Disembodied Voices in Mines


As if imminent danger, utter darkness, and claustrophobia aren't enough, mines appear to be very frequently haunted. Legends from miners show superstition, occurrences blamed on wee folk such as tommyknockers and often heard ghost voices.




Some sounds in mines make sense, wind whistling through openings, rock creaking under the strain of the earth, and even critters seeking shelter. 

Some sounds, however, are unexplained and haunting, like voices, whistling, screams, and groans.



LINK: The Horton Mine, found in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in central Nevada, has earned a reputation after its closure that is as great as it ever was when it was in operation.

The Horton Mine has been in operation since the 1800s, and is part of the massive and sprawling Victorine Mine. It has been abandoned for years, but somewhere along the way it earned the reputation for being one of the most haunted mines in the United States – some even call it the most haunted mine in the world.

And given the number of deaths that have been recorded in mines over the years, that’s a long list to be on top of.



I find this mine especially interesting given the history of the Humboldt Sink region. This basin was once underwater with a lake called Lohontan, tens of thousands of years ago, a remnant of ice age melt. 

The last remnant of it today is Pyramid Lake in California. It was once a massive waterway and also the seat of a legend of the Paiutes of the red-haired giants whom they trapped in a cave (Lovelock Cave) and burned. 

Finds in the sink area have included unusual skulls that were not Amerindian. So who were these people? Perhaps the referred to red-haired giants. One of my papers on the slope-headed people covers one such skull that went dark on the internet and was removed, although the university paper was saved.  LINK TO POST

These giant early miners are a thing of active study for many of us in research including the legend by the Paiutes that the ones in Death Valley, when things dried up, went underground to tunnels that go on for 20+ miles. 

I've long held a believe that inside these geological tunnels, there is not only a history of death, but conditions that might create phenomena or attract it. Without the sunlight and other sensory stimulation of the outdoors, a mine or cave heightens your senses. Mines, being carved tunnels with a variety of geology, minerals and metals, could be amazing conduits, like a sort of spiritual aqueduct.

Something to remember is the danger of mines!

LINK:  U.S. Bureau of Land Management warns potential ghost seekers that the real danger of abandoned mines is not about apparitions or rock-throwing ghosts. The real danger is health concerns.

In addition to safety hazards inside the mine, like dangerous shafts, deadly gases, lack of oxygen, walls and ceilings prone to collapse, unstable rock, decayed support and potential explosives, one has to be careful outside the mine entrance as well. Polluted waters, tainted fish, and contaminated soil are commonly left behind when the people disappear. Many old mines caused environmental degradation, like contaminated surfaces and stockpiled rock and mill tailing piles. The leftover soil can contain heavy metals and toxic substances, which seep into groundwater.

Uranium mines pose the added threat of radiation exposure. 

Miners reporting ghosts in the mines is so common that an entire TV series, "Ghost Mine" was aired to cover the interesting subject.



And, then, there is this legend of the sounds of hell captured on a mine audio  -  




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