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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Red Cloud Mine

Can't seem to upload pictures at the moment.  Google changed something and hoepfully they will fix the problem soon.  If not I will have to start using Picasa Web Albums for pictures.  Not sure how to do that but I guess I can learn.

We have a new intern that will be working at the refuge for 10 months.  We took her up to Red Cloud Mine to meet the caretaker.  He has a very lonely job being out two hours from the nearest store, etc.  He showed us the new doors they put on the mine shaft.  The doors are bat friendly so bats can go in and out of the mine as they please.  The shaft is over 500 feet deep.  The mine started out as a silver mine and then when silver prices took a dive the caretakers over the years discovered wulfenite.  A very pretty orange crystal.  Not sure if its good for jewelry or is just pretty to look at and very rare. 

The current caretaker told us that the mine is now being leased by a mining operation out of Nevada.  They want to go after silver again but have been too busy mining for gold in Nevada to get started here. 

The miners back in the 1800's used to dig holes in the sides of hills and make a cave to live in complete with a hole in the "roof" for a stove pipe.  There isn't a lot of wood to build with and the caves were nice and cool in the heat.  If I get the chance I will post the pictures I had of the mine and the miners cave. 

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