Jewell Tunnel - Mohave County

Where: Located on the North East flank of the Haualapai Mountians off Blake Ranch Road about 17 miles Southeast of Kingman.

Travel Conditions: Unmaintained dirt road but passable by 2 wheel drive.

Operation Dates:  Approximately 1900 to 1915

Mining District: Maynard Mining District

Description: The Jewell Tunnel is part of another claim called the Enterprise.  Small mine operation that never evolved into setting up a mill.  Ore was sent to another location for processing.

Not much information is availabale on the Jewell Tunnel Mine.

Names associated with this claim include: Gilbert E. Whitsett, M. C. Richarson, Chas M. Thomas, G. W. Gibson, and W. A. Mensch

What you will see today: Traveling up the road to the Jewell Tunnel is an old wooden building partially standing.  Close by the building is an area littered with old cans and broken bottles from the time when it was occupied. Alongside the road close to the building is a couple mounds of quartz rock and small prospects next to the mounds.  It is interesting to walk around the building and area to evidence of a time gone by.

At the old building the road splits into a couple different roads.  Taking the one to the right will lead you to the Enterprise mine shaft location which is caved in.  The road to the left will continue up the canyon ending at the Jewell Tunnel.  Here there is a good size tailings pile and in the cliff the portal to the mine is visible.

Not far inside the tunnel is a raise leading to the outside.  A little further in is a winze with a ladder leading to a lower level. Above the winze is a wooden structure that functioned as a hoist to bring the ore from the lower level.  There is a small winch and pulley on the structure but it is of modern constructions and was added more recently along with the white pvc pipe going into the winze.

The tunnel continues back some ways with a couple alcoves to the left side. The left wall of the tunnel is a granite type rock that is very solid which the tunnel follows.  The other rock down the tunnel is clearly a different type.  The miners were following this vein along the granite rock or fault area separating the two rock types.

This is an interesting location with the rock structures.  Some turquoise was observed in parts of the tunnel and near the back there was a small section of what looked like about one inch in length white hair in the ceiling.  This appeared to be asbestos based on its look and texture.  A photo can be seen in the photo collection on this page. 

Comments: Overall this is a location that is not too difficult to get to and provides a glimpse into the mining history in Arizona.  I will visit this place again when I can spend more time and capture more photos to share. 

Minerals Mined: Copper, Silver, Gold, Lead, and Zinc

Acknowledgement: Arizona Geological Survey