Goodsprings District- Chiquita Mine

Clark County

AKA: Yellow Pine District; Chaquita Mine

Disclaimer: We went to this mine in, I believe, 2015. We had to pull up short. Once we got back into the mining area, there was a 'No Trespassing' sign up. We didn't know if the marker was legit or not. In some instances, these markers are old and outdated. On rare occasions, people without legitimate right to post them, will do so anyway to keep people out of an area that they like. We weren't about to take any chances on their legitimacy, so we didn't go any further. We took some distance photos and looked around the area short of the marker.

First discovered in 1904 by A.J. Robbins. He maintained ownership of the mine until the early 1930's. Depending on the source, the mine was leased out by Robbins to Otto Schwartz and his Goodsprings partners in either 1931 or 1932. This operation employed 20 men at $5.00 per day. When funds tightened in 1933, the Chiquita Mining Company was formed with James Maxwell as General Manager. Rich ore was soon discovered. The mine would have a water source, electricity, cabins, a boardinghouse and a workshop. In 1936, the company built a 100-ton cyanide plant at this location. Vanderburg went to the district to inspect some of the mines for the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1937. At that time, the Chiquita had 18 claims with one being patented. 70 men were employed there and producing 80 tons of $12 per ton ore, every day. He reported that the main shaft of the mine was a 750- foot incline shaft with over 2 1/2 miles of workings. The entire site was fully equipped at that time. Water was being pumped into the mine area from a pipeline in the Mesquite Valley 6 miles away. Today, the Mesquite Valley is more recognizable and well-known by the name of Sandy Valley. The mine eventually employed as many as 100 men. The mine was shut down as World War II began. Mineral sources in order of importance for this mine are as follows: Gold, Copper, Lead and Silver. Production totals between 1937 and 1939 included: 30,864 ounces of gold, 19, 108 pounds of copper, 2,141 ounces of silver and 18,290 pounds of lead.

Sources: Goodsprings Nevada (By: Alan H. Patera); Mines of Clark County (By: William O. Vanderburg); USGS MRDS Reports: Chaquita Mine 10149687 and Chaquita Mine 10037209.