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Post by catmandewe on Sept 23, 2007 23:23:51 GMT -5
This weekend I took my nephew and one of the neighborhood kids rock hounding and sight seeing. I got a few pictures, just thought I would share some. The Kids pickin up agates and jaspers out of the road cuts, we filled up a couple of 5 gallon buckets for them to take home. This is a mining district in the town of Mackay, most of the mines are privately owned and some of them are still being operated on a much smaller scale, but they are open to the public to look at, just no rock removal. Almost 1 million tons of ore was removed and gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc were mined here. There is also lots of jasper and some crysacolla, which the miners called "waste byproducts". As you drive into the canyon this is the first mine you come to this one is quite a ways up the hill one of the newer mines one of the older mines another older one These towers supported a trolley car system of ore carts that went all the way to town to the smelter Hope you enjoy and Thanks for looking............Tony
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2007 23:30:01 GMT -5
Very cool photos Tony. The mine looks a little on the rickety side though. I hope that owner strengthens up the posts on that place. Is that near Boise? I was there last week helping out my sister. That kinda looks like the terrain I drove through.
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Post by catmandewe on Sept 23, 2007 23:39:48 GMT -5
Thanks. No, its not by Boise, it is between Arco and Challis. If you need any help next time you are in Boise, holler, thats only 100 miles from here, just a little over an hours drive.
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Post by LCARS on Sept 24, 2007 0:49:10 GMT -5
Wow, that really reminds of a little mining town called Hedley near Princeton in British Columbia! Idaho is not that far from there geographically speaking so I may have to do some poking around in the streams next time I drive through there.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2007 5:29:29 GMT -5
nice photos I'm sure your kids had a great time!!
Nathaniel
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181lizard
Cave Dweller
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Post by 181lizard on Sept 24, 2007 12:26:58 GMT -5
That would be a kick in the arse to wander around in!
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firewalker45
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by firewalker45 on Sept 24, 2007 13:49:09 GMT -5
Nice pics Cat and thanks for sharing. Glad you and your family had a good time. Daniel
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2007 14:14:12 GMT -5
Thanks for posting those photos. I have a real fetish for mines as there arent any where I live. When I drove from Oregon to Montana last year I was just about hanging out of the truck windows trying to get photos of the mines as we were flying past at 65-70 miles per hour lol.
Shannon
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Post by BuiltonRock on Sept 24, 2007 14:46:44 GMT -5
Very cool pics Tony, Looks like a good place to shoot a western. I bet the boys loved it! Thanks for sharing. john
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Zoran
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by Zoran on Sept 24, 2007 16:04:41 GMT -5
Thanks for posting great photos. To economic geologist / mineral deposit geologist it is always interesting to see mine pics. I agree with BuiltonRock, there are so many western movie scenes. I loved to watch good old western movies with my dad. You certainly had a great time. Zoran
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Post by Tonyterner on Sept 25, 2007 10:15:30 GMT -5
Tony thanks for the great pics. I've never been in that part of the country but it looks beautiful there. The mine pics were especially interesting to a structural engineer type like me. Wonder how some of them are still standing.
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Post by flintfish on Sept 25, 2007 14:15:37 GMT -5
Thanks Tony, what a fabulous set of pictures to accompany such a great days rockhounding! It looks like there was a fair amount to look at, and plenty of good exercise for growing kids, running up and down hills like that! Get 'em started early It makes sure it gets in the blood!!! I hope they enjoy getting a couple of them put through the tumbler, it's fabulous fun when you wash off that polish Thanks again for sharing your great day out! Cheers, Harry.
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rallyrocks
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Post by rallyrocks on Sept 25, 2007 14:28:08 GMT -5
The kids must have had fun on that trip too. Ya know, you were probably just a few hills away from the Prudent Man agate mine, Steve Howard's claim is up in the hills by Mackay too- www.prudentmanagate.com/index.htm
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emyhro4048
spending too much on rocks
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Post by emyhro4048 on Sept 25, 2007 21:15:43 GMT -5
Wow Tony, those are great pics and it sounds like a good time was had by all. Thank's for sharing,
Ed M.
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SteveHolmes
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Post by SteveHolmes on Sept 25, 2007 21:26:43 GMT -5
Tony, That's my kind of exploring bud! I especially like old mining Towns and exploring all open mines! I am still searching an Ore Car. I would love to get my hands on one for cheap(yeah right)...it would look good in the flower bed next to my ore bucket. My oldest brother and I just published a book in March/April, about the Mines and History of the little town we grew up in, in Utah. We printed 500 copies and have sold all but about 100. In case anyone is intested check out the little website...sierramadrewest.com Thanks for sharing the pics Tony....I really missed my calling in life as a Prospector...and I was born about 100 years too late. Steve
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