Hiking Around Las Vegas, Basin and Range National Monument, Rosario Mine

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Rosario Mine
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Basin and Range

Rosario Mine main adit (right) and workshop (left; view NE)

Rosario Mine

At Rosario Mine, Basin and Range National Monument protects remnants of some of the earliest mining history in southern Nevada. Miners first visited this region in 1866, and in 1867 silver and lead ore at this mine milled at $80 per ton. In 1868, 50 tons of ore yielded $1,920 of silver. The Alameda and Crescent Mining Co. extracted about $20,000 of bullion in these two years. Ore was milled at the nearby Crescent Mill.

In 1925, Rosario Arcuri staked lode claims about 300 yards south of the main workings and worked both sites. Several adits and open diggings are visible here. The workshop, but no equipment, remains at the main adit portal. In 1990, another mining company re-staked the site, but never acted on their new claims.

Other names: Rosey Mine, Rosie Mine, Tate Property, Rosario Arcuri Mine, List Mine, Moonshiner Claim, Crescent Mine.

Source of historic details: Tingley, J.V. 1991. Mineral Resources of the Timpahute Range 30' by 60' Quadrangle. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Report 46.

Colorful gravels atop the tailings pile

Getting to Rosario Mine

Rosario Mine is located in the southern part of Basin and Range National Monument, about 2-1/2 hours northeast of Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas, drive north towards Basin and Range National Monument. Gasoline is available in Alamo, Ash Springs, Rachel, and Lund.

From the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 318, drive west then north on Highway 318 for 3.1 miles to Logan Canyon Road on the left. The intersection is marked only by a wire fence gate. Drive west on Logan Canyon Road over the pass and down the other side, 12.3 miles, to the east end of Rosario Mine Road, or 12.4 miles to the west end. In case you miss the road, Rosie's Cabin is 12.5 miles out.

Turn right onto Rosario Mine Road and drive up and across the hillside for about 240 yards to the main mine site.

Workshop

Workshop (view NE)	Workshop (view NNE)
Workshop (view NE)	Workshop (view SE)
Workshop exterior (view S)	Workshop exterior (view SE)
Workshop interior (view NE from doorway)	Workshop interior (view NE from doorway)
Workshop interior (view NE from doorway)	Workshop exterior; parking garage (view E)
Workshop exterior (view SE)	Workshop, looking through doorway (view SE)
Workshop interior (view SW from doorway)	Workshop interior (view SW from NE end)
Workshop interior (view SW from middle)	Workshop interior (view SW, right side)
Workshop interior (view SW, left side)	Workshop interior (view SW from middle)
Workshop interior, doorway area left (view NE from middle)	Workshop interior, doorway area right (view NE from middle)
Workshop interior, construction details	Woodrat nest inside old tire
Workshop interior, details	Workshop interior, construction details
Workshop interior, construction details	Workshop interior, construction details
Debris in the trees below the main tailings pile	More to come ...

Main Mine

Main adit (view SE)	Entrance to main adit (view SE)
This is the ore vein the miners followed	Lockable doorway in the main adit (view SE)
So much for the lock (view SE)	Main adit with tracks and pipes (view SE)
More ore in the wall of the adit	Ore in the wall of the adit
Ore in the wall of the adit	Small chamber on the left
Approaching wooden structures above winze	Looking under the wooden structure
Chamber to the right of the winze probably held diesel equipment	Top of equipment chamber (right of the winze)
Top of equipment chamber (right of the winze, view left)	Top of equipment chamber (right of the winze, view right)
Top of equipment chamber (left of the winze)	Under the wooden platform, looking towards equipment chamber
Wooden stepladder to access top of platform	Hatch in the wooden platform giving access to ladder below
Hatch in wooden platform (looking straight across)	Hatch in wooden platform (looking slightly down)
Hatch in wooden platform (looking into winze)	Hatch in wooden platform (looking down winze)
Beyond wooden platform, miners blocked off adit - must be bad!	Entrance (view NW from the wooden platform)

Northern Mines

Adit at northern mine (view N from main tailings pile)	Tailings pile for northern mine (view NW)
Atop tailings pile (view E along Rosario Mine Road)	Adit (view N into open trench)
Open trench or collapse (view NW)	Top of open trench and mine entrance (view NW)
Bottom of open trench and mine entrance (view NW)	More to come ...