My mining partner, Joe Langston went down in this mine in the 1990's. He got to ride the skip down the 45 degree winse to the loader at the bottom. They then went to a side tunnel where some metal detector guys had found quite a bit of gold in a 3 ft thick quartz vein. It was laced with gobs of gold. They put in a shot and took out that ore to be processed that day.Back at the assay shop they reduced the gold and put it in the furnace to smelt. When done smelting they had a 66 oz. bar from just one shot.
66 oz. from one shot? That's pretty incredible, but I am not surprised because I know this mine has gold like that... Thanks for sharing the great story!
The Sixteen to One is a great tour if you get the chance... I've done it twice now and it seems like every year they go to a different part of the mine.
TVR Exploring I haven’t found none that compares. Your camera equipment, locations, filming/panning speed, narrations, thoroughness, knowledge, flashlights, and will to explore are all superior to everyone else I have given a shot. Keep it up brother and thank you. Got my dad hooked on the 16-1 series. Also what does TVR stand for? Side note TVR is a gang where I grew up.lol
Interesting & informative - thx for routing us here via recent vid, I hadn't yet viewed this one. I 1st moved out West in 1984, & am still learning new things about CA's rich history.
Given how vast it is, I think it is virtually impossible to become an expert in California history... Easier to pick a niche and learn that niche well. Yes, this video shows the ballroom a little better as well as some of the stuff on the way that got glossed over in the series.
Thank you very much. Yes, the Sixteen to One is an old mine with new technology constantly trickling in and overlaying with the old techniques and technology. The Sixteen to One is actually very open to letting mining technology companies come in and experiment inside of their mine. They described several technology companies that came out for research and development of their products - one of them stayed there for a year.
BIG mine lol. Very productive over the years. Nice tour. Would have been great if they had let you see some of the current workings. Good view of a working mine. Be safe guys
Yes, the Sixteen to One is/was a huge producer and 26 miles of underground workings definitely puts it in the "BIG" category for me... They are currently working on the 49 winze in preparation for moving down into the levels that are being dewatered and we saw the top of that winze...
Wow,quite a view of an active operation.How like the abandoned mines you find things hauled deep into the mines each one carried by some one ALL the way.how similar the small squeeze throughs even now with cheap explosives etc and the use still of timber,.Thanks for the tour.
+ TVR - A Big THANKS to You for the video, and to the 16 to 1 Mine for allowing the tour. I'm not sure if you are aware, but there is also a 16 to 1 Mine in Nye County, Nevada. - Also, just for information, @ 17:20 that is a Crib Sett, NOT a Square Sett . - < Doc > .
You are correct sir that is a crib set lol. A lot of people don't know the difference because they look similar. Cribing is used to support the roof. Square set timbering was used as a way to actually mine. In many instances square set timbering was used to mine large stopes or raises then removed once the ore body had been depleted.
Thank you both for correcting that! Ha, I'm glad I've got you keeping an eye on what I am doing and helping to prevent me from looking too foolish... Unfortunately, it is too late to go back and alter the text on that note now, but, hopefully, enough people will see your comments. I'm going to go study up on timbering techniques some more!
I had a return visit to this site with a miner that works here last month. I shot three days of video and we got into some parts of the mine where only a handful of people have ever been. It'll take a lot of editing, but that is going to be an epic series.
I was fortunate to be able to take a tour of this mine back in the 1990's shortly after the Wopper was found.. What a great tour, they even let Me bring my Whites gold master II in..
I understand they are pretty accommodating of people experimenting in the mine and looking around... Does the mine look much different now compared to back in the 1990s?
They were great! The mine looks pretty much the same as it did in the 90's although the sign over the portal looks a bit ragged and the section before the ballroom where there were stairs, Well back in the 90's it was just an incline with a rope.. How long did your tour take? The one I went on lasted 7 hours...
Ha, an incline with a rope was an experience, I'm sure! 7 hours?!? That's awesome! I've never been on a tour at the Sixteen to One Mine longer than a couple of hours...
I was lucky They mis-scheduled My and My buddy's tour with an Group of investors and a lawyer for the mine. So to make a long story short they called up a Miner on her day off and She agreed to take us in. She also let Me go check out the Stopes that had the pillars of quartz with my GM2 Those pillars have a lot of targets... I liked the mine so much I bought a small ingot.. and a piece of Crystalline gold..
Oh, man, you definitely got lucky with that one. I love how life throws little bits of unexpected good fortune at us sometimes... I'm not surprised those pillars are rich. Those results give you a good idea of what they must have taken out from those stopes!
When I owned a commercial photolab in Grass Valley the owners brought in some film to be developed of a strike they had just made, sometime in the early 90s. I won't give out the details, but those images were flown out to an investors meeting immediately after development and printing. The mine has had a long history.
Thats one big mine! That bit about the gold at the end, omg, that is impressive, bet they all had a bonus that week :) Amazing caverns and stopes, can imagine how long all that took to dig!
Ha, I sure hope they received a bonus because they definitely deserved one after a gold find like that! Yes, the quartz caverns and stopes inside of the Sixteen to One are pretty amazing. And, yes, the idea of hauling all of that material out of there without the assistance of any large machinery is a testament to what humans are capable of when they are determined...
My buddy has a device called a Frequency Generator, it's like sonar but it covers a 10 mile radius...what he does is get a piece of quartz, gold or any mineral you're looking for, place it in front of the device, it reads what it is & looks for It's frequency within 10 miles. He's also got this Mercury bowl with electrodes in it, hit it with a certain frequency & you can pull gold out of water. He's an alchemist. Plus he's got this special super fertilizer called The Shot. Truly amazing indeed!
TVR Exploring I said that wrong...its called a Frequency Locator. His buddy invented it. As for the mercury bowl, another of his buddies built two of them & gave him one. He used the frequency locator & found pockets of platinum in Idaho.
I grew up about 50 miles north of there in Plumas County where there's dozens abandoned mines, as a teenager once I went in one with some friends (I wasn't thrilled about it) a week later there was a cave-in in it, since then I have refused to tempt fate.
I am so excited to finally see the inside of this mine that I have been obsessed with since I was a kid in the 70's!!! How hard was it for you to not start climbing up into some of those stoped and/or winze areas? It looked like at a few places in the video you might have been itching to explore "off the tour". 😉
In about 20 years the assay community will find that more than likely the 16-1 has more palladium than gold.... possibly platinum with the presence of chrome... For now the gold is a good find....
Yes, it is great to have a mine like the Sixteen to One still operating. I'd love to be able to film the entire mine! Ha, it would probably take at least twenty videos to cover it all.
I'm interested in your friends footage from inside the Ruby mine. My dad worked there for a long while in the 90s and I got to go inside it once. Underground placer mines are gnarly. Can you put your friends footage on TH-cam, or is it already there?
TVR Exploring He had a map on his wall in his house in Allegany that he made of the Ruby mine. It had a level of detail to the point where it named all the tributaries of the main gold bearing channel (the black channel) where the downieville gold collection was found. If I recall correctly, they were looking for the bald mountain extension channel that branches off the bald mountain channel. Apparently there was the belief that that was the tributary that cut through the quartz vein that deposited the huge nuggets into the black channel. It was almost 25 years ago that he was giving a tour to either some executive of the company or a potential investor and his kids or something like that, and I got to go along. I still remember it well. We didn't quite go all the way to the lawry shaft.
That map sounds great! We were given a map that is only a couple of years old and it would be interesting to compare the two of them and to see what is changed. That theory about the Bald Mountain Extension being the channel that dumped the huge nuggets into the Black Channel at the Big Bend is intriguing. I always wondered about the geology behind those nuggets getting there... There is a reference to the Bald Mountain or the Bald Mountain Extension on the map that we have, but I can't remember which it is and I don't have the map with me at the moment. Either way, it showed the Ruby workings running within a hundred feet or so of the Bald Mountain workings.
Really cool to see all that quartz, bet you wished you could go off on your own explore after that tease of a tour. Maybe when your 90 yrs old it will be exhausted & you can go back for a followup video & do the whole explore....ha ha ha
Haha! Yes, I'd love to have been given some time for some exploring on my own... Did you see all of those inviting drifts? Or how the ballroom kept dropping down? I definitely would like to have followed some of that. Unfortunately, when it is exhausted, it is going to flood up to the level where we came in. So, I'll be able to explore on the 800 level and above. However, the Sixteen to One goes down to a 3000 level and so a lot will be lost. I hope I'm still able to do this at 90 too!
Early in the video you discussed (with Corey) the Ruby Mine. The Ruby Mine is totally different than the 16 to 1 as the Ruby is based on tertiary gravel........its a placer mine.......vs. a hard rock/quartz mine. The Ruby was operated by North Bay Resources, Inc. (Stock Ticker: NBRI). I owned serial thousand shares of NBRI and bailed out just before they went belly up, screwing all of the shareholders. However, prior to NBRI taking over the Ruby Mine, it was, in the last 1200+ years, reportedly a very profitable mine. I'd love to see a video of the Ruby Mine. I know of another tertiary gravel mine that is about 3,000 feet deep, if you're interested (and are willing to let me join you......!!!)
Yes, I forget the point he was making, but he wasn't saying the geology of the mines is similar. As you stated, they are very different. Glad you were able to bail on your North Bay shares when they were still worth something. Picking successful miners is tough. It is tough to wade through the good marketing and optimistic projections and buy shares that will actually make you money. An amazing amount of gold came out of the Ruby in the 1930s and 1940s. There was a nine part series of videos of a complete exploration of the Ruby Mine on this channel. I'm sorry you missed it. The older workings were unreal.
At 6'5", going into a mine is not really a wise option for me, but, as a lifelong rock hound, this video is pure porno for me. Thank you. Now, I think I'll go smoke a cigarette and have a sandwich.
My apologies here, When say 800 is that length of feet into mine from opening......can u post a link that explains significance of what these numbers mean. Thanks for great Videos .......
The "800" level or whichever number you hear in a mine refers to the depth from the surface. The 800 level is 800 feet below the original entrance to the mine. It is misleading that we're entering on the 800 level, but that adit was run much more recently.
Naica quartz mine a favorite , seemingly the quartz could be made into expensive quartz coffins (like fantasy Cinderella coffin ? )or quartz tumbstones ,lots of quartz in Naica quartz mine,seemingly there should be a market for all that quartz ?
ok what kind of metal detectors is it they have that goes deep to find gold, I have quarts veins south of me 20 feet deep so could use one, I have mined so not stupid but still need help. thank you
Well, this is a lode mine. They don't have placer deposits underground here. So, they have no choice but to be interested in the lode gold. The mill is mostly idle and a good amount of their money is made from specimen gold. I made an incredible return visit to this mine last month. Keep an eye out for that series...
Thank you very much... Yes, the Sixteen to One mine is the most impressive underground mine that I have ever been inside. The tours are quite rare - this was the only day they did one this year and they are not doing any more.
Can't say I blame them, some of that mine looked very precarious to say the least and I for one wouldn't like to be caught deep in there when one of those faults decided to slip!
Ore Shoot is spelled correct, if what to say anything is or is not correct in the first place. In mining and geology, an ore shoot is a long seam of mineral or metal bearing rock that can be profitable to extract. The term may have originated in the 17th and 18th centuries when various theories existed on the origins of ore deposits, including some that suggested they grew like trees
Haha, yes, you're right about that! If I am the tour leader, you'd better bring some camping gear with you and a lot of batteries because we'd be down there for a while!
Absolutely incredible! I've been in a lot of mines but never have I seen so much quartz! I had so many questions but on the tours I've taken the guide really doesn't want to vary from their rehearsed script much. I was really a pain in the butt. One thing I have never asked is how the floor is smoothed for ties and track. I don't believe the last charge, the lifting charge, leaves the floor that smooth. They must drag something along the floor to smooth it. Yes? I assume the quartz you passed wasn't gold bearing or it would have been gone. I did notice a lot of stulls in the stopes bending at pretty good angles. Something else I noticed was how smooth the walls were in the first cross cut. Not smooth like a fault but they didn't have the jagged edges that you see on newly blasted rock. Was the guide talking the entire time you walked to the first winze? People wonder why so much equipment is left behind when a mine shuts down and in this mine you can figure there will be a lot of machinery that has paid for itself many times over and isn't worth the hassle. I saw a bench vise just before the ball room that will be in someones den if they get in there after the mine is played out but before it floods. It would be a shame to not turn it into a tour mile instead of letting it flood but that appears to be somewhere off in the distant future. You could have collected a lot of souvenirs but it's bad form to take artifacts that are still being used by the miners. I assume Cory works there? Are the miners working there employees of a corporation or are they the corporation? It looked to be a rather sizeable operation to be owned by six people but being employees has it's benefits. High grading was considered a miners right, by the miners, that is. But even the suit and tie owners were not averse to taking 'tours' of their mines and filling a briefcase with 'samples'. This was really an impressive operation and I really appreciate you recording so much of it. It was also nice that apparently the people you were with understood about you being in front of the tour. Too many mine tour videos are a record of another guests butt and mumbled stories told by the tour guide. Again, super video.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed this one… It is indeed a very impressive mine. I’m not sure about the smooth floors. Hopefully, one of the miners on here will chime in with an answer. Well, some of the quartz that was left did have gold in it, but had to be left behind as support the stopes and adits. If they detect gold farther back in some of the quartz they left behind with their new metal detectors, I’m sure they will figure out a way to get at it. No, other than some small talk between the guide and me, she was not speaking on the way in through the crosscut. The chatter you hear in the video is mostly from the people behind me. Yes, I’ve seen pictures of some of the machinery on the lower levels of the mine and it isn’t economical to remove it and so they just leave it behind. No question, there will be a lot of souvenirs taken if this mine is ever abandoned. They had better move quickly though because it will not take long for this mine to flood up to the 800 level… It is difficult to imagine the mine ever being drained again if it were to flood up to that level. Cory worked at the Sixteen to One in the past and was there on that day as a volunteer helping with the tour. The miners that are working presently are employees of the Sixteen to One Mine corporation. The Sixteen to One had an issue with high grading in the past, but I believe that has been brought under control now.
I just realized how many questions I addressed to you. Sorry about that but I so impressed with the activity in this mine. I was also trying to look forward into what will eventually be the past for this mine, if that makes sense. It's being able to see why certain things occur in a mine that you document so many years later, like the bench vise that will most certainly become a souvenir if, as you said, they hurry. It would be a shame to see this mine flooded any time in the future. A lot of people comment on how rich mine owners became when the quantity of gold removed from the Earth is discussed but during production years for this mine from 1896 to 1933 gold prices, controlled by the feds, were at $20.67 an ounce. May not sound like a lot but considering you could buy a car for $350, it was a lot. Gold rose to $35. 20 in 1934 until 1968. After that the feds let the market set the price and today that ounce is selling for $1250. There are a lot of mines that were forced to close in 1941 since gold wasn't considered necessary to the war effort. Since gold was still selling for just $35 many of these mines weren't re-opened after the war until just recently and some have produced millions now that the price is so much higher than it was. Thanks again for the video and your response.
No worries at all about the questions... I'm glad you enjoyed the video and found the Sixteen to One Mine interesting. Yes, it is interesting to see the "Before" in the mine and to imagine how it will look in the "After" stage when it is eventually abandoned. Many mines in this area were forced to close during World War II and, as you indicated, did not find it economical to resume operations again after the war. The water is tough on the mines in Northern California and so the amount of rehabilitation that would have been required was an additional obstacle. As I frequently remind people though, the mines did not close because they ran out of gold... The Sixteen to One Mine was fortunate during World War II as they were permitted to keep a skeleton crew for maintenance of the mine and to even process some of their ore in order to cover their expenses until the war was over.
New Zealands Martha Mine was a wet one. They had a Cornish Engine running up until the early 1950's. Gold wasn't worth so much so the mine was shut down. in the neighbouring town of Waihi the gutters in thew main street were very deep becuase the mine would sometimes run water down them form the mine.. I had a look around there in the 1970's by which time the mine had been shut since 1952. It's operating again as a open cut mine. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Mine
I would think that was definitely a possibility, but that mine in Nevada wasn't a gold mine that I know of. Also, that smell is supposedly encountered when the miners first break in, but it doesn't last. Good thought though - I like where your mind is...
The water level is being held at the to of the 1900 level. The crew is currently looking for Gold on the 1000 level just above the Ballroom area of this video.
Two gents asked if they could do some sampling at a discovery I had made in the Brooks Range in Alaska They told me if I was ever in California they would let me into the 16 to one. One fellow was named Joe. I can't remember the other fellows name. I never went to California. They staked a claim on the Bettles River. I sure would like to hear from them.
What is the green rock at 16:01? I'm guessing serpentinite? Oh, I just needed a bit of patience - she describes the different rock types at about 24:00.
Well, I hope that they don't happen! Seriously though, I figure the risk of one happening while we are underground is pretty low. I have to say that that is NOT an experience I would want to have though.
Did you do the shareholders tour or the fathers day tour? We must have just missed you last weekend. Last year we did the mine tour then toured the mills.
I did the Father's Day tour... Were you there on the 18th as well? I would love to have connected up with you. There are some great mills around there, to be sure.
Yes, they have had a huge headache with that... Michael Miller was down at the portal for a little while when we showed up and he said that they had actually seen some improvement recently in their relationship with California's regulators. So, that is good news.
I've got that covered... An employee invited me for a special tour with him a couple of weeks ago that covered this mine much more thoroughly (all day for two days and we were getting around on the locomotives too). Really amazing stuff... I'll get that series of videos out as soon as I can.
Huh. They're giving tours to an active mine? That's interesting. Do they charge for the tours, or are they free for visitors? I can see the benefits for both methods. On one hand you bring in that little bit extra money. On the other, you get people interested and invested in the old mines and that helps keep them "alive". I am curious why that one shop had a "Radiation Area" sign in it. That Ballroom was massive. I'm curious, have you ever tried taking something like a laser rangefinder into the mines you explore? You could point it up into stopes, raises, winzes, etc and see how high/deep they go. Not sure how well they'd work, but I thought I'd ask. That is a very very big mine. And with so much of the lower levels flooded... and water continuing to run into the lower workings, I cannot imagine the volume they must have to pump out of that mine just to keep the upper workings above water, let alone actually get the water level of the lower mine to go down enough to make them accessible. Also, that quartz seem is nuts. I love it. All in all, a very cool trip! EDIT: Also, that section you fast-forwarded through made it sound like two angry chipmunks having an arguement. XD
Thank you. Yes, one would think they would be very concerned about liability, but, fortunately, they are continuing to run tours at the Sixteen to One Mine. However, they usually only do tours for two days a year in June. Yes, there is a fee for the tour, but it is not an outrageous amount. I don't know about the radiation sign, but I do know that they welcome mining technology companies to come into the mine and to test out their products. So, perhaps it is some sort of x-ray technology? The laser pointer is a good idea, but it is also something else to carry and something else to get broken. There is a constant learning process of deciding what should be taken or not. LOL, two angry chipmunks is a good description.
Could be X-ray or something... perhaps has to do with that penetrating metal detector they plan to use in the lower depths of the mine? *shrugs* Your guess is as good as mine. I know virtually nothing about actual mining. XD. Aye, a rangefinder would be an extra bit of equipment. Just thought it could be useful on occasion. How big is this Stope? How deep is that shaft? That kinda thing. Another thing that came to me recently would be an Ultraviolet/Blacklight LED light. I've got one that will fit in the palm of your hand, batteries and all. Could be interesting to see what minerals in the walls of a mine are fluorescent under UV light. That's just more of a fun idea than anything, I suppose.
They don't usually get earthquakes of any significance in the Sierras given the solid rock. Earthquakes don't travel very well in granite and other such hard rocks.
Your a son of a bitch. I just got home from running all over HELL and gone with you today, through some of the thickest underbrush we've ever encountered, getting ready to hit the sack like a B-17 in a flat spin, then I get the notification for this. Now I have to stay up and watch it! Guess I do get to see a mine today! lol
Yeah, that brush put yesterday's trip in the Top 5 worst mine exploring trips, I'd say. The heat and mosquitoes didn't really help much either. I'd feel a lot better if we'd found something. Anything! However, not finding anything mixed in with terrible brush, mosquitoes and heat = S.A.D. territory.
The guy in blue jeans ahead of you did not come prepared, soaking wet feet and a big heavy 3 lumen yellow flashlight. What flashlights were you using with the adjustable focus?
Haha, no, he most certainly did not come prepared! I use two lights... A Coast HP550 and the Coast HL8R on my helmet. I've beaten the hell out of both of them and they're still working, which says something and, especially, with the handheld light, the adjustable focus is really important for filming. I just wish they had a rechargeable version of the HP550 because I spend a small fortune on batteries.
Reminded me of Led Lenser flashlights with their focus, the Coasts look like nice lights. You might want to start using rechargable batteries (if they fit, a bit thicker), but you'd need a pretty big charger too as AAs generally take quite some time to charge.
Yaxez I'm not familiar with the Led Lenser lights. I'll have to check those out. At the risk of sounding like a moron, it only very recently occurred to me to pick up rechargeable AA batteries for the handheld flashlight. I will definitely try to pick some up before the start of the next season (assuming they fit).
I added this one to my site from when we went last year with my bud fxlr so you could check it out. We entered at the zero level portal near the compressor room and shop. We then toured the old stamp mill and newer ball mill operations. goldexplorers.com/travels/16-to-1-mine/
Nice! I've never seen the mill and the other buildings at the 16-1 Mine that you showed. Yes, fxlr told me that he had talked to you. I didn't know that you guys knew each other before then... He knows that area pretty well.
I knew an old character by the name of Earl Felch who claimed to be a mine electrician there and also dove with scuba gear to recover a pump in the flooded part of the mine. He was there in the 60's or 70's. He also blew himself up transporting blasting caps in the cab of his truck. He had scars all up and down his right side to prove it! Not a good idea keeping your electric caps on the front seat of your truck!
Couldn't diving equipment be used to explore underwater sections ? Small battery powered air pumps are available , probably need dive suit if It's that cold ?
Not a chance. Over two thousand feet of water in old mining tunnels not touched since the 1930's? Who knows what condition they are in after all this time. Collapses, rotted timbers, old equipment, freezing cold water, pitch black are just some of the hazards they would probably run into. Hell it would probably be an engineering feet to pump all the water out.
That's an intriguing idea... As I understood it, that smell is released when the miners first break into a section of the mine that is full of gold. I don't know how far the smell carries through the rock when it is not being actively broken into or how long the smell sticks around, but that would be interesting to find out. Thank you for the comment.
If they don't own the 26 mile radius above the mine legally today they wouldn't be able or allowed to mine on the property underneath or around another person's property
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My mining partner, Joe Langston went down in this mine in the 1990's. He got to ride the skip down the 45 degree winse to the loader at the bottom. They then went to a side tunnel where some metal detector guys had found quite a bit of gold in a 3 ft thick quartz vein. It was laced with gobs of gold. They put in a shot and took out that ore to be processed that day.Back at the assay shop they reduced the gold and put it in the furnace to smelt. When done smelting they had a 66 oz. bar from just one shot.
66 oz. from one shot? That's pretty incredible, but I am not surprised because I know this mine has gold like that... Thanks for sharing the great story!
What gold mining dreams are made of
Wow! I've wanted to take that tour for a long time, thanks for taking us along! Great video!
The Sixteen to One is a great tour if you get the chance... I've done it twice now and it seems like every year they go to a different part of the mine.
Your narration is just one of the things that make your videos better than the other mine explorers.
I appreciate you saying that...
TVR Exploring I haven’t found none that compares. Your camera equipment, locations, filming/panning speed, narrations, thoroughness, knowledge, flashlights, and will to explore are all superior to everyone else I have given a shot. Keep it up brother and thank you. Got my dad hooked on the 16-1 series. Also what does TVR stand for? Side note TVR is a gang where I grew up.lol
Interesting & informative - thx for routing us here via recent vid, I hadn't yet viewed this one. I 1st moved out West in 1984, & am still learning new things about CA's rich history.
Given how vast it is, I think it is virtually impossible to become an expert in California history... Easier to pick a niche and learn that niche well. Yes, this video shows the ballroom a little better as well as some of the stuff on the way that got glossed over in the series.
@@TVRExploring Indeed!
Thank you for the great video. It's not often you get to see inside a active working mine.
Thank you. Yes, this is a very special mine.
Wow. This one is amazing! I liked your map and description at the end too. Good job!
Amazing to see a mine that old still running!
Yes, it is! They are quite proud of that too... With as much gold as they have in the mine though, they are able to just keep going.
Just think every stope was solid quartz amazing to see!
Sort of a mixture of old mining style of mining and new. Great video!!!! Really like your videos.
Thank you very much. Yes, the Sixteen to One is an old mine with new technology constantly trickling in and overlaying with the old techniques and technology. The Sixteen to One is actually very open to letting mining technology companies come in and experiment inside of their mine. They described several technology companies that came out for research and development of their products - one of them stayed there for a year.
BIG mine lol. Very productive over the years. Nice tour. Would have been great if they had let you see some of the current workings. Good view of a working mine. Be safe guys
Yes, the Sixteen to One is/was a huge producer and 26 miles of underground workings definitely puts it in the "BIG" category for me... They are currently working on the 49 winze in preparation for moving down into the levels that are being dewatered and we saw the top of that winze...
Thank you TVR.... I learned alot and enjoyed the tour and info.
Thanks for watching...
Wow,quite a view of an active operation.How like the abandoned mines you find things hauled deep into the mines each one carried by some one ALL the way.how similar the small squeeze throughs even now with cheap explosives etc and the use still of timber,.Thanks for the tour.
Thanks. Yes, it is amazing to me how they got some of the equipment up to the mines and then inside some of the far recesses of the mines...
+ TVR - A Big THANKS to You for the video, and to the 16 to 1 Mine for allowing the tour. I'm not sure if you are aware, but there is also a 16 to 1 Mine in Nye County, Nevada. - Also, just for information, @ 17:20 that is a Crib Sett, NOT a Square Sett . - < Doc > .
OOPS, my mistake! 16 to 1 in Esmeralda County, not Nye County. Sorry, been way too many years since I've been there. - < Doc > .
You are correct sir that is a crib set lol. A lot of people don't know the difference because they look similar. Cribing is used to support the roof. Square set timbering was used as a way to actually mine. In many instances square set timbering was used to mine large stopes or raises then removed once the ore body had been depleted.
Thank you both for correcting that! Ha, I'm glad I've got you keeping an eye on what I am doing and helping to prevent me from looking too foolish... Unfortunately, it is too late to go back and alter the text on that note now, but, hopefully, enough people will see your comments. I'm going to go study up on timbering techniques some more!
Interesting. Thank You for the trip
Absolutely incredible!!! Stunning how large this mine is!!
I had a return visit to this site with a miner that works here last month. I shot three days of video and we got into some parts of the mine where only a handful of people have ever been. It'll take a lot of editing, but that is going to be an epic series.
I was fortunate to be able to take a tour of this mine back in the 1990's shortly after the Wopper was found.. What a great tour, they even let Me bring my Whites gold master II in..
I understand they are pretty accommodating of people experimenting in the mine and looking around... Does the mine look much different now compared to back in the 1990s?
They were great! The mine looks pretty much the same as it did in the 90's although the sign over the portal looks a bit ragged and the section before the ballroom where there were stairs, Well back in the 90's it was just an incline with a rope.. How long did your tour take? The one I went on lasted 7 hours...
Ha, an incline with a rope was an experience, I'm sure! 7 hours?!? That's awesome! I've never been on a tour at the Sixteen to One Mine longer than a couple of hours...
I was lucky They mis-scheduled My and My buddy's tour with an Group of investors and a lawyer for the mine. So to make a long story short they called up a Miner on her day off and She agreed to take us in. She also let Me go check out the Stopes that had the pillars of quartz with my GM2 Those pillars have a lot of targets... I liked the mine so much I bought a small ingot.. and a piece of Crystalline gold..
Oh, man, you definitely got lucky with that one. I love how life throws little bits of unexpected good fortune at us sometimes... I'm not surprised those pillars are rich. Those results give you a good idea of what they must have taken out from those stopes!
Wow!! this is an amazing mine! Quartz......love it~!
bluegloombird Yes, this is a really incredible mine. I've never seen quartz like that anywhere else...
all of that had to be an awesome adventure! my compliments sir
When I owned a commercial photolab in Grass Valley the owners brought in some film to be developed of a strike they had just made, sometime in the early 90s. I won't give out the details, but those images were flown out to an investors meeting immediately after development and printing. The mine has had a long history.
the investors have never gotten return other than the reward that is keeping this treasure from filling up with water
Thank you for sharing
Thats one big mine! That bit about the gold at the end, omg, that is impressive, bet they all had a bonus that week :)
Amazing caverns and stopes, can imagine how long all that took to dig!
Ha, I sure hope they received a bonus because they definitely deserved one after a gold find like that! Yes, the quartz caverns and stopes inside of the Sixteen to One are pretty amazing. And, yes, the idea of hauling all of that material out of there without the assistance of any large machinery is a testament to what humans are capable of when they are determined...
Cornish Mine Explorer omg that sucked could have at least heard what she was saying
Since 1911
Very impressive Indeed!! Incredible to think about so much gold inside that granite!
Very interesting. It was neat to see a mine with the lights on.
Haha, yeah, lights aren't something we're used to. Pretty nice for us as well...
Nice to see the map and hear the back-story. cool mine.
My buddy has a device called a Frequency Generator, it's like sonar but it covers a 10 mile radius...what he does is get a piece of quartz, gold or any mineral you're looking for, place it in front of the device, it reads what it is & looks for It's frequency within 10 miles. He's also got this Mercury bowl with electrodes in it, hit it with a certain frequency & you can pull gold out of water. He's an alchemist. Plus he's got this special super fertilizer called The Shot. Truly amazing indeed!
Did your buddy invent those himself? Either way, they sound like pretty awesome creations...
TVR Exploring I said that wrong...its called a Frequency Locator. His buddy invented it. As for the mercury bowl, another of his buddies built two of them & gave him one. He used the frequency locator & found pockets of platinum in Idaho.
That sounds like interesting work. Good for them.
Nice, interesting to see a modern kinda working mine!
This is a particularly impressive one...
This is not a modern mine
a pound of gold in each ton of that quartz, back in the day. Amazing!
There was some serious gold to be had by the early arrivals.
@@TVRExploring There's probably a ton more except its under all that water.
I grew up about 50 miles north of there in Plumas County where there's dozens abandoned mines, as a teenager once I went in one with some friends (I wasn't thrilled about it) a week later there was a cave-in in it, since then I have refused to tempt fate.
That's probably a wise policy.
I am so excited to finally see the inside of this mine that I have been obsessed with since I was a kid in the 70's!!! How hard was it for you to not start climbing up into some of those stoped and/or winze areas? It looked like at a few places in the video you might have been itching to explore "off the tour". 😉
I bet they find a lot of gold in the flooded areas once the water is pumped from them. How cool! Thanks.
Yes, I'll bet they do/did quite well!
@@TVRExploring If they ever get it all out. That's a hell of a lot of water to pump out.
Thank you! An outstanding video. Good job, I envy you!
Looks kind of like the abandoned diamond mine. Very cool mine.
Yes, they are certainly in a similar league as far as size is concerned too.
16 cuts to a perfect DIAMOND
In about 20 years the assay community will find that more than likely the 16-1 has more palladium than gold.... possibly platinum with the presence of chrome... For now the gold is a good find....
Hi that was great to see and operating mine also , that little we saw :) of this massive gold mine.
Yes, it is great to have a mine like the Sixteen to One still operating. I'd love to be able to film the entire mine! Ha, it would probably take at least twenty videos to cover it all.
As a coal miner this feels very foreign and very familiar at the same time
Thanks for posting - very interesting and informative.
Thank you. Yes, this is a pretty spectacular mine.
I'm interested in your friends footage from inside the Ruby mine. My dad worked there for a long while in the 90s and I got to go inside it once. Underground placer mines are gnarly. Can you put your friends footage on TH-cam, or is it already there?
TVR Exploring Sure did!
TVR Exploring He had a map on his wall in his house in Allegany that he made of the Ruby mine. It had a level of detail to the point where it named all the tributaries of the main gold bearing channel (the black channel) where the downieville gold collection was found. If I recall correctly, they were looking for the bald mountain extension channel that branches off the bald mountain channel. Apparently there was the belief that that was the tributary that cut through the quartz vein that deposited the huge nuggets into the black channel. It was almost 25 years ago that he was giving a tour to either some executive of the company or a potential investor and his kids or something like that, and I got to go along. I still remember it well. We didn't quite go all the way to the lawry shaft.
That map sounds great! We were given a map that is only a couple of years old and it would be interesting to compare the two of them and to see what is changed. That theory about the Bald Mountain Extension being the channel that dumped the huge nuggets into the Black Channel at the Big Bend is intriguing. I always wondered about the geology behind those nuggets getting there... There is a reference to the Bald Mountain or the Bald Mountain Extension on the map that we have, but I can't remember which it is and I don't have the map with me at the moment. Either way, it showed the Ruby workings running within a hundred feet or so of the Bald Mountain workings.
TVR Exploring How the hell did you get down the lawry shaft if the mine wasn't in operation?
Really cool to see all that quartz, bet you wished you could go off on your own explore after that tease of a tour. Maybe when your 90 yrs old it will be exhausted & you can go back for a followup video & do the whole explore....ha ha ha
Haha! Yes, I'd love to have been given some time for some exploring on my own... Did you see all of those inviting drifts? Or how the ballroom kept dropping down? I definitely would like to have followed some of that. Unfortunately, when it is exhausted, it is going to flood up to the level where we came in. So, I'll be able to explore on the 800 level and above. However, the Sixteen to One goes down to a 3000 level and so a lot will be lost. I hope I'm still able to do this at 90 too!
great video, what an impressive mine!
Thank you. Yes, the Sixteen to One is extremely impressive!
Early in the video you discussed (with Corey) the Ruby Mine. The Ruby Mine is totally different than the 16 to 1 as the Ruby is based on tertiary gravel........its a placer mine.......vs. a hard rock/quartz mine. The Ruby was operated by North Bay Resources, Inc. (Stock Ticker: NBRI). I owned serial thousand shares of NBRI and bailed out just before they went belly up, screwing all of the shareholders. However, prior to NBRI taking over the Ruby Mine, it was, in the last 1200+ years, reportedly a very profitable mine. I'd love to see a video of the Ruby Mine. I know of another tertiary gravel mine that is about 3,000 feet deep, if you're interested (and are willing to let me join you......!!!)
Yes, I forget the point he was making, but he wasn't saying the geology of the mines is similar. As you stated, they are very different. Glad you were able to bail on your North Bay shares when they were still worth something. Picking successful miners is tough. It is tough to wade through the good marketing and optimistic projections and buy shares that will actually make you money. An amazing amount of gold came out of the Ruby in the 1930s and 1940s. There was a nine part series of videos of a complete exploration of the Ruby Mine on this channel. I'm sorry you missed it. The older workings were unreal.
At 6'5", going into a mine is not really a wise option for me, but, as a lifelong rock hound, this video is pure porno for me. Thank you. Now, I think I'll go smoke a cigarette and have a sandwich.
Any idea what kind of metal detectors they're bringing in?
I believe they are from Minelab in Australia. They said the detectors were $10,000 each...
My apologies here,
When say 800 is that length of feet into mine from opening......can u post a link that explains significance of what these numbers mean. Thanks for great Videos .......
The "800" level or whichever number you hear in a mine refers to the depth from the surface. The 800 level is 800 feet below the original entrance to the mine. It is misleading that we're entering on the 800 level, but that adit was run much more recently.
@@TVRExploring Thank-you sir.....
Thank you for your knowledge if you didnt know all this stuff I would not know because I'm learning from you..
I'm glad I can share some of it with you...
Naica quartz mine a favorite , seemingly the quartz could be made into expensive quartz coffins (like fantasy Cinderella coffin ? )or quartz tumbstones ,lots of quartz in Naica quartz mine,seemingly there should be a market for all that quartz ?
Quartz coffins are an interesting idea... I like it.
ok what kind of metal detectors is it they have that goes deep to find gold, I have quarts veins south of me 20 feet deep so could use one, I have mined so not stupid but still need help. thank you
God bless Bruce! Old timer keeps on chuggin.
LOL! That was pretty much the sentiment of the entire group!
TVR Exploring great vids btw. Your camera work is superb, and all together very interesting. Definitely have my subscription.
Thank you!
At 15:40 that seemed like a sketchy spot kinda scary lol your definitely very brave to go in them places. Stay safe and Godbless!!
So since you cant process ore with cyanide anymore are they just interested in the lode ore?
Thank you Justin, I'm going thru your older videos...
Well, this is a lode mine. They don't have placer deposits underground here. So, they have no choice but to be interested in the lode gold. The mill is mostly idle and a good amount of their money is made from specimen gold. I made an incredible return visit to this mine last month. Keep an eye out for that series...
WOW. This might be the best video ever uploaded to TH-cam. That mine was INCREDIBLE. Thanks for sharing, do they do regular tours? lol
Thank you very much... Yes, the Sixteen to One mine is the most impressive underground mine that I have ever been inside. The tours are quite rare - this was the only day they did one this year and they are not doing any more.
TVR Exploring Damn! That's not what I like to hear haha
Gold prospecting in georgia
Can't say I blame them, some of that mine looked very precarious to say the least and I for one wouldn't like to be caught deep in there when one of those faults decided to slip!
Titan ger 500 or 1000 device might be useful ? Arkansas diamond field ?
Wow that is a huge mine. It reeeaaallly Seemed to me that you wanted to check out every chamber as you were walking along. lol
Haha, I did!
Haha
Ore Shoot is spelled correct, if what to say anything is or is not correct in the first place.
In mining and geology, an ore shoot is a long seam of mineral or metal bearing rock that can be profitable to extract. The term may have originated in the 17th and 18th centuries when various theories existed on the origins of ore deposits, including some that suggested they grew like trees
so, an ore shoot chute, then?
So that sign indicating a profitable seam just happened to be posted next to an ore chute? GTFO.
I'd love to explore a mine like this! (Maybe sans tour group though......)
You'd need to put some time in to explore all of this one... It's enormous.
That is Awesome the guy had family in the Ruby Mine.
I will have to go check this out.
Wow what a cool mine. Your headlamp seams brighter than most, who makes it?
i want go when your the tour leader we be in there for days ha ha
Haha, yes, you're right about that! If I am the tour leader, you'd better bring some camping gear with you and a lot of batteries because we'd be down there for a while!
When I do it, I give good tours!
Where is the water that is being pumped from the lower levels going to end up at?
I went to the Mine's website to access the map. Now I can follow your footsteps with reference. Nice Work.
Oh, cool! I didn't know they had it up there... That will make things much easier for you.
That mine is huge!
Yes, it's absolutely enormous. I'd be curious to know if they finished dewatering the lower levels by now or not...
Very impressive .
Yes, this is an awesome mine!
Absolutely incredible! I've been in a lot of mines but never have I seen so much quartz! I had so many questions but on the tours I've taken the guide really doesn't want to vary from their rehearsed script much. I was really a pain in the butt. One thing I have never asked is how the floor is smoothed for ties and track. I don't believe the last charge, the lifting charge, leaves the floor that smooth. They must drag something along the floor to smooth it. Yes?
I assume the quartz you passed wasn't gold bearing or it would have been gone. I did notice a lot of stulls in the stopes bending at pretty good angles. Something else I noticed was how smooth the walls were in the first cross cut. Not smooth like a fault but they didn't have the jagged edges that you see on newly blasted rock. Was the guide talking the entire time you walked to the first winze?
People wonder why so much equipment is left behind when a mine shuts down and in this mine you can figure there will be a lot of machinery that has paid for itself many times over and isn't worth the hassle. I saw a bench vise just before the ball room that will be in someones den if they get in there after the mine is played out but before it floods. It would be a shame to not turn it into a tour mile instead of letting it flood but that appears to be somewhere off in the distant future. You could have collected a lot of souvenirs but it's bad form to take artifacts that are still being used by the miners.
I assume Cory works there? Are the miners working there employees of a corporation or are they the corporation? It looked to be a rather sizeable operation to be owned by six people but being employees has it's benefits. High grading was considered a miners right, by the miners, that is. But even the suit and tie owners were not averse to taking 'tours' of their mines and filling a briefcase with 'samples'.
This was really an impressive operation and I really appreciate you recording so much of it. It was also nice that apparently the people you were with understood about you being in front of the tour. Too many mine tour videos are a record of another guests butt and mumbled stories told by the tour guide. Again, super video.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed this one… It is indeed a very impressive mine. I’m not sure about the smooth floors. Hopefully, one of the miners on here will chime in with an answer. Well, some of the quartz that was left did have gold in it, but had to be left behind as support the stopes and adits. If they detect gold farther back in some of the quartz they left behind with their new metal detectors, I’m sure they will figure out a way to get at it. No, other than some small talk between the guide and me, she was not speaking on the way in through the crosscut. The chatter you hear in the video is mostly from the people behind me. Yes, I’ve seen pictures of some of the machinery on the lower levels of the mine and it isn’t economical to remove it and so they just leave it behind. No question, there will be a lot of souvenirs taken if this mine is ever abandoned. They had better move quickly though because it will not take long for this mine to flood up to the 800 level… It is difficult to imagine the mine ever being drained again if it were to flood up to that level. Cory worked at the Sixteen to One in the past and was there on that day as a volunteer helping with the tour. The miners that are working presently are employees of the Sixteen to One Mine corporation. The Sixteen to One had an issue with high grading in the past, but I believe that has been brought under control now.
I just realized how many questions I addressed to you. Sorry about that but I so impressed with the activity in this mine. I was also trying to look forward into what will eventually be the past for this mine, if that makes sense. It's being able to see why certain things occur in a mine that you document so many years later, like the bench vise that will most certainly become a souvenir if, as you said, they hurry. It would be a shame to see this mine flooded any time in the future. A lot of people comment on how rich mine owners became when the quantity of gold removed from the Earth is discussed but during production years for this mine from 1896 to 1933 gold prices, controlled by the feds, were at $20.67 an ounce. May not sound like a lot but considering you could buy a car for $350, it was a lot. Gold rose to $35. 20 in 1934 until 1968. After that the feds let the market set the price and today that ounce is selling for $1250. There are a lot of mines that were forced to close in 1941 since gold wasn't considered necessary to the war effort. Since gold was still selling for just $35 many of these mines weren't re-opened after the war until just recently and some have produced millions now that the price is so much higher than it was. Thanks again for the video and your response.
No worries at all about the questions... I'm glad you enjoyed the video and found the Sixteen to One Mine interesting. Yes, it is interesting to see the "Before" in the mine and to imagine how it will look in the "After" stage when it is eventually abandoned. Many mines in this area were forced to close during World War II and, as you indicated, did not find it economical to resume operations again after the war. The water is tough on the mines in Northern California and so the amount of rehabilitation that would have been required was an additional obstacle. As I frequently remind people though, the mines did not close because they ran out of gold... The Sixteen to One Mine was fortunate during World War II as they were permitted to keep a skeleton crew for maintenance of the mine and to even process some of their ore in order to cover their expenses until the war was over.
New Zealands Martha Mine was a wet one. They had a Cornish Engine running up until the early 1950's. Gold wasn't worth so much so the mine was shut down. in the neighbouring town of Waihi the gutters in thew main street were very deep becuase the mine would sometimes run water down them form the mine.. I had a look around there in the 1970's by which time the mine had been shut since 1952. It's operating again as a open cut mine. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Mine
20:53 Nothing like exploring a mine in your wet new balance tennis shoes.
WOW , those lenses were HUGE and really horizontal !
It's a really impressive mine...
Cool video! I wonder what the procedure was when an earthquake went off. I bet it depended on the Richter scale power of the quake.
We don't really have an issue with earthquakes in this area. The hard rock seems to absorb a lot of the force of the earthquakes.
The compressed timers are sketchy!! I wouldn't want to hang out in that room for very long!
I wonder if that was what you were smelling in that previous mine, when you said it smelled sort of like sweet garlic. The mine in Nevada, part 3
I would think that was definitely a possibility, but that mine in Nevada wasn't a gold mine that I know of. Also, that smell is supposedly encountered when the miners first break in, but it doesn't last. Good thought though - I like where your mind is...
I like figuring things out, and would prefer the answer not being of the darker variety hehe.
Sometimes it's the blasting, or underground gases.
I wonder if they got the lower levels open now?
I'm not sure. I'd be curious to know as well though...
The water level is being held at the to of the 1900 level. The crew is currently looking for Gold on the 1000 level just above the Ballroom area of this video.
Two gents asked if they could do some sampling at a discovery I had made in the Brooks Range in Alaska They told me if I was ever in California they would let me into the 16 to one. One fellow was named Joe. I can't remember the other fellows name. I never went to California. They staked a claim on the Bettles River. I sure would like to hear from them.
WHERE WERE THEY WORKING IN THE MINE NEVER SAW THEM
What is the green rock at 16:01? I'm guessing serpentinite? Oh, I just needed a bit of patience - she describes the different rock types at about 24:00.
I think I saw the ghost of Errol Chrisman .. troll like figure hiding in the bathroom !
Being in California do you ever think of earthquakes? I would, just a little...lol.
Well, I hope that they don't happen! Seriously though, I figure the risk of one happening while we are underground is pretty low. I have to say that that is NOT an experience I would want to have though.
I noticed the guide sort of clammed up after everyone kept talking over her commentary. Bummer for us.
Yes, I was sorry that she got interrupted because she knew the mine and its history very well.
I kno
Awesome gold mine
Yes, this one is really special.
Very, very good video
Thank you!
nice very nice hope they find lots of gold
Yes, I hope they find quite a bit of gold as well. It'd be great to see this mine open for a long time...
What gauge is this?
Cool place to visit.
Yes, this is a great one...
Did you do the shareholders tour or the fathers day tour? We must have just missed you last weekend. Last year we did the mine tour then toured the mills.
I did the Father's Day tour... Were you there on the 18th as well? I would love to have connected up with you. There are some great mills around there, to be sure.
That guy with the white hat is an accident waiting to happen in a dark hole in the ground.
the state of California is giving the owners of this mine lots of problems. I'm surprised they are finally letting them de-water the lower levels.
Yes, they have had a huge headache with that... Michael Miller was down at the portal for a little while when we showed up and he said that they had actually seen some improvement recently in their relationship with California's regulators. So, that is good news.
There's sum questions a federal judge has for judge Ross in placer County and how he's also Mike Miller . how is he BTY
I know you were tempted to go into the "unexamined areas".
I've got that covered... An employee invited me for a special tour with him a couple of weeks ago that covered this mine much more thoroughly (all day for two days and we were getting around on the locomotives too). Really amazing stuff... I'll get that series of videos out as soon as I can.
Look forward to seeing that. Would hate to walk all over that place with working transportation.
Huh. They're giving tours to an active mine? That's interesting. Do they charge for the tours, or are they free for visitors? I can see the benefits for both methods. On one hand you bring in that little bit extra money. On the other, you get people interested and invested in the old mines and that helps keep them "alive".
I am curious why that one shop had a "Radiation Area" sign in it.
That Ballroom was massive. I'm curious, have you ever tried taking something like a laser rangefinder into the mines you explore? You could point it up into stopes, raises, winzes, etc and see how high/deep they go. Not sure how well they'd work, but I thought I'd ask.
That is a very very big mine. And with so much of the lower levels flooded... and water continuing to run into the lower workings, I cannot imagine the volume they must have to pump out of that mine just to keep the upper workings above water, let alone actually get the water level of the lower mine to go down enough to make them accessible. Also, that quartz seem is nuts. I love it.
All in all, a very cool trip!
EDIT: Also, that section you fast-forwarded through made it sound like two angry chipmunks having an arguement. XD
Thank you. Yes, one would think they would be very concerned about liability, but, fortunately, they are continuing to run tours at the Sixteen to One Mine. However, they usually only do tours for two days a year in June. Yes, there is a fee for the tour, but it is not an outrageous amount. I don't know about the radiation sign, but I do know that they welcome mining technology companies to come into the mine and to test out their products. So, perhaps it is some sort of x-ray technology? The laser pointer is a good idea, but it is also something else to carry and something else to get broken. There is a constant learning process of deciding what should be taken or not. LOL, two angry chipmunks is a good description.
Could be X-ray or something... perhaps has to do with that penetrating metal detector they plan to use in the lower depths of the mine? *shrugs* Your guess is as good as mine. I know virtually nothing about actual mining. XD. Aye, a rangefinder would be an extra bit of equipment. Just thought it could be useful on occasion. How big is this Stope? How deep is that shaft? That kinda thing.
Another thing that came to me recently would be an Ultraviolet/Blacklight LED light. I've got one that will fit in the palm of your hand, batteries and all. Could be interesting to see what minerals in the walls of a mine are fluorescent under UV light. That's just more of a fun idea than anything, I suppose.
Could be a portable x-ray to check workers before leaving the mine for those who might mule ore out..
Wonder what happens in there if have an earthquake looks like 180 miles from the San Andres Fault line.
They don't usually get earthquakes of any significance in the Sierras given the solid rock. Earthquakes don't travel very well in granite and other such hard rocks.
Your a son of a bitch. I just got home from running all over HELL and gone with you today, through some of the thickest underbrush we've ever encountered, getting ready to hit the sack like a B-17 in a flat spin, then I get the notification for this. Now I have to stay up and watch it! Guess I do get to see a mine today! lol
Yeah, that brush put yesterday's trip in the Top 5 worst mine exploring trips, I'd say. The heat and mosquitoes didn't really help much either. I'd feel a lot better if we'd found something. Anything! However, not finding anything mixed in with terrible brush, mosquitoes and heat = S.A.D. territory.
Oregon House represents!👊🏽
Awesome!
Pretty cool👍
The guy in blue jeans ahead of you did not come prepared, soaking wet feet and a big heavy 3 lumen yellow flashlight. What flashlights were you using with the adjustable focus?
Haha, no, he most certainly did not come prepared! I use two lights... A Coast HP550 and the Coast HL8R on my helmet. I've beaten the hell out of both of them and they're still working, which says something and, especially, with the handheld light, the adjustable focus is really important for filming. I just wish they had a rechargeable version of the HP550 because I spend a small fortune on batteries.
Reminded me of Led Lenser flashlights with their focus, the Coasts look like nice lights. You might want to start using rechargable batteries (if they fit, a bit thicker), but you'd need a pretty big charger too as AAs generally take quite some time to charge.
Yaxez I'm not familiar with the Led Lenser lights. I'll have to check those out. At the risk of sounding like a moron, it only very recently occurred to me to pick up rechargeable AA batteries for the handheld flashlight. I will definitely try to pick some up before the start of the next season (assuming they fit).
I added this one to my site from when we went last year with my bud fxlr so you could check it out. We entered at the zero level portal near the compressor room and shop. We then toured the old stamp mill and newer ball mill operations. goldexplorers.com/travels/16-to-1-mine/
Nice! I've never seen the mill and the other buildings at the 16-1 Mine that you showed. Yes, fxlr told me that he had talked to you. I didn't know that you guys knew each other before then... He knows that area pretty well.
I knew an old character by the name of Earl Felch who claimed to be a mine electrician there and also dove with scuba gear to recover a pump in the flooded part of the mine. He was there in the 60's or 70's. He also blew himself up transporting blasting caps in the cab of his truck. He had scars all up and down his right side to prove it! Not a good idea keeping your electric caps on the front seat of your truck!
Earl sounds like someone who has great stories! I love spending time with characters like that...
Why do they cover things?
Couldn't diving equipment be used to explore underwater sections ? Small battery powered air pumps are available , probably need dive suit if It's that cold ?
Not a chance. Over two thousand feet of water in old mining tunnels not touched since the 1930's? Who knows what condition they are in after all this time. Collapses, rotted timbers, old equipment, freezing cold water, pitch black are just some of the hazards they would probably run into. Hell it would probably be an engineering feet to pump all the water out.
I wonder why no one tried to use dogs to smell the gold?
That's an intriguing idea... As I understood it, that smell is released when the miners first break into a section of the mine that is full of gold. I don't know how far the smell carries through the rock when it is not being actively broken into or how long the smell sticks around, but that would be interesting to find out. Thank you for the comment.
Sweet Garlic!
If they don't own the 26 mile radius above the mine legally today they wouldn't be able or allowed to mine on the property underneath or around another person's property
Theorizing that magnetic iron would slow gold flow? So shouldn't the iron streaks along quartz be followed?
The old timers say that gold rides an iron horse.
Neat!
12:26 Why don't they dig out all the quartz. Isn't that where the gold is.
Not all quartz has gold in it... They go through the quartz where they know gold is located.