Lead, SD: Homestake Gold Mine and Sanford Underground Research Facility

Office: (Satellite, 68 photos)

Black Hills Mining Museum: (Satellite)

Sanford Underground Research Facility: (Satellite, this is the location of the current hoist)

Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center: (Satellite, 1,869 photos)

Western Mining History posted
The Homestake mine in Lead, South Dakota is the richest, deepest, and longest operating gold mine in the United States. This is what just the main part of the surface plants looked like in 1927. The infrastructure that was used to mine the gold and mill the ore was massive.
Western Mining History posted again with the same comment

Western Mining History: More photos from Lead, South Dakota: https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/south-dakota/lead/

 

Tom Kitchar commented on the second post on the mine's photo

I worked there 4 years (to 1984)... mostly between the 5900 to 6200 levels. At 6800 ft the rock was supposedly 120 degrees. From the surface going down the Yates shaft to the 4850 level took 2 minutes... then a train ride to Six shaft down to the 5900, 6050 or 6200 levels... then a train ride to our stope took One Hour... and another hour to get out.

Photo is ore from our stope (37D, 19 ledge, 6050 level)....

Erica Polkinghorn, Aug 2023, top

Erica Polkinghorn, Aug 2023, bottom

 

Rebecca Kaatz, Aug 2023, cropped

 

HerbnKathyRV, Jun 2019

HerbnKathyRV, Jun 2019

HerbnKathyRV, Jun 2019

 

LeadHistoricPreservation
"The Homestake Mining Company also supported innovative science.  In 1965, Dr. Ray Davis constructed an underground experiment that studied neutrinos in the universe.  The experiment was built on the 4850 Level of the Homestake Mine, after Homestake miners excavated a cavern dedicated to the Davis-Homestake Experiment.  His revolutionary work resulted in a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2002.
"This experiment, and the resulting opportunity created by the closing of the Homestake Mine, has allowed the development of numerous science experiments that require that the influence of the sun be negated.  The depth of the Homestake Mine provides that protection.  Today, experiments looking for dark matter, biological anomalies and further neutrino studies are occurring in the Homestake Mine.  Scientists, students, technicians, engineers and educators, from all over the United States and the world, all are convening in Lead, not unlike the numerous ethnic citizens that first developed the community of Lead."

I knew there was a series of neutrino detectors deep underground in an abandoned mine. If I remember correctly, the reason they go far underground is to reduce the noise from cosmic rays. Now I know where they were.

SanfordLab_DUNE

The DUNE detector will be more than a kilometer underground. [DuneScience]

2:08 video @ 0:46

1:55 video @ 1:35

If you know what the ring outside of the visitor center was used for, please explain in the comment section below.

Street View, Oct 2021

World Archaeology posted
1880s view of Lead City, South Dakota. Lead City is the location of the Homestake Mine, the nation's largest producer of gold for an underground mine. [So what above ground mine produced more gold?]