A mine shaft is a vertical or near-vertical tunnel used for mining. It is typically sunk into the ground to access ore deposits that are too deep to be reached from the surface. The three crossword solutions for the term 'mine shaft' are 'PIT', 'SLOPE', and 'stope'. A PIT is a large hole in the ground, usually dug for the purpose of extracting ore or other materials. A SLOPE is an inclined surface connecting two levels of a mine. A stope is an excavation created by removing ore from a mine.