002.176.Idrija

Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija

Public

Republic of Slovenia

/

Mine

The mining drill has a clamping spindle with specially adapted spacer above the front part of the shaft, which serves for the drill to be inserted in the drilling hammer. The drill has a hexagonal-shaped shaft. On the other side it ends with a pointed tip.

Length 172 cm, diameter 2.5 cm.

Iron

1960s

Manufacturer information is not known.

The drill was an integral part of the drilling hammer, which was used for drilling mine wells at the working site in the Idrija Mercury Mine. Drills of different length and thickness were used for drilling. While working, the miner held the handle and pressed the lever, which released compressed air in the drilling hammer. Simultaneously, it was necessary to strongly press the blade of the drill into the rock. The drill rotation allowed the crown with the blade to gradually hit the entire surface of the well. Especially when drilling into hard rock drill was necessary to grind, even during work in a pit. After 1874 and the introduction of the machine drilling in the pit of the Idrija Mine, the low quality of the drills which caused their breakage, made work even more difficult. By improving the quality of the material itself, these problems gradually decreased. Within the outdoor plants of the mine, the sharpening plant also operated, where the drills (and the crowns) were sharpened at the end of the working shift. On average, between the years 1967 and 1980, they produced 9,000 m of wells and 8,000 m of tunnels annually.

The drill is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the CUDHg mine collection. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum display Anthony's Main Road. It is a part of the presentation that represents the entire story of mining in the Idrija Mercury Mine and with the related work process. The drill is located on the 20th level of the Kropáč mining field and represents a device for the mechanical method of drilling and ore acquisition.

The Pit of the Idrija Mercury Mine.

Anthony’s Main Road, Kosovelova 3, SI-5280 Idrija

The object is well preserved. It was restored for the purpose of the permanent museum display. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premises is taken care of.

good

Regular seasonal maintenance.

- CUDHg Inventory Book.

Mestni muzej Idrija

Miha Kosmač

6. 3. 2018

Never