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Winsford Salt Mine Visit

On Wednesday 9th of June we visited Winsford salt mine. Located in Winsford in the heart of Cheshire, it is the largest salt mine in the UK. Winsford accounts for some 60% of all rock salt mined in the UK.

Founded in 1844, the mine is the UKs oldest rock salt mine. Although in the early days miners used spades and mined by hand, now the mine uses state of the art mining technology such as the laser guided JOY excavator, which I saw up close and in action on my visit.

The mine has four main shafts, each used for a different purpose:

• Shaft one is used to take machinery down into mine. Machinery is often taken down in pieces and assembled underground, as tehy would be too large otherwise. Once machinery reaches the end of its life it is left underground, as it would be expensive to bring it back up to the surface.
• Shaft two is used to bring processed salt up to the surface
• Shaft three is a personnel lift, like you might find in a department store, and is the lift I used on my visit to the mine
• Shaft four is used to pump clean air down in to the mine, to keep a healthy air flow deep underground.

When we arrived at the mine the first thing to do was to get suited up in protective clothing: a thick blue tunic to go over our clothes (orange for the miners, blue for visitors), a yellow hard hat, a lamp and even a backup oxygen supply.

Once kitted up we proceeded to go down shaft three, where we boarded an open-topped vehicle which would take us around the mine. With around 140 miles of tunnels to explore, it’s far too big to go on foot! The first thing which hits you is the sheer volume of space excavated underground. The tunnels are 20m wide and 7.5m high, it feels more the size of a large sports hall than an underground mine!

Our first step was the underground cinema. Yes, a cinema, in the mine! (Sadly no popcorn available). On the large projector screen we watched a short DVD about the history of the mine and the different techniques used to mine the rock salt. The mine uses two main techniques for mining salt, “drill and blast” and the JOY machine. Over the next two hours we would see each of these techniques up close and in action!

We also learned about the honeycomb structure of the mine. This is a method of mining which requires no props or support structure to be built. Instead, the salt is excavated in a grid pattern and the un-excavated areas act as pillars, and hold the roof of the mine up.

Once we had learned about the history and structure of the mine, it was time to start the tour. First we saw the drill and blast machinery. Although not as popular anymore, due to the new JOY machine, drill and blast still accounts for about 10% of total salt production of the mine. It follows a simple procedure:

The entire process, from scaling to detonation, takes approximately one day to complete.

We then moved on to see a more modern – and faster – method of rock salt extraction, the JOY machine. This machine is huge! It has a large rotating drum which just grinds away the rock face. The debris which falls off is then scooped up and sent along a conveyor belt – which can be several miles long – to the crusher. This is a much faster method of salt extraction as it can run continuously, and can erode vast amounts of rock face per day. This method accounts for some 90% of total salt production at Winsford.

This machine [JOY machine] is huge! It has a large rotating drum which just grinds away the rock face. The debris which falls off is then scooped up and sent along a conveyor belt – which can be several miles long – to the crusher.

Our next stop was to visit the crusher. This machine grinds down the chunks of salt mined using the various methods in to tiny grains of salt, typically either 6mm or 10mm in size. Salt from all over the mine comes in to the crusher, along conveyor belts, and passes through the crushing apparatus. The rock salt then goes through a filter, so that all grains of size less than 6mm are allowed to pass on, to the surface, and all bigger pieces are sent through the crusher again. This process is repeated until all grains are of a suitably small size. These grains will then be taken to the surface (up shaft 2), to be loaded in to wagons and dispatched, or to be stored above ground.

The final stop on our tour was at the DeepStore facility. Located deep in the mine, this is an example of what the cavities underground can be used for, once the rock salt has been extracted. The salt mine offers a secure storage facility, and people store everything from masses of documents to works of art underground, in the constant temperature, constant humidity salt mine. DeepStore has been running for about ten years, and almost three million boxes are stored here.

This concludes the visit to Winsford salt mine, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed visiting! For more information on what life is like inside Winsford Salt Mine, check out a recent BBC article here

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WINSFORD, CHESHIRE, U.K.

Underground salt mining storage + records management.

The Winsford rock salt mine is the U.K.’s largest and oldest working mine. It lies approximately 150 meters under the Cheshire countryside and has a fascinating history, which began in 1844 when local prospectors were searching for coal.

During the late 19 th century the salt industry descended into chaos due to over-capacity. In 1888, Salt Union, which consisted of 66 salt operators from the area was formed in an attempt to bring order to the market. However, with salt also being supplied from the Northwich mines, the market remained over-supplied and in 1892, the Winsford Mine was closed. In 1928 the last mine in Northwich flooded, resulting in the re-opening of the Winsford Mine.

The Winsford mine is Britain’s largest supplier of natural rock salt, which is used by maintenance professionals to thaw icy roads in wintry weather. In addition to supplying rock salt, Compass Minerals U.K. also developed DryStore ® , a unique salt-covering system that helps salt stocks stay dry while in storage.

The Winsford Mine was the first Compass Minerals production facility to purchase a continuous mining machine to replace the traditional drill-and-blast method of salt extraction. The continuous mining process uses a machine to cut rock away from the mine face. It’s simpler, takes less mining equipment, less underground transportation machinery and less manpower than the drill-and-blast process that it replaces, and reduces fuel use and emissions.

More than a century of mining has left a void under the countryside that features consistent temperature and humidity levels, and is naturally free from the dangers of ultraviolet light, vermin or flooding. It is the size of 700 football pitches and continues to grow as a salt is mined every year. In 1998, DeepStore was established to take advantage of this unique storage space. Treasured paintings, historical records and architectural models are among the items stored in the Winsford location.

DeepStore has more than 1.8 million square meters of storage space that provides secure storage of items ranging from active records, to treasured paintings. One of the more well-known DeepStore customers is The National Archives, for whom DeepStore manages public records.

In 2007, DeepStore acquired a location in the London metropolitan area, creating a comprehensive, nationwide records management resource.

Compass Minerals U.K. Limited Bradford Road Winsford Cheshire, England CW7 2PE

+44 (0)370 5329723

[email protected]

RELATED LINKS Compass Minerals U.K. Underground Salt Mining Storage + Records Management Learn about Winsford, Cheshire About DeepStore

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Get in touch, uk’s top salt scientist visits winsford salt mine announcing it is a unique resource for uk scientists.

Professor Chris Jackson visited the Winsford Salt Mine

The UK’s largest salt mine in Winsford, owned by Compass Minerals, is a unique resource for UK scientists interested in the study of salt, says Professor Chris Jackson, the new Chair of Sustainable Geoscience at Manchester University and the UK’s top salt scientist. Professor Chris Jackson, a previous presenter of the highly prestigious Royal Institution’s Christmas lecture, was on an underground tour of Compass Mineral’s mine in Winsford, Cheshire. 

Until recently a professor at Imperial College, London, Professor Chris Jackson, said: “Salt is a fascinating substance on so many different levels.  On a day-to-day basis, salt (in moderation) is essential for a healthy life as it helps your brain and nerves send electrical impulses. But my passion is in how the distribution of salt deposits records ancient Earth environments, and how these rocks can deform.  So being able to actually go beneath ground, to this working mine that is not normally open to visitors, and to look at just a small part of the huge deposits of salt beneath the Cheshire Plain, is both fascinating and intensely interesting from a scientific point of view.   

 “By a long way, Compass Minerals’ Winsford mine is the biggest in the UK, which makes it a unique scientific resource. I very much hope that in the future, undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Manchester might be able to undertake their research here with the kind support of Compass Minerals. These students could also make use of the records in the Salt Library at Weaver Hall Museum, as well as the resources of the award-winning Lion Salt Works Museum.”  Cleared by Professor Chris Jackson 

Kate Harland, Museums & Heritage Manager, Lion Salt Works Museum, who was also on the tour, said: “The salt below the Cheshire Plains is vast, covering the areas beneath the three traditional Cheshire salt towns of Northwich, Middlewich and Nantwich. Many people will know that ‘wich’ denotes the presence of salt in the towns’ name but many people are possibly not aware that salt has been a crucial part of the history and economy of Cheshire for thousands of years, not just the last few centuries. After years of working at the Lion Salt Works Museum in Northwich, one of the last open-pan, salt-making sites in the world, I am delighted to have seen the salt beneath ground. It is extraordinary that the mine is beneath such a lot of Northwich and that the red sand that makes up our local Cheshire sandstone is also in the salt beds, varying from light pink to red in colour. It has given me lots of fresh inspiration to take back to the Lion Salt Works Museum.”  

Chris Heywood, Commercial Director, Compass Minerals, said: “At Compass Minerals, we are committed to being part of the community and reaching out to diverse areas, including academia, local government, charities and businesses. On this tour, I was also delighted to welcome; George Westlake, Chairman, Lion Salt Works Trust and also Harry Young, a third-year Coventry University geography student, who comes from Chester, who is studying salt and is also a Friend of the Lion Salt Works Trust.” 

“The Winsford Salt Mine is the largest in the UK and mines rock salt. During the winter, it is Cheshire rock salt that is used for gritting the UK’s icy roads and pavements to help keep people safe and industry moving. For some years, Compass Minerals has taken advantage of its huge empty caverns to offer a DeepStore records management and storage facility. We not only offer huge amounts of secure bespoke storage but because it is a salt mine, our storage facility offers ideal conditions for storing documents and historical artefacts.”  

The Lion Salt Works Museum is one of the world’s last open-pan,salt-making sites and is so rare it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument with the same protection status as Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall. It tells the story of salt in Cheshire through fun, interactive displays, including a ‘sound and light’ show, an automaton and ‘subsiding house’. The Museum has a café, butterfly garden, free parking and an industrially-themed play area. 

• School and group visits
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Lion Salt Works Ollershaw Lane Marston Northwich Cheshire CW9 6ES

01606 275066

Opening hours

Tuesday to Sunday, 10.30am – 5pm

We’re closed on Mondays but are usually open on bank holiday Mondays.

Admission charges

Adult : £7.30 Concession: £6.50 (concessions are 60+, jobseekers, or students. Carers go free.) Child (16 and under): free Adult Annual Pass: £18.80 (valid for 12 months from date of issue)

Bringing a group? See our Group Visit page for information on group sizes, admission charges and tours.

How to get here

The Salt Works is situated on the B5075 (Ollershaw Lane) about a mile from Northwich town centre. It is well signposted (follow the brown signs). Chester is approximately a 30 minute drive, Liverpool and Manchester are 40 minutes.

We have a large car park which can accommodate coaches. The car park is free for visitors. Use postcode CW9 6ES for satnav.

From Northwich Railway Station the Salt Works is a 25 minute walk or 15 minutes by bicycle. There is no taxi rank at the station.

Lostock Gralam is the Gateway Station to the Lion Salt Works which is less than two miles away and will take about 45 minutes by foot along the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Trains to Manchester and Chester are hourly (two hourly on Sundays). Up-to-date and timetables and other information can be found at www.midcheshirerail.org.uk

The Salt Works is on two Sustrans routes: On road – local route off Route 5 (Northwich) and Route 70 (Great Budworth). Traffic free – along Trent and Mersey Canal towpath.

Canal boats can be moored alongside the Salt Works with visitor access from the towpath. Please check the Canal and River Trust   for terms and conditions.

Gift shop and café

The gift shop and café are located in the visitor centre when you first enter the Lion Salt Works. The café offers a selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes and light snacks. We accept both cash and card payments.

Toilets and baby change facilities

There are toilets and baby change facilities located on the ground floor off the café, and upstairs outside the conference suite. There is a further accessible toilet with baby change facilities located in the Red Lion Inn. The whole site is fully accessible for wheelchairs and prams.

Accessibility

The museum is fully accessible with designated disabled parking bays, accessible toilets, lifts to first floor levels and a hearing induction loop. Guide dogs are allowed in the buildings. A full access report is available on the Disabled Go  website.

Guide dogs only within the buildings. Well behaved dogs on a lead are welcome in the outside grounds.

Information for your visit

Please dress appropriately for an industrial site. We recommend sensible footwear (clogs would have been worn by workers) and warm clothing (the historic core is no longer heated by the furnaces).

Please be guided by the directional signs, safety notices and barriers to ensure all members of your group have a fantastic experience.

We remind all visitors to be constantly aware of uneven floors, low head heights and black barrier webbing.

The entire Lion Salt Works site is NON SMOKING.

UK’S TOP SALT SCIENTIST VISITS WINSFORD SALT MINE

The UK’s largest salt mine in Winsford, owned by Compass Minerals, is a unique resource for UK scientists interested in the study of salt, says Professor Chris Jackson, the new Chair of Sustainable Geoscience at Manchester University and the UK’s top salt scientist. Professor Chris Jackson, a previous presenter of the highly prestigious Royal Institution’s Christmas lecture, was on an underground tour of Compass Mineral’s mine in Winsford, Cheshire. 

Until recently a professor at Imperial College, London, Professor Chris Jackson, said: “ Salt is a fascinating substance on so many different levels.  On a day-to-day basis, salt (in moderation) is essential for a healthy life as it helps your brain and nerves send electrical impulses. But my passion is in how the distribution of salt deposits records ancient Earth environments, and how these rocks can deform.  So being able to actually go beneath ground, to this working mine that is not normally open to visitors, and to look at just a small part of the huge deposits of salt beneath the Cheshire Plain, is both fascinating and intensely interesting from a scientific point of view.    

“By a long way, Compass Minerals’ Winsford mine is the biggest in the UK, which makes it a unique scientific resource. I very much hope that in the future, undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Manchester might be able to undertake their research here with the kind support of Compass Minerals. These students could also make use of the records in the Salt Library at Weaver Hall Museum, as well as the resources of the award-winning Lion Salt Works Museum.”  Cleared by Professor Chris Jackson  

Kate Harland, Museums & Heritage Manager, Lion Salt Works Museum, who was also on the tour, said: “The salt below the Cheshire Plains is vast, covering the areas beneath the three traditional Cheshire salt towns of Northwich, Middlewich and Nantwich. Many people will know that ‘wich’ denotes the presence of salt in the towns’ name but many people are possibly not aware that salt has been a crucial part of the history and economy of Cheshire for thousands of years, not just the last few centuries. After years of working at the Lion Salt Works Museum in Northwich, one of the last open-pan, salt-making sites in the world, I am delighted to have seen the salt beneath ground. It is extraordinary that the mine is beneath such a lot of Northwich and that the red sand that makes up our local Cheshire sandstone is also in the salt beds, varying from light pink to red in colour. It has given me lots of fresh inspiration to take back to the Lion Salt Works Museum.”   

Chris Heywood, Commercial Director, Compass Minerals, said: “At Compass Minerals, we are committed to being part of the community and reaching out to diverse areas, including academia, local government, charities and businesses. On this tour, I was also delighted to welcome; George Westlake, Chairman, Lion Salt Works Trust and also Harry Young, a third-year Coventry University geography student, who comes from Chester, who is studying salt and is also a Friend of the Lion Salt Works Trust.”  

“The Winsford Salt Mine is the largest in the UK and mines rock salt. During the winter, it is Cheshire rock salt that is used for gritting the UK’s icy roads and pavements to help keep people safe and industry moving. For some years, Compass Minerals has taken advantage of its huge empty caverns to offer a DeepStore records management and storage facility. We not only offer huge amounts of secure bespoke storage but because it is a salt mine, our storage facility offers ideal conditions for storing documents and historical artefacts.”   

The Lion Salt Works Museum is one of the world’s last open-pan,salt-making sites and is so rare it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument with the same protection status as Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall. It tells the story of salt in Cheshire through fun, interactive displays, including a ‘sound and light’ show, an automaton and ‘subsiding house’. The Museum has a café, butterfly garden, free parking and an industrially-themed play area.  

The million pound question

School opening is a class act

All change at car parks

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What is the history of the Winsford Salt Mine?

The Fascinating History of the Winsford Salt Mine

As a digital nomad, I am constantly fascinated by the history and cultural heritage of different regions around the world. One such intriguing location is the Winsford Salt Mine in Cheshire, England. This ancient mine has a rich history dating back over 2000 years and has played a significant role in the region’s development. In this article, I will take you on a journey through time to explore the captivating history of the Winsford Salt Mine.

The Discovery of Rock Salt Deposits

The story of Winsford’s salt mining industry begins with the discovery of rock salt deposits in 1844. Interestingly, the salt was actually found by local prospectors who were searching for coal. They stumbled upon the rock salt deposits instead, which led to the opening of Meadow Bank Mine, the original name of the mine with just two shafts.

Oldest and Largest Salt Mine in the UK

The Winsford Salt Mine holds the distinction of being the oldest and largest working mine in the UK. It is situated approximately 150 meters beneath the Cheshire countryside and has a fascinating history that dates back to its opening in 1844.

Role of Salt in Winsford’s Development

From the 1830s, salt became increasingly important to Winsford, primarily due to the collapsing salt mines in the nearby town of Northwich. As a result, Winsford needed another source of salt, leading to the development and expansion of the Winsford Salt Mine.

Mining Techniques and Salt Characteristics

The Winsford Salt Mine employs a room and pillar method of mining. This method involves leaving around 25% of the available rock salt behind to support the roof of the mine. The salt extracted from the mine possesses unique characteristics, with some crystals displaying a pinkish hue. This coloration is believed to be a result of sand blown in from eastern deserts, along with other geological influences.

Exploring Deeper into the Winsford Salt Mine

The Winsford Salt Mine boasts an extensive network of tunnels, stretching over 260 kilometers (160 miles). These tunnels are held in place by the room and pillar mining method, ensuring the stability of the mine. The depth of the mine reaches approximately 150 meters, housing a vast reserve of rock salt beneath the Cheshire countryside.

Winsford’s Prominent Geographical Feature: The Flashes

One of the most notable geographical features of Winsford is the Flashes. These open water areas are formed by the dissolution of salt from underlying rock and the subsequent collapse of the overlying rock. The Flashes in Winsford are the largest and most well-known, adding to the unique landscape of the region.

Ownership and Management of the Winsford Salt Mine

The Winsford Salt Mine is currently owned and managed by Compass Minerals, a parent company of DeepStore. With the capacity to mine 1.5 million tons of rock salt annually, the mine continues to be a significant contributor to the salt industry in the UK.

FAQs: Exploring Further into the Winsford Salt Mine

1. How were salt mines operated before modern technology? – Before the advent of modern machinery, salt mining was an expensive and dangerous operation. Miners dealt with rapid dehydration caused by constant exposure to salt dust and encountered various other challenges.

2. Is the Winsford Salt Mine purely a salt mine? – Yes, the Winsford Salt Mine is primarily focused on extracting and producing rock salt. It has been a major source of salt for centuries and continues to play a crucial role in the salt industry.

3. Can the Winsford Salt Mine run out of salt? – The Winsford Salt Mine has vast reserves of rock salt that can be mined for many years to come. As long as there is a demand for salt and the mine’s operations remain sustainable, salt will continue to be extracted.

4. Are there any environmental impacts associated with salt mining? – Salt mining, like any extractive industry, has some environmental impacts. These include the alteration of the landscape and potential impacts on groundwater quality. However, responsible mining practices aim to mitigate these impacts and ensure environmental sustainability.

5. How does the Winsford Salt Mine benefit the local community? – The Winsford Salt Mine provides employment opportunities and contributes to the local economy. It also helps preserve the region’s heritage and cultural identity by maintaining the salt mining tradition that dates back centuries.

6. Can visitors explore the Winsford Salt Mine? – Unfortunately, the Winsford Salt Mine is not open to the public for regular tours. However, there may be occasional special events or guided tours organized to offer visitors a glimpse into the fascinating underground world of salt mining.

7. Are there any plans for future expansion or development of the Winsford Salt Mine? – As of now, there haven’t been any publicized plans for significant expansion or development of the Winsford Salt Mine. However, with the growing demand for rock salt and the mine’s rich reserves, future developments are always a possibility.

8. Can the salt extracted from the Winsford Salt Mine be used for consumption? – Yes, the rock salt extracted from the Winsford Salt Mine can be purified and processed to produce edible salt. However, the primary focus of the mine is the extraction of rock salt for industrial and commercial purposes.

In conclusion, the Winsford Salt Mine is a fascinating historical site that showcases the importance of salt mining in the region’s development. With its rich history, unique characteristics, and significant contribution to the salt industry, the mine stands as a testament to human ingenuity and the enduring value of this essential mineral.

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Watch: Going underground at Cheshire salt mine

Reporter David Holmes takes a trip down the county's famous mine to learn how Cheshire keeps the UK's roads clear of ice every winter

• 21:00, 19 MAY 2016
• Updated 11:04, 20 MAY 2016

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Think of Cheshire and you might conjure up images of cheese, a grinning cat, lush fields, quaint villages and rich celebrities.

But away from the chocolate box packaging, those of us who live in the county know we are also home to industry, including Britain’s oldest working mine dating back to 1844.

As a Yorkshire man, coal mining was part of my family history and background but rather than the black stuff, we are talking here about the white stuff in the form of rock salt used to de-ice roads across the UK every winter.

The importance of salt to the county over time is reflected in the names of many of Cheshire’s towns including Northwich , Middlewich and Nantwich because ‘Wych’ often means brine town.

So I was excited on being offered the opportunity to go down Winsford Rock Salt Mine on a special visit where I discovered their particular salt is actually pink in colour because of the impurities.

Slightly unnerving was the safety briefing where we got kitted out with a hard hat, torch and an oxygen self rescuer in the event of fire. Reassuringly nobody had ever needed to break into the canister which features a mouthpiece and nose clip allowing you to breathe uncontaminated air in an emergency.

Soon we were travelling 600 feet down to the salt seam in a lift which opened out into what I can only describe as feeling like the caped crusader’s Bat Cave on a vast scale but with no sign of any super heroes or Alfred the butler.

Everything is held up by leaving literally pillars of salt, not a biblical reference, but a technique known as pillar and stall based on precise calculations. The deeper the depth and support required, the larger the pillars.

The go-to man and guide for the day was Gary Sinclair, the mine manager and a former Staffordshire coal miner, who drove our minibus around a network of underground roads in a mine with high ceilings and huge caverns.

Related story: Lion Salt Works Museum scoops top conservation award

It’s strange seeing vehicles, including heavy machinery, underground. Many of the 120-plus fleet had to be dismantled and then transported down one of the mine’s three shafts inside a 15 ton skip before being reassembled.

A layer of salt dust covers the ground wherever you look, which Gary says is great for killing weeds in your garden.

Fortunately, breathing in the salt particles, unlike coal dust, is not harmful to health as it dissolves in the lungs rather than getting lodged there forever.

On the subject of breathing, two ventilation fans, worth £500,000, ensure a flow of air at all times.

Gary explains that millions of pounds has been invested in the mine that keeps Britain moving in the depths of the harshest winters. Who are the customers?

He explained: “Local authorities, highways agencies, Highways England etc. They have their own stock pile which we supply.”

Gary jokingly confesses that he prays for a harsh winter as the 81 underground jobs depend on it – in total the workforce is double that number.

A particularly bad British winter in 2009 saw reserves almost run out as salt suppliers could not keep pace with demand at a time when councils did not keep their own stock piles.

Soon we are introduced to a monster-sized £3.2m rock cutting machine, a JOY 12HM36, named ‘Joy’ for short, operated by remote control and monitored in real time from a base in Derbyshire.

Joy uses tungsten steel cutting picks fitted to a drum to claw away the rock salt. The excavated rock salt is collected underneath and passed through the machine to a conveyor system before being transported to the crushing and screening stations then lifted to the surface.

Gary says his employer Compass Minerals has brought in latest techniques to improve productivity.

“We’ve changed,” he said. “It was a business that wasn’t exposed to change so you’d got entrenched mentalities and behaviours.”

A new area of exploration saw £9m investment, explained the mine manager, who said 1,000 tons of material can be extracted per shift with the aim of achieving an average of 1,800 tons.

“I feel exceptionally proud of what we’ve achieved and we did it with not one injury. We are moving tons and tons of equipment and we had nobody that got so much as a scratch,” he continued.

“I said to the guys, ‘To do what you’re doing, to develop somewhere for the next 30 years of employment for somebody is something to be proud of’. It’s a legacy that most people don’t get the chance to leave behind.“

The other side of the business is secure archive storage by company Deep Store in abandoned workings. We didn’t have time to visit this section of the mine but we did see documents being loaded onto fork lift trucks underground.

Once back on the surface we were given lumps of salt as a memento of our trip and I suspect we also smuggled a pinch or two within our bodies as I could taste salt for a few hours following the visit.

• Most Recent

The rock salt deposits at Winsford were discovered in 1844

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Welcome to Winsford Rock Salt Mine

the online educational resource for the UK's largest rock salt mine

Having a blast...

...early mining production at winsford.

Before the purchase of the continuous mining machine the only method of extraction used at Winsford was the drilling and blasting technique. It was used for nearly 70 years and, despite a few changes and advances in machinery, the basic five point technique remained unchanged.

Undercutting

Once the rock has been marked to keep the correct mining horizon, the undercutters - like big chainsaws with tungsten cutting picks - cut a 4.6 metre slot at the base of the face.

The next stage is to drill a 'drag cut' pattern of holes. This is a set of holes drilled horizontally and a set of holes at downward angles which almost meet the undercut.

The last drill used at Winsford was a hydraulic drilling jumbo. It had two drilling arms which measured the size of the face so the drill pattern on the computer could be selected. The electrically powered drills operated independently, making approximately 70 holes.

Once drilled, the holes are charged with explosives and then detonated. The bottom holes are detonated first to ensure sufficient clearance in the tunnel. A typical blast would yield 1,250 tonnes of salt.

Loading out

After the area is declared safe the loading shovel would move in to load up. Winsford has the largest wheeled loading shovel in any underground UK mine - it carries up to 18 tonnes in its bucket.

Until 1978 the CAT machines loaded the salt into dump trucks which then drove it to the crushing plant. Nowadays we use a face line crusher system and conveyor belts to transport the salt to No 5 shaft for elevation.

The last part of the process is to remove loose rock and make the area safe for future working. This was originally done by hand scalers and later by mechanical scalers.

Read more about how rock salt is extracted from Winsford today

Download the Winsford Rock Salt Mine Drilling and Blasting