Thompson depot, Manitoba, CA 2008
The town of Thompson and Inco's operationsWhat an Underground Mine looks like
Anecdotal evidence tells me that not a large percentage of the general population has ever been in a real underground mine. It's certainly different! I actually enjoy the ambience and subdued light but some people find it very claustrophobic.
This photo was taken of me in 1987. It's actually from the MacLellan Mine near Lynn Lake, Manitoba, but Inco's mines around Thompson look very similar.
The revelation that everyone discovers the first time they go underground is what true blackness is really like! Unlike a dark room or closet, where your eyes eventually adjust to the darkness, when you're underground there is absolutely no light to adjust to! That's why everyone wears a "cap lamp" on their hardhat.
