BajaNomad

There's gold in them thar hills!

Sharksbaja - 6-15-2005 at 11:07 AM

While investigating Bajas geology I stumbled upon this site that identifies former gold mining sites and potential mother lodes. Has anyone explored any of these sites?
http://www.laloventures.com/documents/Lalo_Web_050511_v5.pdf

bajaruby - 6-15-2005 at 11:55 AM

Not me, but I hear that the grade of the ore is not very good

Gold!!

Jack Swords - 6-15-2005 at 12:00 PM

We have explored many of the old sites and entered many deserted mines. El Arco, Pozo Aleman, Calmalli, down through San Antonio, Triunfo, El Oro, and Valle Perdido are remnants of a different era. In these areas frequently we encounter locals working the tailings for meager gold flakes. There was even a gold mine out on Isla San Francisco. Many held gold/silver ores. Lots of history out there! Been trying to photograph and explore these areas and get some sort of oral history from the local population before the old machinery is carted away and development clears the land.

Here's a common view upside from one of the mines...

Mike Humfreville - 6-15-2005 at 01:17 PM

Back in the '60's my brother and I had an experience in an old mine south of Gonzaga. I've already posted the story on Nomad a while back but it's still on Fred's board and can be found under "Baja with Mike." The Mine

David K - 6-15-2005 at 05:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sharksbaja
While investigating Bajas geology I stumbled upon this site that identifies former gold mining sites and potential mother lodes. Has anyone explored any of these sites?
http://www.laloventures.com/documents/Lalo_Web_050511_v5.pdf


From the San Juan Mines, the gold and silver ore was transported several thousand feet to the desert floor via a cable tram system (see L.A. Bay museum)... then on a railroad to Las Flores to be processed... The ore was (and is) high grade... the revolution of 1911 is what stopped the operation.

See photos starting at: http://www.vivabaja.com/402/page4.html

A year later, I took this photo of Sarah on the railroad bed, near the bottom of the San Juan cable tram...

neilmac - 6-17-2005 at 12:29 PM

[Edited on 6-17-2005 by neilmac]

David K - 6-17-2005 at 08:08 PM

Neilmac... did forget to post before running to Baja with a pick and shovel?

bajaruby - 6-25-2005 at 11:03 AM

David K,
Then everything I have heard about the ore being poor grade was wrong? Why did they stop mining then? Seems like that is what made our county, Amador, what it is today, is because of the gold. Wouldn't the people of baja not be so poor if they had continued? As hard as the mex. people work, seems like they would have been richer than the people in the states.:wow:
bajaruby

The ore grade was good

jrbaja - 6-25-2005 at 11:10 AM

The conditions and transporting was very very bad. Plus, they took out most of it anyways.
It is also against the law for foreigners, and in some areas even locals to go hunting around for it. And, they are very serious about this before yall start showing up with your metal detectors!:lol:

bajaruby - 6-25-2005 at 11:16 AM

Sooooo, what you're saying is that the government wants their people poor? That sucks.

I think it's more like

jrbaja - 6-25-2005 at 12:14 PM

The government has plans for it themselves. And in truth, the locals are allowed to get it but they must share half with the government to be allowed to get it.
And these people look at what money has done to certain countries and would prefer to spend the time with their families rather then trying to become rich!:light:
Now before the coup groupers chime in, I am talking about the rural people, where the gold is, not the city or enclave folks.

An example. I know of caves that are better than any of the publicized ones. And the only reason I was able to see them was because I paid for the supplies for the guides to get us to them plus a little extra and we had become friends prior to these trips. They had never been to them themselves as they have work to do keeping food on the table and don't have the time to go jaunting around in the mountains. But they knew about them from stories passed down from generation to generation.

So, it worked out well for everyone as I print them out pictures of their history. They now know about what's in the caves and are authorized to take people there if they feel like it. And PROFEPA has provided education on the preservation of these caves to all these folks so chances are, they will remain in their natural state.

As far as the gold and treasure goes, I have lot's of stories but certainly not for public viewing!

As DK would say, you can see pictures and stories at http://groups.msn.com/TheBajasBestGuidesPhotoAlbum;D

David K - 6-25-2005 at 02:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaruby
David K,
Then everything I have heard about the ore being poor grade was wrong? Why did they stop mining then? Seems like that is what made our county, Amador, what it is today, is because of the gold. Wouldn't the people of baja not be so poor if they had continued? As hard as the mex. people work, seems like they would have been richer than the people in the states.:wow:
bajaruby


Here is what I said just above:

"The ore was (and is) high grade... the revolution of 1911 is what stopped the operation."

Baja is a far away, remote territory (in 1911) from Mexico City... It was foreign investment that operated these mines and made the incredible infrastructure (railroads, cable tram lines, towns in the desert...). The nationalistic fever of the revolution expelled foreignors (Americans and British) and thus the end of mining at San Juan/Las Flores (and other sites). Mexico and the locals simply did not have the ability or desire to keep the mines working.

gold

jerry - 6-25-2005 at 05:58 PM

i had a food stand in yuma at a flea market about 25 yrs ago for a winter a old man in his mid 80s stopped be tryed to sell som books and logs he was on oxigen and very sickly to make a long story short i didnt havave mutch money but i got them it was all on gold mining in mexico from 1870s to 19 30 logs hand drawn maps books great reading he said that he mined in mexico for years but it was risky finding gold was easy but getting it out was puting your life on the line
if the government didnt get you bandetos did he said he could only take i little at a time act like he was crazy and starving so the locals didnt know what he was doing
in volume it was about a steamer trunk full of meteral i brought it to the rosebowl flea market in pasadena and sold it for several thousand bucks now i wish i had at least made some copys it was a heck of a collection of very detailed maps and directions computations names dates and ppl lots of stuff the old miner was great to talk to too

How long did it take

jrbaja - 6-25-2005 at 06:11 PM

for you to read all that stuff?:lol:

Me No - 6-25-2005 at 06:15 PM

Jerry is either a treasure, or never been to school. In any case, it sure is a mind full trying to figure out just what the el he is writing about.:bounce:

Bruce R Leech - 6-25-2005 at 06:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Me No
Jerry is either a treasure, or never been to school. In any case, it sure is a mind full trying to figure out just what the el he is writing about.:bounce:


Me no maybe he is my long lost relative.:lol:

whos doing the picking now chickens??

jerry - 6-26-2005 at 08:10 AM

If it bothers jr and meno its great for me

Doesn't bother me Jerry

jrbaja - 6-26-2005 at 09:16 AM

I have my intelligence impaired decoder ring!:lol: