Balatoc Mines

On VDay weekend, TC invited us to Baguio for the nth time. And FINALLY, S said yes. When we got there, we wondered what took us so long to say yes! But more on that later.

What I wanted to share with you guys (parang ang dami ninyo hahaha) that we did a tour of a mine. As in MINAHAN (is that right?).  You can see my certificate on the left! =)


One of the things on itinerary was the mine tour. Before actually getting there and checking it all out, it sounded so *relevant* because of the Chilean miners. The funny thing is, we didn't think that an accident *could have* happened, we just did it!

And it was really cool! S says it was around half an hour to the site from the city. I have no idea, because it was mostly up a mountain and down another.

Here are some pictures to tell the story ---

We were walking to the mine entrance here.

The guide told us that this was where all the miners entered. She gave us these things called choppas (next picture) which each miner was to drop in a little container by the entrance. At the end of each day, they collect the choppas again to know if anyone is left in the mine. (This obviously happens when there are choppas left in the case.)

The number on my choppa was 130,200, meaning I was the 130,200th visitor to Balatoc Mines of BC = Benguet Corporation.

See the sacks behind our guide (in pink)? Those contained stones with gold flecks. These were going to be sent to the grinder so that they could separate the flecks from the stone.

Here's Kid2 as we walk to the entrance to the tunnel.

Along the way, our guide showed us some machines used inside the mine. I was able to take a picture of one machine only!

This is called a diamond drill and is used to (obviously) drill holes in the stones.

Because the miners were deep in the mine the entire day, it would be too difficult to come out for a potty break. So here, they have a toilet car in the mine.

Because the kids were apprehensive to enter the mine (initially), our nice guide gave them stones with iron pyrite, or fool's gold. Para matuwa naman sila.

Here is another one.

Here is a whole of of them stones with fool's gold!

And finally, the entrance of the mine! Scary and exciting at the same time! Scary kasi muddy and I am too much of a klutz.

Some areas had incandescent lamps, but mostly we had our own flashlights.

Our guide told us that a clue to gold is iron pyrite and gold veins (as below). You can't seem much because of the flash but there is a line running from the red rope on top to the red line below, that's the gold vein. When they see these signs, there is a possibility that there is gold behind. So....

...they make little holes by drilling in many spots, and...

...putting in dynamite to blow it up. Here our guide shows us a stick of dynamite (yellow). These are stuck into the little holes drilled and the wall is blow up. And they actually did. They blew up a small piece of dynamite so we could all feel how it was! There was a phoooooom sound (as opposed to a "pow" sound) and we felt the impact because of the wind! Then a black cloud appeared!

We saw stalactites too! Nothing impressive, but stalactites nevertheless.

This here was taken at the end of the tour, in the place where we started.

For those interested, it's PhP250 per adult and PhP150 per child. It was at Balatoc Mines, and I'm sure people of Baguio know where to direct you. It's past the Philippine Military Academy is all I know. (not much help there!) But I googled it and some sites are more helpful. Check THIS, THIS, and THIS.