Salmo River Valley Historical Mining Exhibit

These steam boilers were used to power the stamp mill at the Maud S mine.

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Steam boilers provided power to run various types of machinery and equipment. These boilers generated steam by heating water in a closed vessel, typically using fuels like coal, wood, or oil. The high-pressure steam produced was then used to power steam engines, which in turn operated hoists, pumps, drills, and other essential mining equipment.

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These boilers were commonly used to power stamp mills, which crushed ore to extract valuable minerals like gold and silver. The steam engines driven by these boilers powered the heavy iron stamps that repeatedly pounded and pulverized the ore, making it easier to extract the precious metals. The use of steam power in stamp mills significantly increased the efficiency of ore processing, enabling miners to handle larger volumes of material and recover more gold or silver from the ore.

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Beyond powering stamp mills, steam boilers were also used to operate mine hoists, which transported miners, equipment, and extracted ore up and down mine shafts.