Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records This finding aid was created by Joyce Moore, Hana Gutierrez, and Melise Leech. This copy was published on October 08, 2020. Persistent URL for this finding aid: http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f10338 © 2020 The Regents of the University of Nevada. All rights reserved. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. Box 457010 4505 S. Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-7010 [email protected] Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records Table of Contents Summary Information ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Historical Background ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Scope and Contents Note ................................................................................................................................ 4 Arrangement Note ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................. 5 Related Materials ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Names and Subjects ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Collection Inventory ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Series I. Organizational records ................................................................................................................... 6 Series II. Operational records ....................................................................................................................... 7 - Page 2 - Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records Summary Information Repository: University of Nevada, Las Vegas. University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. Contributor: Blue Diamond History Committee (Clark County, Nev.) Contributor: Blue Diamond Corporation (Clark County, Nev.) Creator: James Hardie Gypsum, Incorporated Contributor: Flintkote Company. Blue Diamond Division Title: Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records ID: MS-00505 Date [inclusive]: 1918 to 2005 Date [bulk]: 1950 to 1990 Physical Description: 19.14 Cubic Feet (17 boxes) Physical Description: 17.05 Linear Feet Abstract: The Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records (1918-2005) consist of operational and organization records of the gypsum mining and milling operations located in southwest Clark County, Nevada. Materials include operational records related to individual boring sites at the mine; milling operations and statistics; and equipment operations and statistics, including maps, field notebooks, and photographs. There are also daily, weekly, and monthly organizational records related to employee work schedules and safety reports for the mining operations, including accident reports and a safety education training program. Preferred Citation Blue Diamond Mine Corporation Records, 1918-2005. MS-00505. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. ^ Return to Table of Contents Historical Background Gypsum mining at the Blue Diamond Mine began when prospectors discovered the mineral deposit atop a hill outside of Las Vegas, Nevada in 1905. In 1923, the Blue Diamond Materials Company of Tehachapi, California, purchased the claim and more intensive mining operations began. By 1941, the company had built a processing mill at the foot of the hill, and turned the small community of Cottonwood Springs into a company town, renaming it Blue Diamondville. - Page 3- Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records The mine and milling operations were purchased by the Flintkote Company in 1959 as part of their wider expansion efforts. In 1987, the Flintkote Company sold the operations to James Hardie Gypsum, Incorporated; this company continued operating both mine and mill until 2004, when the mine was permanently closed. In 2005, the mine and mill were purchased by Jim Rhodes, operating as Blue Diamond Hill Gypsum. Milling operations continue at the Blue Diamond site. Sources: Geary, Kim. "Gypsum Production at Blue Diamond, Nevada, 1924-1959," Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, 26, no. 2 (Summer, 1983): 111-121 "The SEC News Digest 05-21-1959," accessed December 6, 2018, https://www.sec.gov/news/digest/1959/ dig052159.pdf "Our History," Blue Diamond Elementary School, accessed November 30, 2018, https:// www.bluediamondes.com/our-history "The Nevada Mineral Industry, 1987," Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology, Special Publication MI-1987 (1988): 25 "Developer Jim Rhodes Ups Mining Investment in Blue Diamond Hill," Las Vegas Review-Journal, accessed December 6 2018, https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/developer-jim-rhodes-ups-mining- investment-in-blue-diamond-hill/ ^ Return to Table of Contents Scope and Contents Note The Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records (1918-2005) consist of operational and organization records of the gypsum mining and milling operations located in southwest Clark County, Nevada. Materials include operational records related to individual boring sites at the mine, milling operations and statistics,and equipment operations and statistics. Also included in these records are field notebooks, maps, and a small number of site photographs. Organizational records include daily, weekly, and monthly records related to employee work schedules, safety reports for the mining operations, including accident reports, federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) "Fatalgrams," and a safety education program with photographic slides and audio- cassette tapes. ^ Return to Table of Contents Arrangement Note These records are organized into two series: - Page 4- Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records Series I. Organizational records, 1947-2005; Series II. Operational records, 1918-2004. ^ Return to Table of Contents Administrative Information Access Note Collection is open for research. Publication Rights Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish. Acquisition Note Materials were donated in 2005 by the Blue Diamond Historical Society; accession numbers 2005-15, 2006-07. Processing Information These records were roughly processed by Joyce Moore in 2016 and a basic description was added to ArchivesSpace by Hana Gutierrez in 2017. In 2018, as part of an archival backlog elimination project, Melise Leech processed, rehoused, and arranged the materials, and revised the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards. ^ Return to Table of Contents Related Materials Related Collections The following resources may provide additional information related to the materials in this collection: Blue Diamond History Committee Collection, 1920s-2012. MS-00727. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. Blue Diamond Mine Photograph Collection, approximately 1950-1971. PH-00338. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. - Page 5- Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records ^ Return to Table of Contents Names and Subjects • Blue Diamond (Nev.) • Photographs • Blue Diamond Mine (Clark County, Nev.) • Mines and mineral resources • Mine management Collection Inventory Series I. Organizational records, 1947-2005 Physical Description: 2.57 Cubic Feet (2 boxes) Physical Description: 2.17 Linear Feet Scope and Contents Note: The organizational records series (1947-2005) contains daily, weekly, and monthly work and vacation schedules, daily operations reports, employee time sheets, manpower requirements, and time studies. It also includes safety reports and federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) "Fatalgrams" and advisories. Arrangement Note: Materials are arranged by type and date. Title/Description Containers Daily operations reports, 1983 box 01 Physical Description: 4 Files Employee time sheets, 1981-1983 box 01 Physical Description: 15 Files Job position descriptions, 2002 box 02 Manpower requirements, 1977 box 02 Time charts, day and hour by employee, 1973-1977 box 02 Time and date schedule check sheets, undated box 02 Time study reports, 1947 box 02 Time studies, ore hauling, 1979 box 02 Time study, mine, 1979 box 02 Weekly work schedules, 1979-2005 box 02 Physical Description: 6 Files Weekly employee shift assignments, undated box 02 Work schedules, 1976-1980 - Page 6- Guide to the Blue Diamond Mine Corporate Records Physical Description: 4 Files box 02 Mine work schedules, 1983 box 02 Monthly time sheets, 1978-1981 box 02 Safety regulations, 1951 box 02 Maintenance and security documents, 1960 box 02 Safety reports, 1968-1991 box 02 Physical Description: 2 Files Safety reports and Fatalgrams, 1988-1990 box 02 Weekly safety reports, 1983 box 02 Mine safety plan, 1976 box 02 Las Vegas plant, safety program, 1985 box 02 State of Nevada