9/27/06
Following a mining map from The Arizona Department of Mines & Minerals we found a mine named Quartz Ledge Mine. It was evidentially in operation in recent years (1971-1973) We read that a "reasonable" amount of gold was found, but nobody seemed to know how much or what the circumstances were. The area is loaded with large white quartz outcroppings and from information we found online about the mine, it was a "Shear Zone" mine, meaning there were veins of gold found amid the quartz. There was a lot of dirt and quartz piled all over the ground, tailings from the mining. We didn't climb down any further into the canyon to see if there was an actual mine adit. Next time we head back there, we'll take our metal detector to check out the quartz, a likely place to find gold if there's any left.
These are pictures of the quartz outcroppings and piles of tailings scattered all around the area.
A fuzzy critter ...maybe a gold mine security guard!
Sunday, October 8, 2006
We went back to Quartz Ledge Gold Mine yesterday with friends Jean & Larry for backup. They in their Jeep, us in ours'. It turned out to be a successful excursion because our friend Larry took off hiking with his trusty pooch and found the adit. It was an impressive structure with a well-built stone wall entrance leading to the actual adit. The rails leading from the mine were the heaviest we'd ever seen, leading us to speculate of the size and weight of the oar cars it carried. There were some bent iron ruins scattered about the area. Unfortunately, the mine itself isn't accessible it was either collapsed near the entrance or purposely caved in. If someone really wanted to take the chance, there were still openings amid the rubble but it would be risky to say the least.
We took our metal detector, but it went crazy with signals all over the areas my husband swept, there appears to be a lot of iron ore present, so it wasn't very conducive to good metal detecting. There's probably "gold in them thar hills," but it'll take some real searching to hit it lucky.
We took our metal detector, but it went crazy with signals all over the areas my husband swept, there appears to be a lot of iron ore present, so it wasn't very conducive to good metal detecting. There's probably "gold in them thar hills," but it'll take some real searching to hit it lucky.
collapsed adit
some cement block ruins near the entrance to the mine area
Part of the heavy rails
(there were more leading from the mine)
(there were more leading from the mine)
Iron ruins, we don't know what it was.
This stone and block wall ran down both sides and then across the entrance leading to the adit
No clue what this might have been
This friendly Walking Stick decided to hitch a ride with Jean & Larry
