Basically Untouched Mine And Miner's Cabins (Artifacts Everywhere)

Decided to change things up and headed out to the desert with my buddy Austin to check out this amazing mine site. Worked intermittently from the early 1900's all the way up until the 1980's, this mine's main commodities were gold, silver, copper and lead. Being in quite a remote area of the desert mountains it would make sense why there are still a bunch of artifacts and machinery at this mine. Sadly there were no real good open holes to get into, but the structures and pieces accompanying them totally made up for it. Hope you enjoy, and as always thanks for watching!

[@steventalbott903]

I am an old bastard, but I admire young fellers that actually use their head, and think . Such a pleasant change.

[@jeffmatson2046]

Thank God this Man is diligent and knowledgeable about proper dating of artifacts and respectful of the areas. Seriously awesome job 👍. Keep on going. Thank you for your patience with everything.

[@WesternMineDetective]

I really appreciate this, I try my best. Hope you stick around for my upcoming vids, thanks for watching!

[@Star_Gazing_Coffee_Lover]

Glad to see you respect the area and artifacts.

[@granthryze2694]

One of the best mining sites on youtube. Great job, keep it up

[@Askjeffwilliams]

now thats a cool find ....no holes in the Radiator .....that little four banger looks like you could fire it right up ....would pull samples from the ore bin to check grade .... beautiful Generator ....don't let anyone know where that is or they will take the copper out of it ....used for all the electrical needs of the mine and mill ....cool find on the claim marker .....good job sonny Jim

[@WesternMineDetective]

Ah yeah, Jeff Williams stopping by to watch my video! Appreciate that man. Glad you enjoyed this one, the machinery here was very cool to see.

[@Mike-oe7it]

As Jeff stated, The bigger generator supplied electrical needs of the camp in the mine. Very cool fine by the way. Interesting

[@josephdaiglejr8509]

Yupp on the gen set.that could power the mine , mill , and the cabins. The air compressor from the USMC was most likely used in the 50's and 60's and most likely the early 70's too ,that were used to high pressure start jet engines in fighters. Kind of a pre electric start auxiliary power unit

[@danvigue2238]

That's what I'm saying beautiful way to awesome to have ruined if anything it should be preserved.......

[@djack915]

@@WesternMineDetective OMG you got a comment from JEFF WILLIAMS ! COOL - THE MAN , THE LEGEND !!

[@royrice8597]

Amazing!! No graffiti or bullet holes! You gotta be in the middle of no where!! 👍👍👍

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

17:29 They bought that as surplus piece of equipment when USMC decommissioned it. They probably got it pretty cheap compared to a brand new one.

[@ExploringWithBonnie13]

Another great video. So many cool rusting artifacts that you found there . Very awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks Bonnie! Lots of very cool pieces of equipment and machinery, as well as the artifacts in and around the cabins. Appreciate you stopping by.

[@ExploringWithBonnie13]

@@WesternMineDetective thank you for sharing. Love your content.

[@workonitm8]

26:26 I sure hope you put that paper back in the can, closed it, and placed it back where it was.

[@johnbryla2123]

Hi...thanks for taking me out there...cool...wish i could....but thanks again.*john from ontario canada....luv this stuff

[@NaomisAdventures]

Everything about that was awesome, the views, the cabins, the engine, and the other finds. Great video

[@WesternMineDetective]

Hey Naomi, I'm glad you liked this one! It was an all round great explore that's for sure. Thanks for watching as always. Got another goodie coming next week

[@NaomisAdventures]

@@WesternMineDetective can't wait

[@short-fuse]

Awesome show thanks for sharing!

[@staceykelly5343]

That town is just beautiful.

[@melissacard4]

Thank you for letting me tag along. Always a blast

[@ivanivonovich9863]

The yellow Schram/USMC 22968 is probably an Air Compressor. For use with the drilling equipment! They had an electrical generator for the lights, so that would make sense. Unless they wanted to do all the work by hand...

[@unrulyjulie4382]

I feel so freaking old. All these things that they are calling "cool, old artifacts", it seems like I was just using them yesterday. 🙃

[@WesternMineDetective]

No need to feel old, only calling them old because this stuff is older than me. It's crazy how the age of the artifacts vary there was stuff dating to the 1920s and 30s all the way to the 1960s!

[@unrulyjulie4382]

@@WesternMineDetective ... That's okay, it IS old stuff. Thanks for taking us along on your adventures. I'm impressed by your knowledge and your respectful attitude. Keep up the good work. I just subbed to your channel yesterday, so I'm doing some binge watching! 👍

[@philliphall5198]

Did you work in a mine

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

@@unrulyjulie4382 I thought they were disrespectful the way they opened the can and threw the contents on the ground... that. may even be against the law... lol

[@AmboyChamblis]

😂😂😂!

[@ME-im5qe]

Great work taking us through this location. Old air compressor had a hand crank to start the gasoline engine to then drive the compressor. Gauge you saw was to indicate the amount of compressed air pressure in the accumulator tank. I appreciate the way you respect all the finds, but I would have put the lunch box and spoon in the cabin under the roof!! Thanks for sharing!

[@nelsonmolina1846]

Great to see so many artifacts and equipment 👍

[@WesternMineDetective]

For sure Nelson! Quite an amazing site to visit. Thanks for watching man.

[@theryanweaverphoto]

Great as always! That motor setup was so cool

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks man! It definitely was, as well as the other pieces of machinery. Don't usually see all that at one mine.

[@bunnyman455]

That second engine that you wanted to know about, well, that is not a motor. What it is is a generator to produce the electricity needed for the operations of that mine.

[@jeffpittman8725]

Great video. Good to see you respect the location!

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks alot, I really love these sites!

[@bsearer1434]

Nice explore. What a valley! Thank You

[@Kennerunderground]

Wow neat. The feeling you got when you found that claim marker must have felt pretty good. Super cool.

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

16:20 Kohler alternating current generator. Guessing 7-10kW. Probably for lighting & some power tools. 19:57 air surge tank for additional storage capacity.

[@donmooney8047]

Incredibly interesting! Great video!!

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks alot! Glad you enjoyed it

[@NUGGETSHOOTER]

That is a cool old place with lots of stories if it could talk, the thing in question looked to be an electrical generator

[@christalmoore9573]

Thanks for showing this, Im disabled and cant do it. Next best thing is you young men exsploreing and showing us.

[@SueGirling68]

Hi, I'm so impressed with your knowledge for one so young, kudos to you and Austin. I'm pretty sure I saw the year 1916 on that old claim paper, a very unique super cool find along with the cabins, bottles and machinery etc. An awesome video, thank you for sharing. xx

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

put it back... lol

[@kennethganser4119]

MRvel.Mystery Oil, brings back memories.

[@Sterlingkataadem]

Guys, I like your adventures. Keep up the superb work.

[@SandraPinkParanormal]

Awesome video thanks for sharing this was awesome 👍

[@mrjoesmith5930]

20:15 Marvel Mystery Oil, just about put that in to any motor to bring it back to life. Google it, smells like a mix of kerosene & oil, and red in color. Put it in a n old van once to get the valves moving again after it sat. P.S.-- you and your friend get tired of lugging gallon water bottles, and backpacks along, I suggest buying a big 3Liter Camelbak hydration pack. Then you c an carry everything on your back.

[@darkh2o716]

Great video. The site is very much intact with a wide age variance in artifacts. Good job and have fun.

[@feraloid]

Man, what incredible scenery! Thanks for sharing!

[@andrewkiwi1]

The motor just chillin by its self is from a 1600cc Ford Escort from the 70s. Th e small pulley on the shaft drives a larger pulley on the ball mill.. The other motor under the lean too is an old flat head motor. The big round thing on the back end of it is a generator for power, lighting and ventilation fans for the mine. There will be a stamped label on the generator stating its output voltage and amperage. It probably dates from the 40s or 50s. Maybe earlier. it looks fairly complete. On the yellow compressor the bottom gauge may be air pressure. Most air tools run at 90 to 120lbs. Yes that s a hand crank . You push it in and crank it . It will have a pin running through the end of it that lock into a spiral on the crank. When it starts the handle hopefully pops out like it is now. It look like good quality too. It looks old but also complete or close too. all mines need a water supply ?

[@dodgydruid]

I too thought that looked suspiciously like a Ford Kent engine, far far from its home of making at Dagenham/Eastleigh Ford plants

[@s.sestric9929]

Also used in the earliest Ford Pintos. In fact the automatic transmission attached indicates that it almost certainly came from a Pinto. Mk1 Escorts are almost nonexistent in the USA and the imported Kent-powered Mk1 Capri didn't come with an automatic; only the OHC and Cologne V6 models did.

[@rogersmith7396]

I have a 1600 cc Ford engine as new DOHC. Odd pushrod on the cam drives the fuel pump on upper back. Cross flow head. Mine has downdraft 2 V Webber carb with electronic ignition, Dura spark II. Dipstick below intake. Was a front wheel drive car. 1980-83. Has external notched belt and tensioner for cam and water pump/gen. V 8 type starter motor.

[@Abijah12411]

I'm sorry, but no Ford motor would allowed to insult a Mopar(Dodge) product😂

[@johnhartman3149]

Yes, you had Malachite in hand. I grew up in Comstock area and found this everywhere. Usual mines that I've found this in were gold, silver and copper. Great video guys, would love to rebuild those engines, especially the military one and see them breathe again! You can likely find everything about the mine from the claim. Owners, ore and quantities found, dates of operation etc. Reach out if you need help!

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks for the clarification! Ahh good ol Comstock lode, would love to do some exploration over there in NV when I get a chance. I'd love to see those engines given a second life, especially if they were used to work the mine. Thanks for watching John, appreciate it!

[@JohnShinn6078]

Thanks for having respect and not looting. Great educated guessing too! Subcribed. Gonna check yer other vids. 👍👍

[@stevepowell6896]

Really cool explore, especially the old engines and the generator set up. Enjoyed the whole video.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

I can see as far as my eyes can see lol 😆

[@craighandy7405]

I miss doing this. I’m going to get back into this. Ore tracks awesome

[@realmickmanning]

Awesome tour. I'm impressed you came up with spatula!! :-) Enjoyed alot

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks Mick! Yeah, that was a cool find along with all the other artifacts in that cabin and all around the mine site. Quite the spot, with beautiful views as well! Appreciate you taking the time to watch.

[@RobertChellberg-pk2ne]

Right on Right on Right on keep the videos coming it's cool

[@richardbrooks3569]

This is a nice find. It hasn't been totally vandalized and shot up. You were looking at a generator under the roof. The other machine looked like an air compressor.

[@DFDuck55]

One clue to the age of the engine that ran the Kholer generator is it has an oil bath air filter. It's not a definitive way of dating the engine, but you can figure it's probably pre-60s. Most automotive and small equipment applications switched to paper air filters in the early 1960s.

[@terrancemahoney4669]

I was thinking it dated late 40s early 50s.

[@CarswithNash]

Great video… but I was dying to know what the expiration date was on the items in that fridge.

[@danvigue2238]

That old engine would take about an hour to get running I bet they remembered the most important thin put a can over the exhaust.....👍

[@WesternMineDetective]

Wow an hour! I wasn't aware of that. Sounds like a pain in the ass. Thanks for sharing.

[@MikeLucek]

@@WesternMineDetective I think Dan Vigue (poster) meant that it wouldn't take too much effort to get that gen-set running again. Changing the oil, some new sparkplugs, making sure everything turns easily, alternator/generator, cleaning out valves, etc.

[@WesternMineDetective]

@@MikeLucek Ahh totally. I was like an hour, that's insane lol. Yeah I bet that baby can start right up most of them have only been idle for about 30 years.

[@johnhenry7010]

Your need to team up with Jeff Willams :0) Love your videos, yall do things I would never dream of doing, or could do these days...

[@ralphpatrick3071]

No mines to explore but a lot of relics! Thank you!

[@WesternMineDetective]

Yeah that's all you need sometimes! Thanks for watching.

[@davidsmallwood4011]

Where did they get there driving water ?

[@brannancloward]

Very cool place!

[@bigeohiostatefan2796]

Every one of those bottles is worth money. That bed you could even sell to an antique store. Great video!

[@WesternMineDetective]

Oh yeah for sure. It's not my place to remove them, money really doesn't mean much to me. That bed sure was cool though, loved how sturdy and hefty it is. They don't make stuff like that anymore. Thanks for watching!

[@bigeohiostatefan2796]

I appreciate you not wanting to make money off those items. However, you could save them to preserve history where as others may destroy them. Just a thought.@@WesternMineDetective

[@boblindstrom3479]

BigE......FYI it is illegal to remove these items from that site. There are Federal and State laws that are enforced and you do not want to get caught stealing. The Federal Antiquities Act and other laws come into play. If on private property and you have permission that would be a different story. But, this is public property and stealing from the "public" will get you in deep trouble.

[@L4M858]

@@boblindstrom3479 lol..........

[@Deimos5224]

Yes it’s a generator powered everything there. Cool finds.

[@cdd4248]

Did they just get up one morning and decide they had enough - got in their trucks and went home. How does this happen?

[@MichalOlender]

Another great video. Finding that claim paper was pretty dope! And how about that GoPro footage, looking sharp!

[@HoldenMagroinfromRumble]

There are old mines all over Arizona like this

[@WesternMineDetective]

Yup, basically the whole Southwest. Can say the same about Nevada, rest of California, Utah so on and so forth. It's a blessing being out here

[@mikefitchNYC1971]

Awesome exploration

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks alot!

[@ostrich67]

My grandparents had that identical Whirlpool refrigerator. It's from about 1960.

[@ronniecardy]

This is more interesting so far than a mine would be to explore 😀 yellow air compressor to me.

[@GlobeExplore]

wow great surroundings and a lot of things they ve left behind. i wonder Why they have left machinery in mines often.

[@WesternMineDetective]

I'd say probably because it might not have been worth it to haul them out. Not totally sure why they left all the machinery up there maybe they figured they'd be back one day.

[@gingerbread6614]

Very good. Your going to find more mines with doors. Thank you

[@jaimesolorza4186]

The second one is used to generate electricity...my uncle had one on his ranch in Chihuahua back in 50s and 60s...

[@VendettaProspecting]

Grateful for your footage brother, just subbed would love to go exploring with y’all

[@rustyh5896]

Hope you put the claim marker back where you found it

[@WesternMineDetective]

Sure did! It's safe and sound in that tobacco tin, on the side of the mountain.

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

good job... lol glad you did... lol

[@aedwards294]

That compressor that said usmc was probably purchased as surplus

[@WesternMineDetective]

Yup that's what a few people have said. Thanks for the input!

[@halfpastnews4999]

You boys are not exactly a whiz at identifying all of the artifacts --- BUT. You score 100% at the --leaving it as you found it idea. --The thumb is up. Stay Frosty.

[@WesternMineDetective]

We're trying and always learning! Thanks for watching.

[@solid0stone]

The living quarters looked like they might have looked very nice at one point

[@MannoMax]

16:20 thats a generator, for making electricity. Kohler is a very well known company that makes generators and small engines to this day.

[@OG29]

Relics of the fifties.

[@joehead1294]

1248.7 hours on the Hobbs meter.

[@41sandybeach]

Very cool finds. It’s kinda sad though that the miners left all their trash everywhere.

[@manda60]

The big electric "Motor" is a generator. That once provided electrical power to the site.

[@mechanicman8687]

I would really liked that compressor...everything!!! Even be an investor

[@davedavidson9996]

These guys will find an old bong some day

[@aloberdorf4579]

Are those three graves @ 11:21? Or am I seeing something that is not?

[@rickdees251]

I'll be 70 in July and I recognize some of that stuff your not sure of. All common stuff when I was a kid and growing up. 1) @ 2:25 that pot is a "porcelain" pot. It's a steal pot with a ceramic "porcelain" coating fired on to the steal to keep it from rusting. 2)"MOPAR" parts is affiliated with FORD. 3) @ 4:55 That 100 pound metal Texaco barrel had "Grease" in it. Used for greasing the machinery. The same grease you use to grease the ball joints on your car etc.. 4) That looks like a "Wesson" cooking vegetable oil bottle. 5) @6:45 The bed sprigs was what was called "box springs". A padded mattress would go on top of that In the 50's I slept on a mattress with that under it and yes you could look through the springs like that. They didn't have covers over them but today they do. It's part of a "Mattress Set" 6) @ 12:20 That was a repurposed car engine and transmission used to run the Ball Mill with a fabric belt which you was there. That radiator cap looks late 60's early 70's. Not pre- 1965. What you called "header" was the exhaust manifold. edit You figured that out later after I wrote this. 7) @16:28 that was a 4 cylinder engine with a Kohler generator. It's a "Genset" It produced the electricity to power whatever. probably 20,000 watt or so. 8) @ 16:45 that hose was high pressure air hose. 9) Right @ 18:16 that was a air pressure gauge. It was as you called it an air compressor use to power the Mine drills for drilling the blasting holes. Cheers.

[@DSC800]

Good stuff. Mopar is Chrysler though but maybe the radiator is Mopar and engine is Ford.

[@rickdees251]

@@DSC800 I misspoke, " Mopar name actually has it's roots with the Chrysler corporation, going back nearly 100 years, with Chrysler formally introducing the brand name in 1937."

[@DSC800]

@@rickdees251 Yeah, you know what they say - "It's Mopar or Nocar"

[@rustychrome]

The engine looks to be a Ford Kent 1600 engine. Used in early Pinto and Ford Capri 1969-1971

[@OG29]

Generator actually powered by the four cylinder motor (likely diesel) about 5kw to run everything. Air compressor is most likely military surplus.

[@philliphall5198]

Is there any record of how much money this mine made at any time it was worked ??? More history would be great and really set our minds on fire

[@seanyancy1809]

The genset is a Kohler with a old Red Seal engine probably 15KW.

[@mrvic92154]

The area looks familiar, is it around the area of the Cargo Muchachos South East California near Yuma? thanks for posting

[@WesternMineDetective]

Not near the Cargo Machados, it is in California.

[@cweasel00]

​@@WesternMineDetective Where is this location? I would like to check it out on a hike. Please let me know. Also, great video and nice work describing everything that you were checking out. Really makes me want to go there to shoot my own video and take some pictures. Thanks in advance… Alec!

[@Iconoclasher]

Check the name plates on the power boxes, equipment, etc, very closely. Most of the time there are manufacture dates stamped in them. Same goes for documents, instruction sheets, technical drawings, blueprints etc. Might show up as a revision date. Ex. (rev 2-21)

[@WesternMineDetective]

Glad you mentioned that, on one of the plates I seen I believe it was on the side of a compressed air tank there was a year of 1946 on it which I thought was super cool. Gotta keep an eye out for that type of stuff. Thanks for sharing!

[@Iconoclasher]

@@WesternMineDetective Another one to watch for are gas bottles, like oxygen tanks for welding. Stamped around the valve are the years the bottle was recertified. This is done about every 5 years. Forty years ago I worked in an aerospace firm and I noticed a tank in the welding department that had the years stamped around the valve three times, dating all the way back to 1914.

[@greenspiraldragon]

You should have added the bottles to the shelf. A battery powered reciprocating saw will take care of that gate.

[@WesternMineDetective]

I kind of have a leave artifacts where they sit policy, but don't think it would hurt to move them. And definitely, don't have one of those but I'm sure someone passionate enough to check that mine out will come along and free it open. Thanks for watching!

[@pgiono88]

Big motor at the entrance of the mine , Its a Generator, thats why you have electric panels.

[@leeclark6102]

Last gauge on the air compressor=0-200 PSI, the air pressure generated by the air compressor.

[@marksommers6764]

I believe the engine and transmission is Ford, 1600 CC ... pinto ? The Kohler power plant seems powered by a dodge flathead 4 cylinder motor

[@securityteam1697]

Amazing? It would be amazing if you walked into the cabin and found some old miner's poke/cache full of high grade ore and a couple of old gas cans full of silver dollars. Other than that, its just kind of cool.

[@WesternMineDetective]

By that definition literally all these sites aren't amazing

[@philliphall5198]

Did miner get a bonus if they hit a very rich area ???? What was the average pay for them who worked inside the mine ??? Would love to know more history about it and when

[@JohnJones-nf3je]

That gauge on the compressor that you weren't sure what it was is a pressure gauge for the air pressure

[@WesternMineDetective]

For sure, thanks for the input!

[@Ed_in_Md]

The kholer electric plant is a generator.

[@aloberdorf4579]

that stake would perhaps be a drill steel, as a "single jack" was a one handed hammer I believe...I may be wrong.

[@SuperJames215]

so cool

[@rigweld]

Cool I wish I could go explore it

[@rogersmith7396]

Its a Kohler generator. They are still in business. I would guess around 20-30 kilowatts. Probably can be made to run. Gasoline not diesel. See "Small Engine Mechanic". His business is restoring gen sets like these. That wattage could power a house. The other car motor looks like it might still run. Had a can over the exhaust to keep rain out Air cleaner over the carb, exhaust still hooked up. Dry climate. Pull the dipstick and check for oil.

[@nickswanson-vw3di]

That one bottle in the big oil can was a soap bottle

[@philliphall5198]

I think there’s a chance it could be open one of these days

[@MrRoughknuckles]

Big old generator, operating all the lights and equipment.

[@philliphall5198]

Can they open any of theses old mines anymore ???? Who owns them now ??? Are claims still given out ??? What state is this in ???

[@halrichardson1395]

Generator run by the 4 cyl motor. 16:42 on film air press gauge 18:10

[@miguelangelvalderrama1808]

Wooowww 12:12 and 15:13 i don't understand why did the owner abandone those engines, with the first engine i would make a go kart or a buggy using the tires of that yellow compressor, the generator looks very good to start it again. I can't see somethings like that because i feels like to repair them if they would be infront of me. 🔧🛠️🔨🔩

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

16:00 That was a generator to produce electricity

[@burningsandsexploration3711]

Fantastic site! I love to go check this out. Is this Nevada or California side?

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks for watching Cindy! This is here in California, relatively close to me.

[@burningsandsexploration3711]

@@WesternMineDetective If it were Nevada, I'd attempt to locate it. I'd love to explore there and do a video as well.