Vulture Mine, Wickenburg, Arizona Territory Gold Ingot, c1911-1914
By Fred N. Holabird
Important discovery gold ingot from the Vulture Gold Mine near Wickenburg, Arizona.
This ingot is one of two ingots that were sold from an old Arizona family to an Arizona coin dealer in 2020. The ingot being sold here is the larger of the two. These ingots were both brought to me in due time after many phone calls from numerous people involved. I wrote a five-page (plus appendices) opinion letter for a client regarding the analytical testing of the ingots done at American Assay Labs in Sparks, Nevada, and a comparison of the data to prior published data of bullion from the Vulture Mine. A copy of that report accompanies this ingot.
The summary of the Report is that the ingot has the compositional chemistry, internal structure, external texture and markings consistent with other known mine ingots of similar and older vintage. This is in marked contrast to known fakes, which do not exhibit a wide range of important features, compositional chemistry or textures. The style of ingot, compositional chemistry and texture lead to the conclusion the ingot is from the approximate 1911-1914 production period of the mine.
There has been discussion of the “possibility” and “probability” of the ingot’s origin as the Vulture Mine. In today’s world, no one can be 100% sure of anything. As a scientist who has studied ingots for decades, I have here offered my opinion. While we have about 12 rings around a “bulls eye” as stated here, there could be more. When is there enough data to satisfy everybody? Never. The recent Presidential election clearly shows this same exact issue. For two decades now, myself and other advanced metallurgists and scientists have strived to find a way to test the date of a metallurgical pour, in much the same manner we can garner an age date on carbon-based items. We have devised such a test in theory using lead isotopes, but lack the necessary funding for such a venture, as well as the public interest.
I have stated my opinion based upon a long string of facts. It is an opinion.
The Vulture Mine
The Vulture mine is one of the most famous gold mines in western Arizona, if not the most famous. It was discovered in 1863 by Wickenburg, who operated an arrastra to crush the high grade gold ores. The mine is within a large breccia pipe, which stood, and in part still stands out, from the local countryside. The first mill was constructed on the Hassayampa River in 1866, the probable future site of the town of Wickenburg.
The mine stayed in relative continuous operation for at least twenty years, and more quite probably through 1902-1903. The post-1900 gold boom all over the West created a mining and prospecting frenzy, and the mine reopened by 1907 or before, this time after two new water wells were drilled allowing for drilling and stamp mill operation. A new company was formed in 1908, “The Vulture Mining Co.” A fresh input of cash and good use of understanding the geology led to major production. Over 3000 feet of underground drifting was done in the process of exploration of and development of ore bodies. The main ore deposit had been severed by a fault, which geologists found had been down-dropped 300 feet. This led to the discovery of a good ore zone running one half to one and a half ounces of gold per ton. By 1911 they produced 30,000 tons, a record for the mine. Production is 1912 was about 20,000 tons; 33,000 in 1913, and 36,000 tons in 1914. This is, in all probability, the period from which the ingot was produced, kept as a souvenir of a very successful mining operation.
Production waned or came to a halt during WW1. Old tailings were treated in 1924-25. After that time, there was much exploration, including in modern times.
Analyses
The weight of the two ingots are 391.17 grams and 423.04 grams. Only one of the ingots is offered here: the larger of the two. Analyses made for the Report indicate 825 fine gold and 150 fine silver. This is nearly exactly correlative with the reported bullion values of the 1911-1914 period, which is not a coincidence.
This is a remarkable discovery of gold keepsakes from an important Arizona mine.
[02/2021] https://holabirdamericana.liveauctiongroup.com/Vulture-Mine-Gold-Ingot-131548_i39822710 ($37,355)