Mirabel Mine, Middletown, East Mayacmas Mining District, Lake County, California, USAi

Regional Level Types
Mirabel Mine	Mine
Middletown	- not defined -
East Mayacmas Mining District	Mining District
Lake County	County
California	State
USA	Country

The Mirabel mine occurs in the valley of St. Helena Creek, situated nearly two-and-one-half miles southeasterly from the Great Western mine, and four miles south of the village of Middletown. This property, formerly known as the Bradford, includes the Bullion, Great Eastern and several other claims, and consists of about 750 acres of patented land. The metallurgical plant and the main shaft are close to State Highway 29, and here large waste dumps convey mute evidence of long continued operation.

The Mirabel mine presents an interesting history and, incidentally, this was not the original name....the renaming followed consolidation and purchase by new owners. In the early 1870's a cinnabar exposure on the east side of St. Helena Creek was prospected and became the Great Eastern mine; unfortunately, the flooding of its workings resulted in early abandonment. In 1877 a... settler named Bradford discovered cinnabar float in the same creek bed upon his property.....the property for several years thereafter being known as the Bradford mine.

The Bradford family operated the mine until the latter part of 1893, at such time selling their holdings for a reported sum of $500,000 to the Stanford Quicksilver Company. The combined property holdings were renamed the Mirabel, upon which the purchasers constructed new quicksilver recovery apparatus, and conducted large-scale operation until the latter part of 1897 when the mine was abandoned....A lengthy period of idleness ensued...In 1928 the property was acquired by the Mirabel Quicksilver Mining Company, who successfully developed new ore bodies and continuously operated the mines until the close of the recent World War...