Finding a Most Unusual Abandoned Mine in the Middle of Nowhere

[@mrbrent62]

Whether it be swinging chains with weird sounds or whispering ghosts, your videos are always entertaining.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Glad to hear that! It’s always nice when a viewer lets me know that they are enjoying my content and getting something out of it. Thank you very much for the support!

[@mrbrent62]

One of the first videos I watched was the mine with the chains that started swinging. The other was the mine. Where you said…. What is that noise? Sounds like snakes. And it was voices. Ha ha. I would never now mine terminology without your videos.

[@03stmlax]

5:39 | A disembodied voice says *"it's pyrite"* while he's talking... aka he was joined by a spirit in this mine

[@StoodSta1]

* Horton mine flashbacks *

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Wow, someone put in the work to make those tunnels look nice back in the day. I used to see pack rat nests as a kid in the canyon by my house but I don't think I ever saw an actual pack rat before. Great video.

[@AbandonedMines11]

It is very rare to see the pack rats. We always see their nests inside the mines but they usually go into hiding as soon as they hear us coming down the tunnel. It’s very rare to see them! The only other time I saw one was several years ago and it remained in its nest. That one appeared to be a pregnant female about to give birth. That’s why I thought maybe this one in this video was also a pregnant female. Thanks for stopping by and checking out the video - I appreciate it!

[@cattlerancher985]

WOW! Amazing! Fascinating! Thank you for the video!!! Thank you for taking us all exploring with you!!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@ActionAdventureTwins]

Craziest looking granddaddy Longleg I ever saw. Very unique markings compared to what I am used to

[@AbandonedMines11]

I think it was a harvestman spider which are supposedly very closely related to daddy long legs. In fact, I think I remember reading something that said harvestmen spiders really aren’t spiders at all but something very closely related. Need to get an arachnid expert in here to clear things up! LOL

[@BerithVT]

love seeing the little critters in these videos! That harvestman was so pretty, I've never seen one with such vibrant colours before!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Glad you enjoyed seeing all the animals in this video. It’s surprising the amount of critters that take up residence in these abandoned mines. Yes, that spider certainly was vibrant!

[@philjones6054]

Yet another first class video for us to enjoy. I thoroughly enjoy everything on this channel.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Many thanks, Phil! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. It’s always nice to hear from enthusiastic, supportive viewers like yourself.

[@royjennison3916]

Great vid Frank , well done , what a great mine that was , stay safe Frank

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks, Roy! Sometimes these smaller, insignificant mines can be quite interesting. Sounds like you enjoyed the video - thanks for letting me know.

[@williamwintemberg]

I bet the packrat was happy to see you leave. The end of the last tunnel looked like it was backfilled. Those pick marks surely were evidence of blood and sweat! Cool little mine Frank!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Always cool finding the pickax marks! I couldn’t imagine digging out a mine like this. Talk about backbreaking work! Yes, that packrat was probably glad that I turned around and left. Those blinding lights and the sound of my voice are something that it may never have experienced before. Another viewer left a comment and said there was a baby pack rat in the nest. I saw that when I was editing the footage and looked at it closely. It does resemble a baby rat, but I don’t think it was. I think it was just a piece of debris in the nest that looked like a baby pack rat. Maybe I’m wrong, though…. Thanks for taking time out of your day to watch the video and to comment - I really do appreciate it!

[@astralvirgin09]

Hey Frank! That was a sweet little mine and that pack rat was truly adorable! I have quite a bit of pyrite and although I have found a few pieces on my own, I've yet to find it literally lighting up a wall as was in that mine. Thanks for the adventure, as always I'll look forward to the next one! In the meantime, stay safe out there!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Nice to hear from you again! Glad you enjoyed the video. Yes, there seems to be a lot of pyrite in this one, and I’m glad you were able to see it in the walls even though it wasn’t sparkling in the footage due to my lights. How are things up in Northern California? Is there still a lot of snow where you are?

[@astralvirgin09]

@@AbandonedMines11 Things up here are good, been recovering from a case of COVID (something I swore I'd never get! Lol!) and thank god for the nice spring weather (finally!) which has done away with most of the snow. This was the longest and wettest winter I can remember so I'm looking foward to a nice warm summer! You all got quite a bit of rain, hope it's drying up fast!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Yes, lots of rain down here in San Diego! Definitely was a crazy winter! And supposedly this was a La Niña winter which is supposed to be dry in nature, right? Now they’re predicting this coming winter will be El Niño which means more heavy rains and snow - maybe even more than what we got this past winter! Personally, I don’t think these weather forecasters are very accurate to begin with. I think it’s all a crapshoot. I hope you’re feeling better and getting over Covid! I got that last summer and was over it in about four days. I only had one vaccine a year earlier, though, and had never gone back for the boosters. It’s my opinion that everybody will get Covid sooner or later despite vaccination status. I hope you’re feeling better soon! I’ll probably have some new videos coming out in a week from now, so if you’re still cooped up at home and in bed, you can watch those. 🙂

[@1stevenj83]

Thats a nice one frank! Hope you and the Toyota are doing well.

[@AbandonedMines11]

I really enjoyed this unique, smaller mine! Sounds like you enjoyed the footage of it, too! The Corolla continues to do well. Thanks, Stephen, for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@quailshootr6389]

2:00 Frank, where was the "surprise"? The 3 way? I was waiting for you to tell us that it wasnt pyrite but GOLD!!!!!!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Yes, that hidden third tunnel was the surprise! Three drifts extending from the portal. That’s something you don’t see every day in these abandoned mines.

[@MeRiaNevaMynd]

Very interesting! Im glad i found your channel. I hope you will always be safe, thank you!🙂🧡🙂

[@AbandonedMines11]

I take as many safety precautions as I can. I wear a helmet, I have backup flashlights and batteries, I have an oxygen meter, I wear a hydrogen sulfide gas detector, I have an emergency beacon, and a few other things. One can never skimp on safety, that’s for sure! I’m glad you found my channel, too - it’s nice having you here following along in all the underground adventures. Thank you very much for doing that!

[@stannmann8109]

Great little mine. I bet that timber once held up that pile on the ground... Looks like there may have been Limonite pockets, but no big ore bodies. Thanks

[@AbandonedMines11]

That’s a great deduction about the purpose of that lone timber! I hadn’t thought of that one! I bet you’re right. That was the only area in the mine that was wide like that for the most part. They probably installed the timber for some support but eventually the back of the mine finally collapsed as you mentioned. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@Unit38]

Mr. Frank, as always, enjoyed it. I came across your unique voice on one of Tom and Julie's mine explorations. They seem to be some good people.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for the comment! I thought you have been subscribed to me for years! I think you’ve been watching my videos for many years before I eventually met Tom and Julie a few years ago.

[@paisliesplace3921]

Wow what a fantastic find! Seems like they put in a lot of work with little return, lucky for us though. That is amazing that was all dug out by hand. I don't think I have seen a video that has two tunnels at the portal like that and then to have one tunnel have an additional one, awesome! Thank you Frank for taking us with you! As always, stay safe! 👍❤

[@AbandonedMines11]

Yes, digging that all by hand was quite a task! I have seen a few mines that had two branching tunnels right inside the entrance - but never three like this one had. That really puts this mine in a unique class all of its own. Thanks for stopping by and checking out the latest video!

[@paisliesplace3921]

@@AbandonedMines11 My pleasure, I am happy the weather is warming as I look forward to your videos. It is so impressive that was dug by hand. The arch in the ceiling was so perfect in the first tunnel. Incredible!

[@TimeMappedExplorations]

Amazing how that place is a home for a creature - very cool. Thanks for your great videos, really enjoy the channel!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Yeah, the pack rats are real common in these mines. When the mine closes up and is abandoned, they move in. And so do the bats. And ring-tailed cats once in a long while.

[@Carolb66]

Hi im working my way through your playlist, im enjoying every second, i cant sleep at the moment so your videos are keeping me company. ❤😊 so interesting & great commentary.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Glad you like them! Thanks, Carol!

[@lesleyrobbins1137]

Wow, a "3-fer"! Too bad the vein didn't turn out to be worth much. Main tunnel had a cool shape. Thanks for sharing!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Yes, I thought that main tunnel had a really nice shape to it, too. Sometimes these smaller mines are quite interesting even though the tunneling isn’t all that extensive. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment - I appreciate it!

[@YigsHorror]

I'd be frightened, too lol Imagine sleeping peacefully and suddenly awakened by a giant with a bright light 😅 Eta: You need some knee pads!

[@AbandonedMines11]

You know, I do have kneepads but always - always - forget to wear them! They certainly would’ve been useful in this little mine.

[@Mike-tg7dj]

Good sense of humor, Giant with one big glowing eye lighting up the place.

[@mertfox3488]

Probably a couple of miners, struggling with pick axes. Discovered "gold " but was iron pyrite. They kept digging with gold fever in their veins. They gathered up their findings and rushed to the assayer.. Their dreams died .

[@AbandonedMines11]

Awesome comment! Almost sounds like a great plot for a movie. I think your overall assessment is probably pretty much correct.

[@cplatter38]

So, here's the thing... heavy mineralization, iron sulfides (pyrite) especially, are what you find in high production gold mines! Pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenides, galena, telluride... all kinds of goodies! If you see dark red stains to purple stains? There's an EXCELLENT chance gold will be there! MOST gold is found mixed in with other metals. Truth is, they don't need to wait for an assay... veins THAT rich can usually be ground up and panned to release free mill gold! Remember, an ounce to the ton of rock was economical back in the day... today a mine can run, skinny, but run on 5 grams (1/6 ounce) to the ton! I'd put money that what they were digging probably ran 2-5 oz!!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for the information!

[@timetogodoug]

Thanks Frank, have a great week!

[@AbandonedMines11]

No problem, Doug! Thank you for dropping in and leaving a comment.

[@Davidautofull]

thanks for what you do. i would hang out in there far too long.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for checking out the video! I could think of worse places to hang out than an abandoned mine, so no worries there.

[@purenatural5736]

Interesting find, also, the area there is very beautiful. Thank you for uploading and please be careful.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Sometimes the small, out-of-the-way mines have some nice surprises despite not being very extensive underground.

[@sez1742]

The reverberation is always neat to hear in your videos. Always hair-raising when you’re talking in an area that doesn’t have the same “echo”. Wonderful video! Stay safe.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, the presence of reverberation is a good sign that one is in stable rock.

[@OdySlim]

I really enjoy your videos. thank you for your time and have a good upcoming weekend. Regards from Ody Slim BTW, how is the Toyota running

[@AbandonedMines11]

Hi, Ody Slim! Thanks for your nice comment! Sounds like you enjoyed this video. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. The Toyota Corolla is doing fine although I’m not driving as much as I used to. I’ll be making a short video of it here within the next few weeks and posting it here on KZbin. it just keeps on going and going and going! Thank you again for all your support here over the years - I appreciate it.

[@myfavoritemartian1]

That last passage was small because it was just big enough for a Burro to use. Where the passages are small and no evidence of tracks it means they used a burro to transport the materials. The previous passages were made to later install tracks, but it proved to be too poor of a yield to pay.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Your comment is very intriguing! I had never thought of that before that the smaller passages with not enough height to stand upright in them were designed only for burros. It makes a lot of sense, though.

[@IKS-Exploration]

Great video folk stay safe :)

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks, man!

[@johnsmart964]

Thank you very much for this very interesting and informative video presentation which is very much appreciated. It is certainly a nice large home for bats and pack rats who certainly have the right idea of putting the cactus needles in there for protection, smart animals. The colouring inside the mine was certainly impressive and there was some sparkling of the pyrite that could be seen. A lot of work for little or no gain in this case, sadly, for those who put in all that work. As you rightly said, it was pleasant to see the colours in the desert after the rains.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Hey, John! Glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate your nice comment here. Yes, the colors on the desert floor certainly are spectacular right now thanks to all the heavy winter rains this past season. Glad you enjoyed the footage of that! It’s amazing the amount of critters that do live in these abandoned mines - mice, pack rats, bats, spiders, ringtail cats, etc. thanks again for the great comment! 👍

[@adamwest8711]

I always wonder did all the effort that went into these little hand dug mines actually made them any money. Thanks for sharing another interesting find.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Good question! I have always been of the opinion that digging these mines and processing the ore probably just wasn’t worth it in the long run. To dig something like this entirely by hand is quite an undertaking, so the old-time miners are to be commended for that! I suppose chasing the dream of striking it rich is what kept them motivated to keep going, to keep digging, and to keep hoping.

[@W7DSY]

Cool and unusual mine, Frank. And I think you were right, this one hasn't seen a human in a long time. And the mineralization, have you ever tried a ultraviolet flashlight in a mine? Might prove to be interesting to see what reflects the UV light.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for checking in, Stan! It’s a shame that the sparkling of the pyrite didn’t come across in the video due to my lights. I think next time I’m going to have to dim my lights way down so that the sparkling effect can be seen. I didn’t think of that at the time. This was a very interesting and unusual mine considering it had three drift tunnels right inside the entrance. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before! The ultraviolet light you mentioned would be a good addition to my gear. One more thing for me to lose, though, I suppose. LOL

[@danosmixedgrill6067]

It certainly does look hand dug, it has the genuine coffin level look. This may be very old. Cheers Daniel.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Based on what you implied in your comment and what somebody else said in theirs, I’m led to believe that when the drifts in a mine have that coffin-like look, that’s an indication that it was most likely dug by hand, right? If so, I was not aware of that.

[@danosmixedgrill6067]

@@AbandonedMines11 Yes, they didnt dig out a cubic inch more than they had to, so when digging by hand the tunnel took on a coffin shape, usually narrow bottom, wider middle, narrow top. Cheers Daniel.

[@jungmanjba]

I love your videos. Greetings from Brazil.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Hello! Nice hearing from somebody all the way down in Brazil! Thank you very much for checking in. And thank you very much for the support!

[@douglasgoldstein8990]

There's most likely some values in those veins, but like you pointed out, it's got a lot of what looks like arsenialpyrite...which is high in arsenic. Great hand dug mine though!

[@AbandonedMines11]

That arsenic sounds dangerous! Glad you agree that this mine was dug by hand. It’s really fascinating what these miners had to do back in the day and what they had to put up with.

[@douglasgoldstein8990]

@Exploring Abandoned Mines and Unusual Places absolutely! They were a different breed of man for sure....we need more like them in today's world. Catch you on the next video! P.S. Yours was the first mine exploring channel I started watching, probably 6 years ago, great job man!

[@pa5287]

to think that was dug out by hand is unreal oh and yes seen the rock fall great little find

[@AbandonedMines11]

It’s amazing what humans can do when they set their mind to something and are determined. Digging this by hand is an example of that! I did not notice that rock falling at the time when it happened. I only noticed it when I was reviewing the footage. Fortunately it didn’t seem to be the keystone. LOL

[@davesstuff1599]

Awesome video as usual. I always enjoy and love the history and schooling too.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Glad you enjoyed it! The three-way entrance to this one was unique. A pleasant surprise, in fact!

[@StirlingLighthouse]

That first alcove on the right looked extra juicy for gold deposits. ⛏️

[@AbandonedMines11]

That’s where all the pyrite seemed to be sparkling!

[@StirlingLighthouse]

@@AbandonedMines11 And the iron staining was extra juicy. The redder the better! Thanks for your time put into these wonderful posts. 🙏

[@Kratos_Spartan]

Hola mi querido amigo, como estas? ya tenia ganas de ver un video de usted, por favor cuidate mucho te mando un gran abrazo desde México.

[@AbandonedMines11]

¡Gracias por ver y comentar! ¡Gracias también por el abrazo de México! Me alegro de que me sigas. Gracias por su interés y apoyo.

[@matthewjones12181]

Gorgeous flowers! Do you take a guidebook for the fauna of the areas you go to? Also, for shafts, could you use a weighted rope to check depth? I wouldn't think that it would add to much weight, right?

[@AbandonedMines11]

I like the weighted rope idea for measuring depth of shafts. Some of these shafts, though, can get quite deep! The one that was outside the mine in this video probably was 5 to 10 feet deep if even that. I have considered buying a field guide to help identify flowers, but I haven’t done that yet. What I do is when I get home I’ll research the flowers that I filmed and then insert captions into the video if I find out what they are. I didn’t do that for this video, though. I did do it, though, for the spider that was right outside the entrance. That was a harvestman spider, apparently.

[@dimebagdave77]

ManyTHNX for another very interesting video 🔥

[@AbandonedMines11]

Awesome! Sounds like you enjoyed the video. Thank you very much for taking time out of your day to watch and comment. More videos coming soon!

[@desertrat8322]

AWESOME VIDEO !! Can't believe how veins of Pirite that were noticeable on the tunnel walls and ceilings . Any idea on how old this mine is ???

[@AbandonedMines11]

I’m glad you were able to see the pyrite even though it wasn’t sparkling in the video due to my lights. I’m still not sure why my camera doesn’t pick up that sparkling. Maybe next time I’ll put the lights on low power so they are very dim. That might make the sparkling show up more in the video footage. It really was spectacular to see, though! If I had to guess, I would think this mine was probably worked in the 1920s or something like that but I have no idea. Couldn’t find any information on this one at all. It truly is an abandoned and forgotten mine!

[@kimbra1132]

When you're over 6' them small drifts can be fun. Not really, but thanks for showing us this tunnel. That mine was definitely hand dug. Lots of gold ore left, but with primitive tools the miners were not able to extract the ore out. I did the pyrite in there and it sure was sparkly. Sure is alot of middle of nowhere mines in the western US. Peace and Love Frank. Happy Trails.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Someone else said in their comment on this video that those smaller drifts were only meant for burros and donkeys to go through. I can understand the rationale behind that but wouldn’t the miners want to get back in there, too? I don’t know - it’s all rather puzzling sometimes.

[@sighpower]

It's always neat to see those veins winding through the rock and it's pretty cool how they form too. Also was that a plastic bottle I saw at the end?

[@AbandonedMines11]

I agree with you about the veins in the walls. Always cool to see. Yes, there was an old, small, plastic water bottle laying on the ground in the tunnel. Surprised that pack rat hasn’t dragged the bottle to its nest yet.

[@foxsicle]

The packrat is SO CUTE!

[@AbandonedMines11]

I think the little circular cups they make to sit in are cute, too. As I mentioned in another reply, I seldom see these pack rats inside the mines. They usually go into hiding long before we shine our lights on their areas. The only other time I saw one was several years ago and it was obviously a very pregnant female about to give birth. That’s why I think this one may have been pregnant as well, but who knows?

[@foxsicle]

@@AbandonedMines11 The cups are really cute too, for sure. Prolly was preggo and not seen a human before. Being awfully solid handmade tunnels, it probably also knew it had no good hiding places and would hafto try and evade you somehow if it came to that. It def looked frozen in fear, daw. It's nice tho that the mine has been repurposed naturally. Even has a bat for a neighbor, how fun.

[@ronniecardy]

Someone went to a lot of work . Digging these out . Pack rats had a lot of places to live in

[@AbandonedMines11]

Very true, Ronnie! Finding three parallel drifts right inside the entrance was awesome! That in and of itself shows the miners were very determined at this particular mine. Now it’s a hotel for pack rats! Thanks for watching commenting again, Ronnie!

[@whyhelp141]

Pack rat's like, " Ahhh! A giant! "

[@AbandonedMines11]

I know! My super-bright flashlights probably didn’t help the situation, either.

[@frankgaletzka8477]

Thank you for the Video. The miners Lose their Power or some Man quit working. So the Tunnels get smaller and lower. Hight and wide is very expencive and consume a lot of Labour. I wish you all the best Yours Frank Galetzka

[@AbandonedMines11]

That’s an interesting theory you have about the shorter tunnels, Frank! Something definitely to think about. Thanks for stopping by and checking out this latest video. Always enjoy hearing from you.

[@barryclarke3010]

Yeah Frank thats a hand picked level ( coffin level) in the roman style, looks like granite intrusion ( the vein) thats a first for you very rare in N/A

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for the information, Barry! I appreciate it.

[@casedoumasr656]

Very interesting find the sagebrush was all most like finding a door did you find this looking straight at it or from the corner of your eye .The 3 way split was a hidden bonus love those right turns 🏆⛏️🇺🇸

[@AbandonedMines11]

I knew where the tunnel entrance was because it is marked on topographic maps. That combined with GPS led me right to it. The three-way split was unique. I’ve been in a few mines where there were two tunnels going inward from the entrance but never three! Thanks for checking in, Case!

[@zollerdon]

Flowers are stunning.

[@AbandonedMines11]

They certainly were! So much rainfall this past winter certainly had its benefits in more ways than one.

[@o2wow]

5:15 Obviously it's a glitter mine, probably mined out back in the eighties.

[@AbandonedMines11]

I’m glad you’re able to see all the sparkling. It really didn’t come out very well in the video footage due to my lights. Next time I’m going to have to dim my lights so the sparkling is more apparent. It was pretty incredible to see!

[@o2wow]

@@AbandonedMines11 it's also unusual that it was an underground mine, glitter usually involves strip mining. Sorry, I just couldn't help myself, I'll be moving along now.

[@AbandonedMines11]

LOL

[@FictionalRen]

I always expect more animals to be inside the tunnels you taken us through, so it's kinda shocking when there actually are animals in the tunnels 😂❤

[@AbandonedMines11]

About the only things I’ve seen living in these mines are pack rats, bats, ring-tailed cats, and spiders. Did see a scorpion inside one once, and snakes have been known to take up residence just inside the portals. Some say that mountain lions might be found inside an abandoned mine, but I have never seen one nor do I know anybody who has encountered one underground like that.

[@kennyreck]

Don't these mines make you think what if they dug right next to a bunch of unfound gold? Why do these mines become abandoned? How do they know there's no more gold with that vast and abundant amount of land ???

[@AbandonedMines11]

Your questions are all great ones! I do know that some of these older mines do get re-opened by modern mining companies who now have computer technology that can detect more valuable ore in the ground that the old-time miners missed or weren’t aware of. Usually these modern companies will come in and dig a huge, open-pit mine to extract all the remaining ore. This particular mine has no chance of that happening, though, because it’s now located on land that belongs to the US government which has restrictions on mining.

[@kennyreck]

@@AbandonedMines11 Thanks for giving great answers to my great questions 👍👍👍 That has been on my mind since I was a kid seeing all those abandoned mines... Nice to finally get the answers from a professional like yourself. Keep up the great work!!! Hopefully one day you accidentally stumble on a nice undiscovered fortune that isn't on government land so you can keep every cent! You deserve it, keep putting out that great content brother 🙏🙏🙏

[@TheMouseRanReverse]

I really love how the only creature you disturbed was a single pack rat because you investigated to see what it was. Little guy had light shown on them, woke up and "WTF ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE??"

[@mercurial8532]

This reminds me of one of my favorite mine videos. I cant remember the title video buts Its a midevil mine I think from the 16 or 1700s kinda hidden behind the water falls, the tunnels are shapped the same exact way

[@AbandonedMines11]

Whenever you see mine tunnels with this kind of smooth, curved shape, you can guarantee that it was all dug by hand.

[@ronniecardy]

Nice Scenery. Scary spider I liked the look there between the Mountains ⛰️ Just stay safe so we can see more of your videos Ronnie

[@AbandonedMines11]

It certainly is some beautiful country out that way. Yes, that spider was quite colorful. I do believe it was a harvestman spider, but don’t quote me on that.

[@03stmlax]

5:39 | A disembodied voice says *"it's pyrite"* while you're talking... aka you were joined by a spirit in this mine

[@kronicles999]

Whats your most interesting find?

[@AbandonedMines11]

All of these mine seem to have something interesting about them or in them. But if I had to choose one thing, it would have to be the rectangular, metal sign for Globe Battery Service that I found nailed face down on the exterior of an old mining cabin’s wall. Despite some rust on the sign, it was in relatively good condition. It was quite visible from the road as we approached the old cabin, so I’m not sure why it was still there after all these years! When I removed it and turned it over and saw the bright yellow and red coloring, I was shocked! What a rare find! All of that is documented in one of my videos from quite a few years ago. It’s quite apparent that when patching their cabin walls, the minors would use anything and everything they could. The Globe Battery Service sign’s dimensions were about 3 feet tall by a foot wide (91 cm tall by 30 cm wide).

[@aaronk534]

Did you find the lost dutchman? All those colors. Bet you cant find it again lol

[@AbandonedMines11]

Hey, Aaron! Thanks for checking out the video. I appreciate it.

[@KingEnder27]

Did you have an idea of where this mine was or just stumble upon it? Very cool video

[@AbandonedMines11]

It was marked on a topographic map.

[@Luminoussound2024]

Now thats a very interesting 3 way split mine frank , i wonder why they did that and not went straight on .

[@AbandonedMines11]

Probably trying to mine as much of the ore as they could. Maybe they thought that whole area underground was what they were looking for so they dug three tunnels instead of just one in order to extract as much ore as possible. That’s the only thing I can think of. Good hearing from you, Alex! Hope all is going well. Ready for the summer?

[@Luminoussound2024]

@@AbandonedMines11 yeah that would make more sense now frank just strange to see 3 tunnels next to each over like that , yh so far we have had 5 days of nice weather in the UK and hope it lasts ☀️☀️☀️☀️

[@AbandonedMines11]

I’m glad the summer is almost here. Better weather for everybody, for the most part!

[@Hyperion-5744]

Good video frank.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@RyeOnHam]

Can you please lower the volume at the beginning of the videos?

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thank you for the feedback! I’ll check the settings to see if anything is amiss.

[@25provo]

06:09 - I thought that was a stone until it jumped up, lol

[@AbandonedMines11]

They do blend in rather well! It’s very rare to see one of those pack rats inside these mines. Usually they are nowhere to be found and seem to be in hiding when we come through. The only other time I saw one was several years ago and it was obviously a very pregnant female about to give birth. That’s why I think this one may have been a pregnant female as well.

[@connorf6862]

Any chance of a visit to cerro gordo?

[@AbandonedMines11]

Hey, Connor! I actually went to Cerro Gordo about 10 or 12 years ago and checked out a lot of the mines up there back then.

[@LHTankOff]

Love it!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks!!

[@diogenesofsinope6502]

Any plans to checkout the M cave again? Or is that now too sketchy

[@AbandonedMines11]

Two visits was enough for me! There’s something very strange about that whole case.

[@otgexploring]

Imagine digging that out and thinking pyrite was gold

[@AbandonedMines11]

That would be a huge letdown! This mine sort of reminded me of that mine with the yurt outside of it. Unlike this mine, though, that mine only had two parallel entry tunnels instead of three like this one. Kind of rare to find an entrance with three parallel tunnels! The yurt mine was much bigger, too.

[@otgexploring]

@@AbandonedMines11 yeah I was thinking the same thing , it looked like the yurt mine , but when it had a 3rd tunnel I was blown away , never seen one before like it

[@osc89129]

Be careful

[@AbandonedMines11]

Always! Thanks for stopping by and checking out the video.

[@HondaGoldwingGL1800]

You might want to call Jeff and get him to come up and make a call on whether that stuff is rear or make-believe.

[@AbandonedMines11]

I think it’s make-believe. LOL

[@HondaGoldwingGL1800]

@@AbandonedMines11 lolol

[@AlchemistOfNirnroot]

How would using pickaxes work when carving out a mine? Since it's a ~ 4 ft x 7 ft so you can't have many people carving it out; would you have two people working on the corridor parts in shifts when they get too tired or am I missing something here?

[@AbandonedMines11]

That’s a good question! This was probably a two-man operation back in the day. I would assume they would have to hack away at the tunnel with their pickaxes and then shovel the fallen rubble into a cart so it could be hauled outside to the waste rock pile I showed near the beginning of the video. Sometimes they would backfill a tunnel they were no longer using with the rubble instead of taking it outside. There was some of that visible in this video, too. No matter how you look at it, it must’ve been very difficult and painstaking work - with really no reward.

[@scotty2307]

I don't think those were markings on that spider. I think it was baby spiders. Some spiders carry their young around on their backs.

[@AbandonedMines11]

It’s funny you mention that because when I was researching what kind of spider it was, the harvestman spiders I saw pictures of had black on their backs that extended the whole way down that part of their body. The spider in this video only has black on the lower half of its back. So I looked at the original footage, paused it, and zoomed-in on the spider. Near its head there is an orange band going across that might be the baby spiders you were talking about. I don’t know, though. It didn’t look like baby spiders but then again I don’t know what baby spiders look like. Maybe that orange band going across are the babies! If you pause the video at that spot and then take a screenshot and zoom-in, maybe you’ll be able to determine whether or not those are babies. If they are, they are bright orange!

[@scotty2307]

@@AbandonedMines11 I think that you are correct about the markings not being babies. I did a bit of research, and found no mention of this species carrying the babies. I did find some photos though of a huntsman covered in orange-ish mites.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Wow! Lots of drama in the arachnid world, isn’t there? LOL I’ve come across a few tarantulas every now and then while out in the desert. Not too often, though. I can think of three or four times over the last 10 years or so. Those are always cool to see.

[@scotty2307]

@@AbandonedMines11 Tarantulas are very interesting spiders. Easy to tame as well.

[@manicmechanic448]

I knew there was a bat.

[@AbandonedMines11]

And there really only seemed to be one bat in this mine. I guess it was a loner. It’s interesting that the pack rats and the bats share the abandoned mine.

[@mtamech535]

It’s almost like this cave was cut out by the seven dwarfs…you’re just crawling in there…imagine working it! For a better understanding of height in there, how tall are you?

[@AbandonedMines11]

5’11”.

[@richardwarnock2789]

Look's like Chinese gold mining wonder if Jeff seen that !!!😊

[@AbandonedMines11]

This definitely was an unusual, little mine. Glad I stumbled upon it!

[@ibstryder4736]

I,m following

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the newest video here! Glad to have you following along. Thank you.

[@kriggi1990]

At the very end of the video, you can see sth. on the ground directly in front of you. What was that?

[@AbandonedMines11]

I just re-watched the video and think I know what you’re talking about. I zoomed in by enlarging the screen and think it’s a plastic water bottle. Good eye, though, for spotting that in the first place!

[@AbandonedMaine]

So this was not listed?

[@AbandonedMines11]

What do you mean by “listed?”

[@AbandonedMaine]

@@AbandonedMines11 marked on a map?

[@AbandonedMines11]

Yes, it was marked on a topographic map. No name, though. Wasn’t able to determine anything else about this particular little mine.

[@AbandonedMaine]

Might as well call it the symmetry mine then due to those carefully dug out walls

[@AbandonedMines11]

That’s a good idea, Drew! Aren’t those tunnels fascinating, though? I’ve only been in a handful of mines over the last 14 years that had tunnels that were nicely shaped like this. I wonder how difficult that is to do by hand like they did? I would think using pickaxes would cause chunks of rock to break off irregularly. However, the rock here was rather crumbly and soft so that might make it easier to smooth out the walls after it’s all said and done.

[@JetsStash]

6:43 there was a baby in the packrat nest

[@AbandonedMines11]

I saw that later when I was home editing the footage. I know exactly what you are talking about. I thought the same thing, too, but upon closer inspection I don’t think that’s anything. It sort of does resemble a baby mouse or rat, but I think it’s just debris or something. It doesn’t look pink enough to me to be a baby mouse or rat. Maybe I’m wrong, though…. I used to breed and raise rats for about 16 years, so I have a good idea of what the babies look like.

[@رائدالعربي-ق5ظ]

Hi.. I follow you from Iraq. Thank you for the translation

[@MattyEngland]

As-salamu alaikum. Hello Iraq👍

[@رائدالعربي-ق5ظ]

@@MattyEngland Peace be upon you. I speak Arabic

[@AbandonedMines11]

Hello! Very awesome meeting a viewer all the way over in Iraq! Thanks for tuning in and saying hello. And thanks for checking out the video and taking the time to comment. I’m glad the subtitles help. Thank you for letting me know that.

[@رائدالعربي-ق5ظ]

@@AbandonedMines11 Thank you..the translation is correct

[@mikebradt8080]

I wonder how long it would take to tunnel that by hand? There must have something in there for it to be worth all that effort.

[@AbandonedMines11]

I would guess the presence of all the pyrite might’ve made them think there was going to be just as much gold in there, too. There are some pretty big quartz veins in the area. They probably got a little bit of reward out of the mine but definitely nothing worth all the effort it took to get it.

[@EggnogonthebogProductions]

Awesome video Frank. Love the colourful spider. Was he dangerous? That was not pyrite . That was diamonds. Your a millionaire.. Send me my share for pointing it out Frank. Plus all that gold you dismissed Dig it out and send me the share. Thanks Frank Thanks for taking me along.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Glad that you were able to follow along in this video! Thanks for doing that! You’ve been a long-time supporter here, and I really appreciate it. Yes, that spider certainly was colorful. I did a little research on those harvestman spiders and they are not poisonous. at least I think it was a harvestman spider. When you think about it, it’s amazing all the creatures that live in this abandoned mine - spiders, pack rats, and bats.

[@kimbra1132]

I did see the pyrite. Forgot a word.

[@AbandonedMines11]

There was a lot of it in there! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my latest video.

[@ReclusiveMountainMan]

On a Frank Marathon today. Wonderful having days off!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks, Matt! You’ve been a long-time supporter here, so I thank you for that.

[@ReclusiveMountainMan]

@@AbandonedMines11 You've had great content that is unique--also along the lines of what my wife an I used to explore before the kiddo. That said, we never ventured inside mines. Bout the closest we'd get is the portal. Fascinating to see inside. Tons of mines we know of in NORCAL should you ever venture up.

[@AbandonedMines11]

I still remember when you told me your story of going to the Jameson Mine up in northern California. I think I spelled that correctly. I remember you said there was a gate in the entrance, though, but you were really intrigued by that abandoned mine for some reason.

[@ReclusiveMountainMan]

@@AbandonedMines11 I could give you more info about location via email. There are also a couple books that give a little history on the area.

[@tinytattoomike7943]

Toyota mileage update?

[@AbandonedMines11]

I haven’t been driving it as much so it just has a little bit above 430,000 miles on it. That was the last mileage milestone update I posted a few months back.

[@stabbincabbincowbboy3770]

Like 547✨OooYeahh The Y Branch Mine Withà 3 Way Split 👋🤠HeeHawww Way Cool - Pyrite is Gold to Me.. ✨🦇🪵 🛒🌵🐀✨

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for watching and commenting, “Tony!“ I couldn’t believe the amount of pyrite (Fool’s gold) sparkling in the walls. Kind of had a mesmerizing effect. It drew me in. I became one with it. Then I met a pack rat with a Hungarian accent who predicted my future…. LOL!

[@stabbincabbincowbboy3770]

@@AbandonedMines11 LMAO🤣😂

[@kurtloptien185]

Maybe the packrats dug it out. Just sayin'. You ever dig around in the spoils pile to see what they were getting out of the mine? If anything.

[@AbandonedMines11]

I’ve never dug around in the waste rock piles, but I know of other people who do that - and often with good results!

[@seeker2011]

saw ur vid from 2013

[@AbandonedMines11]

That’s awesome! Glad to see you here on my most recent video, too. Thank you for the support!

[@rolfsinkgraven]

A 3 way spit too no were, usable for rat and bat, another failed attempt for riches i guess, but the mother load is around the corner, but ehr witch one?

[@AbandonedMines11]

Which corner is the right question to be asking, Rolf! That always seems to be the lingering question with these abandoned mines that didn’t produce that much.

[@王鉄柱]

注意安全兄弟

[@AbandonedMines11]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Always careful here on this end.