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Mining

Mines

245 posts

Tungstar Mine Tram

Tungstar Mine Tram

This very adventurous hike follows an old mining trail which led to the Tungstar Mine, a 1940s tungsten mine high on the western slope of Mt. Tom, the prominent 13,658-foot peak just west of Bishop. The trail was used in the early days of the mine to build a

Sagamore Mine Camp Ruin

Sagamore Mine Camp Ruin

The 2023 York Fire burned the camp. See below. The Sagamore Mine, also known as the New York Mine, was a silver, lead, copper, zinc, and gold mine. It was first discovered in the 1870s by Mormons who found rich silver veins in the foothills of the New York Mountains.

Hensen Well and the Pinyon Mine

Hensen Well and the Pinyon Mine

This hike is an adventurous cross-country ramble exploring a few historic mining ruins in the seldom-visited Pinyon Mesa country at the end of Geology Tour Road in Joshua Tree. Few people venture out here, which is a shame as it is a neat area. The mines below were at the

Bill Young Mine

Bill Young Mine

The Bill Young was a small silver mine above the townsite of Animas Forks. The mine never amounted to much, but it still has some interesting remnants. The mine was located in 1873 and was developed by a 250’ deep shaft. Levels were driven at irregular intervals, with a total

Gold Butte Mine (Mojave)

Gold Butte Mine (Mojave)

Recently, I had a request to post my photos of this mine and camp out near Goffs in the Mojave Desert. I had forgotten all about it. I originally went out and visited the site in 2014. I found a few empty cabins and old cars in camp - not

Outlaw Mine

Outlaw Mine

The Outlaw Mine is one of those places that beckons to the adventurous explorer, not for what remains, but for its sheer remoteness. I knew there wouldn't be much left at the site, but the allure of visiting one of Joshua Tree's most isolated mines was

Oro Cache Mine

Oro Cache Mine

The Oro Cache Mine was a small gold producer in the Beaverhead Mountains near Salmon. It is at the head of Freeman Creek, and was the largest mine in the tiny Carmen Creek Mining District. The mine was supposedly discovered in 1897, and was developed rapidly. It operated intermittently until