Sondershausen - On March 31, 2022, the two rope sheaves of the winding tower of shaft 1 in Sondershausen were replaced after 70 years of service there, transporting miners and guests 700 meters underground. The six-meter rope sheaves were last refurbished in 2003, but were now finally worn out, so that they had to be replaced by new ones during the annual repair break.
The dismantling of the old sheaves and the installation of the new six-ton sheaves at a height of 35 meters was carried out by Schachtbau Nordhausen. Shafts, bearings and shells were also installed. A total of five days of work in two shifts were scheduled for the replacement. During the repair phase, which will last several weeks, work will be carried out around the clock, seven days a week, so that mining operations can restart as quickly as possible and on schedule.
Since April 3, the rope travel system with the new rope sheaves has been ready for operation again. The repair work in the shaft will continue until the end of April. Then both miners and numerous visitors will be able to enter the mine again. The old rope sheaves will serve as exhibits in the future.