Defense Mine

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From the California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 47, No. 1, Jan. 1951:

3 unpatented claims are owned by L.D. Foreman and William V. Skinner, Panamint Springs, California.

Ore is in irregularly shaped replacement bodies along bedding plane slips in the Pennsylvania limestone beds. The limestone strikes north 70 degrees west and dips 65 degrees north. The oreshoots pitch to the northeast. The ore minerals are coronadite, an oxide of lead and manganese, galena and cerussite.

The original work consisted of an 18-foot shaft sunk on a coronadite outcrop. A crosscut adit, 77 feet below this, has been driven 200 feet to the ore. Two raises were run from this adit through the stope on the main orebody. One large stope on the adit level has produced an estimated 4400 tons of ore which averaged 25 percent lead.

Ore is transported from a loading chute near the adit portal over a 50-feet aerial tram to a truck-loading storage bin. During 1949 am adit was started 150 feet lower than the main entry. This will be the main haulage way and will connect with the upper level by means of raises. Ore is handled underground by slushers. Eight men are employed.

Earliest production of the mine during the 1930's was 225 tons of ore averaging 17 to 18 percent lead. Since acquisition of the property in 1947 by Foreman and Skinner, a total of 7000 tons of ore has been produced. Assays of the first 100 tons averaged 20.5 percent lead and 9 to 12 ounces of silver per ton. Underground samples have shown the manganese content to range from 18 to 27 percent.


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