Lunch, did you catch the part where they said they merely need to locate the spot where the hinge intersects the main mine and they can mine the hinge from below. Way back when I was new to the board, I remember hotmuck mentioning it is a lot easier to dig a shaft from the bottom. Could the start of mining from the Deep Hinge be the first phase of a new shaft all the way to surface???? I realize with all the near surface mines it would be years before they would need another shaft, however maybe mining plans will include such a shaft.