Going Underground Trivia Quiz

Answer: USA

The mine is situated in Utah, not far from Salt Lake City, and has been used as a source of copper since the nineteenth century. The first recorded discovery was in 1848 by two Mormon brothers named Bingham, for whom the mine is named. They did not stake a claim, on the advice of their leader, Brigham Young, and large scale mining did not start until 1903, with the establishment of the Utah Copper Company.

The mine is actually an open pit, covering an area of 1,900 acres.

Answer: Sweden

This mine is situated in Lapland, and is described by many sources as the largest underground iron ore mine in the world. It has been in operation since 1898, and produces around 26 million tonnes of ore each year. Mining has taken its toll on the town of Kiruna, with subsidence meaning that it will need to be abandoned. Plans have been made to relocate the whole town, with this process having begun in 2014 and expected to take many years.

Answer: England

If you've ever watched the 'Poldark' television series, you might have recognised that Wheal is a common name for tin mines in Cornwall. In fact, the word comes from the Cornish language, where 'huel' means mine. Wheal Jane is located in West Cornwall, in the far south west of England not far from Redruth.

The mine is believed to have first been worked in the mid eighteenth century and eventually closed in 1992.

Answer: India

The mine is in Rajasthan, in India's north west, and has the largest deposits of both lead and zinc in the world. The deposits were discovered in 1977 with initial drilling being carried out in 1980. By 2016, the mine had become the world's largest producer of zinc.

Answer: Canada

The mine is in Canada's Northwest Territories, north-east of Yellowknife, the capital of the territory. Compared to some of the mines in the quiz, Diavik is recent with the first survey being carried out in 1992 and production beginning in 2003. Initially, mining was open cast but this had changed to underground by 2012.

Answer: South Africa

The mine is in South Africa's Northern Cape Province, and is also known as the Kalahari Manganese Field. Mining of manganese began in the 1970s. The mine is reported to contain a large part of the world's supply of the element, with Ukraine also having major reserves.

Answer: Wales

Much of south Wales, particularly the Rhondda Valley area, was known for its coal mining throughout the nineteenth century, providing fuel for the Industrial Revolution. By the end of the twentieth century, most mines had closed as concerns about pollution and environmental issues became more prevalent.

Big Pit is located in Blaenavon, and closed as a working mine in 1980. The site was re-opened as a heritage museum in 1983, as part of the National Museum of Wales. Visitors are able to take an underground tour to get a taste of what it would have been like to work underground. I'm feeling claustrophobic just typing this!

Answer: Poland

The reserves of salt in the region of Kolo County were discovered in the 1930s. Mining began in the 1950s, with the salt being described as being of high quality - the only treatment needed is crushing as the rock salt is over 95% pure sodium chloride.

Answer: Mexico

The mine is also known as the Mina Proano, with Fresnillo being the name of the company which owns it. Situated in the state of Zacatecas, the name of the mine and the company comes from the city of Fresnillo. Silver mining has been taking place at the site since the 1550s, with the company's own website describing it as being among the world's oldest mines to still be in operation. Apart from silver, the mine also produces gold, zinc and lead.

Answer: Australia

If I told you the mine was located in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, you'd most likely immediately think of the gold rush of the late nineteenth century. The mine is also known as the Super Pit and the Golden Mile, and was originally a series of individual mines, amalgamated in 1989. The area has been producing gold since 1893.