This Abandoned Mine Is A Geological Playland
This Abandoned Mine Is A Geological Playland
The mix of geological influences in this mine impressed me… Given the number of thrusts, faults, slips and the colorful mineralization, I am led to believe that there was a violent period of activity here in the past. A USGS survey indicated the presence of zinc and copper. However, to my knowledge, this was primarily a silver mine with lead as a secondary.
The mine in this video was the last day of a summer mine exploring trip that I did with Mines of the West… Next week, we’re meeting up again for a high-risk/high-reward visit to another Nevada mine (along with a couple of other faces that will be familiar to you). I say “high-risk” in the sense that the mine is more likely than not inaccessible and it is quite an ordeal to get to it. However, if we get in, the reward should be high as we are confident that this mine has not been explored before and it is a huge mine. Supposedly, the mine is dry all of the way to the bottom as well, which is significant.
I apologize for the excessive “uhhs” in this video. There are a few videos where I seem to have slipped into that speech pattern. I’m not sure why. I wasn’t conscious of it at the time and as soon as I noticed it, I immediately stopped it. However, there are a few annoying videos with it. Funny how we can unconsciously pick up a habit like that…
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All of these videos are uploaded in HD, so I’d encourage you to adjust your settings to the highest quality if it is not done automatically.
You can see the gear that I use for mine exploring here: https://bit.ly/2wqcBDD
As well as a small gear update here: https://bit.ly/2p6Jip6
You can see the full TVR Exploring playlist of abandoned mines here: https://goo.gl/TEKq9L
Several kind viewers have asked about donating to help cover some of the many expenses associated with exploring these abandoned mines. Inspired by their generosity, I set up a Patreon account. So, if anyone would care to chip in, I’m under TVR Exploring on Patreon.
Thanks for watching!
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Growing up in California’s “Gold Rush Country” made it easy to take all of the history around us for granted. However, abandoned mine sites have a lot working against them – nature, vandals, scrappers and various government agencies… The old prospectors and miners that used to roam our lonely mountains and toil away deep underground are disappearing quickly as well.
These losses finally caught our attention and we felt compelled to make an effort to document as many of the ghost towns and abandoned mines that we could before that colorful niche of our history is gone forever. But, you know what? We enjoy doing it! This is exploring history firsthand – bushwhacking down steep canyons and over rough mountains, figuring out the techniques the miners used and the equipment they worked with, seeing the innovations they came up with, discovering lost mines that no one has been in for a century, wandering through ghost towns where the only sound is the wind… These journeys allow a feeling of connection to a time when the world was a very different place. And I’d love to think that in some small way we are paying tribute to those hardy miners that worked these mines before we were even born.
So, yes, in short, we are adit addicts… I hope you’ll join us on these adventures!
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Why don’t you ride your dirt bike to mines anymore?
Amazing colors in this mine
"Uhhs" are better than "Oops" my friend!
To the think there are people that have no idea what those big green circles are or where their food comes from. Mind blowing are the sprinkler systems for those alien crop circles. Some mules or horses would make those treks enjoyable and nostalgic. Dirt bikes would be fun too. Or the electric ones. I’d prefer the moseying along ride of a horse while having a cup of coffee early in the morning. Beautiful sight at 0.53. Main adit looks dang near swept clean. Beyond that it’s a mess.
Some very unstable ground there.
Weather’s warming up, be able to camp out at some of these.
Awesome video! Why is the "ground fall" so fine? Are the rock walls so crumbly?
What a lot of sweat it took to mine that out
Very strong echo
so crumbly
Nice old mine, any idea what they were pulling out? What state is in in?
Great video Justin.
The wide spectrum of geology colors and shades is crazy. Eye appealing. Real crumbly rock though for that topo of landscape.
Great video. That mine was driven through an Ore Body. All that is visible is ore. The dark grey to black is lead and zinc. The white stringers are either Anglesite, a lead mineral, or Smithsonite, a zinc mineral. All of which will contain some percentage Silver, often in excess of 100 oz per ton. Lastly; we are saying hello and that we are Precious Metal Assayers and Refiners. Possibly Ore benification, concentration, leaching and smelting services sometime soon too. Keep us in mind if you have any ore, mineral or mining related questions.
What a colorful mine. Too bad I don’t know the difference between geology and biology. 😂 Thanks for all your efforts to share this.
Heavy minerization
The colors!!! The mineralogical society should make this mine their headquarters.
What a gorgeous mine, thanks for showing us this.
(2:50)- Is that a cave in, or was it backfilled?
Interesting to hear that this mine with "soft" rock is better.. I would have thought the harder rock would be better wrt ground fall
this one is really interesting. thanks to you and your friend for the effort.
Do any of the colors or mineralization indicate that there is still ore worth mining with today’s processes and prices?
This was a fun one!
Kinda looked like the pine nuts but then I thought portola area…. love seeing the mines you explore.
Thank you Justin for going the extra effort to show us all of the mine. Great explore and thank you for taking us with you!
Do you not tell people where these are located? I’ve been through a number of mines in southern Nevada and I’m out of any cool mines to go explore, would love to go check this one out with my buddy.
Such gorgeous colors. Some of that blue-violet color is almost a tanzanite color, and then the vibrant yellows and oranges next to the blues, which are opposites on the color wheel. The wild, folding-looking rock at the fault about 3/4th through the video! Bizarre fault. Very beautiful mine.
"an arduous slog" … and I thank you for the effort!
Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦
That was a very interesting site. The entrance of that first mine was so perfect in shape plus it looked as if it had been swept clean. I wonder how many artifacts were taken since there was only that one pail. ☹️ I was respectful but I complained in the “comments” when I happened upon the first (and my last) video by Frank and his wife; they were giddy and gleefully took an old canteen from a mine they were recently in. Bugged the heck out of me. It felt as if they were stealing from a museum.
The rock formations and mineral colors in your mine were breathtaking! Thanks for another good video.
How did they get the floors so smooth. In all the mines you explore they all seem to be fairly smooth yet the wall and ceiling are exceedingly rough
Once again the best 👌
Awesome color in that mine! Thanks for the view. Always enjoyable!
Outstanding work – visually quite appealing. This one had continual ground control issues obviously. That said, thanks for forging through those hazards to document this beautiful crumble-fest.
Beautiful mine mate. Thanks for another great TVR explore. I agree with the point you made about porphyry mines vs having huge country rock above your head!
Shiver me timbers
The colors in this mine are absolutely gorgeous!
Just a question about the Fault in the mine how would the miners work that as it’s ever so smooth looking and would they leave it cause it was dangerous?? Fantastic explore once again mate but quite Crumbly looking when u touched the wall.
Right!? Almost worth digging it out to see what’s back there
That’s a good one!
So apparently signs that warn DANGER. UNSAFE MINE. STAY OUT. STAY ALIVE, don’t really mean what they say ?
You are not one to disappoint. Never have been. What a great mine with all the colors and geo to keep everyone interested. A bit crumbly I ‘spose but I guess that’s ok eh? I can tolerate the "ugh’s". No big deal. Great mine and vid to match. Thanks.
Fascinating mine!👍👍I was wondering if the loose gravel you walked on was hiding where the track and ties used to be. Thanks for the tour!
Interesting ! This has got to be the upper workings , with the ore shutes ! Would be worth finding , and checking out the main haulage aditt , that would be below this level ! Thanks for the tour , stay safe , and keep on exploring , the effort is always appreciated, thank you ! ☠️😎
Enjoyed the episode, I love seeing the pick marks on the wall, it makes you wonder what kind of life the minor had.
Looking forward to your next episode.
Hi Justin, wow nice colours in this mine, very clear veins running through it too.
Thank you for sharing, much love. xx ❤
Just a pure mineral tunnel haha that’s fantastic stuff, it’s been a minute since a video you have posted showing a mine this nasty!!! Love it
Much of this looks hand dug with picks. That rock is so loose. Seen stuff like this in WA state over the years. Hand dug usually has those nice arch ceilings and smooth walls
Nice looking rocks in the mine. Thanks
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Great vid. Enjoyed the tour.
Thank You Mr. TVR for this awesome explore and for adding a bit of an introduction and ending. That’s the finishing touch we’ve been waiting for. What was being mined here?
My claustrophobia scream ‘thank you’
Are the blue walls silver/lead? Seems like there is a lot left.