Where else can you see a gold collection in a museum directly above the mine that produced it? The purchase of this collection was made possible primarily by the generosity of The Davis Family Foundation and several Original Sixteen to One Mine, Inc. shareholders (listed below). These pieces are in the museum’s permanent collection.
The collection consists of eight pieces selected for their rarity and/or educational value.
Top piece, mined January 29, 1992. Gross weight: 29.19 troy ounces. Dimensions approx. 6 ½ x 5 ¾ inches. Gold Content: 5.45 troy ounces. Quartz crystals, calcite crystals and crystalline gold form a rare natural display on this piece of quartz. The bottom has been cut and polished to display its gold content.
Bottom piece: Massive Crystalline Gold ~ Mined September 10, 2001 on the 849 hanging wall. Gross weight: 3.77 ounces troy, Gold content: 2.611 ounces. Dimensions approx. 2 ¾ x 1 ¼ inches. This piece is unique for a couple of reasons. The crystal formations on the end with heavy gold are classified as “massive” because the surfaces are over 2mm in size. This is the only specimen we have ever seen with “massive” crystalline gold from the 16 to 1 Mine. The other unique feature is that this specimen was located near a watercourse and the end is rounded slightly classifying it as “Placer”. This is the only placer gold specimen we have ever seen come out of the mine.
Left to right: Slickenslide Mined December 12, 1996 on the 1,700 foot level
Gross weight: 4.31 troy ounces Gold Content 1.91 troy ounces. Dimensions approx. 2 ½ x 3 inches. Slickenslides definition: “The striations, grooves and polish on joints and fault surfaces.” What makes this specimen unique is the presence of gold. During the movement of the rock, gold was dragged onto the moving surfaces where it remained once movement ceased.
Mariposite with Gold. This piece was mined on January 12, 1994 on the 1,333 level. Gross weight 11.8 troy ounces. Gold content estimate: 2 ounces troy. Dimensions approx.. 3 ½ x 3 inches. Mariposite (green material) is the name of both a mineral and a rock. The rock is commonly referred to as “Blue Jay” in the Alleghany Mining District. Chrome is what gives it its green color (no copper). It is very rare to find gold in Mariposite (green material) the silver-colored material is arsenopyrite.
Paint rock” Mined May 12, 1995 Gross weight 5.59 troy ounces
Estimated Gold Content: .615 troy ounces. Dimensions approx.. 3 x 3 inches. This rock contains very little gold and is unusual. The gold appears to be “painted on” by mother nature.
California Slab ~ gross weight 2.71 ounces. Approx. 5 inches tall. An excellent sample of the gemstone for which the Sixteen to One Mine is famous. The snow-white quartz and bright yellow gold is unique to this mine. The Dorè (raw gold) in the rock is approximately 84% gold and 15% silver giving it a high luster.
Square piece: Gold Quartz Slab ~ gross weight 1.69 ounces. Approx. 2 ½ inches square. The Sixteen to One Mine sells much of its gold to jewelers in this form. The gold quartz rocks are sliced on a diamond saw into pieces like this. Jewelers pay a premium for this material much higher than the value of just the gold content.
Round piece: Gold Quartz Cabochon ~gross weight 21.5 carats. Approx. 1 inch long. This is an example of what jewelers do with the raw slab. Cabochons are sold by carat weight.
Thanks to the following individuals for helping the museum match the Davis Family Foundation’s challenge: Harvey Andrews, Richard Bartke, LK Bennett, Allen Bohnert, Louis Bortz, Tom Brinckerhoff, Charles I. Brown, George Chileski, Michael Clark, Gerald Emerald, Frank Fehlner, Don Jones, Wayne Kirk, Jeffrey Koester, PDA Living Trust, Jim Manual, Pamela McNeil, Judy Mileur, Kathleen Milich, Erik & Susan Miller, Tom Newmark, Reynold Porterfield, Craig Robson, William Schenner Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Shirhall, Timothy Short, Jean Sickle, Bette J. Silence, Richard Sorlien, Christopher Sorlien, Norman Tomlinson, Wayne Wiant, and Dorothy Wilson.
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