Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

Winze

A winze is a minor connection between different levels in a mine. When worked upwards from a lower level it is usually called a raise; when sunk downward from a higher level it may be called a sump. The top of a winze is located underground and it is not equipped with winding gear. Rather, the access up and down between levels is usually via ladder. This is in contrast to a shaft, which is a deeper connection between levels and does have winding gear, whether the top of the excavation is located on the surface or underground.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
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Wikipedia ↗
Late 19th-century map of winzes used for ventilation at the Comstock mines in Nevada1 source ↗

A winze is a minor connection between different levels in a mine. When worked upwards from a lower level it is usually called a raise; when sunk downward from a higher level it may be called a sump. The top of a winze is located underground and it is not equipped with winding gear. Rather, the access up and down between levels is usually via ladder. This is in contrast to a shaft, which is a deeper connection between levels and does have winding gear, whether the top of the excavation is located on the surface or underground.2

References

References

  1. American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (1871). Transactions of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers. Vol. 41. New York [etc.] p. 20. Retrieved 2026-05-19.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Bruce, Thompson (2002). "Australian Handbook for the Conservation of Bats in Mines and Artificial Cave-Bat Habitats" (PDF). Australian Centre for Mining Environmental Research. p. 4. Retrieved 2009-04-02.