Ash cones in Nevada what were the old timers mining for?

[gunshow70]

Hi! While predator hunting in Nevada I came across an area with large white ash cones 30 to 45 feet high. Someone had dug a hole maybe 8 feet by 8 feet straight down for 25 feet at it's base. I don't know what they were looking for and it has always been a mystery to me. There is a lot of old volcanic activity up there, with black rock and then this bright white area is such a stark contrast. There also a few walls of this white ash or whatever it is, with hundreds of holes carved into it 1 foot to 3 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet deep. I have little geological knowledge but love treasure hunts, can anyone give me a heads up as to what prizes might still be there.

 

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[gunshow70]

Thanks Claydiggin's

Perlite and Vermiculite have been mined in Washoe County. Pozzolan, Gypsum and Barite have also been mined there in the past. All of those can form white deposits. Sounds like that might be what the OP is seeing?

Pozzolan in particular is a mineral of recent interest so the digs you see may be sampling shafts to determine the quality of a pozzolan deposit.

A better description of the mineral material might help figure out what the "cones" are composed of.

Heavy Pans

Very good chance of Pozzolan or gypsum, a lot of gypsum at Empire, U.S. Gypsum has a plant there. But this dig doesn't look commercial more like somebody found something then continued to search, a small time prospect. I will be up there in June and take more pictures and prospect myself.

 

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[galenrog]

I don't remember any obsidian in or near the mounds but lots of gravel of different colors, I will be back up there in June and will take more pictures and do some prospecting myself.

If I remember correctly, the host mineral was perlite, but I did not take notes on that location as I was interested in turquoise on that trip. Ash mounds could be any of dozens on minerals. I know of several talc mounds within the Mojave National Preserve. Some had active mining in the past. Some did not.

 

[gunshow70]

If I remember correctly, the host mineral was perlite, but I did not take notes on that location as I was interested in turquoise on that trip. Ash mounds could be any of dozens on minerals. I know of several talc mounds within the Mojave National Preserve. Some had active mining in the past. Some did not.

What kind of minerals are you talking about? Do talc mounds look anything like the mounds that I pictured in this thread?

 

[galenrog]

What kind of minerals are you talking about? Do talc mounds look anything like the mounds that I pictured in this thread?

I rarely do field tests on mineral deposits. Simply not interested. Determining what mounds could be has always been through examining old mineral surveys and mine reports. Most of my interests remains in turquoise, petrified wood, unusual
agates, colorful jaspers, ghost towns, and mining camps.

As to talc deposits, I suppose some could, but I have never seen any with the extreme conical shape as depicted in your image.

 

[gunshow70]

I rarely do field tests on mineral deposits. Simply not interested. Determining what mounds could be has always been through examining old mineral surveys and mine reports. Most of my interests remains in turquoise, petrified wood, unusual
agates, colorful jaspers, ghost towns, and mining camps.

As to talc deposits, I suppose some could, but I have never seen any with the extreme conical shape as depicted in your image.

Thanks for reply galenrog. I tried to find some history of this spot but couldn't find any reported old mines at this location. Galenrog do you metal detect old mining camps? If so what detector do you use?. When I return to this spot this summer I want to determine where the miners camped, because someone stayed for awhile, to do that much work. Last time I was there there were no signs of a cabin that I could see, but I noticed a lot of brush had obscured the view but I will look for a dump.