Helvetia Mine, Julian, Julian Mining District, San Diego County, California, USAi

Regional Level Types
Helvetia Mine	Mine
Julian	- not defined -
Julian Mining District	Mining District
San Diego County	County
California	State
USA	Country

A former Au mine located 1.9 km (6,200 feet) E of Julian, in NE1/4 SEC 5 T13S R4E SBM, at N33.07698 W116.58173, elevation 4,160 feet.

1869 placer gold was first discovered by A.H. Coleman, a discharged Confederate soldier and farmer, in a small creek near Wynola. The creek is now called Coleman creek (N33.09782 W116.66196) and is nowadays of interest only to fishermen, but then it started a small gold rush. In February 1870, quartz with free gold was discovered at a place which is today the end of the Washington Street in Julian. More gold veins were then located in the Julian and Banner area. More than 100 claims were recorded, with about 60 mines.
Most of the successful mining work ended by 1880, except the Helvetia Mine. After 1900 there was little activity. 1930 till 1950 about 1500 ounces were produced. Incomplete records show that approx. 220’000 ounces were produced till 1959, most of it before 1900.

90 percent of the gold produced came from only eight mines, and 40 percent of that came from just one producer, the Stonewall Jackson, now in a state park located just outside the Julian district. Other productive and profitable mines were the Ready Relief, Golden Chariot and Helvetia Mine.

The Helvetia Mine was the fourth largest gold producing mine in the Julian area. It was operated in conjunction with the Owens Mine for about 30 years.

The claim was registered in August 1870 by Sebastian Southiemer (he had Swiss roots, hence the name Helvetia) and 8 companions, including Mike Julian.
The mine changed hands several times. Edward Sabin introduced the pneumatic drill to the Helvetia Mine in 1897 and then sold it to Egbert Moore. Julian Consolidated Mining and Milling Co. purchased the Helvetia Mine in the early 1900’s. and installed a new ore reduction facility to treat 50 tons of ore a day. Up to 26 men were employed at the Helvetia Mine.

The gold occurs mostly in close association with pyrrhotite, but the coarser gold is embedded in quartz.

The workings comprised first of a 310-foot shaft (at approx. N33.07698 W116.58173) with 300 feet of drifts following the southwest-northeast lode. In 1887 a 225 feet inclined shaft (at approx. N33.07731 W116.58108) was dug from the ravine below the original mine, its drifts intercepted the older workings. In the 1960’s, both shafts were caved in. In 2005 there were just some faint traces of the mining activities to be seen.

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Link to USGS MRDS:	10286899

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References