BREAKING: OREGON GOLD MINING STAND OFF WITH BLM….NEXT BUNDY RANCH

Thank you for the links to local media, MEG. This helps the proper information to get out there.

As an elected official of the Galice Mining District and also someone who is close to the mine owners, I am in a position to answer Clay Diggins' questions.

Though my time is precious at the moment (for obvious reasons), I am going to relate the following details in the name of transparency to address Clay's questions.

The Sugar Pine South Extension (ORMC20079) is indeed a Post-55 claim. This claim was a 1975 relocation of an original 1892 location by then Sugar Pine owner, John Bolt, who was a very prominent pioneer and mine owner in the Applegate and Waldo districts until his death in 1899. Bolt located the ground on the assumption that the ore body was growing increasingly richer with depth, which later proved to be correct. Despite this, little work appears to have been done until the ownership of the mine passed to William Dowell in 1903, who began sinking a winze on the main vein. Despite striking rich very ore at depth, Dowell also encountered considerable issues with water and was forced to reconsider the winze. While undertaking a large sampling program in that #3 mine level (called the Blacksmith), which included extending the adit (where he struck running ground because he was actually close to coming out the other side of Sugar Pine Butte), he also began driving an exploratory #4 adit on the South Extension claim to penetrate the ore body at the point of the winze. This #4 adit never amounted to much more than a coyote hole extending back 20 or so feet, as Dowell's sampling program also proved that substantial ore also existed between the #2 and #3 levels. Needless to say, Dowell abandoned his #4 tunnel project and proceeded to raise up on the ore body instead. That #4 level is located close to the boundary line between the Sugar Pine and South Extension claims and is pretty much as Dowell left it 105 years ago. Ultimately, little more than the most basic of prospecting has ever been conducted on the South Extension claim and the claim was held largely for the reason that Bolt filed it originally. It was subsequently "picked off" during the validity due to there being no visible vein the #4 adit. It was subsequently relocated by a previous owner in 1975 who sought to add that claim back the mine group. The original situation on that claim (held to preserve future work at depth) has actually continued to the modern day, in that even the work done by the current owners is limited to taking samples by rock hammer for assay. In fact, they have specifically avoided doing more than basic prospecting on the South Extension simply because of its Post-55 status. Needless to say, the source of the so-called "violations" are not on the South Extension claim.

Most of the so-called "violations" that BLM speaks of in their two notices to the owners are actually centered on the Sugar Pine Lode (located 1876) and the Black Jack (located 1900), which also contain the majority of the mine group's historical workings.

As for the BLM notices themselves, these will be released on the mine's official site: Sugar Pine Mine - Galice Mining District, Josephine County, Oregon

The issue at the moment is that we do not have enough volunteers to go around to get that done as fast as we'd like, but what else is new?
 

Thank you for anwering Clay's querries, appreciate the disclosure your showing on the website, as it should be. It will be interesting as this unfolds to see how BLM deals or doesn't deal with a real honest to goddness mining district and what happens with that in court. That should be a positive outcome for us all and a kick in the butt to form up our districts as prescribed in the mining laws.
 

1866 said:
As an elected official of the Galice Mining District and also someone who is close to the mine owners, I am in a position to answer Clay Diggins' questions.
As for the BLM notices themselves, these will be released on the mine's official site: Sugar Pine Mine - Galice Mining District, Josephine County, Oregon
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for the reply 1866. :thumbsup:

I'll look forward to seeing the Notice of Noncompliance on the website. I'm familiar with their format but it will be a good thing for other miners to study so they can understand the process and options involved. Better we understand the actual terminology and intent than to use loose and inaccurate terms like "Cease and Desist Order".

Transparency in these matters is good. By sharing the details and experiences you provide a benefit to all miners who may face similar situations in the future. Winning outcomes are good but showing the process of winning is educational and helpful.

I have heard a rumor that the Jefferson Mining District has filed for an injunction? I hope time and efforts aren't being wasted by non claimants. Only the actual claimants can be granted an injunction.

There are many such rumors being passed around so your effort to inform us of the facts is particularly important. With so many non miners and outsiders involved at this point a rumor creating a misunderstanding could be tragic.

I'm sure this will all be resolved to the claimants satisfaction soon. Thanks again for taking your valuable time to clarify the situation.

Heavy Pans
Barry
 

Keep political comments out of thread......
 

Well, it WAS a good conversation... :dontknow:
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Finding gold in a Eluvial fan

⬅️ Previous Thread

Flocculants: Do they cause clay to load up your riffles?

Next Thread ➡️

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Steve's Detector Rods

Latest Discussions

Back
Top