A Canyon Full Of Silver Mines
An abandoned silver mine in Nevada? Who would have thought such a thing were possible... Yes, this canyon of mines was primarily a silver mining operation, although there was also some gold and copper reported as secondary minerals. The mineral potential of the area was first discovered in the 1860s and a settlement sprang into existence around that time to exploit these ore bodies. Mining was conducted throughout the 1800s and then, again, in the 1930s. Obviously, some work was also done in the 1970s or early 1980s, but I was unable to locate any records on this.
The large workings along the creek that you can see in the distance at the start of the video are the remains of a shaft, developed during the 1800s, that dropped for hundreds of feet. Even the reports from the 1930s state that these workings are a bit of a mystery as they are all underwater (a situation that has not changed since then).
I’m on the fence about returning to this site to rope down the ore pass at the end of the video. The amount of shit (I’m talking about literal shit) that one would have to crawl through to get into the ore pass and to descend it is really off-putting. Furthermore, our ropes and gear would come out covered in shit as well. So, there’s that. Also, the amount of water at this site suggests that any cool artifacts would likely be rusted or rotted beyond recognition. Furthermore, given the number of caved adits and workings at this site, whether we could even get far enough to see rusted or rotted artifacts is brought into question. Lastly, the evidence of work done in the 1970s or the early 1980s makes me think that any cool stuff would likely have been hauled out or destroyed by core drilling and blasting. Those are the cons. The pros, of course, are that we don’t know what is down there.
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You can see the full TVR Exploring playlist of abandoned mines here: goo.gl/TEKq9L
You can see the gear that I use for mine exploring here: bit.ly/2wqcBDD and here: bit.ly/2p6Jip6
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.
I hope you’ll join us on these adventures!
#ExploringAbandonedMines
#MineExploring
#AbandonedMines
#UndergroundMineExploring
Пікірлер: 104
The owner of the nest can be seen at 7:17 in the video on the left side. Cute little guy.
Cute mouse (or pack rat?) at 7:18. Probably what the Kestrel was hoping to have for dinner.
@rickobrien4025
7 ай бұрын
What's a kestrel ?
@wadebarber6493
7 ай бұрын
The smallest falcon. @@rickobrien4025
Did you see the Packrat at 7:18?
@moonbear6220
7 ай бұрын
7.13 on my laptop running on the beam top left.. gives you an idea with the 2 time TVR
@Eidolon1andOnly
7 ай бұрын
@@moonbear6220Use a colon to create timestamps. Instead of typing 7.13 like you did, try 7:13 By using a colon YT will automatically convert the numbers into a clickable/tapable timestamp that when clicked/tapped will take you directly to that time in the video. Hope that helps. Have a good day.
@anonymoos
7 ай бұрын
Right when talking about the rats making home 😊
I believe that bird is an adult American Kestrel. Beautiful!
@putteslaintxtbks5166
7 ай бұрын
That's what I thought too. I think the smallest falcon and maybe also smallest bird of prey?
@AZRob56
7 ай бұрын
Accurate. Male.
@AGDinCA
7 ай бұрын
@@AZRob56 Oh, thanks for the gender specification! I totally forgot to denote it. 👍
@jasontimothywells9895
7 ай бұрын
@@AGDinCAwe have to , with all the pronouns and ass hurt people out there , we can't misidentify anyone 🤪
@AGDinCA
7 ай бұрын
@@jasontimothywells9895 Unnecessary and unhelpful addition to the conversation...
That dark rock and all that color from the mineralization definitely contrasted well. They were definitely following a very clear concentration of something. Thanks for making the climb to show us those mines. Looking down that last ore pass it seemed like there was a little bit of infrastructure built in there. If you don't think it connected to levels you've already seen it may be worth the trek. Maybe it connected to another adit you did not even see the entrance to.
As much as I agree with your "finish it all" methods .. not sure it would be worth returning for that pit ... at best it ties to the previous collapsed "open" stopes ... and the odds of worthwhile artifacts are near zero ... But, I would definitely watch it if you returned to finish that, and maybe the exploratory across the valley ... Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦
You missed a mouse on the timber by the first ore Shute 7:17
@garrettmillsap
7 ай бұрын
Good. Some one else saw it lol
Pack rat at 7:17 … top left of the timbering looking down at you Justin.
You should have taken a sample of that slatey wood looking stuff and had it looked at by a lab or something to figure out what it was because it was very interesting especially seeing the quartz in those little ovals one after another
@ericcorse
7 ай бұрын
Makes me wonder if it is asbestos.
@tombevilockway8754
7 ай бұрын
That is what it looks like.@@ericcorse
Nice shot of a mouse on the rafter upper left at 7:17!
Always inspired when I see TVR video uploaded :) thank you for taking us along to places most of us can't get to :)
Awesome bird footage!!!! Loved all the mining stuff too of course. That's quite an interesting canyon.
Wow that strange geology at the start of the second adit was insane. It really did look like wood
Rat in the upper left on the timber support at 7:17 in the video.
Once again TVR thanks for a great video. And you make the call on that level. Take care. Happy holidays
Always a pleasure! Thank you 🙏
Great explore. Thanks for sharing.
So cool to see you guys at a mine I've been to because I don't get to many living in Eastern Oregon. We were there in July (Frickn HOT) I checked out the ruins while my two grown sons scrambled all over that mountain side to the east.(you didn't miss anything over there). We all went in the first one with the passing tracks for the carts and were really bummed when it faced out shortly thereafter. My youngest went in the second one and followed a Fox to the end! We plead the 5th on the Silver bullet can.
Did you see your mine rat friend at @7:20? Just hanging out watching for that kestrel.
Hi Justin, those quartz veins were mental, everything you need for gold and silver, awesome. I say it would be a good idea to go down that man way at the end of the video just to document whether there is anything down there or if it's just short drifts on either side of it. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx ❤
Ah I think pack rats are so cute, don't get how some people are scared of em., don't think we have them in the UK native to North America. That mine was stunning but very sketchy, another fab video Jason & buddies. 🥰👍
5:30 anytime you see a tank or something like that, especially if you want to know the date, get a close up of the seams. Easy rule of thumb is welds=post 1950 But that definitely looks like the 60's with how it was formed and everything
I take it you didnt see the rat saying hi on the cribbing just before you got to its nest around the 7:20 mark. Top left corner of screen lol
Excellent video as always. As far as coming back to rope down you are the expert, you decide. Lol have a good day.
Good afternoon from Southeast South Dakota
@David-qg8nx
7 ай бұрын
Howdy from South Central North Dakota
@ 7:18 on the upper left is a TVR fan watchin as you go by talking prior to the one on the ladder
Very colorful tunnel! Nice video
Very cool. Thank you.
Thanks for the video
A great Video the Geologie Was absolute anazing. There must be much much more than only Gold. Thank you for your work. Glück Auf and best wishes Yours Frank Galetzka
i bet the bat shit is deep over there. i think you guys checked it out pretty good
@TwoFingeredMamma
7 ай бұрын
Free fertilizer, get it bagged up for the tomato plants and cannabis farm.
I don't know how you guys find them! All that iron laden quartz! Looks like there's still material in there. Thanks Justin and Crew!
That mineral pattern on the face at 11:45 looks like a Van Gogh painting! Cheers!
The pack rat on 7:20 awesome!
Fantastic location, what a hike.. There‘s so much pee in that ore shute that crystals of salt peter seem to be growing out of the wood. Interesting geology, same state I presume as the Lost Worlds Project and yet amazing difference between the geology. Are you still following the leftovers the Yellowstone Hotspot left or is this another geological phenomenon that has led to the mineralisation? Enormous veins, I think most of the blackening on the walls of the mine is from the ore they mined there. I wonder if they got it all out or if there still is some left but it just wasn’t economical/very dangerous in the past to mine it.
Was just there last year. Found some interesting stuff and fossils too.
@teotwaki
7 ай бұрын
Did you rope down the ore pass?
@highkamp
7 ай бұрын
No
almost bang on 7.17 there is a packrat watching you from the top of the beam just before you say rats have made it a home The Peregrine falcon (I think) was very cool btw Are you allowed to move cave ins etc, that bit of the mine looked viable for something if not silver.....who knows hmm Thats a long walk into rope down a potentially bottomed out ore pass but should you feel the urge I would definitely be interested to see that. Thanks for sharing so far
That’s a very promising looking mine! Probably the best I have seen! I’m sure there’s gold silver and other metals in there!
@TVRExploring
7 ай бұрын
Most definitely...
Nice bit of wildlife in this vid, did you spot the mouse @7.18 😂
That bird was a real gift. so close..
Nice Chunkey Quartz
A very interesting explore again, i guess that wood like stuff is not a good sign for a mine if it is all over the mine, not very solid, perhaps that ore pass goes beyond a collapse but it is solid? ehr me not know lol.
the bird is an American kestrel if you cared to know
@TVRExploring
7 ай бұрын
Yes, I do care to know. Thank you. It seemed like a young one that was just starting to get comfortable with flying.
Wow, that was dark.
juicy looking vein!!! and those Rails are beefy!!! That mine is looking good commercially !!! but unfortunately location is everything. 🤨
I was hoping there would be a manBEARpig spotting
Itvwas fumny you commented on the rats making that home and you walked right under the rat on the beam without seeing it 😅
micky mouse alert at 7:16
To go down depends on age of work and how more levels to could access ? , go for it ! .
Do you have your own mineral collection with all the great colorful rock that you encounter in those mines?
I haven't seen any locations of the mines, which would be nice please. Like near Tonopah, nv , central eastern nv, et cetera
@zaboomafoo409
6 ай бұрын
The location is always posted in the description
And then there were even more rats lol
there were 3 mice first 2 you missed ,the white one was following you guys
@7:17 a little buddy is watching. top left beam.
Yeah that tank looked like an old propane tank or stand up air compressor tank
You missed the first rat hiding across from the first oar chute.
Little friend 7:15 🐭🐁
As dark as the rock looks, I'd be tempted to suspect manganese ore or possibly a form of magnetite. I'd try the ore pass down into the workings.
Another rat @7:19
@samuelgilbert9734
7 ай бұрын
I was about to point it out, but you already did! 👍
at 7:17 the rats were watching y'all
I think it called volcanic quartz
7:16 - rat upper left
7:59 Modern Coors Light "Silver Bullet" can. Current design. Miner "artifact" or visitor "trash"?
I would like to see that 24 ft wide quartz vain
nope write this mine as done might be very unstable around there
Having watched many of your videos, I am always surprised/interested in why quartz veins are not exploited when they are so easily accessed. The logical answer is that these veins are not profitable and if so, is continued mining just wishful? I would also guess that these veins produce just enough to keep the process going.
@lime9853
3 ай бұрын
Id think that trying to get legal rights to work a 100 year old claim with owners that may not even be alive would be the hardest thing. The land probably goes back to the government or descendants that may not have interest in what little profit is left
Rat video bomb 7:17
*** 17:00 *** Since no one reads the comments section and wants to post about the mouse. How about the bat at 17:00
Mouse in the woodwork at7min 25 second
the level of danger in mining silver is just not worth the time?have to use mercury to get it, not worth dying for. and selling it im not worth 45.00 oz. ?
How can these rats see in the dark? Do they navigate by touch, scent and sound?
live rat at 7:18 😆
How worried are you about cave in?
@zaboomafoo409
6 ай бұрын
Very worried we’ve lost five crewmembers in seven years
Great bug out place to live when the shit hits the fan! During ww3
at 7:18 as you are walking a rat is on tember above your head to the left. than you show the rats nest
Can your subscribers by your silver?
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