Simpler Times: Recollections of life in Hutti Gold Mines - Part I

My life in Hutti gold mines was a unique and unforgettable experience. Located in the Raichur district of Karnataka, India, Hutti is one of the oldest and deepest gold mines in the country, though it is not as well-known as Kolar Gold Fields.  It has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, with evidence of gold mining activities being carried out in the region for over 200 years. This post is a heartfelt tribute to the pioneers including our beloved parents, who dedicated their careers and spent their entire working lives in the gold mines camp. Their dedication, tireless efforts and commitment to providing for their families and contributing to the mining community remains a source of inspiration for us all and continues to shape our values and aspirations.

Living in Hutti in the 60’s and 70’s meant that we were completely isolated from the outside world. There used to be just 2 state transport buses in a day to the district capital Raichur and maybe 4 buses to the taluka town of Lingsugur. There was a single, small post-office, which delivered letters and parcels to residents of the camp and village and served as the communication center – for trunk calls and telegrams. Very often, letters were collected by recipients directly from the post office right after the arrival of the bus from Raichur! AM’s father used to be the post-master in those days. Everyone’s life revolved around the mines and occupations associated with the mines, such as the officers’ club, sports institute for staff, cooperative stores (which catered to all our grocery and clothing requirements). There existed very few retail outlets for grocery or vegetable shopping. The Sunday market catered to our needs of vegetables, fruits and other daily needs. Milk was supplied by people from nearby villages – Mednapur or Veerapur. One of my classmates, US, was from Veerapur and cycled there every weekend. It may have been considered a sleepy town by outsiders or visitors, but it formed the lifeblood of us locals. 

The mining community

The mining community was small and cosmopolitan in those times; including the village residents, I suppose the entire population could have numbered a maximum of 10,000. The miners came from all over the country to make a living. Several Anglo-Indian families also lived in Hutti at that time. Most of them migrated to Australia and very few still are in contact now. Hi to AJ, if he happens to read this article.
I must state here that there exists a unique characteristic of such small communities which sets them apart from people in larger towns or cities: everyone knows everyone else, right from children to the miners. Since there was only one school till the seventh standard, St. Ann’s Primary School, and one high school, the Govt High School, there was a close bond and connection among members of the community. The connections ranged from childhood classmates and friends of elder or younger siblings to familiar faces among schoolmates, as well as mothers and fathers of friends.  It's like they were all good friends or neighbors. I have mentioned some classmates by their initials in the article, which will help you understand how close people were in the town. Many senior and junior schoolmates were friends of mine. So, when I say "almost everyone knew each other," after reading the article, you'll totally get what I mean.

Life of the miners

In the old times, almost everyone worked in the mines. I refer to them as mine workers or miners, and they were primarily involved in underground ore excavation, crushing, ore processing, gold extraction and finally gold purification. One must understand that the mining operations are carried out deep underground, reaching upto 1000M (3300 feet) into the ground, requiring the miners to have specialized skills and a high level of expertise and daring.

There used to be a strong sense of camaraderie and shared purpose among the miners, due to the need to work together in small, close-knit teams, relying on each other for safety and efficiency. This naturally developed a deep bond among the miners as they faced the challenges and risks of mining on a daily basis, 24/7.

Picture of Central Shaft: Jan 2020

Working underground

The work environment in underground gold mines is demanding and physically strenuous, as compared to open-cast mining. All underground passages have to be accurately surveyed with drawings of the entire network of tunnels. The miners, equipped with protective gear and specialized tools, descend underground in double decker cages (imagine a modern-day elevator with two decks). The cages (separate for miners and ore) are operated by shafts, with the vertical movement facilitated by cables. This type of mining shaft is referred to as a "cable hoist". In a cable hoist system, a set of cables is used to lift and lower the cage within the mining shaft. The cage is attached to the cables, which are wound around drums on ground and wheels at the top of the shaft. By rotating the drums and wheels, the cables are either released or retracted, allowing the cage to move up or down the dark and narrow shaft. Horizontal movement is controlled by rails on either side of the cage. The cables and rails allow for precise positioning and smooth movement within the shaft. SK’s father was the hoist operating in-charge at Central Shaft.    

Once the miners are underground, they drill, blast (dynamite), and extract gold-bearing ore from the depths of the earth. The work is physically demanding and challenging, requiring high levels of safety planning, with long hours spent underground in hot, highly humid conditions. This is not a place for the claustrophobic.
There were (still are, I suppose) 3 main shafts which took the miners to their underground workplaces:
1. Mallappa Shaft      
2.Central shaft          
3.Village shaft

Another picture of Central Shaft: Jan 2020. The bungalow in the foreground was where the Chief Engineer used to stay. (ND).

Mallappa Shaft was (still is) the largest and the deepest (approx. 1000M), followed by Central Shaft and then Village Shaft. I recollect the name Grey Shaft also, but am not very sure about it. Maybe someone can add to this information.
Village Shaft was unique, as the shaft and rails go underground at an inclined angle, unlike Mallappa and Central Shafts which are vertical.

Ore extraction 

The extracted ore must be transported back to surface and onward to metallurgical department (mill) for further processing, The use of material cages provides a controlled and efficient means of transporting large quantity of material out of the mine. The cable hoists can handle heavy loads and save time in deep mining operations and have very large motors, maybe 500HP at the minimum.
There used to be a small goods train driven by a diesel locomotive, that carried the ore from the shafts to mill department on narrow gauge rails. This is no longer in operation.

Picture of narrow gauge diesel loco and ore carrying bogies: Not in operation presently.

Gold extraction is not a very efficient process as about a ton of ore yields only 2 or 3gm of gold.

However, ore extraction and gold processing have an adverse impact on the safety and environment respectively. But, that is something which needs a separate discussion.

End of Part I. Thank you for reading.