nuggets , gold flakes, Typical placer mining or high grade underground mining People don;t realize that they can actually mine profitably at grades under 1 gram per tonne
posted by yyz at 2:27 PM on November 19, 2024
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There Will Be Blood
Margaret’s Museum
Blood Diamond
Movies about mining
Documentaries about mining
You might also like Edward Burtynsky’s stunning photos of quarries, and there’s a doc about him
Also related, Ducks, Kate Beaton’s excellent graphic novel about working in the Canadian Oil Sands (deals with the environmental and social aspects of extraction)
posted by nouvelle-personne at 10:12 AM on November 18, 2024 [2 favorites]