Birmingham mines

Following the Civil War, Alabama became one of the nation's leading iron and steel producers. The Birmingham area was one of the few places in the world where all of the ingredients for making iron -- limestone, iron ore and coke -- could be mined within about five miles of each other, said Jeff Newman, who has spent decades researching and exploring Birmingham's abandoned mines.

Newman and Josh Box also operate the Birmingham Underground Facebook page, where they share photographs from their explorations. They shared some of their photos with AL.com.

(In most cases, for safety reasons, Newman and Box don't disclose where the mines they explore are located.)

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Fishing in an underground river? When mines are closed, the pumps that kept water out, were turned off, Newman said. As a result, mines fill up with water. There were over 50 mine work headings numbered from the opening down the slope of this mine. This is heading No. 2.

For safety, Newman said he carries five flashlights and some extra batteries when he explores abandoned iron ore mines. A few years ago, he also started bringing another explorer and photographer, Josh Box, along with him.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Josh Box and Jeff Newman stand inside an abandoned mine. They said mines are dangerous, and they advise others against attempting to explore them. Just behind the pair is a steep drop.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Mine Portal, the entrance to a mine, located in Red Mountain Park. The entrance to this mine is closed.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Pictured here is a mine work heading. This one has a door that allows control of the air flow.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Canned beans left behind in a mine for about 52 years.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

It's dark in the abandoned mines, Newman said. A single flashlight doesn't do much when shined against the dark red surface of the ore.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Light light shines across the water that has filled an abandoned mine.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

The main haulage way -- the direct access to all work headings -- in this abandoned mine in the Birmingham area, Newman said. It is through this passage that the ore cars would bring the ore to the surface.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Decision time. Do you go straight or turn left and go deeper into the darkness?

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

The main haulage way is flooded. This means the entire abandoned mine is flooded. End of the line for exploration, Newman said.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Looking down into the main haulage of an abandoned mine.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Photographing in the dark isn't too hard if you have the correct lighting and use long, 10 to 30 second, shutter speeds, Newman said.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Most of the mine water tested has been very clean and pure, Newman said. One tested was very clear and tested good for turbidity, he said, but it also tested positive for small amounts of arsenic.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

Remnants of a few miners' boots found in an abandoned mine. Notice the spikes in the soles of the boots. Josh Box, who took the photo, guessed based on the size of the boots that they belonged to a 13-year-old boy.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

Jeff Newman gives a history lesson to another explorer in this late-1800s mine, Box said.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

This is a defective roller tossed aside when the new rollers were installed in the mine, Box said.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

Iron beams in a mine used to support the unstable shale rock above.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

A beautiful blue water source flowing as far as the eye can see in an abandoned mine, Box said.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

Concrete casing in a mine, which provides extra support for an unstable mountainside, Box said.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

According to Box, this is an 1880s style mining cart.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

This roller was used to support the hoist cable and prevent it from dragging on the ground.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

In the early days, the miners used headlamps equipped with wick and oil to provide the light.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

An elevator now trapped in rock in an abandoned mine.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

These signs contained the signaling codes that allowed miners in the mine to communicate with the man on the surface that controlled the hoist machinery used to pull the mine cars out of the mine and to the tipple and crusher, Box said.

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Jeff Newman

Birmingham mines

Newman said he developed a love for mines as a child growing up in the Southside of Birmingham. He said there was a mine behind his house that he would explore. "The desire never stopped," he said.

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Josh Box

Birmingham mines

This image shows the massive size of this mine. Jeff Newman is standing about 200 feet from the front of it.