WELCOME TO . . .
Nine prospectors led by Andrew A. Veatch organized the Cortez mining district in 1863
after finding silver in central Nevada's Cortez Mountains. Financier George Hearst
invested heavily in the district's earliest development. After initially shipping ore to
Austin, the miners constructed a Washoe Process pan amalgamation mill the following
year and in 1865 installed Reese River Process equipment.
The Tenabo Mill and Mines Company, owned by an original claimant, Simeon Wenban,
acquired the mill in 1869, and processed ore from the Garrison Mine. Sometime
between 1869 and 1873, the company replaced its "turbulent and riotous" Cornish
and Welsh workers with Chinese immigrants. In 1886, Wenban built a new mill with
state-of-the-art Russell leaching technology. The mill closed in 1892.
In 1908, a new mining company refitted Wenban's abandoned mill with cyanide
leaching technology and processed old mill tailings. The mill burned in 1915. In 1923,
the Consolidated Cortez Silver Mines Company built a new cyanide leaching mill
further up Arctic Canyon and processed ore from the Arctic Mine. The mill changed to
oil flotation technology in 1927 and was the top producer in Nevada the following
year. In 1929, the mill closed. Small-scale mining continued sporadically in the Cortez
district until the 1980s, when high gold and silver prices reestablished large scale
industrial mining, this time as an open pit operation.
Cortez Today
after finding silver in central Nevada's Cortez Mountains. Financier George Hearst
invested heavily in the district's earliest development. After initially shipping ore to
Austin, the miners constructed a Washoe Process pan amalgamation mill the following
year and in 1865 installed Reese River Process equipment.
The Tenabo Mill and Mines Company, owned by an original claimant, Simeon Wenban,
acquired the mill in 1869, and processed ore from the Garrison Mine. Sometime
between 1869 and 1873, the company replaced its "turbulent and riotous" Cornish
and Welsh workers with Chinese immigrants. In 1886, Wenban built a new mill with
state-of-the-art Russell leaching technology. The mill closed in 1892.
In 1908, a new mining company refitted Wenban's abandoned mill with cyanide
leaching technology and processed old mill tailings. The mill burned in 1915. In 1923,
the Consolidated Cortez Silver Mines Company built a new cyanide leaching mill
further up Arctic Canyon and processed ore from the Arctic Mine. The mill changed to
oil flotation technology in 1927 and was the top producer in Nevada the following
year. In 1929, the mill closed. Small-scale mining continued sporadically in the Cortez
district until the 1980s, when high gold and silver prices reestablished large scale
industrial mining, this time as an open pit operation.
Cortez Today
Cortez: Hearst Invested in Early Mines
from Online Nevada
DREDGING:
Build a homemade dredge
MINING TOWNS:
METAL DETECTING:
Nugget Hunting
PANNING:
Gold Panning for Fun
PROSPECTING:
Dig Your Own Gold
Build a homemade dredge
MINING TOWNS:
- Aurora
- Austin
- Belmont
- Berlin
- Cherry Creek
- Cortez
- Delamar
- Goldfield
- Hamilton
- Ione
- Jefferson
- Manhattan
- Round Mountain
- Silver Bow
- Tybo
METAL DETECTING:
Nugget Hunting
PANNING:
Gold Panning for Fun
PROSPECTING:
Dig Your Own Gold
Prospectors founded the Cortez Mining District in 1863. George Hearst funded
its development. The district has had periods of prosperity ever since.
Photograph by S. Martin Shelton, courtesy of the Nevada State Historic
Preservation Office
its development. The district has had periods of prosperity ever since.
Photograph by S. Martin Shelton, courtesy of the Nevada State Historic
Preservation Office
