Loading and Haulage at the Indian Creek Mine

Indian Creek Mine, newest of the St. Joseph Lead Co. properties, is located in southeast Missouri on the flanks of a buried porphyry ridge. Here the orebodies are very irregular in size and shape and have a regional pitch of about 15°, which may vary locally from 0 to 90°. To maintain an economical grade of ore, selective mining is imperative. The room and casual pillar method is employed with 20-ft diam pillars 35 ft apart where possible. Stopes vary in height from 10 to 55 ft. All are too small to supply a loading unit continuously.