22/04/2025 - Evening

 22/04/2025 - Alex Randall, Mike Kushy, Hollie London, Sam Hill - 3hrs

4no big skips lifted to surface - 2025 running total 7no.

On arrival MK started up the plant and sent the surface skip down. AR arrived and continued trying to turn a beer keg into a larger skip for the Echo Pot hoist (this is using far more grinder discs and batteries than expect and may prove a complete waste of time). MK went down, filled the skip, then came back up, to raise it and empty it. HL now arrived, so MK & HL went back down as AR lowered the skip, and they filled it at the bottom then started hauling with the electric hoists lower down.

Meanwhile AR went to visit Wayne, who had just arrived back from holiday, to collect supplies, and returned to site to raise the now full surface skip and send it back down with with 2no drills and other required kit. Late for the second week in a row SH now arrived.

AR headed down to the end with the drilling equipment to complete the holes started last week. This turned into a pig of a task, as the holes had got damp resulting in the drill bits constantly clogging, draining batteries rapidly and overloading drills. Over 10Ah of 36v batteries and two drills later this was done.

Simultaneously the others were operating the electric winches, and filling the 166' skip. MK left for tea, raising and lowering the 166' on his way. SH refilled this.

AR returned from the dig, and at 9pm hauling was ceased with <10 bags left to haul at the bottom of Echo. A very loud bang was then heard from below and the team left, bringing up the full 166' skip one more time.

Dumper left full on surface for emptying another day. 

Production likely to slow over the next couple of months with SH on extended holiday. Intend to focus on improving hauling between the dig and the base of Echo Pot.


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