This abandoned former open pit copper mine and processing facility, easily found on a map and not difficult to access, is an ideal destination for rockhounds and mining history enthusiasts.
Based on reports, this mine was worked at various times from 1917 all the way up until 1998 by companies including the Emerald Isle Copper Co. and the Lewin-Mathes Co. During 1943-48 alone, 55,000 tons of copper was recovered from the ores.
Mining was originally done underground, but switched to the now open pit in 1943. It was intermittently worked up until 1993 when it was mothballed for possible future operations. Visitors can glimpse an open tunnel on the side of the open pit when driving down into it, but the sides of the pit are too steep to enter the tunnel safely.
The entrance road leads to a few giant storage tanks which are open, one of them harboring an old car inside. From the storage tanks, visitors can explore an old building full of miscellaneous papers, supplies, and tool’s from the mine’s working days.
Outside of the building are the former processing machines which extracted valuable minerals from the mined rock. Within the open pit mine, accessible via a sturdy high-clearance vehicle or four-wheel drive, visitors will find beautifully turquoise-colored rocks of copper mineral ore known as chrysocolla.
Between the processing facility and the road that leads down into the pit, it will be hard to miss the large pool of bright turquoise copper-ore-infused water which sports odd turquoise-colored foam on the surface.
