Silver is a mined mineral that has been an integral component of civilization for over 5,000 years. For centuries it has served as a monetary criteria for empires and countries. Silver investments, jewellery, and awards continue as its medical uses advance. As its photography use disappeared it became an anchor component of today's electronics. All mines have a life. Finding new mineable deposits is critical. These historical mines created silver's role in history.
Historical Mines
Creede was the last silver boom town in Colorado in the 19th century. The town leapt from a population of 600 in 1889 to more than 10,000 people in December 1891. The Creede mines operated continuously from 1890 until 1985, and were served by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.
The original townsite of Creede was located on East Willow Creek just above its junction with West Willow Creek. Below...
Historical Mines
Silver was discovered in the Gilman mining district in 1878 or 1879. As the deeper sulfide ores were reached, the miners found that the ore contained so much zinc that the smelters refused to buy it. A roaster and magnetic separator were installed in 1905 to separate out the zinc minerals, turning the problem into an asset. The mining operations transitioned increasingly to zinc, although the...
Historical Mines
Gold was discovered in the area in late 1859, during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. However the initial discovery, where California Gulch empties into the Arkansas River, was not rich enough to cause excitement. On April 26, 1860, Abe Lee made a rich discovery of placer gold in California Gulch, about a mile east of Leadville, and Oro City was founded at the new diggings. By July 1860 the gold...
Historical Mines
The Cliff mine was the first successful copper mine in the Copper Country of the state of Michigan in the United States. The mine is at the now-abandoned town of Clifton in Keweenaw County. Mining began in 1845, and the Cliff was the most productive copper mine in the United States from 1845 through 1854. Large-scale mining stopped in 1878.
The Cliff mined a fissure vein of native copper in...
Historical Mines
Silver mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, began in 1858 with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver-mining district in the United States. Nevada calls itself the "Silver State." Nevada is the nation's second-largest producer of silver, after Alaska. In 2014 Nevada produced 10.93 million troy ounces of silver, of which 6,74 million ounces were as a byproduct of...
Historical Mines
The Emma Silver Mine is a currently inactive silver mine near Alta, Utah, in the United States. The mine is most noted for an attempt in 1871 by two American business promoters, including Senator William M. Stewart and James E. Lyon, to make a profit by promoting the depleted silver mine to British investors.
In the Spring of 1871, promoters Senator William M. Stewart of Nevada, and...
Historical Mines
In 1868, one of the richest veins of silver was discovered on Silver Islet,a tiny Island located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in Lake Superior, by the Montreal Mining Company. The company sold it in 1870 to an American, Alexander H. Sibley, who formed the Silver Islet Mining Company.
The mine was extremely difficult to set up but it proved worthwhile as it ended up being one of the most...
Historical Mines
Nestled in the rugged landscapes of northern Ontario, the town of Cobalt harbours a history that glittered brightly in the early 20th century. Known primarily for its extraordinary silver deposits, Cobalt was the epicentre of one of Canadian history's most significant mining booms—the Cobalt Silver Rush. This event shaped the...