Hard Rock Miners - Juneau, AK
Posted by: Groundspeak Charter Member neoc1
N 58° 17.933 W 134° 24.340
8V E 534837 N 6462140
A monument dedicated to hard rock miners who drilled for gold in Juneau is located in a plaza on the waterfront south of Egan Dr. in Juneau, AK.
Waymark Code: WMZ8XE
Location: Alaska, United States
Date Posted: 10/01/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Outspoken1
Views: 11

This bronze sculpture was commissioned by the city and borough of Juneau during its centennial anniversary year. The monument was was created by Juneau artist Ed Way, and was erected in 1981 for the 100th anniversary of the founding of Juneau.

The sculpture depicts a pair of miners wearing overalls with their sleeves rolled up to their upper arms. They are operating a drill in a mine in front of a support column. The miner on the right is kneeling while holding a metal bar with both hands. The miner on the left is bent forward at the waist and positioning a drill with his left hand.

A bronze plaque to the right of the miners is inscribed:

HARD ROCK MINERS

THIS BRONZE SCULPTURE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE CITY AND BOROUGH OF JUNEAU DURING ITS CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY YEAR, AND IS DEDICATED TO THE MINE WHOSE WORK PROVIDED THE LIFEBLOOD OF JUNEAU DURING IT FIRST SIX DECADES.

IN THE LATE 1800’S, COMPRESSED – AIR MACHINE DRILLS REPLACED HAND DRILLS AS THE PRINCIPLE TOOLS OF HARD ROCK MINERS. THIS DEVELOPMENT ENABLED MINERS TO HANDLE GREAT QUANTITIES OF ORE AT AN ACCEPTABLE LOW COST. AS A RESULT, LODES CONTAINING LOW-GRADE ORE DEPOSIT, SUCH AS THOSE IN THE JUNEAU GOLDBELT, BECAME PROFITABLE TO MINE. IN THIS SCULPTURE THE PNEUMATIC DRILL IS A GENERALIZED VERSION OF MANY DIFFERENT TYPES USED OVER THE YEARS. THE DRILLS WERE FED AIR BY HOSE FROM THE SURFACE STEAM ENGINES AND USED PISTONS TO WORK THE “STEELS” BACK AND FORTH IN THE DRILL HOLES. TRADITIONALLY A PATTERN OF SEVEN HOLES AND CHARGES WOULD BE EMPLOYED WHEN CUTTING A TUNNEL. A TEAM OF MINERS DRILLED THE FACE OF THE TUNNEL THOUGH A SINGLE EIGHT OR TEN HOUR SHIFT AND BLASTED IT JUST BEFORE QUITTING. THE SEQUENCE OF CLEANUP, MORE DRILLING AND BLASTING WOULD BEGIN ANEW IN THE NEXT SHIFT. THE ALASKA-JUNEAU MINE, WHICH OPENED IN 1897, CEASED OPERATING IN 1944, BEGINNING AND END TO AN ERA. THE TOTAL OUTPUT OF THE JUNEAU GOLDBELT WAS OVER SEVEN MILLION OUNCES OF GOLD.

SCULPTURE BY JUNEAU ARTIST ED WAY

Sector of the workforce: Gold Miners

Created or Donated by which group: City of Juneau

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