Mining & Collecting

Bancroft, Ontario, Canada 1992

My first visit to Bancroft, the Mineral Capital of Canada!

Pointing out some nice fluorescent minerals
along a roadcut near Bancroft.

Dr. Bob Carnein and I attend a field trip near Bancroft to collect fluorescent minerals. Dr. Carnein was a professor of mine at Waynesburg College, and is my good friend and geology mentor.

The trip was a success, as Dr. Carnein helps
me with all the heavy crates!

Hull Mine, Yuma County, Arizona 1993

Ready to drive my truck down the
main shaft to the 100-foot level.

My good friend Corby Waste collecting willemite,
calcite and fluorite at the 100-foot level.

Climbing up to investigate a pocket which
contained a white fluorescing calcite.

Collecting willemite, calcite and fluorite at the 100-foot level.

Here I am at the mine entrance in 2017, almost
25 years later! The mine is now a museum.

A close up of the mine entrance.

Purple Cow Ledge, Near Quartzsite, Arizona 1993

That’s me on the left with my good friend AJ Lombard,
a fellow geologist. Here we’re mining zunyite
using an electric jack hammer.

Me and AJ again. Hey AJ, where’s your
hard hat and steel toed boots?

Ontario, Canada 1993

My first stop on this collecting trip was a fluoborite
locality. I’m smiling, so I must have found some!

That’s me starting the long hike through the woods
to the Davis Quarry. The Davis Quarry is known
for its fluorescent hackmanite.

At last, I made it to the Davis Quarry!

Here is my good friend Corby Waste at the Davis
Quarry. Corby accompanied me on this collecting
trip and provided a much needed helping hand.

Here is Corby Waste lying on the ground at the Long Lake Zinc mine. We spent many hours collecting at the mine. With a lot of prior geologic research, I found this mine and was the first American to collect fluorescent minerals there in 1993.
Here is Corby Waste lying on the ground at the Long Lake Zinc mine. We spent many hours collecting at the mine. With a lot of prior geologic research, I found this mine and was the first American to collect fluorescent minerals there in 1993.

“3-Color Mine”, Pima County, Arizona 1993

This is the entrance to the “3-Color Mine”,
containing willemite, calcite and fluorite.

Me and my good friend Brad Bingham, a fellow
geologist, helping to collect some great specimens.

Working hard to remove nice specimens!

My good friend Dr. Pete Pinto, helping me
and Brad get the job done!

This is one of my favorite photographs. It shows a rare
hail storm outside the entrance of the “3-Color” Mine.

Rowley Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona 1993

Heading down a vertical shaft to collect wulfenite. What am I crazy?
Working on a nice wulfenite pocket.
After a full day of collecting, I’m heading up the main shaft.
Almost at the top!

Midnight Owl Mine, Yavapai County, Arizona 1995

A view of the Midnight Owl Mine as I am heading up the hillside to it.
The entrance to the Midnight Owl Mine open cut.
Getting ready to light the fuse and collect some eucryptite!

Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Arizona 2001

Debbie and I ready to take a tour of the world famous
Copper Queen Mine in Bisbee. This is a really fun tour
and I recommend it to everyone.

Red Cloud Mine, La Paz County, Arizona 1996-2002

Our good friends AJ and Sharon Lombard in the Red
Cloud Mine open pit in 1996. The pit eventually
reached a total depth of 103 feet.

That’s me after another successful day of collecting
at the Red Cloud Mine in 1996!

Taking a rest on a pile of mine tailings in 1998.
Loaded up and ready for the long drive back to Phoenix.

On my right, I had found a very nice zone of
fluorescent fluorite within the mine wall in 2002.

After scratching the wall with the trackhoe, all that
is left is to load up the specimens!

Pure Potential Mine, La Paz County, Arizona 1999/2002

The old headframe at the Pure Potential Mine in 1999.
Exploring a drift at the bottom of the mine.
That’s Debbie, taking a rest after a long day of mining!

Potter-Cramer Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona 2002-2016

Drilling a small area of mineralization at the surface,
right after I claimed the mine in 2002.

Here is a photograph of the surface outcropping,
right next to the 60-foot vertical shaft in 2003.

Next to the 60-foot vertical shaft in 2003.
Never ending fence maintenance.
A long hot day of mining!

A nice photograph of me and Debbie taken by our
good friend Sue Liebetrau in 2004.

Here is a photograph of me taken in 2016 at the
far end of the main open stope.

Princess Pat Mine, Near Adalanto, California 2003

The Princess Pat Mine just before sunset.
Getting prepared to collect as the sun goes down.

Sweet Home Mine, Park County, Colorado 2004

The entrance to the world famous Sweet Home Mine. I
visited the mine just before it closed on October 18, 2004.

In the mine, next to a vein of nice rhodochrosite.

Mendips Area, United Kingdom 2005

A cold rainy morning at the Halecombe Quarry.
A nice chunk of Terlingua type calcite!

Here is a look at Colemans South Quarry. I collected
some very unique fluorescent specimens here.

This is Colemans Main (north) Quarry.

While in Colemans Main Quarry, I spotted a vein on
the far wall of the quarry. I knew this would
be worth investigating!

After a long hike up the quarry wall, I found the vein
to contain solid white calcite that fluoresced red.

My good friends Gavin Malcolm (left) and
Dr. Michael Doel (center), with me after a great day
fluorescent mineral collecting in the UK!

White Knob Quarry, San Bernardino California 2008

White Knob Quarry in the distance.
Standing by a large rock hauler prior to collecting.
A short break during the very hot night of collecting.

Barite #1 Mine, Imperial County, California 2010

Barite # 1 Mine.
Getting ready to start collecting.

Resolution Copper Mine, Pinal County, Arizona 2011

Main headframe at the Resolution Copper Mine in
Superior, Arizona. This mine will soon be the deepest
and largest copper mine in the United States.

Here is a group of fellow geologists and spouses getting
ready to descend over a mile deep into the mine!

That’s me on the left along with my good friend AJ Lombard
as we finish getting our gear on for the mine tour.

Here is the “man bucket” that took us down
over a mile deep into the mine!

Here I am in one of the drifts at the mine.

Here I am at the shaft station getting ready to leave the mine.
We had a wonderful tour of Resolution Copper,
looking forward to a return visit!

Reymert Mine, Pinal County, Arizona 2012

The Reymert Mine from the south end looking south.
The Reymert is currently being mined for
crushed rock (Pinal Schist).

The Reymert Mine from the north end looking north.
The first of only two fluorescent boulders found during the trip.

Here is my good friend David Giebelstein breaking up
the first large fluorescent boulder that was found.

This is me next to the boulder for scale. Once this boulder
was broken in half, it was a bit easier to break up from there.

Debbie with the boulder that she found. It was the
second of only two found during the trip.

Here is Debbie again gathering up some of the smaller
specimens produced by the breaking up of the first boulder.

Debbie and I in front of a piece of earth moving equipment.
What a great day we had collecting!

Near Bagdad, Yavapai County, Arizona 2014

Wild burros near the Bagdad Mine.
Wild burros near the Bagdad Mine.
Magnesite deposits in the hillsides.
Magnesite deposits in the hillsides.
Magnesite deposits in the hillsides.
Magnesite deposits in the hillsides.
Here I am collecting chalcedony.
Here I am collecting chalcedony.

Hidden Treasure Mine, Yavapai County, Arizona 2015

Sealed off Hidden Treasure Mine.
Sealed off Hidden Treasure Mine.
View of large mine dump.
View of large mine dump.
Quartz with some calcite veins.
Quartz with some calcite veins.
Getting ready to collect on the dump.
Getting ready to collect on the dump.
My good friend and collecting buddy Andrew Niziol.
My good friend and collecting buddy Andrew Niziol.

Sunset South Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona 2016

The Sunset South Magnesite mine.
The Sunset South mine.
Area near the mine.
Area near the mine.
Here I am pointing to a tremolite layer.
Here I am pointing to a tremolite layer.
Another smaller tremolite layer.
Another smaller tremolite layer.

Potts Canyon, Pinal County, Arizona 2017

Taking the hike through Potts Canyon.
Chalcedony geodes exposed in the weathered perlite.

Here I am with a beautiful display size chalcedony
geode I collected that day!

Yellow Pine Mine, Clark County, Nevada 2018

Heading up to the Yellow Pine Mine!
Old headframe foundation.
Large tailings pile.
Collecting hydrozincite in the tailings pile.

Bonito Mine, Pinal County, Arizona 2018

Here I am at one of the several mine adits.
In the mine and ready to start collecting!

Glove Mine, Santa Cruz County, Arizona 2018

On my way up to the world famous Glove Mine.
On my way up to the world famous Glove Mine.
Various shafts and adits at the mine.
Various shafts and adits at the mine.
That’s me at the main sealed off adit.
That’s me at the main sealed off adit.
Large mine dump on the hillside.
Large mine dump on the hillside.

Black Beauty Mine, Pima County, Arizona 2018

Here I am at the Black Beauty mine.
Here I am at the Black Beauty mine.
Hillside near the main adit.
Hillside near the main adit.
That’s me exploring the site before collecting.
That’s me exploring the site before collecting.
My good friend Nate Johnson ready to start collecting.
My good friend Nate Johnson ready to start collecting.
My good friend David Giebelstein just found a killer specimen!
My good friend David Giebelstein just found a killer specimen!
A nice batch of specimens after a hard day of collecting.
A nice batch of specimens after a hard day of collecting.

Picacho Mountains, Pinal County, Arizona 2019

On the way up to the collecting site.
On the way up to the collecting site.
Here I am at the site with a sledge, ready to collect.
Here I am at the site with a sledge, ready to collect.
My good friends Nate Johnson and David Giebelstein breaking up rock.

My good friends Nate Johnson and David Giebelstein
breaking up rock.

Here I’m breaking up rock to expose fresh faces.
Here I’m breaking up rock to expose fresh faces.

Purple Passion Mine, Yavapai County, Arizona 2019

At the Purple Passion mine outcrop.
At the Purple Passion mine outcrop.
Some rock on the dump.
Some rock on the dump.
The Hogan Claim backfilled with soil and rubble.
The Hogan Claim backfilled with soil and rubble.

Tungsten Reef Mine, Cochise County, Arizona 2020

The beautiful area surrounding the Tungsten Reef mine.
The beautiful area surrounding the Tungsten Reef mine.
Sealed off main adit to the mine.
Sealed off main adit to the mine.
Collecting calcite near the mine.
Collecting calcite near the mine.
Showing off a large display size specimen of calcite.
Showing off a large display size specimen of calcite.
Scheelite collecting area.
Scheelite collecting area.

Hilltop Mine, Cochise County, Arizona 2020

Beautiful view heading up to the mine.
Beautiful view heading up to the mine.
Before hitting the Hilltop we collected at the El Tigre mine.
Before hitting the Hilltop we collected at the El Tigre mine.
Starting the long hike to the Hilltop mine. You can see the mine dump in the far distance.

Starting the long hike to the Hilltop mine. You can
see the mine dump in the far distance.

Getting a bit closer to the mine.
Getting a bit closer to the mine.
Me at the main tunnel of the mine. This tunnel went clear through to the other side of the mountain.

Me at the main tunnel of the mine. This tunnel went
clear through to the other side of the mountain.

A beautiful view of the valley from the mine dump.
A beautiful view of the valley from the mine dump.
Starting to collect as the sun goes down.
Starting to collect as the sun goes down.
Plenty of deer on the way back home.
Plenty of deer on the way back home.

Cochise Mine, Cochise County, Arizona 2020

An ore chute that was found deep in the mine.
An ore chute that was found deep in the mine.
Debbie Polman collecting specimens from the chute.
Debbie Polman collecting specimens from the chute.
We hoisted Debbie Polman to a ledge above us where she found some great specimens of smithsonite.

We hoisted Debbie Polman to a ledge above us where
she found some great specimens of smithsonite.

Here is Debbie reviewing some of her finds with a UV lamp.
Here is Debbie reviewing some of her finds with a UV lamp.
My good friends David Giebelstein and Nate Johnson with me in the mine.

My good friends David Giebelstein and Nate Johnson
with me in the mine.

David and Nate going down deeper in the mine.
David and Nate going down deeper in the mine.
A vertical shaft to the surface.
A vertical shaft to the surface.

Nellie James Mine, Cochise County, Arizona 2021

Parked our trucks and starting up the long trail to the Nellie James mine.

Parked our trucks and starting up the long trail to
the Nellie James mine.

On the trailing heading up to the mine.
On the trailing heading up to the mine.
At the bottom of the mine dump looking upward.
At the bottom of the mine dump looking upward.
Finally made it to the mine. I made this last trip in order to write an article on the mine for Rocks & Minerals magazine (Jan/Feb 2022).

Finally made it to the mine. I made this last trip in
order to write an article on the mine for
Rocks & Minerals magazine (Jan/Feb 2022).

A look at the mine dump which has been picked over after many years of people collecting there.

A look at the mine dump which has been picked over
after many years of people collecting there.

Here I am standing next to the large ore bin at the bottom of the mine dump.

Here I am standing next to the large ore bin at the
bottom of the mine dump.