Re: Putrid smell
Posted by Don on January 22, 2004 at 00:53:12:
In Reply to: Putrid smell posted by Olfactory on January 21, 2004 at 19:30:37:
Hi "Olfactory". Mines may have accumulations of poisonous gases. The mine north-east of the Keane Wonder spring by "Johnnie (Zyte) behind the Gun's" old cabin has a high concentration of poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas. It smells like rotten eggs. There are warnings on the mine. Some visitors have died in this mine from the gas. Many mine ores are sulfides, and may form this gas during natural decomposition. Also carbon dioxide, the "fizz" gas in soft drinks, may be present in a mine. It is heavier than air and settles to the lower depths of a mine. It is odorless, displaces good air, and does not support your life. Old dynamite is unstable. If this wasn't enough, DV'S mine/geologist ranger said to stay back from the edges of verticle shafts as the mine in this area may have been dug like an inverted funnel just underground. An informative info sheet on mine safety is available from the DV interpretive desks in the Park. One more caution: What may look like solid earth in a tunnel floor may be ages of dust over rotting timbers covering a shaft. I dont't want to scare anyone, just save a life!