Abandoned mines in Sierra County, California

1. Mine openings

   shafts, adits, air shafts, portals and vertical openings: the ways into underground workings
   251 51.2%
2. Prospect pits and trenches

   shallow exploration diggings that never became a mine
   87 17.8%
3. Mines and surface workings

   labelled mines, open pits, strip mines, placer and hydraulic workings
   119 24.3%
4. Quarries, gravel and borrow pits

   construction-material and industrial-mineral extraction
   31 6.3%
5. Dumps, tailings, spoil and gob

   what mining left above ground
   2 0.4%

A name is the label printed beside the symbol on the map. "First mapped" is the earliest topographic edition that shows the symbol, which bounds the feature's age from above; it is not the date it was worked. Unnamed features (most prospect pits, adits and shafts carry no label) are in the counts above but not this list.

1. Alchemist Mine Group

   Underground metal/non-metal · Alchemist Mining Group · MSHA ID 0405670
   Abandoned 2006-09-06
2. Arcade Mine

   Underground metal/non-metal · Edwin H Bruning · MSHA ID 0404321
   Abandoned 1982-08-30
3. Arkansas Flat

   Surface metal/non-metal · San Leandro Color Associates · MSHA ID 0404296
   Abandoned 1983-09-02
4. Backless Drift

   Underground metal/non-metal · H D Rue Lessee · MSHA ID 0404251
   Abandoned 1980-06-20
5. Bellevue

   Underground metal/non-metal · Fred B Quimby Mining Construction · MSHA ID 0404670
   Abandoned 1985-08-14
6. Big Boulder

   Underground metal/non-metal · Mining & Exploration Corp · MSHA ID 0404600
   Abandoned 1983-08-30
7. BLUE LAKE

   Surface metal/non-metal · Tom Hallis · MSHA ID 0405297
   Abandoned 1998-08-06
8. Blue Range Placer Mine

   Underground metal/non-metal · Underground Placer Associates · MSHA ID 0404727
   Abandoned 1984-12-05
9. BRUSH CREEK MINE

   Underground metal/non-metal · Brush Creek Mining & Development Company Inc · MSHA ID 0403309
   Abandoned 1998-08-10
10. Buttes Saddle Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Derry Michner & Boothe Inc · MSHA ID 0404660
    Abandoned 1984-07-16
11. CARSON SHOP AREA/RUBY MILL SITE

    Facility metal/non-metal · Brush Creek Mining & Development Company Inc · MSHA ID 0405326
    Abandoned 1998-08-10
12. Cenozoic

    Surface metal/non-metal · Youngquist Mine Develoment & Consultation Inc · MSHA ID 0404681
    Abandoned 1984-07-16
13. Colombo Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Sierra Minerals, LLC · MSHA ID 0405951
    Abandoned 2023-06-30
14. Craycroft Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Huber Mining Company · MSHA ID 0404712
    Abandoned 1987-05-15
15. Deep Moon Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · George Sedelmeir · MSHA ID 0404595
    Abandoned 1983-07-13
16. DEPOT HILL MINE & MILL

    Surface metal/non-metal · Diablo Gold Ltd · MSHA ID 0404087
    Abandoned 1997-01-23
17. Digmore

    Underground metal/non-metal · Digmore Mining Company · MSHA ID 0405657
    Abandoned 2006-04-10
18. Drifted Snow Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Barney Green · MSHA ID 0404217
    Abandoned 1982-09-08
19. Eagle Bird

    Underground metal/non-metal · Eagle Bird Mining Co., LLC · MSHA ID 0405869
    Abandoned 2014-10-01
20. El Dorado - Plumbago Mines Consolidated

    Underground metal/non-metal · Lion Mines Ltd (Usa) · MSHA ID 0404070
    Abandoned 1982-10-19
21. Empire Quartz Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Lincoln Resources Inc · MSHA ID 0404307
    Abandoned 1980-05-05
22. Eureka Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Daniel Holloway · MSHA ID 0404221
    Abandoned 1979-07-24
23. Finney Cut

    Underground metal/non-metal · High Sierra Development Inc · MSHA ID 0404664
    Abandoned 1984-03-22
24. Four Hills Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Four Hills Mining Company · MSHA ID 0404406
    Abandoned 1982-10-01
25. Gardner'S Point Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Brush Creek Joint Venture · MSHA ID 0404828
    Abandoned 1989-07-24
26. Gold Drift Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Gold Drift Mine · MSHA ID 0404940
    Abandoned 1989-10-03
27. Gold Point Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Kenrell Mineral Resources Inc · MSHA ID 0404413
    Abandoned 1982-06-22
28. Gold Point Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Sierra Gold Development Inc · MSHA ID 0404922
    Abandoned 1990-03-19
29. Golden Crown

    Underground metal/non-metal · Golden West Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0404234
    Abandoned 1984-06-19
30. Golden Lion

    Underground metal/non-metal · Golden Lion Mining Corp · MSHA ID 0404259
    Abandoned 1982-08-11
31. Golden Slide Mines

    Surface metal/non-metal · M W Ricci · MSHA ID 0403906
    Abandoned 1994-08-18
32. Green Frog Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Mc Leod & Posten · MSHA ID 0404314
    Abandoned 1980-10-24
33. Grizzley Peak Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Alaskan Peak Mining Company · MSHA ID 0404547
    Abandoned 1982-04-27
34. Harpe Avalanche Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Harpe Avalanche Mines Inc · MSHA ID 0404880
    Abandoned 1988-07-21
35. Hath-Reich Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · R A Jones & Associates · MSHA ID 0404817
    Abandoned 1988-05-17
36. Hilda Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Golden Portal Mining Inc · MSHA ID 0404821
    Abandoned 1993-08-13
37. Holly Peak Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Rial Mining Company (Limited Partnership) · MSHA ID 0404511
    Abandoned 1983-08-04
38. Hutton Drift

    Underground metal/non-metal · H D Rue-Lessee · MSHA ID 0404291
    Abandoned 1980-06-20
39. Indian Hill Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Leonard Gould · MSHA ID 0404255
    Abandoned 1980-05-28
40. Irelan Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · HAROLD MASON LIVING TR DTD 9-25-96 AS AMENDED · MSHA ID 0404319
    Abandoned 2013-01-09
41. Iron Door

    Underground metal/non-metal · Chris Apostol & Associates · MSHA ID 0404415
    Abandoned 1985-04-29
42. Iron Tail Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Iron Tail Mining Company · MSHA ID 0404403
    Abandoned 1982-08-12
43. Kate Hardy

    Underground metal/non-metal · Brush Creek Mining & Development Company Inc · MSHA ID 0401285
    Abandoned 1983-10-04
44. Keystone Placer

    Surface metal/non-metal · Don Williams Mining Company · MSHA ID 0404302
    Abandoned 1982-06-10
45. Live Yankee No 2

    Underground metal/non-metal · D C Brown · MSHA ID 0404324
    Abandoned 1979-10-16
46. Locke Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Advance Mining Inc · MSHA ID 0404439
    Abandoned 1983-08-03
47. Maple Grove Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Blue Gravel Mines · MSHA ID 0405680
    Abandoned 2006-04-15
48. Mayflower

    Underground metal/non-metal · Mel Allenbaugh · MSHA ID 0404250
    Abandoned 1985-09-20
49. Minnie D Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Morning Glory Gold Mines · MSHA ID 0404312
    Abandoned 1982-05-25
50. MOORE QUARTZ

    Underground metal/non-metal · Eagle Mining & Engineering · MSHA ID 0405295
    Abandoned 1997-04-09
51. Morning Glory Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Morning Glory Gold Mines · MSHA ID 0404311
    Abandoned 1982-05-25
52. MT VERNON

    Underground metal/non-metal · River Resources LLC · MSHA ID 0404088
    Abandoned 2024-06-28
53. No Bucks

    Surface metal/non-metal · Jim Kimbriel · MSHA ID 0404414
    Abandoned 1982-08-09
54. NORTH FORK MINE

    Underground metal/non-metal · NORTH FORK MINING CORP · MSHA ID 0405602
    Abandoned 2006-10-01
55. Old Smith Family Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Ernie Peachay · MSHA ID 0405820
    Abandoned 2011-05-13
56. Oriental

    Underground metal/non-metal · Dickey Exploration Company Inc · MSHA ID 0400898
    Abandoned 1993-01-31
57. OROFLAME QUARTZ MINE

    Underground metal/non-metal · Oroflame Mine · MSHA ID 0404322
    Abandoned 1998-08-05
58. Plumbago Mill

    Facility metal/non-metal · Norsemont Mining Inc · MSHA ID 0404598
    Abandoned 1987-07-30
59. Plumbago Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Original Sixteen to One Mine, Inc. · MSHA ID 0403065
    Abandoned 2016-05-09
60. Primrose Mill

    Facility metal/non-metal · Sierra Nevada Gold Inc · MSHA ID 0404623
    Abandoned 1984-03-22
61. Red Star/Osceola

    Underground metal/non-metal · Original 16 To 1 Mine Inc · MSHA ID 0404313
    Abandoned 1991-06-04
62. Roads End Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Geo Placers Inc · MSHA ID 0404713
    Abandoned 1985-04-16
63. Shamrock Lode Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Marshall Earth Resources Inc · MSHA ID 0404594
    Abandoned 1994-07-28
64. Shannon Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Multiple Mining Development Ltd · MSHA ID 0404372
    Abandoned 1980-06-11
65. Sierra Gold

    Underground metal/non-metal · Alfred Mitchell · MSHA ID 0404641
    Abandoned 1984-07-16
66. Sierra Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Sierra Mines Company · MSHA ID 0404303
    Abandoned 1983-07-26
67. Silver Dollar Gold Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Silver Dollar Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0404633
    Abandoned 1985-06-12
68. Snelling Sand & Gravel

    Surface metal/non-metal · Western Stone Products · MSHA ID 0404627
    Abandoned 1995-10-02
69. Sol Wood

    Underground metal/non-metal · Sol Wood Mine Company Inc · MSHA ID 0405199
    Abandoned 1993-10-18
70. Solwoods Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Solwoods Mine Company · MSHA ID 0404309
    Abandoned 1983-08-30
71. Sunnyside Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Condor Company · MSHA ID 0404330
    Abandoned 1980-09-23
72. Taber Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Big Pine Mining LLC · MSHA ID 0404615
    Abandoned 2024-12-12
73. Telegraph Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Telegraph Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0402969
    Abandoned 1986-05-28
74. TELEGRAPH MINE

    Underground metal/non-metal · Saddleback, LLC · MSHA ID 0405100
    Abandoned 2024-06-28
75. Triple Pocket Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Fred Anderson · MSHA ID 0405856
    Abandoned 2014-10-20
76. Whiskey Creek No 1

    Underground metal/non-metal · Whiskey Creek No 1 · MSHA ID 0404317
    Abandoned 1992-03-24
77. White Bear Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · White Bear Associates · MSHA ID 0404522
    Abandoned 1983-08-04
78. Winkeye Consolidated Mines

    Surface metal/non-metal · Winkeye Consolidated Mines · MSHA ID 0404537
    Abandoned 1982-10-01
79. Yellow Jacket Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · E Frost · MSHA ID 0404326
    Abandoned 1979-10-16
80. Yuba #1 & #2

    Surface metal/non-metal · Neocene Explorations · MSHA ID 0404216
    Abandoned 1983-09-02
81. Yuba No 1 & No 2 Underground

    Underground metal/non-metal · Neocene Explorations · MSHA ID 0404593
    Abandoned 1982-07-14

Status and date are as reported to MSHA by the operator. Each mine's own page carries its accident, citation and inspection record.

• San Bernardino County 14,976
• Inyo County 11,475
• Kern County 4,879
• Riverside County 3,227
• Mono County 2,946
• Siskiyou County 2,362
• Imperial County 1,232
• Mariposa County 1,079
• Tuolumne County 948
• San Diego County 901
• Calaveras County 840
• Shasta County 832

1. USGS, Consolidated Prospect- and Mine-Related Features from 7.5- and 15-Minute Topographic Quadrangle Maps of the United States (USMIN)
   597,612 point and area features digitized from about 106,350 historical topographic maps published 1886–2006; public domain (CC0). A feature is a map symbol, not a field-verified site, and the map does not say whether it was still worked.
2. USGS Fact Sheet 2025–3003, The Abandoned Mine Inventory of the United States
   States that as of 2025 there is no comprehensive national inventory of abandoned mine features, and that the detailed national database now being built will not be published.
3. OSMRE, Abandoned Mine Land Inventory System (e-AMLIS), public Problems layer
   One row per abandoned mine land problem in a problem area, with its type, funding program and reclamation status; mostly coal mined before the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Coordinates are the problem area's.
4. MSHA, Mines dataset (Mine Data Retrieval System)
   Every mine registered with MSHA since the 1970s; a mine reads Abandoned or Abandoned and Sealed when its operator reported that status. Refreshed weekly.
5. US Census Bureau, 2023 cartographic county boundaries (1:500,000)
   Each feature's county is assigned by its coordinates against these boundaries, not copied from the source file.
6. GAO-20-238, Abandoned Hardrock Mines (March 2020)
   Federal agencies had identified at least 140,000 abandoned hardrock mine features on federal land and estimated more than 390,000 more not yet captured in their databases.
7. Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation (AHMR) Program, US Department of the Interior
   The program the USGS inventory is compiled for. Its appropriations and the 674,000 field-confirmed feature count on this page were provided by the program manager, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, and are cited with permission (2026-09-08).
8. IMCC-NAAMLP Hardrock AML Report
   Page 48 carries the two figures this page leans on: USGS estimates 633,181 of the 725,690 mine features it recorded from historic topographic maps, 87 percent, are hardrock; and state and federal agencies have submitted more than 724,000 AML features to the national database being built, already more than the historic maps hold. Year-by-year AHMR funding is on page 35.