Abstract: An ore carrier having an ore chamber and a buoyancy chamber and a door at the top and bottom thereof. The doors being rectractable into the buoyancy chamber when the doors are open for either loading or unloading the ore chamber.

Abstract: An underground mining method and apparatus which utilizes at least first and second spaced-apart shafts extending essentially downwardly into the earth and at least one lateral opening connecting the two shafts at a location below the earth's surface. An empty ore carrier is dropped into a first of said shafts and allowed to gravitationally fall towards the bottom of said shaft, its rate of descent being controlled by regulating the flow of air out of the bottom of said shaft. When the empty ore carrier reaches its stopping point in the first shaft, the carrier is transferred into the lateral opening filled with ore, then into a watertight compartment which is sealed and filled with water, and then into the second water-filled shaft. The ore-bearing carrier then floats to the earth's surface, is emptied, and returned empty to the first shaft for a repeat of the above procedure. Several carriers are kept in service at the same time.