Re: keynot mine and buildings
Posted by Deep Creek Dave on February 11, 2004 at 14:43:21:
In Reply to: Re: keynot mine and buildings posted by Skeezix on February 10, 2004 at 22:09:19:
I was there back in 1985. A group of investors had plans to build a cyanide reduction mill and work the tailing pile. They flew in a small bulldozer and were in the process of building the mill when environmental groups filed a lawsuit to stop this activity. At the time , the area was under study for wilderness protection that it now has. The minors left behind several 55 gallon drums of sodium cyanide and sodium hydroxide in a mine shaft there. A contract crew of local Piautes from Lone Pine was hired to remove the barrels. At the time, I was working on a BLM helitac crew and we did the actual removal of these barrels by slingloading them out. The canyon is all vertical and wild as the wind. Current maps delete the Keynot Mine and it still contains some very rich ore. Smokey quartz crystals abound in the tailings and it is a steep climb to get there. Since all mining activity is prohibited by law, most visitors these days are mule deer and bighorn sheep.The cabin was inhabited by packrats but the book was there in 85. It is located above the tailing pile and its a real scramble to get there. I wouldnt mind going back someday, anyone want to go? Its really rough country, not advisable to do solo.