War Eagle Mine

USA / California / Tecopa /
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The War Eagle Mine is located about 6 miles east of Tecopa, or about 43 miles west of Las Vegas. The mine, discovered in 1910 at the south end of the Nopah Range, began commercial operations in 1912. It operated fairly continuously, passing through a number of hands, until 1957, when it was shut down by the Anaconda Copper Corporation. The mine is adjacent to both the Columbia and Noonday Mines; the Noonday being named for the dolomite formation the mines are found in (or possibly the formation was named after the Noonday Mine).

Mineralization focus was argentiferous galena (PbS with silver replacement), which appears to lie along a north-south vein dipping shallowly to the east. Some native gold has been reported in the mine, along with pyrite (FeS₂) and chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂). The upper extensions of the ore shoots exhibit a substantial degree of oxidation with lead carbonates (cerrusite – PbCO₃) and sulfates (anglesite – PbSO₄) present.

It is thought the same ore vein characteristics exist in War Eagle as in the Noonday and Columbia Mines. Those are a main ore vein that is offset by a post mineral fault system, striking north at 65­° W. A series of northeast trending fractures with steep northwest dips that control the localization of the orebodies (identified by Norman & Stewart in 1951).

The mine runs about 2,500' along the orebody, north and south; with a 1,200 foot cross-shaft, approximately in the middle. The main workings are thought to be 150' to 200' deep; accessed by a series of raises and an inclined shaft.

geology.csupomona.edu/drjessey/fieldtrips/nopah/wareagl...
www.robertwynn.com/Wareagle.htm
www.theweekendminer.com/CaInyoCountyWarEagleMinePage.ht...
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°49'14"N   116°5'29"W

Comments

  • I've been wanting to come here so badly. I saw the youtuber go in and this mine is like goals for meeeee.
  • This mine gives me the "GOOLEYS" AND I WANT TO EXPLORE IT YET TO NIGHT ( oh God, come to my rescue now)
  • Whit 7 of us spent two days checking out War Eagle and still have to return to finish the job, before it gets back filled!
This article was last modified 15 years ago