Salmo River Valley Historical Mining Exhibit

These steam boilers were used to power the stamp mill at the Maud S mine. Stamp mills were used in early mining operations for crushing ore and extracting valuable minerals, particularly gold and silver. The boilers provided the necessary steam power to drive the stamping machinery, which crushed ore-bearing rock into fine particles to release the precious metals.

Steam boilers used in stamp mills were typically large, stationary units fueled by coal, wood, or other combustible materials. The boilers generated high-pressure steam by heating water in a closed vessel, converting the thermal energy into mechanical power. This steam was then piped to the stamp mill, where it was directed to power the stamping machinery.

The stamping machinery consisted of heavy iron stamps or hammers mounted on a rotating shaft. As steam power was applied, the stamps would rise and fall, repeatedly pounding and crushing the ore placed beneath them in a process known as "stamping" or "stamping out." The force of the stamps pulverized the ore into smaller particles, breaking it down to expose the embedded gold or silver for further extraction.