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Hey Richard, "The wall rock of the lodes was usually sound" means that the veinmaterial in which the (metalliferous) ore was located were firm enough to support mine corridors without the support of heavy mine timber. Stopes are semi vertical veinlike deposits that were usually worked by platform systems (if not reachable by hand). I think the method of back stoping might have to do with backfilling dead rock to reach higher places located on the stopes. I haven't got a clue about the underhand, but if the text handles about old mining methods it was usually by handrilling holes and gunpowder blasting that ore was recovered. Underhand might refer to a special way of hand-drilling?? About what timeframe are we talking about when you refer to as 'old' en in which minedistrict in the UK? Cheers from Leuven, Philip Philip Mostmans Windmolenveldstraat 1 B-3000 Leuven BELGIUM 2007/1/16, RDN <[log in to unmask]>: > > Hi group, > > I received recently an old English text on mining. Being a bad student, I > don't understand all the terminology. > Is there someone on the list who can clarify this sentence? > > ...The ore was easily mined from the steep pitching veins by "underhand" > and > "back stoping" methods. The wall rock of the lodes was usually sound. > Single > stick timbering generally sufficed.... > > What does 'the wall rock of the lodes was usually sound' means? > What are 'underhand' and 'back stoping' methods? > > Very kind regards from a area where no mining is... > > Richard > > > ____________________________ > Richard De Nul > Churchilllaan 330 > 2900 Schoten, Belgium > Tel.N°.: +32 (0) 3 658.75.36 > email: [log in to unmask] > http://www.denul.net > ____________________________ > > --