Fifteen (15) miners at the Lode Star Mine.

NOTE: As of 1211this afternoon, eight (8) of the miners were stranded on Levels 2 and 3 of the mine and will have to be rescued before they can be of any further use. Several of them have reported headaches, dizziness and partial hearing loss due to the explosion.

NOTE: Seven (7) Lode Star Mine employees are available at the surface now; however, all of them have just completed a 10-hour work shift and are exhausted.

Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team

Twelve-person team with ample rescue equipment, including ropes, litters, tackle, first-aid equipment, ambulance, etc. Several members of this team have experience extricating climbers and spelunkers from difficult locations. Team also includes several trained EMTs.

Four (4) rescue divers. Divers have enough air to dive for a total of 16 man-hours, not including decompression time. All divers have experience with cave rescue dive operations.

NOTE: The dive rescue team can summon a portable decompression (hyperbaric) chamber from the US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team (EOD GRU One) in San Diego. The chamber will require approximately two hours to be flown via C-130 to Bishop airport, plus another two hours to be transported to the Lode Star Mine. It is designed to accomodate four persons at one time; however, in emergencies, it can accomodate more.

A licensed surveyor is enroute from Bishop with a full complement of GPS transiting equipment. He is capable of locating an exact geographic position to within 3 cm of accuracy.

NOTE: The mine map is based upon a series of surveys conducted over the lifetime of the mine. It is estimated that the map is accurately surveyed to within 0.5 meters.

NOTE: A broken drill bit cannot be retrieved! If the drill breaks, the shaft will have to be redrilled, starting over with a new bit.

NOTE: The drill is mounted on a truck that is too large to get into the mine. If the drill is used, it will have to be used from the surface.

Steel cable to repair skip winch. A 1000-ft. roll of 1.0" dia steel cable is available on site.

NOTE: Although the skip winch cable parted due to the explosion, the winch itself is reported to be in operating condition. The winch reel will have to be refitted with new steel cable before it can be used again.

Atlas Copco breaker TEX PS series (Tex 18PS) pneumatic jackhammer with chiseling bits.

NOTE: a large-capacity air compressor is available on site to provide ample compressed air.

NOTE: there is approximately 1000 feet of high-pressure air hose at the mine with pressure fittings, etc.

Five (5) are currently on site.

Ten (10) more jackhammers are enroute.

Misc. hand tools, including pry bars, shovels, picks, axes, saws, pulaskis, sledges, etc.

NOTE: The Lode Star Mine has an on-site work shop and tool shed containing a large number of basic tools used in mining. All of the items seen to the left are available immediately.

More tools enroute.