Large Scale Central

An odd gold mill and its strange demise

Prototypes
#1

The link below is to a recent documentary of maybe America’s largest gold/silver mill ever, built right at the end of its ore supply opportunity – but with the latest architectural techniques and materials at the time (1920). I’ll opine you’ll never see this on TV.

The mill was recently demolished because of hazardous conditions for “visitors.” As I understand it though, part of the demolition deal was to make a decent documentary of the story.

The cost of production was apparently kept low; and the wrist-slitting part was that the (few) shots representing a steam loco were of a dang euro loco! Sheesh… The other big flaw (to my mind) is that the historical photos don’t even closely represent the time being spoken of – for miners, machinery, etc.

However, they got all the local historical experts to participate, and show great footage and stills of the mill.

So if you’re not a V&T snob and can get past the flaws , this is a neat documentary. I’ve rode by the site on the V&T RR, and it is/was really impressive. And though the mill is of a later era I’m concerned with model-wise, the story’s of a not much later era. I enjoyed it, and maybe you will too.

===>Cliffy

https://youtu.be/Xotaj-ywdkE

#2

Alright, when are you starting on that one?

Cool video.

#3

Nice video (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#4

 

#5

Though I can understand why they did it, I still think it’s terrible that such an interesting structure was torn down. It’s also a shame to see a historic structure defaced with all that graffiti. Sadly, this is often the fact of historic ruins that are anywhere near a populated area. First the thieves and vandals screw it up, then the government tears it down.

#6

Just scanned through it… what idiot put a european loco in there with the 2 big round buffers and with 2 axle coaches? sheesh…

#7

Greg Elmassian said:

Just scanned through it… what idiot put a european loco in there with the 2 big round buffers and with 2 axle coaches? sheesh…

Gee, Cliff covered that in the intro;

“The cost of production was apparently kept low; and the wrist-slitting part was that the (few) shots representing a steam loco were of a dang euro loco! Sheesh… The other big flaw (to my mind) is that the historical photos don’t even closely represent the time being spoken of – for miners, machinery, etc.”

Bloody wrists all around!

#8

I did read that, I still wanted register MY opinion about how it detracted from the video… gee… cannot even express my opinion?

#9

Stop it. No whining.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Of course you can and have and will continue to…

It seemed to me though that it was new to you by the extended description.

So sorry if I offended your good sense.

Be Blessed.

#10

Was agreeing with my friend Cliff, clue was same word used “sheesh”… clearly I read the first post.

But don’t stop looking for opportunities to slam me, I figure it will end some day, when one of us leaves the earth.

Greg

#11

Greg Elmassian said:

Was agreeing with my friend Cliff, clue was same word used “sheesh”… clearly I read the first post.

But don’t stop looking for opportunities to slam me, I figure it will end some day, when one of us leaves the earth.

Greg

I thanked this post for accepting my explanation and apology.

Again Be Blessed.

#12

Glad you liked the vid guys, and shared my cringe over the loco… they could have taken a 15 minute drive to the NV St RR museum and caught a real V&T loco! On weekends they often steam one of them up even. But they snagged some free clip on the web. Hence my “low budget” comment.

Pretty impressive structure though. And Ray, I agree. Would have liked to walked through the ruins myself, but all gone now.

#13

I think the real problem with the video, besides the low budget, was that the person who put it together was clueless about the subject matter.

#14

At least the Docent was wearing the Official Docent Hat!

That right there made it perfessional! Don’tcha know?

#15

Ray Dunakin said:

I think the real problem with the video, besides the low budget, was that the person who put it together was clueless about the subject matter.

Well, there is that too…

(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Especially in view of all the amazing trips you do Ray, I sure get where you’re coming from. Have you been to this place?

#16

Reading between the lines, but from 3k miles away, I gather that the property owners (NV Bureau of Mines? Dept of Interior? ST of NV?) couldn’t /wouldn’t put up any effective fence around the area over the decades. So for almost a century, this has been a party site (per the testimonials). Hence, a wink at the trespassing. But, drunk teenagers and fried whomever kept falling through or off stuff, or worse; and the county had to foot the bill for emergency transport & etc. I think someone said to heck with that; and it was cheaper to tear it down than build an effective wall around the property.

Just guessing here…

#17

Ray Dunakin said:

I think the real problem with the video, besides the low budget, was that the person who put it together was clueless about the subject matter.

Meh. I’m afraid this is what passes for “documentaries” these days. Get a BUNCH of so-called experts and videotape them saying basically the same thing over and over and over again (and maybe what they’re saying isn’t even really relevant). Throw in a few vintage pictures, and maybe some video (even if it isn’t relevant) and voilà - a documentary. Oh yeah, maybe add a sound track, that’ll be cool!

Back in the day, you’d decided upon the “story” you wanted to present and get a narrator to do the whole thing, adding some coherence to the video. But you’d have to really research your story…so that’s out for today!

Eh…I guess I’m officially old! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

#18

My eyelids got heavy in the middle, did they ever explain how it worked, the order of processes? There can be several ways to use cyanide as mentioned. Gold will dissolve in it. It is a carrier solution for gold plating. Stamps, vibration, washing, mercury (amalgamation - gold and silver stick to mercury)* retorts, settling tanks, etc… all ways to separate the gold/silver from the waste.

Despite a few shortcomings, I thank you for posting it here and putting up with us.

edit; did homework to make a change.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#19

Thanks John. The cyanide process was the rage then. I toured a much smaller nearby mill, the Donovan, last year. It’s remarkably intact, and will hopefully be preserved if donations are ok. It was mainly run by the dad, who shovelled the ore or tailings onto the belts, and worked it into the chutes to the stamps; the mom, who ran the stamps and other machinery; and the two young daughters, who ran the cyanide vats and downstream processes. Remarkably, in view of many years of correspondence, they suffered no ill effects from all this. After many years of operation.

The operation on American Flat was massively larger, of course. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the video mentioned that after only 2 or 3 years, this massive mill went bankrupt.

History-wise, I’m again amazed at the ability to bamboozle the investors. In this case, it was almost like “If we make a big enough mill, surely the ore will come.” I don’t believe they had near enough prospective (in the dirt) evidence of that. But like so many other Comstock stories, the propagators of the stock sale probably did well, while the investors lost all their investment. This happened time and time again on the Comstock. But by 1920, I would have thought someone would have learned a lesson.

CJ

#20

A couple of things conspired; the ore was lower grade making it labor intensive (labor is expensive) and the price of Silver was going down, so even producing more didn’t make more money and losses grew.