3
Alhambra was sent to the Rio Grande Smelting Co. in
Socorro. Some ore shipments in 1889 went to Denver.
THE END OF THE BOOM—1893
In 1880 the price of silver was $1.11/oz. By 1890 the price
of silver dropped to $1.05/oz. In 1893, the price of silver
dropped to $0.78/oz. The price of silver did not reach $1/
oz again until 1961. Production in the Black Hawk district,
like most silver mines in the western U.S. ceased.
LIMITED MINING 1916–1946
The district was idle until 1916 when the Black Hawk
Mining and Milling Co. was formed by Ed Lidstone,
who shipped a truck load of ore in 1917. The Cobalt
Corporation examined the eastern portion of the district
in 1917 (von Bargen, 1993). But once again, the rich silver
veins were difficult to located and the Black Hawk Mining
and Milling Co. moved their headquarters to Hanover,
New Mexico north of Silver City, developing ore there (also
known as Black Hawk mine and mill). In 1920, uraninite
was recognized on mine dumps in the area. Additional car
loads of production were reported by USBM in 1940 and
1946 (Table 1). The Black Hawk mines continued to oper-
ate sporadically because of lack of available capital, water
issues, and difficulty in finding ore shoots.
URANIUM EXPLORATION—1950–1960
In 1949 the area became of interest as a possible source
of uranium, nickel, and cobalt. Black Hawk Mining Co.
became Black Hawk Consolidated Mines Co. In 1952, a
Federal Defense Minerals Exploration loan was issued and
three drill holes were drilled (Gillerman and Whitebread,
1956). The Alhambra was reopened and small shipments
of ore occurred, but those records were lost (von Burgen,
1993). Shafts were constructed at the Midnight, Missouri
Girl, and Granada mines (Gillerman, 1964).
METALS EXPLORATION—1972–1990
In 1974, Cotter Corp found a soil anomaly east of Black
Hawk mine. UV Industries drilled. The Alhambra and
Rose mines were reopened by Carl Rogers. A new adit was
developed at the Rose mine, but did not encounter any sig-
nificant ore bodies. The Black Hawk mine was reopened
and additional drifting occurred. Rocky Mountain Energy
(a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corp.) mapped the Black
Hawk mine in 1980 and drilled 8 underground holes.
Theses and dissertations by 1979 dissertation by David van
Bargen (1979), Kathleen Johnson (1981) and Jeff Gerwe
(1986) were completed.
CURRENT EXPLORATION—2013–NOW
From 1975 to 2019, most of the mines were owned by
the Blackhawk Consolidated Mines Co. Silver Mountain
Resources leased the claims from 2012–2014 from
Blackhawk Consolidate Mines Co. In 2019, the mines
were sold to Santa Fe Gold Corp. Drilling is planned. The
NMBGMR were awarded two contracts from the USGS
Earth MRI program to map in detail along with detailed
geochemical, mineralogic, and geochronological studies
the district with critical minerals focus and to examine the
mine wastes for critical minerals. This report is part of these
projects.
Table 1. Mineral production from the Black Hawk district, Grant County, New Mexico. From USGS (1902–1927), USBM
(1927–1990), Lindgren et al. (1910), Richter and Lawrence (1983), and McLemore (2017). Estimated production is in dollars
at the time of production. Production data are from the best records available and can change as better data are obtained
Year Ore (short tons) Copper (lbs) Gold (oz) Silver (oz) Lead (lbs) Total Value ($)
1883–1893 $1,000,000
1884 18,563 $54,445
1885 13 $4,104
10/2/1891 5 858 $2,109
1917 1 car load
1921 several car loads
1940 292 1,000 5 4,095 200 $3,210
1946 67 1,100 9 542 3,600 $1,323
1960 Several car loads
Reported total
1940–1946
359 2,100 14 4,637 3,800 $4,533
Estimated total
1883–1960
3,000 1,000 1,286,000 4,000 $1,500,000
Alhambra was sent to the Rio Grande Smelting Co. in
Socorro. Some ore shipments in 1889 went to Denver.
THE END OF THE BOOM—1893
In 1880 the price of silver was $1.11/oz. By 1890 the price
of silver dropped to $1.05/oz. In 1893, the price of silver
dropped to $0.78/oz. The price of silver did not reach $1/
oz again until 1961. Production in the Black Hawk district,
like most silver mines in the western U.S. ceased.
LIMITED MINING 1916–1946
The district was idle until 1916 when the Black Hawk
Mining and Milling Co. was formed by Ed Lidstone,
who shipped a truck load of ore in 1917. The Cobalt
Corporation examined the eastern portion of the district
in 1917 (von Bargen, 1993). But once again, the rich silver
veins were difficult to located and the Black Hawk Mining
and Milling Co. moved their headquarters to Hanover,
New Mexico north of Silver City, developing ore there (also
known as Black Hawk mine and mill). In 1920, uraninite
was recognized on mine dumps in the area. Additional car
loads of production were reported by USBM in 1940 and
1946 (Table 1). The Black Hawk mines continued to oper-
ate sporadically because of lack of available capital, water
issues, and difficulty in finding ore shoots.
URANIUM EXPLORATION—1950–1960
In 1949 the area became of interest as a possible source
of uranium, nickel, and cobalt. Black Hawk Mining Co.
became Black Hawk Consolidated Mines Co. In 1952, a
Federal Defense Minerals Exploration loan was issued and
three drill holes were drilled (Gillerman and Whitebread,
1956). The Alhambra was reopened and small shipments
of ore occurred, but those records were lost (von Burgen,
1993). Shafts were constructed at the Midnight, Missouri
Girl, and Granada mines (Gillerman, 1964).
METALS EXPLORATION—1972–1990
In 1974, Cotter Corp found a soil anomaly east of Black
Hawk mine. UV Industries drilled. The Alhambra and
Rose mines were reopened by Carl Rogers. A new adit was
developed at the Rose mine, but did not encounter any sig-
nificant ore bodies. The Black Hawk mine was reopened
and additional drifting occurred. Rocky Mountain Energy
(a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corp.) mapped the Black
Hawk mine in 1980 and drilled 8 underground holes.
Theses and dissertations by 1979 dissertation by David van
Bargen (1979), Kathleen Johnson (1981) and Jeff Gerwe
(1986) were completed.
CURRENT EXPLORATION—2013–NOW
From 1975 to 2019, most of the mines were owned by
the Blackhawk Consolidated Mines Co. Silver Mountain
Resources leased the claims from 2012–2014 from
Blackhawk Consolidate Mines Co. In 2019, the mines
were sold to Santa Fe Gold Corp. Drilling is planned. The
NMBGMR were awarded two contracts from the USGS
Earth MRI program to map in detail along with detailed
geochemical, mineralogic, and geochronological studies
the district with critical minerals focus and to examine the
mine wastes for critical minerals. This report is part of these
projects.
Table 1. Mineral production from the Black Hawk district, Grant County, New Mexico. From USGS (1902–1927), USBM
(1927–1990), Lindgren et al. (1910), Richter and Lawrence (1983), and McLemore (2017). Estimated production is in dollars
at the time of production. Production data are from the best records available and can change as better data are obtained
Year Ore (short tons) Copper (lbs) Gold (oz) Silver (oz) Lead (lbs) Total Value ($)
1883–1893 $1,000,000
1884 18,563 $54,445
1885 13 $4,104
10/2/1891 5 858 $2,109
1917 1 car load
1921 several car loads
1940 292 1,000 5 4,095 200 $3,210
1946 67 1,100 9 542 3,600 $1,323
1960 Several car loads
Reported total
1940–1946
359 2,100 14 4,637 3,800 $4,533
Estimated total
1883–1960
3,000 1,000 1,286,000 4,000 $1,500,000