Native Gold From the Jamestown Mine

From The Mineralogical Record, volume 25, January-February, 1994: “On December 26, 1992, owners of the Jamestown mine in Tuolumne County, California, received an unexpected Christmas present. Excavation in the company’s Crystalline pit revealed a ‘pocket’ of crystalline leaf gold. Approximately 1,568 ounces of specimen gold were collected in all. The largest piece, weighing in at 25.79 kg (69 troy pounds), ranks as one of the largest specimens of gold ever found in California, or the nation.” Continue Reading

Gold Nuggets at Auction: Stunning Specimens 10k and Above

Historically, very few large nuggets were saved for their value as collectibles. In modern times, large gold nuggets are exceedingly rare and are highly valued. The following examples are gold nuggets that have been sold at Heritage Auctions and have sales prices over $10,000. Continue Reading

The Leadville Ice Palace

In the 1890s, Leadville, Colorado was experiencing an economic depression. To boost the local economy, and the mood of the citizenry, in 1895 a plan was conceived to have a winter carnival, with the main attraction being a grand palace constructed almost entirely of ice. Continue Reading

The Twenty Mule Teams of Death Valley

“The Twenty Mule Teams of Death Valley” presents text and diagrams from a series of reports by the Historic American Engineering Record. Included are historical images of these iconic western wagon teams. Continue Reading

History of Mojave Desert Borax Mining

Mojave Desert borax was first made famous in the late 1800s by by the Twenty Mule Team wagon trains that were used to transport it across the desert. Over 140 years later, borax is still an important mined commodity in Southern California. Continue Reading

Mining in the Black Hills

“Mining in the Black Hills” provides an overview of the geography and history of mining and mining communities in the Black Hills. Included are historic and modern maps of the mining towns and districts of this famous mining region. Continue Reading

Contemporary U.S. Specimen Gold

Most known gold localities are no longer actively producing on a large scale or are actively mined as open pits, and the prospect of a nice nugget or matrix specimen is low. That is not to say that good size and quality nuggets are not being found, and good matrix specimens are still uncovered in old mines, now worked in the hopes of finding “pocket gold” specimens. Continue Reading

The Young America Mine and the Deidesheimer Gold Heist

The Young America mine was one located in one of California’s most scenic locations. It was partly owned by famed mining engineer Philip Deidesheimer. In a twist “Phillip Deidesheimer” was caught stealing a large quantity of gold from the mine. This article exposes the scandal that the mine owners attempted to make quietly go away. Continue Reading

Deadwood: The Ultimate Photo Collection

The Black Hills Gold Rush was one of the most significant historical events in the western United States. This collection of over 50 images captures the early history of this famous gold region. Continue Reading

Best Historical Photos: Colorized Mining Scenes

This collection contains some of the best colorized photos of historic western mining scenes. Included are mines, miners, historic mining towns, and related scenes. Continue Reading

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