Arizona #79 Mine

[AzViper]

Special thanks to Clay “Barry” Diggins for helping me find out the history of this mine. Clay writes,

It's an old lead mine. It was last operated in 1962. Several companies operated it through the years. There is some nice Wulfenite found in that area but it's all off limits to mineral collecting.

It's an active mining claim (AMC48421) and has been since 1879 - thus the name 79 mine. The whole area around there is claimed by Asarco and 79Minerals. I'm surprised you didn't run into one their guards.

There are a lot of hardrock workings up in that area. Many of the current active claims there were located in the 1900 - 1940 time frame.

The square nuts are pretty standard for remote mining equipment of the time. It was an easy thing to replace a nut with some bar stock, a chisel, a drill and a tap. Even if the equipment came with hex nuts they often got replaced during maintenance and modifications.

It might be a Stirling design. Hard to tell without all the machine being there. It looks like it had a few horsepower and with that big flywheel a lot of torque once it got turning.

Heavy Pans

Here is the video of our adventure to Hayden, Arizona area to film and photography this old mine remains.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Loved it!

 

[SaltwaterServr]

The "IR" stamped on the boiler at 0:42 might be Ingersoll-Rand.

Fantastic video and great choice for background music.

 

[AzViper]

You are correct in that being an Ingersoll-Rand. Here is an old 100 HP Oil Engine made by Ingersoll-Rand. Looks very similar to the photos I took.

 

[russau]

Nice footage AZ !! you have that drone op. down pat ! Now if they would just invent a A.I.S. (airborne imaging system) that would be small and light enough to be installed onto a drone of that size!! Thanks for the tag-a-long!!

 

[AzViper]

In talking with a Ingersoll-Rand historian the engine/compressor dates back to 1920. It's a single cylinder 4 stroke engine, as you can see the rocker arms on one end. On the other end is a compressor of which both are connected to the crankshaft withe two flywheels. He said it's either ran on gasoline or kerosene.

 

[No gold in NY]

In talking with a Ingersoll-Rand historian the engine/compressor dates back to 1920. It's a single cylinder 4 stroke engine, as you can see the rocker arms on one end. On the other end is a compressor of which both are connected to the crankshaft withe two flywheels. He said it's either ran on gasoline or kerosene.

I like those old engines AZ. That one may have started on gas then after warmed up you switch tanks to kerosene. I had a small hit and miss farm engine (Wittie)that started that way. Wish I still had it.