FW: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
Geary and John, Your posts of yesterday and today prompt me to forward correspondence from Thursday with Thomas Sitch concerning Gold and silver mines in Texas. The mine near Concan that Geary mentions is the one or ones at "Silver Mine Pass" which are located on Gov. Dolph Briscoe land. On 2-26-07, I sent Geary a slightly more detailed account of the mines at Silver Mine Pass worked by Jim Bowie and his men. The highway historical marker indicates that these mines may have been originally dug by Spaniards in the 1700's. John's post concerning the 20 "jackloads" of gold in southern Oklahoma sounds very much like a story told by J. Frank Dobie in one of the two books that I mention below but I have forgotten which one. The difference is that he named the location as Tilden, Texas at the conflux of the rivers (Three Rivers). These books are well written and evoke thoughts of searching for hidden or buried treasure. I feel sure that some of these legends/stories are based in fact such as "The Lost Dutchman" about which much has been written. Fritz From: Fritz Holt Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 4:13 PM To: 'Thomas Sitch' Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas Thomas, I would come closer to being a crackpot than a crack geologist, but of course, I am neither. I have had no experience with gold mines other than a late 1950's attempt to locate one just across the Rio Grande from Candelaria, TX. in Presidio County. I made two attempts to locate the mine which my Grandfather had located and had taken samples in 1927. Jimmy Walker, Preston McMichael, Bill Breedlove and I located a mine in the area where the tailings had evidence of what appeared to be silver. No gold, but then I don't believe that this was the mine that my Grandfather had described. I'll bet that it is there. His description of it's location is vivid in my mind. During this same period I did a topside inspection of some silver mines three miles SW of Concan on highway 83. Some gasoline service station maps of the period listed the area in red as "Silver Mine Pass". They are located on land now owned by Governor Dolph Briscoe and the entrances have reportedly have been dozed shut for safety reasons. These mines were reported to have been worked by Jim Bowie and his men in 1835. There are historical markers on this highway near the site which tell something about them and Jim Bowie's involvement. You can Google "Silver Mine Pass" and read them. If not, I have printed them. For your reading enjoyment and possible reference material for locating gold mine sites, I highly recommend two books by J. Frank Dobie who of course taught at UT for many years. They are, "Coronado's Children" and "Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver" His books are an excellent read. I will forward a list of his books. Fritz Holt . From: Thomas Sitch [mailto:dreadfl...@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 2:42 PM To: texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this forum: I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: - GOLD MINING. Gold mining has not been extensive in Texas, as the occurrence of the metal is limited. Main production, confined to the Presidio and Hazel mines in West Texas and the Heath mine in the Llano district, amounted to a total of 8,277 fine ounces by 1942 and was valued at $233,499. Most of the gold produced has come as the byproduct of silver and copper ores, but traces of it occur in the Shafter, Van Horn, Allamoore, and Quitman mountains, and in Howard, Taylor, Irion, Uvalde, and Williamson counties with other rocks and ores. Since the closing of the Presidio mine in September 1942 there has been little production of gold. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Thomas J. Evans, Gold and Silver in Texas (Mineral Resource Circular 56 [Austin: Bureau of Economic Geology, 1975]). University of Texas, Texas Looks Ahead: The Resources of Texas (Austin, 1944; rpt., Freeport, New York: Books for Libraries Press, 1968). --- Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas
Re: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
When checking a cave near Montell and Camp Wood years ago...we were shown a pit that the landowner claimed was an old silver mine. I was dubious..but we checked it. And it was obviously an excavated hole...and not a cave. In southern Oklahoma (north of here, in case you were wondering)there are legends of someone absconding with 20 ³jackloads² of goldI have heard two versions. In one version, its the native Americansand in another confederate troops. Anyway, at least one or two versions claim the gold was hidden in a cave. Not quite the same as a minebut similar. AnywayWindmill Cave near the Wichita Mountains has been one of the suspected locations. We mapped the cave in the late 80s and named a hidden room as the ³treasure² roombut the gold wasn¹t there when we left the cave. On 6/25/09 10:58 PM, "Geary Schindel" wrote: > I¹ve been to one of the silver prospects in Uvalde County. It is about 20 > feet long and 5 high by 4 foot wide. It is in an igneous intrusion within the > Edwards limestone on the edge of the hill country. It is unclear what the age > of the mine is but the land owner, who has had the property in his family for > more then a hundred years, said it wasn¹t worked by any of his family. It may > date back to pre settlement times or maybe even early Spanish explores. > Generally, it is thought that they carried the ore to the nearby river where > they pounded it into fine dust and then separated it by gravity (panning > method) Also, the Frio, Dry Frio, and to some extent, the Nueces rivers have > traces of gold in the sediments of the river (placer deposits). So, yes, > there is gold in them there hills. There is actually a description of a mine > near Concan that was active in the late 1800?s which had some pretty nice > assays of gold but very limited amount of ore. The mine was never very > productive from what I understand and was soon shut down. > > Geary > > >
RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
I've been to one of the silver prospects in Uvalde County. It is about 20 feet long and 5 high by 4 foot wide. It is in an igneous intrusion within the Edwards limestone on the edge of the hill country. It is unclear what the age of the mine is but the land owner, who has had the property in his family for more then a hundred years, said it wasn't worked by any of his family. It may date back to pre settlement times or maybe even early Spanish explores. Generally, it is thought that they carried the ore to the nearby river where they pounded it into fine dust and then separated it by gravity (panning method) Also, the Frio, Dry Frio, and to some extent, the Nueces rivers have traces of gold in the sediments of the river (placer deposits). So, yes, there is gold in them there hills. There is actually a description of a mine near Concan that was active in the late 1800?s which had some pretty nice assays of gold but very limited amount of ore. The mine was never very productive from what I understand and was soon shut down. Geary
RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
Yes, that is the article. And easy to read and maneuver. Ron _ From: Kurt L. Menking [mailto:gi...@bcad.org] Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 4:47 PM To: Texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas A link to the mine article is http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45391/m1/8/?q=Miranda It starts on page 8. Kurt
RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
Thomas, You might want to check out J. Frank Dobie's Coronado's Children--probably can get a used one at a book sale like I did or borror one from your public library. Here's a summary from Wikipedia: Coronado's Children was the second book written by J. Frank Dobie, published by The Southwest Press in 1930. It deals with lore of lost mines and lost treasures in the American Southwest, for the most part in Texas. The Spanish explorer Coronado quested for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold in the 16th century. Dobie thought that recent searchers for lost mines and lost treasure in the American West were the spiritual heirs of Coronado, hence the name of the book, "Coronado's Children." Lots of good stories, some of which may actually be true. Louise List-Post: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:41:51 -0700 From: dreadfl...@yahoo.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this forum: I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: - GOLD MINING. Gold mining has not been extensive in Texas, as the occurrence of the metal is limited. Main production, confined to the Presidio and Hazel mines in West Texas and the Heath mine in the Llano district, amounted to a total of 8,277 fine ounces by 1942 and was valued at $233,499. Most of the gold produced has come as the byproduct of silver and copper ores, but traces of it occur in the Shafter, Van Horn, Allamoore, and Quitman mountains, and in Howard, Taylor, Irion, Uvalde, and Williamson counties with other rocks and ores. Since the closing of the Presidio mine in September 1942 there has been little production of gold. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Thomas J. Evans, Gold and Silver in Texas (Mineral Resource Circular 56 [Austin: Bureau of Economic Geology, 1975]). University of Texas, Texas Looks Ahead: The Resources of Texas (Austin, 1944; rpt., Freeport, New York: Books for Libraries Press, 1968). --- Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas
Re: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
I was just chatting with an oldtimer who was watching his grandson frolicking about in Big Boiling Spring, you know, the one with the siren-smiled bronze mermaid and pet catfish in Salado. He told me about a goldmine that used to be in operation out towards Cedar Valley. A fella he knew as a young man once took a load of lumber out to the mine for his father. The miner insisted on paying him in shares in the mine and his dad beat him near half to death when he got home. I guess that mine wasn't a producer. Andy Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D. 700 Billie Brooks Drive Driftwood, Texas 78619 (512) 799-1095 a...@gluesenkamp.com --- On Thu, 6/25/09, Thomas Sitch wrote: From: Thomas Sitch Subject: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas To: texascavers@texascavers.com List-Post: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 2:41 PM Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this forum: I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: - GOLD MINING. Gold mining has not been extensive in Texas, as the occurrence of the metal is limited. Main production, confined to the Presidio and Hazel mines in West Texas and the Heath mine in the Llano district, amounted to a total of 8,277 fine ounces by 1942 and was valued at $233,499. Most of the gold produced has come as the byproduct of silver and copper ores, but traces of it occur in the Shafter, Van Horn, Allamoore, and Quitman mountains, and in Howard, Taylor, Irion, Uvalde, and Williamson counties with other rocks and ores. Since the closing of the Presidio mine in September 1942 there has been little production of gold. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Thomas J. Evans, Gold and Silver in Texas (Mineral Resource Circular 56 [Austin: Bureau of Economic Geology, 1975]). University of Texas, Texas Looks Ahead: The Resources of Texas (Austin, 1944; rpt., Freeport, New York: Books for Libraries Press, 1968). --- Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas
RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
A link to the mine article is http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45391/m1/8/?q=Miranda It starts on page 8. Kurt From: Ron Ralph [mailto:ronra...@austin.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 4:04 PM To: 'Thomas Sitch' Cc: Texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas Probably the most famous "gold mine" is Miranda's lost Spanish silver mine in Llano County, Texas. There is a fair write-up in a publication of the Texas Historical Foundation, Fall, 2000 issue. I can loan you a copy if you send it back or perhaps you can order it from THF of you ask at t...@texashf.org These are hard rock mines with adits and shafts. There is also two nice little caves to the north of the mine called Woods 1 and 2; single passage straight lines north, one at 30 degrees mag and the other at 45. No data on file with the TSS. Ron Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this forum: I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas Sitch
Re: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
There was, of course, the San Saba mines of ledgend and some history. First mined by the Spanish. Jim Bowie later went off looking for them. Google "san saba mine" for a bunch of stuff, esp. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/LL/dkl5.html. The Handbook of Texas Online is a great resource for all things historical in Texas. On 6/25/09, Thomas Sitch wrote: > > Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this > forum: > > I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a > very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger > Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but > I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: > > - > *GOLD MINING*. Gold mining has not been extensive in Texas, as the > occurrence of the metal is limited. Main production, confined to the > Presidio and Hazel mines in West Texas and the Heath mine in the Llano > district, amounted to a total of 8,277 fine ounces by 1942 and was valued at > $233,499. Most of the gold produced has come as the byproduct of silver and > copper ores, but traces of it occur in the Shafter, Van Horn, Allamoore, and > Quitman mountains, and in Howard, Taylor, Irion, Uvalde, and > *Williamson*counties with other rocks and ores. Since the closing of the > Presidio mine > in September 1942 there has been little production of gold. BIBLIOGRAPHY: > Thomas J. Evans, *Gold and Silver in Texas* (Mineral Resource Circular 56 > [Austin: Bureau of Economic Geology, 1975]). University of Texas, *Texas > Looks Ahead: The Resources of Texas* (Austin, 1944; rpt., Freeport, New > York: Books for Libraries Press, 1968). > --- > > Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, > does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? > Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock > mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) > > Best Regards, > > ~~Thomas >
RE: [Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
Probably the most famous "gold mine" is Miranda's lost Spanish silver mine in Llano County, Texas. There is a fair write-up in a publication of the Texas Historical Foundation, Fall, 2000 issue. I can loan you a copy if you send it back or perhaps you can order it from THF of you ask at t...@texashf.org These are hard rock mines with adits and shafts. There is also two nice little caves to the north of the mine called Woods 1 and 2; single passage straight lines north, one at 30 degrees mag and the other at 45. No data on file with the TSS. Ron Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this forum: I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas Sitch
[Texascavers] Gold mines in Texas
Sort of on-topic, and I know there are a lot of crack geologists on this forum: I've been researching Austin history and ghost stories, and came across a very dubious claim of a gold mine located at a place called "Digger Hollow." I was unaware of any precious metal deposits in Central Texas, but I did find this intriguing tidbit on the web: - GOLD MINING. Gold mining has not been extensive in Texas, as the occurrence of the metal is limited. Main production, confined to the Presidio and Hazel mines in West Texas and the Heath mine in the Llano district, amounted to a total of 8,277 fine ounces by 1942 and was valued at $233,499. Most of the gold produced has come as the byproduct of silver and copper ores, but traces of it occur in the Shafter, Van Horn, Allamoore, and Quitman mountains, and in Howard, Taylor, Irion, Uvalde, and Williamson counties with other rocks and ores. Since the closing of the Presidio mine in September 1942 there has been little production of gold. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Thomas J. Evans, Gold and Silver in Texas (Mineral Resource Circular 56 [Austin: Bureau of Economic Geology, 1975]). University of Texas, Texas Looks Ahead: The Resources of Texas (Austin, 1944; rpt., Freeport, New York: Books for Libraries Press, 1968). --- Before I take the time to try and track the references in the bibliography, does anybody know anything about mining in Williamson country or nearby? Was that placer gold? The karst doesn't seem prime territory for hard rock mines, but then again, I'm a computer programmer, not a geologist :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas
