Quincy Mine Hoist

Useful Information

Location:	Hancock, MI.
Open:	Memorial Day to Labor Day Mon-Sat 9:30-17, Sun 11-17. Labor Day to Memorial Day Mon-Sat 10:30-16, Sun 12:30-16. Tours hourly. [2003]
Fee:	Full mine and surface tour: Adults USD 12.50, Children (6-13) USD 7. Surface tour and tram ride: Adults USD 7.50, Children (6-13) USD 2.50. [2003]
Classification:	Copper Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	VR=2,925 m, 98 levels, Ar=5 km².
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	Larry D. Lankton, Charles K. Hyde (): Old Reliable, An Illustrated History of the Quincy Mining Company., On sale in the mine gift shop for USD 32.95.
Address:	Quincy Mine Hoist Association, 49750 US-41, Hancock, MI 49930, Tel: +1-906-482-3101, booking +1-906-482-5569. E-mail: Ed Yarbrough
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1920	hoist commissioned.
1931	hoist decommissioned.

Description

Shaft No. 2, Quincy [Copper] Mine, Hancock, Mi., Detroit Publishing Co. no. 019057, c1906.

The Quincy Mine Hoist is the largest steam powered hoist ever manufactured, weighing more than 880 tons. It could lift 10 tons of ore at 16m/s, by serving the two incline skipways of Shaft No. 2, almost 2,900 m long. The overhead winding drum has a lenght of 9 m, divided into three 3 m long sections. The cylindrical center section is 9 m in diameter, both long end sections taper down to a 4.5 m diameter. Wire hoisting ropes, which weight almost 27 tons, could be wound onto a small end of the cylindrical drum as the other rope unwound from the cylindrical section. Thus the weight of the ropes was in equilibrium and the engine did not have to lift it.

The hoist was powered by two cross-compound Corliss engines with cylinder bores of 81 and 152 cm. The 167 cm stroke drove the drum directly. With steam at 11kg/cm², 1.8 MW was developed at 34 revolutions per minute. In its first year, the new hoist pulled larger loads, faster, thus saving Quincy $16,080 in fuel bills. The hoist operated from 1920 to 1931.

Quincy mine is rather big, being nearly 3 km deep, with 98 levels and an enormous extension of 5 square kilometers. This Shaft No. 2 is only one of 20 shafts and numerous adits, which allow access to the mine. An adit into the hillside nearby, which is connected to the 7th level of the Quincy Mine, is used as an experimental mine by Michigan Technological University. The Mining Engineering program of the Department of Geological & Mining Engineering & Sciences conducts exercises here.