Greetings Lamar and everyone,
Lamar wrote:
The reopening of abandoned mine shafts which have absolutely no economic or historic value shows human ignorance in it's finest state.
Your statement there, shows me that you have little or no experience in prospecting or mining, or you would
know that a great many so-called "abandoned" mines are of very good to excellent economic value with many low-grade ores that were un-economic in years past (with ancient mining methods) ARE quite economical to mine today with today's technologies. A great many also have hidden rich veins which were not found by the early miners and prospectors who were forced to use crude tools and techniques. I suggest (though I am pretty sure you
won't bother) that you read up on the history of just ONE old, abandoned and "played out" gold mine in California, known as the "Sixteen to One". It is only a SINGLE example of many hundreds to thousands. Would you know, that the gold fields of California, thought to be all "mined out" and "played out" after the 1849 gold rush, then was later re-worked by Chinese miners in the late 1800s, and AGAIN in the Depression years by men who had no other recourse for income, and the output in gold EXCEEDED that of the Gold Rush. The amount of gold remaining in the ground has been estimated by USGS geologists as over 90%! So yes your statement did indeed show "
ignorance in its finest form" in the purity of your apparent utter innocence of mining and prospecting knowledge and/or experience. At least that is what I am getting here from your statements. Seismic surveying is NOT the same thing as Geology, which is why they are quite separate courses in universities. It is also why mine operators hire geologists and mine engineers rather than seismologists. Do you know that the United States produced 8.360 million troy ounces of gold in 2006, compared with just over 3 million ounces in 1853, the
HEIGHT of the California Gold Rush output!
Why don't you read over the USGS Open File Report 02-303 which is online at:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2002/of02-303/OFR_02-303.pdf
I really have come to
doubt your credentials Lamar in the field of
prospecting, mining and treasure hunting; you continue to spout such statements that display little or no understanding of the subjects. Do you do any prospecting, or have you done any mining, and treasure hunting? Do you think that oil drilling logs equate to total knowledge of the entire geology of vast areas? Do you think that every old mine, now abandoned, has "historic values" perhaps much more so or to the exclusion of economic values? I just want to get some idea of your experience and knowledge in these subjects, so as to better understand your various shocking statements.
This fact, that old, even ancient mines that were worked even to what was at the time the point of non-economic, are today quite viable holds true not only in the USA but also throughout Mexico, South America and even in ancient Egypt, where gold mines that were worked by the Pharaohs and later by the Ptolemies and Romans to the point they were "played out" are today being re-opened and producing gold again profitably. So my friends, you are sure more than welcome to agree with our friend Lamar here that there are no lost mines, no lost treasures, no "Jesuit" mines or treasures, that all those old abandoned mines have more "historic" value than any economic etc - heck stay home and "pooh-pooh" the whole idea! You will be that much
LESS COMPETITION for me, Real de Tayopa, (whom would probably view trespassers on his mine through the crosshairs of his scope) Gollum, Blindbowman, Cubfan, EdT, and for the rest of us who do not agree with Lamar, but the facts are quite apparent to prospectors and treasure hunters.
That idea of old abandoned mines having some great "historical" value is really shocking to me Lamar - have you had much interaction with archaeologists? I mean, have some archaeologists indicated this idea to you, because I have gotten very much the OPPOSITE impression from several archaeologists. Even the idea of having an old mine as some kind of tourist attraction is odd, picture the scene:
"Honey, look over here!"
"What is it?"
"Its a great big old HOLE IN THE GROUND!"
"Wow gee-whiz!"
"Don't step in it, and lets go..."
I mean, get serious!
My apologies if anything I posted is of any offense, none was intended, and thank you in advance.
Oroblanco