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3. Repair shop
4. Repair area
5. Repair area
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The loading tipple is at far left where products would be transferred to railroad cars for shipment. The "Bull Gang" managed loading and maintenance in the Eagle River canyon. Robert E. Riggle was Bull Gang chief at one point.
The stairway at center goes into a mine entrance at about the 17 level. There are 80 feet between levels in the Gilman mine.
7. Repair shop
9. Drilling
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At 16 level, the ore train would dump rock into the large pit (Grizzly) at the bottom of which was located a jaw crusher. The crusher would send the ore into the ball mill and rod mill where the ore was pulverized to a fine powder.
Inside the ball mill, there would be ore and steel balls, approximately 10 in. in diameter. As the mill rotated, the ore was crushed by the balls. Eventually, the balls would wear down and Bob Riggle remembers his dad...
12. Flotation area
13. Repair shop
14. Zinc dryer
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The dryer building for zinc is at the far right. The zinc slurry would be heated and dried, leaving a very fine zinc powder. The powder was shipped in sealed box cars as it was so fine it would blow away in an open car. The rail line for shipping runs through the Eagle River Canyon (Belden area) so the final products for shipping were finished at this level.
15. Soda ash machine
16. Tamping dynamite
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Tamping in dynamite prior to blasting a section at Gilman. Holes that have been prepared are shown with electrical connections to the blasting caps and the dynamite. Joe Fear prepared the blasting caps on the surface. Bottom series of holes were detonated first to keep the miners from having to work so much loose debris - a true demonstration of the principle of gravity.
20. Surface tram
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The surface tram from Belden to the top of the mine complex at Gilman during a tour of the Gilman mine. The Grass Mountain Nightrider Snowmobile Club organized the tour. Durbin McIlnay would have been mine superintendent at that time.
There are 28 photos in this series taken by Bob Riggle, the only color series of which I'm aware. Should you question the captions or have further information, please let us know.