(Source: Google Earth)
"The Colosseum" is a 284-acre open-pit gold and Silver mine in the Mojave Desert that is located within the old Clark Mountain Mining District. Mining has been prevalent in the Clark Mountain area since the 1860s, but open-pit production at The Colosseum was fairly recent and ran from 1988 until July 10, 1992, with milling operations continuing until May 1993. There are two patented mining claims in the main pit, but the remainder of the disturbed area consists of unpatented mining claims on Federal land.
Construction of the ore processing mill started in 1987 and had a peak employment of 300 people. During the mine operating period, the open pit was mined 9 hours per day, 5 days per week, but the mill ran seven days a week, 24 hours per day. When the mine was in operation, the average employment was approximately 110 people.
In 1990 test borings indicated total reserves of 3.9 million tons of ore, with an average grade of 0.040 troy ounces of gold per ton. In the first 2.5 years of operation, the mine produced 170,000 troy ounces of gold. (At today's prices, that equates to about $255,000,000.)
A 1992 EPA report indicates that the mill used a cyanide leaching process, which unfortunately left some nasty residuals that are now leaching out of the mine tailings. A series of plastic-lined holding dams have been constructed at the base of the tailings to contain hazardous materials.
All of the buildings have been removed from the mine site and there are no plans to ever reopen the mine.
(Picture by Kolohe)
(Picture by Kolohe)
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