ABSTRACT
Subsurface indigenous endolithic microorganisms can be obtained for the purpose of studying subsurface ecology, anabiosis, or the effect of these organisms on anthropogenic structures. Mines frequently have been used by twentieth century microbiologists as a source of samples in the study of the microbial ecology of the geologic formations that the mines penetrate. Some of the earliest studies of anabiosis utilized coal mines to sample for indigenous microorganisms which were thought to have been entrained in the rock since coalification. Rock salt samples were collected at a depth of approximately 200 m where active mining occurred. Mining is typically conducted by blasting, excavation, or a combination of the two. Sterile swabs should be periodically wiped across the rock before, during, and after mining to assess changes in the microbial community with depth. Vacuum ventilation needs to be present to remove dust created by the mining process.
