Mining operations consumed an enormous quantity of explosives. Dynamite, primers, black powder, nitroglycerine, and other explosives were used extensively in hard rock mining. Explosives used in mining camps were unstable and dangerous.
Powder magazines were built some distance from the mines to prevent the loss of life in case there was an accidental detonation. They had no windows and heavy iron doors. Our Powder Magazine has an extensive display of the type of dynamite, primers, black powder and liquid combustibles used in mining operations. For obvious reasons, smoking was banned near powder magazines.
