Mining Remains a Part of Life for Many in Idaho

Whenever you believe your job is a grind be thankful because someone has tougher work.

Mining appears the most thankless job anyone can have.

North Idaho does thank the 91 miners who gave their lives in one of the worst disasters in American mining history.  A memorial stands east of Kellogg off I-90 and it’s an eerily quiet place.  There are still many people alive who knew the dead.

Including the tour guide at the Sierra Silver Mine near Wallace.  The man spent 33 years as a miner and was among the first into the Sunshine Mine as part of the recovery effort.  There are many new tools available for mining but the effort remains dark, wet, dirty and sometimes deadly.

You can see some pictures from the Sierra Mine here.

Our guide explained most miners have some serious injury along the way and death is always near.