COALMINE CAVE, Lumshnong (aa -)

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1997.02.24, trip 1: Simon J. Brooks, Paul Arthur Edmunds, Brian D. Kharpran Daly and Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler enter parts of a coalmine up to a pitch »that was left undescended due to the lack of equipment« (Brooks, S J in: BROOKS, S J et al 1998: 29). 1997.03.02, trip 2: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt, Boycott, Antony 'Tony' and Andrew "Andy"Peter Tyler performed a »pre-breakfast trip. A stroll through the natural tunnel of Krem Liat Hati was enjoyed and the 2‘ [0.6 m] high coal mine at the second entrance reached to find four local (actually Bihari) miners working underground and on the surface. It being Sunday, we had assumed that the mine would be empty but these Bihari lads were quite happy to let us disrupt things and one crawled in in front to point out the undescended natural shaft right at the side of the current working face. The others then came in and the seven of us became entangled in a mess of ropes, ladder, coal filled wooden truck and assorted paraphernalia. A stout tree branch wedged over part of the c. 8 m diameter pot was ignored and a belay made round a pillar of standing coal and shale. After taking photos of the miners I was lifelined by Tony over the edge and made an easy and pleasant descent of this [15 m] deep pot to a floor of mine spoil sloping down to a spiky meandering passage. About 10 m further on was a c. 6 m deep second pitch which I didn't descend. Back up to the audience above (one of whom was laying balanced on the tree branch directly over the pot!) and a few more snaps before shaking hands with our hard working colleagues and going back for breakfast. A superb novelty trip« (Jarratt, Anthony 'Tony' R. 1997 Mss: Cave log).On this occasion, »Tony, J-Rat and Andy make a return to Krem Mawiong where they descend 15 m down the first pitch, only to find another pitch, which was not descended as their rigging was stopping the coal miners from working« (Brooks, S J in: BROOKS, S J et al 1998: 30). 1998.02.28, trip 3: Brian Johnson and Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt: »… rigged the 15 m pitch using a rope tied around a pillar of coal and Brian descended to rig the second pitch of 8 m. Not finding a good belay, he hung the ladder from a sandstone boulder wedged in the floor and sat on it while I descended to reach a short, choked lower passage and horrific ongoing "popcorn"-covered meander which looked worse than an Austrian passage. I made a half hearted attempt at this before deciding it would be too expensive on skin and clothing before traversing half way up the pitch to check for a higher level. This was equally grim and there was no draught so we headed on out doing a partly bodged survey as we went« (Jarratt, Anthony 'Tony' R. 1998 Mss: Cave log). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 24/04/2016