1. The History
Sallet Hole Mine No.1 is located just southeast of the Derbyshire village of Stoney Middleton. It is classified as ‘mixed-mine’, having been worked for lead, barytes, and fluorspar over the years. It was originally driven as a “sough” (an underground channel for draining water out of a mine) to the workings under Longstone Edge, before being modified into a haulage level circa 1840-42. A 32ft diameter water-wheel was also installed to power crushing rollers here, although all traces of the wheel have been destroyed by later workings.
In the 20th century it was worked for fluorspar, initially between 1926 and 1930, and then again from 1965, under the ownership of Laporte minerals. It was used to exploit the ore below open-cast workings along a strike of around 3.5km. Working Deep Rake below the depth of the opencast workings on Longstone Edge, it used the long-hole caving mining technique (also known as “stoping”) where haulage drives were made in the limestone, parallel to the vein. Up until September 1984, a narrow-gauge rail system was used to move the ore out of the mine, until it was then replaced by road haulage.
In 1987, after persistent tunnelling the mine finally linked up with the nearby Watersaw mine, also known as Sallet Hole No.2. In 1990 it produced 73,000 tonnes of ore, which contained between 45-50% Calcium Fluoride (Ca F2), twice the content of the nearby open-cast mining operations. In 1991 the mine was reported to be employing 38 men with annual production dropping slightly to 66,000 tonnes. The mine finally closed in 1998, and water still flows from the adit entrance it today.
2. The Explore
The hike up to Sallet is a good 30 minutes or so. But it is well worth the effort as this place really is a proper big mine with an impressive entrance. There are a few reports up on here, but not a comprehensive one of the three levels we accessed. @Mr Budge and his superb report from September 2023 focuses on the stuff beyond the major collapses on the haulage level HERE and looks at a totally different part of the mine to what we saw. Also, @MotionlessMike and his report from July 2020 HERE has some great pics from the 130m level.
It’s usually pretty wet, but given the recent dry weather, this was the driest I’ve seen it. I’ve been in the main 150m haulage level several times but not braved the infamous ladders. Visited in the always enjoyable company of @Bikin Glynn and two non-forum members, this time we did. The ladders are 60 or so metres along the passage behind the medical post. This section was still pretty wet as the collapses act as dams for the water. Three ladders take you up 20m to the 130m level. To be honest, these weren’t as bad as we thought they were going to be, although care needs to be taken. The ladders are iron and the wood they are attached to reasonably solid. At the 130m level, there are all sorts of goodies including several tipper wagons so it’s definitely worth the effort. It was, however, a complete mud-fest and I was glad I’d opted for my trusty waders rather than wellies.
After we’d looked round this level in both directions, we then went up 90m via five ladders to the 40m(?) level. The ladders here a little longer and there is a bit of wobble on the last one, but again not as sketchy as we were expecting. There’s less to traverse and see here, but the semi-collapsed canteen area and the loco charging plinths are well worth a look.
After that, it was time to make our way back down the ladders and out along the main adit.
Overall, a fantastic mine, but given the past collapses, one to treat with caution.
3. The Pictures
Here we are:
And we’re in:
Along the main drive we go:
Quick peek in the side passage:
Normally this is a mini-lake!
Giant Jenga!
Back out:
And on we push:
To the first aid post.
Love this old lamp:
More illumination:
Former electrics:
Sprinkler system:
Beyond the first aid-post we go. Looking back:
And looking forward:
Past the ladders there’s this ore chute:
Beyond here it gets a bit collapse-y:
Sallet Hole Mine No.1 is located just southeast of the Derbyshire village of Stoney Middleton. It is classified as ‘mixed-mine’, having been worked for lead, barytes, and fluorspar over the years. It was originally driven as a “sough” (an underground channel for draining water out of a mine) to the workings under Longstone Edge, before being modified into a haulage level circa 1840-42. A 32ft diameter water-wheel was also installed to power crushing rollers here, although all traces of the wheel have been destroyed by later workings.
In the 20th century it was worked for fluorspar, initially between 1926 and 1930, and then again from 1965, under the ownership of Laporte minerals. It was used to exploit the ore below open-cast workings along a strike of around 3.5km. Working Deep Rake below the depth of the opencast workings on Longstone Edge, it used the long-hole caving mining technique (also known as “stoping”) where haulage drives were made in the limestone, parallel to the vein. Up until September 1984, a narrow-gauge rail system was used to move the ore out of the mine, until it was then replaced by road haulage.
In 1987, after persistent tunnelling the mine finally linked up with the nearby Watersaw mine, also known as Sallet Hole No.2. In 1990 it produced 73,000 tonnes of ore, which contained between 45-50% Calcium Fluoride (Ca F2), twice the content of the nearby open-cast mining operations. In 1991 the mine was reported to be employing 38 men with annual production dropping slightly to 66,000 tonnes. The mine finally closed in 1998, and water still flows from the adit entrance it today.
2. The Explore
The hike up to Sallet is a good 30 minutes or so. But it is well worth the effort as this place really is a proper big mine with an impressive entrance. There are a few reports up on here, but not a comprehensive one of the three levels we accessed. @Mr Budge and his superb report from September 2023 focuses on the stuff beyond the major collapses on the haulage level HERE and looks at a totally different part of the mine to what we saw. Also, @MotionlessMike and his report from July 2020 HERE has some great pics from the 130m level.
It’s usually pretty wet, but given the recent dry weather, this was the driest I’ve seen it. I’ve been in the main 150m haulage level several times but not braved the infamous ladders. Visited in the always enjoyable company of @Bikin Glynn and two non-forum members, this time we did. The ladders are 60 or so metres along the passage behind the medical post. This section was still pretty wet as the collapses act as dams for the water. Three ladders take you up 20m to the 130m level. To be honest, these weren’t as bad as we thought they were going to be, although care needs to be taken. The ladders are iron and the wood they are attached to reasonably solid. At the 130m level, there are all sorts of goodies including several tipper wagons so it’s definitely worth the effort. It was, however, a complete mud-fest and I was glad I’d opted for my trusty waders rather than wellies.
After we’d looked round this level in both directions, we then went up 90m via five ladders to the 40m(?) level. The ladders here a little longer and there is a bit of wobble on the last one, but again not as sketchy as we were expecting. There’s less to traverse and see here, but the semi-collapsed canteen area and the loco charging plinths are well worth a look.
After that, it was time to make our way back down the ladders and out along the main adit.
Overall, a fantastic mine, but given the past collapses, one to treat with caution.
3. The Pictures
Here we are:
And we’re in:
Along the main drive we go:
Quick peek in the side passage:
Normally this is a mini-lake!
Giant Jenga!
Back out:
And on we push:
To the first aid post.
Love this old lamp:
More illumination:
Former electrics:
Sprinkler system:
Beyond the first aid-post we go. Looking back:
And looking forward:
Past the ladders there’s this ore chute:
Beyond here it gets a bit collapse-y:
Last edited:
