Exploring Several Levels of an Abandoned Gold and Tungsten Mine Near Randsburg, CA

[@Jake-n7v3e]

I used to go to those mines out there .there is lots of vertical mine shafts .

[@forgottenmininghistory]

There are hundreds of shafts over there

[@funafish2351]

Awesome video! This is now my new favorite mine exploration channel! You're the only guy I've seen on youtube with the balls to get deep in the shafts, while still remaining respectful of the artifacts. Others will remove things like those cans and keep them, or treat them poorly to the point they're destroyed, and others wont repel or decend into the shafts to see whats left there in the first place. Keep up the good work!

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Glad you like my videos! Thanks for the kind words!

[@ck6639]

Very nice. Not a popular video, so I’m glad I found it. Very thorough. We have a lot of Tungsten up in Carson City. Very familiar colors in there.

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Thanks for watching!

[@alchemicalanarchist]

The Circle with a dot in the center is a universally known symbol for Gold.

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Interesting, thanks for the insight!

[@z50king29]

Nice explore. Wasn't expecting the station on the shaft on that 155 level.

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Yeah, it was really cool down there. I don't know why I opted not to continue down to the next level. It would have been really easy to do so. I might have to come back to this someday, if it isn't gated by then.

[@z50king29]

@@forgottenmininghistory are you carrying any kind of gas meter?

[@forgottenmininghistory]

No, which isn't smart. I wasn't worried, though, as there was good airflow in the mine.

[@StevenPendleton]

Would love if you could point out and show some close ups of the veins they were chasing.

[@sanddabz5635]

Thanks for the tour!

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Glad to take you on it. Thanks for watching!

[@juliagrothe]

Craziest video yet!

[@forgottenmininghistory]

There will be crazier ones.

[@patrickmcleod111]

Once you reach 300 feet of vertical or horizontal distance underground, you've reached "international ground", which is the same as international waters, where the drinking age is lower, and gambling is legal. That's why there are lots of alcohol containers there, because lots of teenagers travel there to buy their beer and wine coolers!

[@forgottenmininghistory]

What happens underground, stays underground.

[@barryclarke3010]

Hello the "fibres" were gypsum needles, the big rocks that slid of the foot wall in the shaft station level fell because theres a clay joint between the foot wall and lode, the miners called these areas slicken sides, when you next look at a lode check out the bands in the lode between the footwall and hanging wall.my favourite type of mine short winzes lots of levels following the load and easy access to the stopes,I've subbed I like what you show ,

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Thanks for the geology info and thanks for subscribing! I like these types of mines as well. They're great fun to explore. I wan't to go back to this mine someday to explore the next level down.

[@kevinbrennan2004]

You can't help but get the feeling, anything of real interest, would have been removed from these mines years ago. 10 points though, for sharing us what is left, before they are lost to time.

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Unfortunately, thats usually the case. I know there are still some mines out there loaded with artifacts, and thats what keeps me exploring.

[@michaelcoker3197]

Great work! But upgrade your light, and slow your pan.

[@steelem422]

Have you ever found gold or others things in the walls

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Nope, but I look out for it.

[@kingbeat101]

Interesting how the grain of the rock seems to be at an angle in most cases..

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Yeah, you can see a lot of interesting geology in these mines.

[@Sobaire]

Are there quite a few minds in this area?

[@forgottenmininghistory]

There are hundreds.

[@thomasklugh4345]

I see you were with one other guy. Did you have any water with you? Food? Do you tell anyone where you're going, exactly? Scary !

[@vickichristy449]

I grew up in Brandenburg on weekends and holidays

[@rachelgrothe3990]

Who’s that cool dude in red?

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Haha. I think it was an apparition.

[@OdySlim]

Hi Rachel.

[@naykidd14420]

U must be into cans, crv?

[@alexanderloadsmanthefirebu3753]

throw a rock down the 500 feet shaft that would be cool

[@busterduster4194]

you need a black light to see the tungsten

[@AnastaziaValvaine]

whats with your flashlight? i mean mine is on after only 1 "click" up to 5 k Lumens🤭

[@vickichristy449]

Randsburg

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

how far from randsburg

[@forgottenmininghistory]

It's a few miles from Randsburg in the surrounding hills.

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

@@forgottenmininghistory I joined 2 clubs to get access to claims but the one guy who wants to go there we need to find open territory for him so he can look for gold he hasn't joined anything yet I will bring my gps then go to google maps with the coordinates satelite imaging look at the hills ,mountains

[@spage985]

Narrative by Napoleon Dynamite

[@laurenwest345]

Hello, I hope you are doing well during this pandemic. My name is Lauren and I am a third year college student at James Madison University. I am currently enrolled in a geology course focused on the study of mines. For my final project in this course, I have been asked by my professors to research an area of land that has been negatively impacted due to previous mining activity and come up with a project proposal on how to reclaim the land and surrounding area. In researching possible locations, I came across Randsburg, CA, a town you covered during one of your desert travel destinations. Since we are all quarantined during this time, it has been difficult to get in touch with someone who knows what the town truly means to those living there and what their hopes are for a possible reclamation plan. Seeing as how you were fortunate enough to travel to Randsburg, I was hoping you could give me some insight on what the town means to its people and what the best approach might be for coming up with a reclamation plan the town members would whole-heartedly embrace. My goal in researching this unique place is to grasp the emotional ties the town members have to their historic home and how those emotions can be honored and respected while exploring ways to heal the land that was scarred from the mining activities that took place there years ago. Please let me know not only how your visit to Randsburg was, but also what insight you have on the people living there. Thank you! Best regards, Lauren

[@forgottenmininghistory]

Just answered your email.

[@001desertrat3]

@Lauren West -- If you are serious about doing a reclamation project , I suggest that you concentrate your focus on Open Pit Mines which are a BLIGHT on the landscape , because the Mining Companies are not required to fill their damned holes . Plus , a lot of Open Pit Mines partially fill with water and if there are any Sulfide ores the water becomes Acidic (Sulfurous and Sulfuric Acids) which now reacts with the pulverized and oxidized soils , dissolving any Heavy Metals that may be in the soils , and thereby contaminating the watertable . -- Very little of which happens with Underground Hard Rock Mining .

[@Pentapus1024]

@Lauren West Why don't you leave randsburgers alone and go "reclaim" the "scarred" lands that are festering with filth and decay like Los Angeles and such places? I wish you'd stay out of the lives of those you pity and look down upon. Always sticking your big noses where they don't belong, always "saving" ecosystems and making the world a better place, unless it's somewhere like Washington DC or NYC. "Reclaiming" she says.

[@jeffyholla1095]

Hello there! We have family that lives not to far. I have researched the area and can give you this. The area was mined for silver, gold and some Tungsten. Arsnic was used to release the ore from the ground. This has affected the ground water. Discoloration of waste rock ( usually pulled up) you will be able to see clearly. Attempts to use waist rock to revive the area have been done over a few years. However, arsnic in the ground has caused a lot of harm to surrounding vegetation. To this day nothing has started to grow on any waste rock. Mine exploring should be done with upmost safety. A good respirator and carbon monoxide indicator are must haves and NOTHING should be removed from the mines.

[@rareroots]

@@jeffyholla1095 clarification, arsenic isn't "used to release ore", it is naturally occurring and may be more concentrated in mine tailings. Arsenic in ground water (in Randsburg and other desert areas) is natural to the area in levels debatable as to a health hazard