The image above illustrates the incredible scale of the mining regions of the western United States. Yellow dots are gold mines, black dots are non-gold mines. Map icons show the distribution of historic mining towns. An interactive version of this map is available here.
The Old Hundred Mine Tour
The Old Hundred gold mine traces its history back to the late 1800s and was worked intermittently until the early 1970s. The mine has been closed for decades, however it is now open for tours which offer a unique view into what a working mine was like. Continue Reading
The Gold Prince Mine and Mill
The Gold Prince mill at Animas Forks, Colorado was built at the enormous cost of $500,000 in the first decade of the 1900s, but was mostly a failure. This series of photos takes a look at the Gold Prince mine and mill. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Animas Forks, Colorado
At an elevation of over 11,500 feet, Animas Forks is one of the loftiest mining towns ever established in the West. Today this ghost town is a popular attraction on southwest Colorado's Alpine Loop scenic byway. Continue Reading
History of the New Almaden Mines
This article describes the fascinating history of the New Almaden quicksilver mines located in Santa Clara County, California. While many have heard of New Almaden, it is often overlooked that the state's first lode mining operation was also the site of bonanza ores that rivaled many of the West's great gold mines in the value of the metals produced. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: New Almaden, California
New Alamaden is California's first mining settlement, predating the earliest of the famous gold-rush towns. Mercury ore was identified at the site in 1845 and mining operations commenced a short time later. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Columbia, California
Columbia was one of California's richest placer gold districts. Much of the substantial town center that was built in the late 1850s is preserved today as part of Columbia State Historic Park. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Harrison Gulch, California
Harrison Gulch was settled at the Midas mine - one of the top gold producers in California's Klamath Mountains region. This was the location of what became known as the "Harrison Gulch townsite war" that pitted the citizens of the town against the Victor Power and Mining company for over a decade. Continue Reading
Principal Gold Districts of Utah
Utah produced approximately 17,765,000 ounces of gold through 1960, making it sixth among the gold-producing states. Thirteen districts in nine counties yielded more than 10,000 ounces of gold each. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Gold Hill, Nevada
Gold Hill, Nevada was the site of the first discovery of the rich silver and gold ore that would become known as the Comstock Lode - one of the world's richest ore deposits. By the 1870s the town had become a major industrial center, peaking in 1877 with around 8,000 inhabitants. Continue Reading
Rawley Mine – Bonanza District, Colorado
The Rawley mine in Colorado's Bonanza district created a lot of excitement in the area during the early 1880s. However, difficulties bringing the mine into production would result in over four decades of ownership changes and large capital losses until the mine finally realized its potential in the 1920s. Continue Reading
