Independent Mine (Independence Mine; Independence No. 1; East Independence; Cashier Mine; Cashier group; Harrisburg Mine), Harrisburg, Aguereberry Point, Wildrose Mining District (Wild Rose Mining District), Panamint Mts (Panamint Range), Inyo County, California, USAi

Regional Level Types
Independent Mine (Independence Mine; Independence No. 1; East Independence; Cashier Mine; Cashier group; Harrisburg Mine)	Mine
Harrisburg	- not defined -
Aguereberry Point	Point
Wildrose Mining District (Wild Rose Mining District)	Mining District
Panamint Mts (Panamint Range)	Mountain Range
Inyo County	County
California	State
USA	Country

A former Au-Ag-Pb-Cu mine located in secs. 16 & 21, T18S, R45E, MDM, 0.3 km (0.2 mile) ESE of Harrisburg and 5.4 km (3.4 miles) W of Aguereberry Point (coordinates of record), near Harrisburg (former mining town) (2.5 miles NE of Emigrant Pass), on National Park Service wilderness land (Death Valley National Park/Death Valley Wilderness). Discovered in 1906. Property consisted of 7 claims. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 1,000 meters.

Rumors still persisted of a deal pending in Goldfield either for the Eureka Group or the Cashier Group (now said to include fourteen claims), or for both, the amount in question stated to be $160,000.

The Cashier property was still undergoing active development at this time (spring of 1907). A 165-foot tunnel had intersected a four-foot ledge of quartz showing values of from $70 to $100 in gold. Although just the high-grade ore was deemed sufficient to make the property a big mine, all the ore exposed was thought to be millable on the ground at a profit, which would make it an immense producer. A mill was being planned by the company, and in connection with that project they were contemplating use of the pipeline from Telescope Peak to provide the water supply.

In 1951 the Independent (Cashier) Mine property of seven gold claims was owned by Ambroise Aguereberry. The workings consisted of a complex arrangement of shafts, adits, drifts, stopes, crosscuts, and winzes. Ore assaying $7 to $12 per ton in gold and silver had been found. Several prospect shafts and tunnels existed northwest of the main shaft near the ridge. Although an adit had been added 250 feet north of the main shaft, the property was idle.

More detailed information is available on the Napoleon, Independence, and Independent mines located by Aguereberry. ...The mining group consisting of the South Independence, South Independence No. 1, East Independence, Independence No. 1, Independent, and Independent Nos. 2 and 3 is unpatented and covers about 140 acres. The Independent location incorporates the old Cashier lode. The Independence Mine, later amended and renamed the Independence No. 1, was originally discovered by Martin Etcheverry in 1909. This was a relocation of the Eureka No. 1 and was joined on the south by the Providence No. 1; It was later quitclaimed to Pete Aguereberry in 1938. The East Independence, near the mouth of the Cashier Gold Mining Company tunnel and joining the east side line of the Independence Mine, was located by Martin Etcheverry in 1910 and quitclaimed to Aguereberry in 1938; the South independence (abandoned mining claim known as the Providence No. 1 owned by the Cashier Gold Mining Company; had two shafts on the south side of the hill and one tunnel on the east side near the north end line and was bounded on the north end line by the Independence Mine) and the South Independence No. 1 (abandoned claim known as Providence No. 2 owned by Cashier Gold Mining Company; joined on east by South Independence Mine and on north was bounded by Independence No. 1) were both located by Pete Aguereberry in 1921; the independent (bound on the south by the Providence No. 2 and joined on the east by the Independence Mine) and the Independent No. 2 (bound on the south by the Horn Toad No. 3 and joined on the east by the Independent No. 1) were both located by Martin Etcheverry in 1910 and quitclaimed to Aguereberry in 1938; the Independent No.. 3 had been located by Etcheverry in 1910 and was relocated by Aguereberry in 1935. The Independent No. 1 (bound on the south by the Providence No. 3 and joining the Independent Mine on the east) was located in 1910 by Martin Etcheverry; as were the Independent No. 3 (bound on the south by the Horn Toad No. 4 and joining the Independent No. 2 on the east) and the Independent No. 4 (bound on the east by the Independent No. 3. The South Independent No. 3 was located by Aguereberry and filed on in 1935.

Upon Aguereberry's death in 1945, his property descended to his heirs--Ambroise, Joseph, Arnand (Arnaud), James Peter, Mariane, and Catherine Aguereberry. Not all the heirs contributed assessment work on the claims, however, so that by the fall of 1958 only Joseph and Ambroise retained Pete's old claims, including the Napoleon. By 1960 the Independent Mine was being used mainly as a weekend retreat by Joe Aguereberry. Although it had produced a small amount of ore as recently as 1958, the last profitable shipment was around 1910. Assessment work in the past few years had consisted only of camp rehabilitation.Greene, 1981

Mineralization is a fissure vein deposit with veins from 6 inches (15 cm) to 12 feet (3.64 meters) wide, hosted in dolomite and limestone. The ore body is irregular lenses, strikes N20-25E and dips 55-70S at a thickness of 3.66 meters. The fissure veins carry free gold. A limestone pendant (?) strikes NW and dips steeply NE. Associated rocks include Neoproterozoic diorite. Local rocks include Quaternary alluvium and marine deposits.

Workings include underground openings comprised of a 400 foot incline with levels at 100, 200, 300 & 400 feet below the shaft collar. The main adit connects to the 100 foot level. Drifts were driven 115, 210 m& 270 feet from the portal. At 115 feet, the S drift connects with the shaft 117 feet from the main adit, and continues for another 80 feet. A 100 foot long ore shoot was stoped on this level between the adit crosscut and the shaft. Drift 80 foot S, 270 feet from the portal. A 40 foot deep winze (dip of 63SW) followed the vein. Little work was done on other levels. Several prospect shafts and tunnels were sunk & driven NW of the shaft near the ridge and toward the N base of the hill. An adit 250 feet long was driven N of the main shaft and cut 3 feet of quartz which assayed $7.00 (period values) of Au.

Production data are found in: Tucker, W. Burling & Reid J. Sampson (1938); and, Goodwin, Joseph Grant (1957).

A small amount of ore produced in 1912 ran 0.255 ounces/ton Au, 151 ounces Ag/ton, 0.864% Cu, and 3.28% Pb. Last known production from the 100 foot level were 170 tons of ore assaying 1.69 ounces Au/ton.

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:	10036080

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References