cave diving vs flooded mine diving

[Nirvana]

Was that a deep flooded mine?

The mine I was talking about? The depth varies considerably depending on the section of the mine.

There is a forward section, so to speak, that is made, roughly speaking, of four tunnels, approximately 120m long each, that interconnect at various points. They start at about 10m in depth and go to about 20m, except for one, more isolated, that is just about 6m deep all the way to the intersection with the others.

At the junction point of the forward tunnels, there is an entrance to a long corridor. For about 400m, it remains at 20m. then it gets to a deeper room (~40m) that connects to a few more passages. Some of those go to more than 70m deep.


Edit: length of the back corridor

 

[Germie]

The chemicals are not the biggest problem in the mines I have been. Most where slate mines and I have been in an opalmine. There is a chance of collapse. A lot of mines have sidetunnels, but I think some caves are more complex.
Caves and mines can have a lot of silt, there are caves without silt, but I have never been in a mine without silt. But most mines I have been in had 'wide' tunnels. Some big enough for trains, others smaller like 1 by 3m. But not that a tunnel goes from wide to really narrow. There are sometimes trains, stairs, lifts, etc.
Bad viz can happen in mines too.
You can practise all skills in mines, that is true. But it is no natural overhead.
Depths can go from shallow to extremely deep. I have been in an overhead tunnel in a mine of 106m. But some are shallow. Same as in caves.

 

[rjack321]

What is main factor for that? because natural caves have more advanced and complex navigation and there usually no cave map?

Any cave you are taking a class in will have some sort of map.

 

[Into the Water]

Thank you all for great comments. Have anyone maybe experience with caves in France, Lot?

 

[Germie]

The French caves are my 'housecaves'. It is still a 12 hour drive. But I try to dive there as much as possible.
What do you want to know? And about the Lot/Dordogne Region, or about the Jura/Doubs/Cote d'Or? Or maybe the Ardeche?
Lot is best known, most easy accessible, filling logistics. Othere regions no filling logistics, and some caves are private and you need to ask permit. Jura/Doubs is more weather dependant than the Lot. Rain will blown out these caves for weeks. Summer/Wintercaves there. Etc.

 

[Into the Water]

Just wondering if these caves in France more suitable for proper cave course than Swedish flooded mines, in Hungary are also caves with temp up till 20-28 degrees Celsius but not sure if it's real caves?

 

[Germie]

For a cave course you need real caves
Budapest has a cave with 23-27 degrees water, Molnar Janos. I believe there is teaching forbidden. They have Kobyana mine too, but that is an mine again. Not all caves are suitable for courses, too small, too deep, too narrow, too much silt, etc.

 

[The Chairman]

Mines and caves can be quite different. Hell, caves vary to the extreme one to the other as well. Local input is always good. As for training, it's best to seek the best instructor and try to train in the environment you will be diving most.

 

[miksto]

I've been diving a lot in Långban, it's a pretty great site and it will most likely be your "house mine" when you are certified. (I saw you lived in Värmland).

I just came back from a GUE Cave 2 class in France, and I would say thats the best solution when you live in Europe. The Lot region is probably the easiest place logistically to gain experience and to get the chance do dive several different caves. Many of them are reasonably shallow, which will give you a lot of quality cave time There is also an option to travel to Plura cave during summerish (when you dont need a snowmobile to go diving) to get certified, but you'll end up with a higher average depth, colder water and shorter dives.