Loose_Grip/Pete's photos with the keyword: mining

It's difficult to capture the depth of the "Big Hole" in Kimberley but the height of the buildings give an idea of the scale. It's a real vertical wall of rock. Kimberlite, an ultramafic igneous rock and a rare variant of peridotite, is most commonly known to be the main host matrix for diamonds. It is named after Kimberley where diamonds were mined from this hole. Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes, as well as igneous dykes and can also occur as horizontal sills. The consensus on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle, hence at high temperatures and pressures. HWW to everyone. Have a great day!

Now all the deep coal mines in the UK are closed the only way to go underground today is in a museum like The Big Pit National Museum at Blaenavon. The Big Pit used to be connected to the LNWR line to Pontypool by a steeply graded mineral line. Today Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST (Works No 544 1900) NCB No 10 stands on the truncated remains by the pit head coupled to a rail-mounted crane.