Porcelain-like shard, mining-related?

[Maitland]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could help me identify what this thick, brown, porcelain-like shard might be related to. What really intrigues me is that I've found other shard pieces very much like this before and I always find them around old abandoned mines (coincidence?). It's obviously nothing of value but I'm just curious as to what it might have broken off of. I put a mercury dime next to it for size comparison.

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Thanks!

 

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[Broken knee]

What you have looks a lot like broken electrical insulator pieces? HH
BK

 

[Maitland]

Hi Broken knee,

Well, that is possible I suppose, and it was one of my original guesses, too. But every time I find these porcelain-like shards there's never any electrical lines nearby, nor any sign that there ever was power in the area (usually in the middle of nowhere). I usually find them by old drifts or adits or exploration holes related to mining, that's about all I have to go by. Perhaps these pieces I have are from electrical insulators, but I just find it too suspicious that I'm finding them in areas without any utilities around.

Maitland

 

[Ant]

On my cell phone it looks like ceramic tile, could be from a backsplsh, countertop, floor, drain, etc.

 

[Maitland]

I was scouting around another abandoned mine today and I found these two pieces (see picture below). Am I correct in thinking that these are insulators? They do seem a little strange... I've since found lots more shards of these things out in the woods near old diggings, but today was the first time I've ever seen one of these things in almost one entire piece. Are the intact ones worth anything, too, by the way?

 

[fowledup]

Yep! Cool find. May not have been utility power but probably their own hydro or a genny that powered the fans, compressors, and lighting in the mine

 

[tamrock]

Indeed! many old mining operations were electrified beginning in the later 19th century. Those could also have come from a telephone line. Not worth a lot IMO.

 

[Maitland]

Cool, thanks a lot fellas! After finding these shards for years out in the woods, I'm glad to finally see what these things are like when they're in one whole piece (or close to)! I did not pick up the ones that I took the picture of, I wasn't sure if they were anything worth bringing back to my vehicle or not. I do remember where they're at though, so I might have to go back and grab them sometime, I'm sure they won't be walking away anytime soon as they've probably sat in the same spot for decades.

 

[tamrock]

What kind of mine was it you were finding these at?

 

[Maitland]

These most recent ones I found were at an old gold mine.

 

[fowledup]

It's interesting because we don't normally associate the gold rush era as having electricity. Thomas Edison was a co-owner of a hydraulic mine near me in the late 1800's, they ran the mine 24/7 and lit it up at night with locamotive lamps. One of our claims has a history going back to around 1880 and we are constantly digging up old chunks of wire. Much of the heavy dirt moving equipment was electric as well.

 

[Broken knee]

It could be from a telegraph line not just electric lines? Anyway keep looking it's out there! HH
BK