The Extraction Shaft Room(Joseph Mine).투르다 소금광산(Turda Salt Mine. Salina Turda). 투르다(Turda)

The Extraction Shaft Room(Joseph Mine).

투르다 소금광산(Turda Salt Mine. Salina Turda).

투르다(Turda). 루마니아(Romania)

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Joseph Mine (Mina losif)

The extraction of salt in the Joseph mine started in 1740 and its name was given in the honour of Emperor Joseph II. one can only view the mine from the balconies carved in the salt at the level of the transportation gallery. The connection between the surface and the inside of the mine is made through two shaft with a useful area of 6.5 sq m. The shafts were designed to provide access into the mine for the salt cutters, but also to ensure ventilation and a way to remove the salt. The base of the mine lines at the depth of 115 m below surface, and 80 m below the transportation gallery. The diameter of the mine, at its base, measures 67 meters. The shape of the mine (isolated, bell shape) along with the lack of connections with other chambers produce a powerful echo effect (high high-pitched sounds are echoed up to 20 times), this why it is called the "Echo Chamber".

The Trolley room (Camera Crivacului)

The trolley was built in 1881, and the year was "carved" on the vertical axis of the machine. The current machine replaced the first smaller trolley, which was installed in 1864. No other salt mine in Europe has such a machine, which is kept in its original location.

The trolley (the extraction machine) is a winch with a vertical axis known as the "gepel" and has four operating arms called "tovel"s, used to hitch the horses that by moving around the spindle, were driving the machine. At the top, on the reel of the trolley a hemp rope was wound two or three times, with its two ends passing over two pulleys and guided through the proximal shaft towards the base of the conical exploitation room.

On the ends of the rope the extraction containers were fitted (bags made of buffalo leather, barrow, sling). The length of the rope was sized so that one end was located at the base of the mine and the other at the opening of the extraction shaft. By rotating the trolley, one end of the rope was winding on the reel, while the other was unwinding, thus the bag loaded with lumps of salt went up to the surface while the empty bag was going down to the base of the mine in order to be loaded. Loading of the bags at the base and the unloading at the surface of the mine took place at the same time. If the rotation of the axis of the trolley was reversed, the extraction containers moved in the opposite direction.

The machine was driven by animal traction (horses); 1 or 2 horses were hitched to each arm, and horses were working in shifts. Before electricity was introduced in the salt mine, the only source of light in the octagonal room were torches. Due to the of poor illumination of the room and due to the circular motion, the horses used to go blind in about 2 weeks, because as they were taken out, their eyes were not covered, and the bright light outside had this defect. After about 6 months ther horses were unable to perform with maximum efficiency, and they there retired from mining / removed from the mine.

The mechanism can be action by authorized person only

The construction ensemble and mining equipment used for ensuring salt transportation between Rudolf mine and Franz Joseph gallery's level. The main element is the horse powered extraction machinery. Reconstruction on a 1:20 scale.

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