slgwv's photos with the keyword: adit

Alhambra Mine, in California's Sierra Nevada above Hope Valley to the west. That's actually still, clear water--the little light-colored spots are bits of floating vegetation. The Alhambra was originally worked for gold in the 1860s, but had a new lease on life in the 20th century as a tungsten mine. It closed in the mid-1950s, presumably when the "strategic metal" subsidies went away, and the run-up in gold prices in the late 20th century didn't lead to any new activity.

Close-up of the adit in Jett Canyon, Toiyabe Range, Nevada. Note the prominent slickensides at the right. They're roughly parallel to a fault that's to the left of the adit. Presumably the fauting localized the mineralization that's the target of the exploration.

Near the old mine in Jett Canyon, southern Toiyabe Range, Nevada. It appears to be exploratory only as it's shallow and there isn't much spoil. It's evidently following the fault to the left; there are prominent parallel slickensides visible in the adit itself (see detailed view adjacent).

Near the Lowary Mine, Incandescent Rocks, Nevada. Presumably another uranium prospect from the 1950s.

Seven Troughs District, Pershing County, Nevada, USA. Barely more than a prospect pit, but still blocked off!

Just barely into Nevada! Nevada Bureau of Mines Bull. 75 reports that copper sulfides were found in metamorphic host rock.

Poker Brown camp.

Poker Brown camp.

Poker Brown camp, San Jacinto District, Pershing County, Nevada, USA. Some minor silver-lead showings in metamorphic rock.

On Egan Creek, near the townsite of Cherry Creek, Nevada, with a tributary stream flowing out of the adit. This was a silver producer starting in 1863(!), the first development in the Cherry Creek district. Later the mines around Cherry Creek proper became more productive. Production was from the silver-bearing "Gilligan Ledge" in the Prospect Mountain Quartzite. The mineralization is localized along a major fault. The retrofitted masonry benches were really nice on a hot summer day. Alas, the whole set-up was clobbered in the big flood of 1997. I didn't have a camera to get a picture of the aftermath when I was there in summer 1998, but I got one this year. Alas, nobody has bothered to repair the site in the last 20 years! With this kind of water flow, too, it would have been very difficult to keep this mine working. I'd say it might have been just a drainage adit, but there were ore-car tracks visible in it! So it must've been dry when actually operating.

I don't know if the square-set timbers visible in back are original.

With a culvert! Abandoned mine in Leadfield, California, now part of Death Valley National Park.

Pershing County, Nevada, USA. Near the end of Stonehouse Canyon. Note that the tracks near the mouth have been buried by cave-ins! This area underwent a new flurry of activity around 1980, at the time of the last precious metal boom, and is undergoing another right now.

Close-up. (Pronounced LYE-duh, with a long "i", btw.)

Adits and colorful spoil heaps. Pronounced "LYE-duh," btw, with a long "i."