Mining

How a friendly mining-school rivalry, two adventurous students, and 400 tons of limestone created a Platteville landmark.

This 80-foot towering concrete structure, complete with wheel, remains a stark reminder of the coal mining that took place here between 1904 and 1966.

Plaque commemorating the location of a underground nuclear bomb test in the 1970s.

The world’s largest museum dedicated to mining, complete with an underground show cave.

A heritage-listed, cast-iron tower that was used for stripping out components of raw coal gas.

A Victorian gravestone has a carving of a safety device invented in the 1860s that is still saving lives today.

Built into the side of Jack's Mountain, these steps were once the daily commute of local quarry-workers.

This abandoned open-pit copper mine features stunning turquoise mineral pools and excellent rock-hunting opportunities.

Weathered remnants of a coastal saltworks.

The site of Minnesota’s worst mining disaster, now reclaimed by nature.

Descend 100 meters underground to explore Finland’s mining history.

A glimpse of mining history just beyond the tree line.

In spite of its medieval appearance and name, this building actually dates back to the Industrial Revolution.

Remnants of a town from a bygone era.

This larger-than-life portrait in Nevada's silver boomtown is decorated with over 3,000 silver dollars.

A museum dedicated to the history of the diamond trade in the Netherlands.

A surreal abandoned mining site near West Africa’s tallest mountain.