Covered mine now being reworked

[sdcfia]

My pal tracked down an old report describing a promising cross cut that was driven 120 feet +/- intending to connect to a known rich vein (copper, gold) that was forced to close down after the 1929 crash. The portal was collapsed and covered then, hopefully to be put back to work later. That never happened. He finally located the correct spot and went to work. Lots of collapses, rotton timbers, etc. inside. All the improvements in the pictures below - new portal, steel gate, track, timbering, etc were done by him alone. He even built the ore car from scratch on an old carraige. I've been helping him a little lately with stuff he can't do solo. Once the timbering is done (bad ground there), he'll finished grading the floor back to the work face, install the last 20' of track, and start drilling.

Oh, the last photo was of my east fence line this morning in Pinos Altos.

Old portal, cleaned up

New gate, inside

New portal, outside

New ore car

New track, outside

New timbering, track - inside

 

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[Fermion]

Maybe they don't want to talk about it?

But they made the post?

 

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[desertgolddigger]

Maybe they don't want to talk about it?

I agree. If I knew I had something good, I wouldn't advertise it or the specific location. Too much time, effort and money is invested, by the looks of things. Hats off to the gentlemen who are on the big adventure.

 

[Fermion]

I agree. If I knew I had something good, I wouldn't advertise it or the specific location. Too much time, effort and money is invested, by the looks of things. Hats off to the gentlemen who are on the big adventure.

If I had something really good and was actually worried, I wouldn't even make a thread about it and post pictures of the mine entrance and surrounding area either.

 

[Assembler]

If I had something really good and was actually worried, I wouldn't even make a thread about it and post pictures of the mine entrance and surrounding area either.

Even if the prospect is reasonable they still may not want to talk about the details. There can be joy in fixing up a older workings.

 

[Running rivers of riches]

I found the most valuable river of all time the lost riverof

My pal tracked down an old report describing a promising cross cut that was driven 120 feet +/- intending to connect to a known rich vein (copper, gold) that was forced to close down after the 1929 crash. The portal was collapsed and covered then, hopefully to be put back to work later. That never happened. He finally located the correct spot and went to work. Lots of collapses, rotton timbers, etc. inside. All the improvements in the pictures below - new portal, steel gate, track, timbering, etc were done by him alone. He even built the ore car from scratch on an old carraige. I've been helping him a little lately with stuff he can't do solo. Once the timbering is done (bad ground there), he'll finished grading the floor back to the work face, install the last 20' of track, and start drilling.

Oh, the last photo was of my east fence line this morning in Pinos Altos.

View attachment 2129427
Old portal, cleaned up

View attachment 2129428
New gate, inside

View attachment 2129429
New portal, outside

View attachment 2129430
New ore car

View attachment 2129431
New track, outside

View attachment 2129432
New timbering, track - inside

View attachment 2129433

gold by real dorr

 

[Running rivers of riches]

If I had something really good and was actually worried, I wouldn't even make a thread about it and post pictures of the mine entrance and surrounding area either.

Earl Dorr discovery in Nevada?

 

[sdcfia]

This is fascinating. To do all this work though, is there some sign of a vein in the tunnel or did you guys find some gold in the old tailings? I can't imagine just going hog wild into the side of a hill/mountain like that without knowing if I am going to hit something.

No mineralized rock in the dump. This drift was a cross-cut to intercept a vein already being worked in the late 1920s. At the work face where they stopped, there is a clear geological change - I'll try to get a photo next time I go out there. That work face location is dead-on the strike direction of the old existing workings. It's guesswork that when they found this rock change, it was assumed to be close to the suspected vein, so they apparently stopped work until a later connection was to be made. I say "guesswork" because, unfortunately, there is no record of how far away the existing mining had progressed when the stock market crashed and the company ran out of money and shut everything down. See post #13 above.

The guy doing all this work is certainly not in it for the money (yet, ha ha). He's a purist with lots of skills and time who loves the old mining methods and just wants to have fun.

 

[sdcfia]

We all know a high tech drone went ahead of the fire and kept it going. I don’t even know which fire it was and am positive I’m spot on. Thanks for the update.

It was called the B2 Fire. I could say lots about it, as could many locals here, but this isn't the right thread for that. Bottom line: what's done is done.

 

[pepperj]

The guy doing all this work is certainly not in it for the money (yet, ha ha). He's a purist with lots of skills and time who loves the old mining methods and just wants to have fun.

Spot on!
When one has the passion to do what they love to do, $$$ is probably the least concern.
A few examples is most hobbies, model trains, even a little ride on R/R track around a park like setting.
I can totally get the passion of just doing it up right, living it, and not rusting out on some couch.
Good on him for doing what he loves to do, putting his skills to work, and having some quality time doing it.

 

[sdcfia]

If I had something really good and was actually worried, I wouldn't even make a thread about it and post pictures of the mine entrance and surrounding area either.

If I felt there was any reason for secrecy, I wouldn't have started the thread. This is just a hobby project that may be of interest to those who enjoy the mining game. Besides, this is not a location that could be found except with specific GPS coordinates. Even then, there is nothing, not even the hundred year-old roads, visible on Google Earth Pro - and surprisingly, not even the mine tracks. The nearest settlement, near where the locked gate two-tracks begin, is miles away. Site access has always been very difficult and the fire discouraged access even more.

 

[Assembler]

If I felt there was any reason for secrecy, I wouldn't have started the thread. This is just a hobby project that may be of interest to those who enjoy the mining game. Besides, this is not a location that could be found except with specific GPS coordinates. Even then, there is nothing, not even the hundred year-old roads, visible on Google Earth Pro - and surprisingly, not even the mine tracks. The nearest settlement, near where the locked gate two-tracks begin, is miles away. Site access has always been very difficult and the fire discouraged access even more.

It appears that it would be difficult for others to figure out the type of deposit there as well. Just saying.

 

[Assembler]

No mineralized rock in the dump. This drift was a cross-cut to intercept a vein already being worked in the late 1920s. At the work face where they stopped, there is a clear geological change - I'll try to get a photo next time I go out there. That work face location is dead-on the strike direction of the old existing workings. It's guesswork that when they found this rock change, it was assumed to be close to the suspected vein, so they apparently stopped work until a later connection was to be made. I say "guesswork" because, unfortunately, there is no record of how far away the existing mining had progressed when the stock market crashed and the company ran out of money and shut everything down. See post #13 above.

The guy doing all this work is certainly not in it for the money (yet, ha ha). He's a purist with lots of skills and time who loves the old mining methods and just wants to have fun.

Other then the photo you are going to show are you willing to tell us about the testing at the work face area?

Can the good old metal detector be used?
Any good results with a pan in the face area?
Thanks.

 

[cyzak]

Other then the photo you are going to show are you willing to tell us about the testing at the work face area?

Can the good old metal detector be used?
Any good results with a pan in the face area?
Thanks.

Can you say tourists trap or mine tours,did you see the cloths and boots clean as a whistle no miner looks like that.Opening up a turn of the century gold mine in Southern New Mexico with all those nut jobs down there running around.Then posting it on here for the world to see.

 

[sdcfia]

Other then the photo you are going to show are you willing to tell us about the testing at the work face area?

Can the good old metal detector be used?
Any good results with a pan in the face area?
Thanks.

To my knowledge, no testing has been done. There is some copper showing, but that's never a surprise.

 

[Fermion]

Can you say tourists trap or mine tours,did you see the cloths and boots clean as a whistle no miner looks like that.Opening up a turn of the century gold mine in Southern New Mexico with all those nut jobs down there running around.Then posting it on here for the world to see.

Hey, there was some dirt on his pants! A smudge at least.

Those organized tools at the entrance and the nice neat look of the mine cart and track remind me of my grandfather. It looks like someone who takes care of their stuff and takes pride in their work.

 

[Assembler]

To my knowledge, no testing has been done. There is some copper showing, but that's never a surprise.

Do you have the ability / ok to go and test the face area?
The copper is likely a good sign there is other minerals there.

 

[Assembler]

Hey, there was some dirt on his pants! A smudge at least.

Those organized tools at the entrance and the nice neat look of the mine cart and track remind me of my grandfather. It looks like someone who takes care of their stuff and takes pride in their work.

Miners in small areas often kept the area very organized at least.

Since no testing of the face has taken place every thing is going to be clean.

 

[sdcfia]

Do you have the ability / ok to go and test the face area?
The copper is likely a good sign there is other minerals there.

It's not my gig. The owner's original plan is to extend the drift maybe 30' ahead, into the intrusion. After 30', he'll know if there's anything of interest by then. Quien sabe?

 

[Assembler]

It's not my gig. The owner's original plan is to extend the drift maybe 30' ahead, into the intrusion. After 30', he'll know if there's anything of interest by then. Quien sabe?

Ok.
Will you do some work with him or for him?

 

[sdcfia]

Ok.
Will you do some work with him or for him?

I help him out occasionally, but he's done 99% of the work all by his lonesome.