On the eastern slope of the rugged Old Woman Mountains are the remains of two weather-beaten cabins. Unlike the area's earlier gold and silver prospects, these mines targeted barite, a mineral primarily used in oil drilling. Barite (or Baryte) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate, generally white or colorless, and is the primary source of the element barium.
Despite extensive research, I couldn't find any specific historical records for these two mines. The Goldstar Cabin, sided with corrugated tin, has a concrete doorstep dated 1966. Its higher neighbor, the Pinyon Pine Cabin, is wood-sided and sits on a stacked rock foundation. I suspect it to be older. A fragment page from a logbook indicates that the roof of the Goldstar Cabin was repaired in 2006. Both cabins are a mess inside but could be fixed up.
