Desert Messenger

August 9, 2017 www.DesertMessenger.com 15 Desert Messenger offers FREE Classifi ed Ads! Here's the small print: Items for sale under $1000. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Garage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com Pyramid, and Virginia camps of the Weaver District operated sporadical- ly in this area until about 1959, with the greatest period of production be- ing the decade from 1932 to 1942. Total gold production for this district was just over 63,200 ounces. The mineral-rich veins of the Wal- lapai District were discovered in the early 1860's. The Wallapai District in the Cerbat Mountains, 30 miles northwest of Kingman, includes the mining camps of Chloride, Mineral Park, Cerbat, and Stockton. Chlo- ride was founded in 1862, with the discovery of a rich silver ore in the mountains behind the townsite. Mineral Park was founded in 1861. Unlike the other districts where gold is the principal metal, in the Wal- lapai District, lead, zinc and copper are the primary ores,and gold and silver are byproducts. Molybdenum is prevalent here, and the rare mix of zinc and copper in the Mineral Park area of this district creates the world famous beauti- ful Kingman turquoise. The Mineral Park Mine still operates today, and produces over 37 mil- lion pounds of copper, 9.4 million pounds of molybdenem, and 544 ounces of silver. Tur- quoise is still mined to- day from Ithaca Peak and Turquoise Mountain in the Min- eral Park deposit. There is amazing beauty and an abun- dance of treasure hidden in the rug- ged mountains of Mohave County. The mountains around Kingman are full of old mining towns, mines, and history. While in the Kingman area, in addition to visiting Chloride and Oatman, take some time to explore the lesser known sites. Stop and explore for a while on your way to Quartzsite. It will be worth the trip. Adventures With Rocks, formerly RocksInMyHead is online at www. AdventuresWithRocks.com. For more of our awesome articles and to view the PhotoJournal of Mohave County Mining camps, visit our web- site. We also have a nice selection of mining collectibles from Mohave County and LaPaz County available in our Ebay Store http://stores. ebay.com/RocksInMyHead2 as well as fabulous rocks, minerals, fossils, gemstones, rockhounding, pros- pecting, and jewelry making stuff at great prices. We also have some re- ally cool kits for kids coming soon. Also, please Like Us on Facebook at Adventures With Rocks, the Adven- ture Continues. Many Happy Ad- ventures! ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS ™ By Jenn Jedidiah Free • www.AdventuresWithRocks.com The adobe brick walls of the cabin were covered with rusted corrugated metal, cardboard, old newspapers, and several layers of wallpaper. There were wooden shelves built into the wall in one corner, and wood panel- ing along one wall. It was both classy and crude at the same time. Well, what was left of it anyway. Nearby was another crumbling structure made of the same adobe and metal, a cistern, and the remains of an animal pen. This little cluster of buildings about 30 miles outside of Kingman is just a reminder of the mining town that once was Mineral Park. At fi rst glance, Mohave County looks desolate with vast expanses of desert sur- rounded by rugged moun- tain ranges, canyons, and towering cliffs. But beneath the jagged formations of vol- canic rhyolite and basalt, the Pre-Cambrian layers of gran- ite and gneiss in the White, Black and Cerbat Mountains hold an abundance of mineral riches. Gold, silver, copper, lead, and a multitude of other minerals are found through- out the Weaver, San Francisco, and Gold Basin Mining Districts. Mohave County is the second richest gold- producing county in Arizona, with over 2,461,000 ounces being extract- ed until about 1951. The Gold Basin District, located about 60 miles north of Kingman in the White Mountains, has been pro- ducing gold since 1870. The major- ity of Gold Basin's richest ores come from the ElDorado Mine. The Gold Basin ores are also rich in copper, lead, molybdenum, and other sec- Minerals and mining camps of Mohave County ondary minerals. These mines were worked periodically until 1942, but their development was inhibited by their remoteness and the scarcity of fuel and water. Heading about 30 miles Southwest of Kingman, the San Francisco District lies in the Southern portion of the Black Mountains and contains min- ing camps such as Oatman and Gold Road. Here gold is the principal ore, and was fi rst discovered in the Oat- man area in 1863. Since that time, the deposits of the San Francisco Dis- trict have been worked periodically, with over 2 million ounces of gold being produced from 1897 to 1951. The Gold Road mine was reopened briefl y from 1995 to 1998, and pro- duced 88,000 ounces of gold. Then in 2010, the Gold Road mine opened again, and the fi rst gold bar in over 10 years was poured from its ore. Gold Road remains open and in produc- tion today. In the northern Black Mountains, in the Weaver District, gold was discov- ered in 1904. The ore of this district is primarily gold with some native silver. The Pilgrim, Mockingbird, We have great lunch menus, serving at 12 noon sharp! Suggested donation is only $3.50. There's cards, books, games, puzzles, pool table, Wi-Fi available. Community Services, Volunteers Needed! Come join the fun at Quartzsite SENIOR Center 40 Moon Mountain Ave. For more information call 928-927-6496 Senior Center open all year! Monday - Friday, 9am – 3pm

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