Driving of the Goodluck Adit commenced in October 1830. It was originally driven as an exploratory level from which the miners hoped to find new veins of galena, the principal ore of lead. This is a very hard, heavy, silvery coloured mineral, lead sulphide. From the level it was also intended to intersect a number of existing working lead veins at a much greater depth than they were being worked at that time. Having cut these veins, the miners working them were then allowed to bring their ore out through the new level, using the wagons and tramway, instead of laboriously hand - winding the ore up the various shafts to the surface which had been the case previously. They could also use the adit for easier access to their workings instead of using the climbing shafts.

The exploratory level continued to be driven deeper into the hillside, until the miners eventually intersected the lead veins being worked from the mines owned by John Alsop. Connecting shafts were then sunk from these mines to connect with the new levels. By doing so, all the minerals could now be trammed from the workings to the surface, also the miners now gained easier access to all the workings. Another advantage gained from linking the shafts and workings to the new levels,was that natural ventilation was created. This considerably improved the working conditions underground. The air flow strength and direction was determined by the outside weather conditions, so this gave an indication to the miners as to what was happening outside.

Levels and veins were worked through out by hand drilling of shot holes for gunpowder blasting. This was an extremely arduous task, as each hole took around 1 1/2 hours to drill. Left - handed miners were in great demand, especially in the extremely cramped conditions in the mine workings.

The hey day of Goodluck Mine was around the 1850's during which years, considerable quantities of ore were mined, but the following years saw a decline in mining activity in Derbyshire, as the price of lead continued to fall, due to cheaper lead being imported from Europe and other sources. The mine continued to be worked for galena and other mineral such as barytes, calcite and fluorspar, right upto 1952, after which time the mine was finally abandoned. The adit entrance became derelict and finally collapsed, sealing the workings for another twenty years until 1972.

Goodluck Mine is now preserved and restored to illustrate how a typical Derbyshire lead mine could have looked in the mid - nineteenth century. The work has been done by volunteers in their own time and expense, to provide an educational amenity for schools, colleges, local history groups, clubs and societies. The project, which is now run by the Goodluck Mine Preservation Club, receives some grants from mining history organisations, but otherwise relies solely on donations given by visitors, and from the volunteers themselves.

Work underground continues to excavate and open up the abandoned passage ways and tunnels which had been systematically back - filled many years ago by the lead miners, or "t'owd man" as he is called by the mining historians.

On the surface, excavation and preservation work is exposing and consolodating the remains of structures made by the miners to enable them to process the lead ore, which they brought out of the underground workings.

It is hoped to re - create the surface features to a fully working state, using the original features, complemented by carefully selected items rescued from other endangered or destroyed mining sites.

Look at the new website at www.goodluckmine.org.uk - for up to date details!!!

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© R.Amner. 2001.