(From their website)
The Crystal Gold Mine, near Kellogg, Idaho was the first hard rock mine in the Silver Valley. Worked from 1879-1881; closed by hiding the mine, it was rediscovered in 1991, reclaimed in 1996, and opened as a tourist historical attraction.
The work was all done in candlelight by hand. The guided underground tour explains how they drilled with "Hand Steels" using "Single Jacks" and "Double Jacks" (Hammers), how they traced the quartz vein using 1880 methods, how they tested the vein for gold. Beautiful stalactite crystals of smithonite in an array of colors coat the walls. Gold and wire silver can still be seen in the quartz vein.
Everyone had to wear hard hats
The tour guide explained the history of the mine and the area.
They have never figured out for sure who mined it. But when they hid the mine they must have intended to come back someday as they left behind very expensive mining equiptment. It is still sitting where they left it.
There is constantly water dripping into the mine and running down to fill these pools.
The minerals leave behind white streaks on the rocks that look like candle wax.
Below is a candle in a holder which hooks into the rock. This was the only light the miners had to see by while they were working. At one point the tour guide had us all turn off our flashlights and he light a candle. It was so dark. Very hard to imagine working in those conditions all day.
There were deposits of minerals throughout the mine.
This is a vein of quartz. These veins are where the miners would find gold.
You can see some gold in the quartz here. It is in the lower left of the magnafying glass.
More minerals. Doesn't it look like wax dripping down the side of a candle?
After the tour we all got to try panning for gold.
I guess honor only goes so far :)
We had a great time and learned a lot about mining, history and minerals.
That looks like a LOT of fun. I love to go into mines (which is funny since I have a tendency to get claustrophobic). They are so fascinating and show how creative God truly is.
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