Exploring Abandoned Mines of the Desert: The Aztec Mine

In this video, we explore the abandoned Aztec Mine. This mine's known history is extremely limited, likely because the mine did not seem to produce much ore. The main haulage adit curiously extends over half a mile into the mountain but fails to intersect any major workings. Perhaps this was a miner's pipe dream, a long, prospect. Or perhaps it was an investor trap, a tunnel knowingly driven to nowhere.
Unfortunately we may never know the truth about the Aztec Mine. Today, it's long haulage adit makes for an interesting and easy exploration. The Aztec Mine resembles a truly 'classic' desert mine. Not to mention, the mine, it's rails, and timbering are in fantastic condition.
The Aztec Mine includes approximately 3,500 ft. of underground workings. The mine is believed to consist of two levels. We were unable to locate the upper level/adit.
Thank you for watching!
#urbex #abandonedmine #mineexploring #abandoned #mining #exploring #desert #travel #history #adit #shaft #underground #minerals #silvermine #goldmine #exploringabandonedmines #orecars #ore #artifacts

[@danmiller6051]

No matter how many videos I see, I can't stop remembering (unless I'm mistaken) that it was usually that they only cleared about 6 feet a day or shift. Just what you walked in this one cross cut, how much work went into the mines! Great video, as usual.

[@tomryan916]

Great geology. Curious strata. Lots of colours. Be interesting to see with all the dust washed off.

[@WesternMineDetective]

Wow man, awesome mine! That thing goes in quite a ways. Keep up the great work

[@SueGirling68]

Hi, that mine was just so bizarre, words fail me. Thank you for sharing this really strange mine with us. x

[@MrJtappin]

Looks like you missed the actual mine and found a haulage tunnel only. Interesting how far it went too, I wonder if they were trying to connect to another mine or create another exit other side of the mountain?

[@TVRExploring]

This was a weird mine. It still kind of gnaws at me that we didn't figure out what the deal with that raise was. We looked that day (and I have subsequently looked extensively on Google Earth) and did not see any other large waste rock piles higher up the mountain. On the other hand, the amount of waste rock dumped in the wash and on the pile could possibly suggest large upper workings... Of course, given how far we walked back in this adit, all of that waste rock may make sense. Like I said, a weird one! And confusing.

[@fxw]

If there ist an ore chute then there has to be a way to stopes or some workings above, but there ist only this mysterious raise. Did I miss something in the video? By the way: nice exploration!

[@MinesoftheWest]

TVR Exploring Agreed. I think if it hadn’t been so damn hot that day, I would have considered B-lining it up the mountain. I have a feeling there wouldn’t be much to the upper level, but who knows...

[@TVRExploring]

@@MinesoftheWest It was unacceptably hot that day... Imagine if someone had to hike all of the way back up to that mine after we got down because they forgot a piece of equipment up there. I'm sure such a thing wouldn't happen, but THAT would have sucked!

[@MinesoftheWest]

TVR Exploring Yeah sheesh, glad we’re only speaking theoretically here - I don’t know how anyone could recover from something like that...

[@TVRExploring]

@@MinesoftheWest Yeah, good thing something like that would never happen.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Love the colours in this one, you seem to find lot of caves in your area, must be the geology. We have a few mines that have really good caves they intersect, one, the cave system is larger than the mine. Im amazed they kept going, seems to be a lot of tunnels, with little workings. Somebody has balls of steel to climb that rope! Oh, investor scam mines? Never heard of them, how did they work?

[@fxw]

Nice exploration in a strange mine!

[@daveg2104]

If you guys think it is a weird mine, who am I to disagree. If there are other successful mines in the area, maybe they were just unlucky and didn't intercept the mineralised zone. I did notice an area that seemed to have a few quartz stringers. Or just maybe there is a massive stope up there (one ore chute is not indicating that though). They were certainly setting up for some proper mining. Interesting too that the pipe went over that backfill, although it did stop just past it.

[@ancientexploringarizona]

The outside looks better than the inside, as far as interesting things to explore! Nice video though!

[@johnbryla2123]

Wow. How did they tunnel and get rid of the rubble. And still make rail tracks? What went on there? And for what?.thanks.*john

[@CornishMineExplorer]

So much effort put into cutting those tunnels, not even minimal effort, they are done to a good size. Maybe a more recent mine given the size of it?

[@ronniecardy]

You know it took some time to dig all of that and blasting as well. Maby should get some small person and send them up the ore shute. Nice ore container lots of bucks spent for a long shafts for nothing 🙄

[@zambosurtreasurehunter9536]

Great exploration

[@stevenmyrick9492]

Great video! Thanks for explaining points of interest to us. Critique: Please control whatever is clicking on the mic. The clicking noise created by that is distracting. Thanks.

[@MinesoftheWest]

Steven Myrick The clicking was a fun feature of my old camera’s mic. Glad you enjoyed otherwise

[@biswajitsundaray3225]

Wow nice beautiful spot thank you👍👌

[@jagboy69]

Something's strange with this one. That's NEW hinges at 2:10 See the UPC on the label? Lot's of new lumber in here also.

[@3nigma379]

worldtraveler id say a reclaimed old mine

[@jagboy69]

@@3nigma379 I think you might be right.

[@Concerned_Citizen111]

I noticed that too. Those hinges look new 😳

[@outdoorfrenzy]

Not to mention the basis for spray paint wasn’t invented until 1949 and the fact he’s guessing this mine was active in the 20’s and 30’s means someone has gone back in and updated it at some point. It also looks like a ton of distance markers painted on the walls of each cross cut.

[@marcosvalenzuela4349]

6.37 there's a scull in the rocks

[@alansmith4734]

Aztec Mine made me think of the term 'Montezuma's Revenge'. Don't drink the water!

[@gingerbread6614]

Pretty deep. Thank you

[@mikecarr1484]

Theres never dynamite like we used to find . Damn near blew off my fingers with a quarter stick of dynamite in 2003.we buried it and blew a small crater out . Was cool.

[@rdamp2374]

Fantastic Video. At 1:13 there was a date on the right of the portal.

[@nickmad887]

thanks

[@darreno9874]

Great mine to explore, it could have been worked during the second World War because of the demand for tungsten. 😁

[@TheFaderland]

If you take samples of diff. rocks and minerals you don't have to speculate. Find an expert to get an explanation. Any vine with iron oxidation is interesting. Called iron head. For Tungsteen, Scheelit use UV-lamp.

[@scotttaylor8498]

If you stop it at 1:51 and look to the right of the screen and look at the rock formation edge from top to bottom of screen. If you look at it right you will see the figure outline of a face complete head from the edge you will see a left sided eye nose and mouth. And it looks like a indian. Look real good. If you don't see it as first keep looking at the portal hole at first at 1:51 how it kind of narrows in a little then peign your eyes to the right they should focus in.

[@halinagwozdz5371]

Hope you can go back and find a way to the upper levels. That much of a haulage with rails still there had to be producing....something?

[@ACHistory]

Great video! I am fascinated by mines. Are there mine enthusiasts?

[@Kennerunderground]

What kind of vehicle do you use to get to these desolate locations?

[@Oidium45]

Was that a Geiger clicking throughout the vid?

[@MinesoftheWest]

Oidium45 That’s my old camera making noises

[@vincesuchy3724]

Very strange looks like whoever was just mining just because or something 👍

[@Prodibber]

Why do you reckon is “danger explosives” is written in Fluor paint, surely that’s a 90’s invention or something and not 1920’s.?

[@natedion8112]

Carefully listen at 7:36,37, sounds like something says what’s up when he takes the flash lights down an clicks it.

[@nuagemanfr]

Maybe because he wasn't alone ^^' TVR was with him

[@mechanicman8687]

Ever find any aliens when your exploring old mines?

[@MinesoftheWest]

MECHANIC MAN all the time

[@mechanicman8687]

@@MinesoftheWest Just kidding but would scare the xxx out of someone fore sure. .. But you have the best old mine exploration channels. Keep up the good work. Be careful too!!

[@MinesoftheWest]

MECHANIC MAN Haha thanks friend!

[@leshenderson5746]

It's drift, n[t a cross cut.

[@slushyvevo8973]

Does it scare you when you go into a cave? Knowing that it could cave in on you?

[@_tyrannus]

How would a mine work out as an investor scam?

[@MinesoftheWest]

turarwanaa The “miners” advertise the mine as a having major potential, get investors on board, use the money to do some development and then take off with the rest.

[@_tyrannus]

@@MinesoftheWest Thanks for the explanation! Sounds like many other scams, haha. From watching you and TVR's videos, these mines seem among the most interesting given that they still contain a lot of the stuff, and traces of being worked by different people.

[@tencatszen]

Most mines weren't profitable so sometimes they fleeced investors as a way of getting some return. One way was to load gold dust in a shotgun and shoot the sides of the mine to embed the gold dust in the rocks.

[@sketawaykillers]

😎🖤😎🖤😎🖤😎🖤😎

[@rodneydaub3812]

An investor scam mine? Interesting ..

[@garybauer7574]

Boring you never explain the geology