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QUARTZ HILL/VIPOND

     The Quartz Hill Mining District is located on the northeastern portion of the Pioneer Mountains. Its history is intertwined with that of the Vipond District. John Vipond made the first mining claim in this location in 1868. John’s brother, William would stake another claim the next year. To solve the hindering problem of transportation of ores, a third Vipond brother, Joseph, and local miners built a road from the mines to the newly developed town of Dewey in 1872. Colonel Washington Black made the first claim in the Quartz Hill District.

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     The most important mine in the district would be the Lone Pine located in the late 1870s and claimed in 1880. A 25-stamp mill was erected at the mine and produced $33,000 in silver each month. The town of Ponsonby soon existed to house the workers from the mine. The operation closed in 1895 but made a comeback in 1928.

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     A new ore body prompted the West Lone Pine operations which would become a steady silver producer up until 1950. Other prominent mines included the Aurora, Burgierosa, Monte Cristo and the Quartz Hill. Total combined recorded production for the Quartz Hill/Vipond Park Districts from 1902-1965 was 57,261 tons of ore divided up in gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc.

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