They're hit in a mine on the way up, Mike admitted (7)
I believe the answer is:
timpani
'they're hit' is the definition.
The definition suggests an adverb but the answer is not.
'in a mine on the way up mike admitted' is the wordplay.
'mine' becomes 'pit' (down the pit).
'on the way up' is a reversal indicator.
'mike' becomes 'm' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'admitted' is an insertion indicator.
'in'+'a'+'pit'='inapit'
'inapit' backwards is 'tipani'.
'tipani' going around 'm' is 'TIMPANI'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for timpani that I've seen before include "> kitchen equipment?" , "set of instruments" , "Features of kitchen" , "Set of kettledrums" , "Percussion instrument" .)