Fall is a great time to explore places in Arizona that were way too hot during the summer. It was time to see if I could locate the ruins of the Katherine Gold mine, located above Lake Mojave.  

Judging from an old photo, at one time, it must have been an impressive structure.



There much left to see on the surface these days. However, below, a labyrinth of passages is choked with hot water carbon monoxide and other gasses. According to the sign, abandoned mines are indeed dangerous places.



The information sign (below) is located directly in front of the fenced in main shaft.



This is the cemented cover of the main shaft



Mining activity began in September 1900. About 2000 tons of ore were mined from Catherine (the original spelling of the name) between 1900 and 1903. The mine was leased in 1903, and an unknown amount of ore was removed before the mine was closed in 1904.



In 1919, Catherine Mine, now titled the Katherine Gold Mining Company, began to further develop the area. A new vertical shaft was sunk to 950 feet, and a shaft sunk from the 400 foot level opened the 500- and 600-foot levels. A cyanide mill that could process 75 tons of ore a day was completed in June 1925. It was later enlarged to process 250 tons per day.

What is left of the tanks - the rusted rings -can be seen below.


The mill ran more or less continuously through 1927. The mine and mill operations slowed down in 1928, and in December of 1929, the Katherine Gold Mining Company declared bankruptcy. The mill operated for short periods of time, processing ore from some of the area mines between 1931 and 1932. This marked the separation of the Katherine Mill and Mine operations.