Desert Fever: An Overview of Mining History of the California Desert Conservation Area DESERT FEVER: An Overview of Mining in the California Desert Conservation Area Contract No. CA·060·CT7·2776 Prepared For: DESERT PLANNING STAFF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 3610 Central Avenue, Suite 402 Riverside, California 92506 Prepared By: Gary L. Shumway Larry Vredenburgh Russell Hartill February, 1980 1 Desert Fever: An Overview of Mining History of the California Desert Conservation Area Copyright © 1980 by Russ Hartill Larry Vredenburgh Gary Shumway 2 Desert Fever: An Overview of Mining History of the California Desert Conservation Area Table of Contents PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................. 7 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 9 IMPERIAL COUNTY................................................................................................................................. 12 CALIFORNIA'S FIRST SPANISH MINERS............................................................................................ 12 CARGO MUCHACHO MINE ............................................................................................................. 13 TUMCO MINE ................................................................................................................................ 13 PASADENA MINE ........................................................................................................................... 14 AMERICAN GIRL MINE ................................................................................................................... 14 CARGO MUCHACHO DISTRICT ............................................................................................................ 14 SOUTHEASTERN CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS AREA ............................................................................... 15 Duncan, Trio and Senator Mines .................................................................................................... 15 Picacho Mine ................................................................................................................................. 16 California Picacho Mine ................................................................................................................. 17 PAYMASTER DISTRICT ........................................................................................................................ 17 NON-METALLIC AND STRATEGIC MINERALS ....................................................................................... 17 IMPERIAL COUNTY-Looking towards the Future ................................................................................. 20 End Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 20 INYO COUNTY ........................................................................................................................................ 23 WHITE MOUNTAIN CITY ..................................................................................................................... 24 CERRO GORDO .................................................................................................................................. 25 Freighting at Cerro Gordo .............................................................................................................. 26 The Union-San Felipe Conflict ........................................................................................................ 28 TECOPA ............................................................................................................................................. 29 PANAMINT ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Panamint's Decline ........................................................................................................................ 31 Later Revivals................................................................................................................................. 32 DARWIN ............................................................................................................................................ 32 THE LOST GUNSIGHT LEGEND ............................................................................................................ 34 LOOKOUT .......................................................................................................................................... 35 GOLD IN INYO COUNTY ...................................................................................................................... 36 3 Desert Fever: An Overview of Mining History of the California Desert Conservation Area Beveridge ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Ballarat .......................................................................................................................................... 37 RYAN ................................................................................................................................................. 38 GREENWATER .................................................................................................................................... 38 TECOPA (20TH CENTURY)................................................................................................................... 40 GOLD IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ................................................................................................... 40 Little Mack Mine ............................................................................................................................ 40 Marble Canyon .............................................................................................................................. 41 BIG FOUR MINE ................................................................................................................................. 41 NON-METALLIC MINERALS ................................................................................................................. 41 SALINE VALLEY SALT .......................................................................................................................... 41 DARWIN (TALC, ZINC) ........................................................................................................................ 42 LAST CHANCE RANGE (sulphur) .......................................................................................................... 42 SHOSHONE (PERLITE) ......................................................................................................................... 43 OWLSHEAD MOUNTAINS (EPSOM SALTS) .......................................................................................... 43 SEARLES LAKE .................................................................................................................................... 44 END NOTES ........................................................................................................................................ 45 Kern County .......................................................................................................................................... 52 SAGE LAND MINING DISTRICT ............................................................................................................ 52 RADEMACHER MINING DISTRICT ....................................................................................................... 53 EL PASO MINING DISTRICT ................................................................................................................. 54 COALDALE (1894-1898)...................................................................................................................... 55 MISCELLANEOUS EL PASO DISTRICT MINES ........................................................................................ 55 SALTDALE (KOEHN DRY LAKE) ............................................................................................................ 56 GYPSITE (KOEHN DRY LAKE) ............................................................................................................... 56 RANDSBURG DISTRICT ....................................................................................................................... 57 Atolia-Randsburg Tungsten Boom .................................................................................................. 61 The California Rand Silver Mine-Randsburg's Silver Boom .............................................................. 63 Atolia after the Silver Boom ........................................................................................................... 64 Gold during the Tungsten and Silver Years ..................................................................................... 66 MOJAVE DISTRICT .............................................................................................................................. 66 Standard Hill .................................................................................................................................. 67 Soledad Mountain ........................................................................................................................