An interesting find

[robert2b]

I was reading through some State of Arizona Department of Mineral Resources papers and I came across this: "On the surface near the collar of the incline the vein has been mined through an area of 20 ft. X 70 ft., the remainder is about 2 it. thick. just north of the shaft there is a stack (not a pile) of' coarse ore neatly stacked into a rectangular area 20' X 50' x 4' high. A chip sample taken from the top of this ore assayed 1.36 oz. gold, 5.84 oz. silver/ton. About 10' below and 30' south of the shaft collar is another smaller stack of ore boulders which weren't sampled." This paper was dated as 3/10/1977.

I knew where this mine was so I traveled out to it today. It is not easy to get to as there are no accessible roads that reach it any longer. The 2 roads that did reach it have been destroyed by rain and time. An ATV could still get to the mine, but I had to walk for a 1/2 mile to reach the mine. I thought for sure that after 37 years somebody would have done something with the ore, but when I climbed up to where the incline shaft is the stack of ore was exactly where the paper said it would be.

Now that I know it still exists my next step is to see if someone owns the property or if it is claimed. Back in the 80's I know that it was held under 3 unpatented claims so it was not private property at that time. There are no claim markers to be found either. So Monday I am heading down to the BLM office in Phoenix and see what I can find out.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[vpnavy]

Great research - let us know how it goes...

 

[huntsman53]

Great research - let us know how it goes...

I agree!

The Claim was probably held by one individual for many years and then they died and the Claim just got lost in a mountain of paperwork and forgotten. Hopefully, you will be able to secure the Claim and if it were me, any other properties/claims adjacent to it. For a location that rich in both Gold and Silver, surely there is more and possibly much more, closeby.


Frank

 

[robert2b]

Well I found out that the mine is on state trust land. Barely over the line. I can stand on one side of a deep ravine, which is BLM, and look across to the other side, where the mine is, and that is state land. No wonder why the stack is still there. On the bright side I have found a couple of adits that are on the BLM side that I am going to check out. Never say die.

 

[huntsman53]

Well I found out that the mine is on state trust land. Barely over the line. I can stand on one side of a deep ravine, which is BLM, and look across to the other side, where the mine is, and that is state land. No wonder why the stack is still there. On the bright side I have found a couple of adits that are on the BLM side that I am going to check out. Never say die.

Is the Mine totally off-limits and no Claim can be filed because it is on State Trust Land? I see from a little research online, that State Trust Land Managers often lease and/or sell the lands that they oversee. This might be an option that you might want to pursue.


Frank

 

[Clay Diggins]

State Trust Land mineral leases are available. It's not inexpensive or quick but you can mine the State Trust Lands with enough money and patience. I have several friends with active producing mines on the Trust Lands. If the area is truly rich it can be very worthwhile.

I'd have to look it up but as I recall a prospecting permit runs about $5,000 per section (square mile) and takes anywhere from three to six months to process. Leases run three or five years and are renewable. You will have to pay a royalty on production and allow them to regulate the operation and be open to inspections of your mining areas and your accounting books.

All that being said the records in the ADDMR are from all sorts of sources and I would take any assay work with a 50 pound bag of salt. "Chip sample" is just another word for skewed assay. If all the "chips" that you dug out of a mine were that rich it would be one of the richest mines in the west.

 

[Gold Maven]

take your own samples, keep us posted. gl

 

[augoldminer]

Take samples and get assayed. and crush and pan the ore to see if its free milling.
I would also metal detect the pile looking for high grade specimens.

If these are high grade ready to ship piles and the area is open to off road ATV travel i would just over time haul the ore out and stockpile it. The state would never miss it.

I made good money back in the 1970s picking up piles of ore off mine dumps.
Many small miners in the late 1930 would mine small operation and pile ore in a pile till they had enough to ship to a mill.

Many of these small gold operators got caught by WW2 federal order E-208 and the mills were put to milling needed war materials. after the war few reopened

at 20' X 50' x 4' high your pile is about 222 tons of ore and at 1.36 oz per ton would be about 300 oz of gold.

The best part it does not need to be mined just loaded and hauled to mill.