For this abandoned mine exploration, we visit the Queen Of Sheba Mine, a lead/silver mine that was worked from 1915-1949. The site is very large and has two cabins, a flotation mill, large ore bins, significant underground workings, and miscellaneous equipment. After checking out the cabins and mill, we work our way up the mountain to the underground workings. On the way up, we find an ore car sitting on the waste rock pile.
This area has been mined for silver and lead since 1907. The first mining took place at the nearby Carbonate Mine. At Sheba, there was a 25 foot wide by 2000 foot long ore body, one of the most continuous bodies of high grade silver/lead ore in the west. It has been worked off and on over the years, and in 1947, the flotation mill was built, intended to treat 100 tons of ore per day. The flotation mill improved the processing of the minerals. It allowed the economic recovery of valuable metals, like copper and lead, from much lower grade ore than previously. It introduces air bubbles to the bottom of the tank of slurry containing the ground ore and other agents. The particles are brought to the surface by the bubbles where they are recovered. A 250KW GE diesel-powered gernerator provided power, and water was pumped from the Salt Well four miles away.
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