The Abandoned Caribou Gold & Silver Mine, North Idaho
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2021
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( I am copying much of this description as it is written in the historical record, so excuse any spelling and grammatical errors, as they may be original. I am fixing some as I catch them.)
Caribou Mining Company records start in 1922 with 645 linear feet of development established following a fissure vein of quartzite. At the time they were after silver and lead. Their yearly progress was 240 foot costing$13 per foot plus wear on machinery. Using a 9hp 6x6 foos engine and a hardscog jack hammer with a water line drill. At the time they had a compressor house, office and a dwelling.
The interesting history is a letter written in 1924 stating they had high hope in the platinum proposition but were unable to save it through water concentration and would require an expensive plant to extract the metals. It would require a 75 ton mill, classifier, crusher and wilfley table for the concentration of silver, lead and gold values contained in the ore they were removing already.
They discovered in 1922 that after getting their mill in operation, nearly all of the gold values amounting to $8.32 per ton of ore were washing over the table with the slime and $6.00 per ton of other metals. they recovered better than $50.00 per ton according to the smelter tests sent to Bunker Hill & Sullivan M. & M. Co. and the East Helena Smelter of the Federal Mining & Smelting Co.
At the time of this letter they had secured a Mr. Fred W. Callaway, metalurgical Engineer to inspect the mine and the tunnel no. 2 which had a full face of ore nearly 4' the entire way. the assay received from Fassett Co., Spokane Washington showed values in lead and silver to be more than $60 per ton alone.
Mr. Callaway expected by the size of the vein, to expect a large ore-body. They had driven more than 700 foot of tunnel at the average cost of $16.25 per foot. This letter had a hand written date of 1918 above the typed 1924, but judging by the information found, 1918 was the date of the incorporation.
1924 they had 3 men employed paying $5.60 per day for the miners and $5.00 per day for the helpers. Gold prices in 1924 were $20.67 per oz, silver was about $.64 per oz.
Historical markers were;
1925- upgraded to a Gardner-rex 8x6 compressor, 4x4 ball mill, classifier, crusher, wilfley table (misspelled as Whifle table and again later Wofley) and a float table. They hit a 2' vein of "steel galena" in tunnel #3.
1930- after obtaining an "oil flotation plant' and another table, they started obtaining copper as well as lead, silver, zink, and gold. They sold the mill to Coeur d' Alene - Beauty Bay Mining & Milling
1939- It was stated that they have 'halted production during the year unless the price of "metls" metals go up. The reciprocal tariff agreements as made by secretary Hull does not help metal prices.'
1940- The buildings are of no value at this time, machinery disposed of as junk, mostly wrecked by vandals.
1944- comments stated "we had a mill at one time, but the depression took it in 1931."
1945- stated "We are in the market for a purchaser of the property. With a very small amount of further development work, the property could become a producer. It started to produce in 1932 when the depression caught up with us. Father Time has or is about to catch up with the most of the real workers connected with the property, so that there is needed new blood."
1948- The property has now been leased to Harry Scott, Donald Lance and Roy Lance of Cataldo Idaho. With 2050 foot of developed tunnels the final report in 1951 stated they had a 50 ton mill in the early thirties, but the depression forced a close down and have never been able since to refinance the property for another mill.
Subsequent reports show no real activities even with a "nice vein of silver lead zinc ore."
This and the other 2 were interesting mines, the lower which was blasted shut in the mid 90's had a shaft that was maybe 50-100' deep and was always full of water, as well as many drifts off the main tunnel. Very solid rock made for a fairly safe mine with little to no timber supports through out. - Zábava
Very cool video. I am a mine explorer in the Mojave, and I have been scouring the net for videos of North Idaho mines and yours is the first I have seen where an explorer managed to get underground. Most mines up there are either completely collapsed, sealed by F.S or are well guarded corporate property.
My first youtube video (nearly unwatchable) has one that will naturally close soon, if not already. It is nearly a mile long and the history is always included in the description!
Thank you for joining in on the adventure.
You are correct though, blm is actively closing off the entrances to most of the easily found mines leaving exploration almost off the table. There is one remaining that is still on my list for a near future video.
I'm from hayden idaho and we used to hike up mineral ridge... Also, we used to go to jack waite mine a little north of Wallace when I was a kid. Pretty cool area if you are ever in the mood for a little drive. Very Interesting up there
The Jack Waite mine had a pretty interesting history as well. Too bad these got blasted shut before I had a chance to document them. A relative mentioned that there were large chunks of silver littering the area decades ago. Not surprising that it was one of the few "superfund clean up areas." He believes they mined the rest of the silver in their "clean up" process. Allegedly. 😅
Be sure to check the video description for the mine history!
This MIGHT have been one of Wyatt Earp's mines. He was Sheriff of Coeur d'Alene, but spent more time claiming gold mines, setting up roads between us and Montana, and running a bar.
An old timer I know/ knew...told me he had a feeling that he knew where he hid his gold. He had a story of an old location (not for internet, I could imagine things getting torn up from seekers) that he hid it. The location was passed down in the family. He didn't trust banks all that much.
@@AnythingOutdoorswithSteve Did you hear about the tunnel under the old court house? It went to the lake. I'm guessing for smuggling booze during prohibition, but some old timers said they also smuggled gold.
@Brooklyn_Ann at first, I thought you were referring to the Milwaukee rail tunnel but remembered the basement tunnels. An early business owner named "Fatty" was running a bar/brothel/gambling joint. The rumor was that anyone he didn't like, their bodies were disposed of in various locations like the basement tunnels. During basement renovations of the courthouse, several skeletons were discovered behind a door leading to the unused tunnel. They assume it may have been a few of fatty's victims.
The old Milwaukee rail tunnel is still in place, just filled in and covered over, but it was just south of the courthouse. That is the same rail line that we have walked in Washington state on a few of our videos, and originally ran from the Pacific to Chicago. I don't believe it was a continuous run, though it shared the same name.
@@AnythingOutdoorswithSteve In m,y urban fantasy series, the courthouse tunnel goes to a portal to another world. That doesn't happen until book 5, though.
Cool video. I was hoping you were going to find The Keeper of the Holy Grail.
Cool video. Subscribed. What is the exact name of the mine you guys went into? Grew up around there and curious.
This is the official mine name (at least of last ownership) it was actually a fairly large operation that went up to the great depression. This seems to be the end of many local mines and surrounding areas.
I live in the cda area and I’ve been in the grey wolf mine lower on the road. Is that portal just above the ones that were blasted shut? I’d love to check that one out but haven’t found it yet
There are 2 up on the hill above the blasted shut mine. First time I have heard it called the 'grey wolf mine!' I remember the shaft that was always full of water and dropping rocks in it to try and hear them hit bottom. Someone was digging around the old portal area (seeking minerals I assume) recently. Not sure of the name of the uppermost mine either, but it was a bit more difficult to find. I believe the Caribou mine may be privately owned as of now but unsure.
Theres a place in Hayden Idaho wich is right next to CDA that rents metal detectors might actually find smth with a metal detector never know. Think they charge by the day.
Reading the old reports, they lost about a quarter oz of gold per ton of ore in the slurry. More than likely it would be flour gold, but pretty cool history in those reports.
How far up did you have to climb up to enter the mine at 9:40?
There used to be 3 mines here sharing the same claim. The one closest to the road was blasted shut after a bunch of teens died in it. This one is a few hundred feet up and the top is maybe a few hundred higher. It doesn't take long to get to them, just most of the time was spent trying to remember how to! I was just 16 at the time by someone else who was guiding the way.
So did you have to cross the creek or is it on the same side as the closed off?
@TheTannerhunter I must have missed this question, found it at random. All 3 mines were on the other side of the creek. One barred over exploratory tunnel on the hill next to the road is one I know of that you don't cross. There are 2 others in the area that I have not searched out yet, but I assume blm either barred or blasted shut if they are easy to get to.