Kiln right next to mine entrance

[killakane]

Found this old mine today. got a little of this crumbly black ore from the face of the mine. main quartz vein looks like it has alot of malachite anyway what would they have been smelting right on sight? thanks for any info.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[Jason in Enid]

I'm far from a mining expert, but could they have been doing it Spanish style? Mine the ore, crush it with an arrastra and smelt into ingots on site?

 

[firemac]

very neat area

 

[killakane]

Thats what I'm hoping. We're actually chasing a "lost mine" from the '30s. any idea on that ore?

 

[Fullpan]

The reddish ore specimen in the back might contain cinnabar (Hg), but its just a guess.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Very cool find! The black ore could be coke or slag. We find it around these desert kilns near old gold mines

 

[killakane]

I actually took that sample from the face of the mine. looks like malachite buts its mixed in a crumbly black matrix, also has specks of a reddish colored metal, possibly native copper. not sure if it is possibly a gold ore or is it just some sort of copper? thanks for the help

 

[TerryC]

Malachite is a copper ore. Your mine may have been a copper mine. Gold is often associated with copper ores. TTC

 

[killakane]

took some samples to a local geologist/gemologist he said looks like low grade copper better for rock gardens then mining. as far as the black crumbly stuff he said it is a type of mica. He also tried to convince me that back in the day most mines like this were mainly "money pits" as far as convincing eastern rich people to invest in their mine. easier to sell a hole in the ground than a barren "prospect". like the old saying i guess, a gold mine is a hole with a liar at the bottom. still doesn't explain the on site smelter though

 

[killakane]

went back and explored more yesterday.noticed this hand cranked windlass.
also found a little up the gulch in the brush an old ore bucket. has a makers badge on it still, it says "F.M. Davis Iron Works Denver COL". All I can find on google is the company was in denver 1894-1907. also went further in the mine down a winze (not smart, I know) and found this in the bottom face.
any ideas on this rock/ore would be appreciated. thanks again

 

[Jack Hamilton]

Looks like Chrysocolla.