The Lost Silver Float Of John Nummel

The Lost Silver Float Of John Nummel
      


In the annals of mining history there are only a very few men who have been lucky enough to strike it rich. Most of the prospectors who wandered the mountains and deserts of the American West in search of riches came away empty-handed.

But on occasion there was that rare individual who defied all the odds and discovered not one but two (or more) major deposits in his lifetime.

Probably the most famous of these extraordinary prospectors was Shorty Harris, who combed the Death Valley region of California for mineral riches. Shorty discovered the famous Bullfrog lode at Rhyolite and then followed it up with a major discovery of gold ore near Harrisburg.

Another famous prospector who made his mark on the American Southwest was Jacob Snively. Snively was responsible for the first real gold rush in Arizona. In 1858, a member of his prospecting party discovered rich deposits of placer gold near the Gila River, about 20 miles above its junction with the Colorado River.

A few years later, Snively discovered extremely rich lead and silver deposits on the west flank of the Castle Dome Mountains, near Castle Dome Peak. In 1863, Snively became the first American prospector to locate silver in the Trigo Mountains. He was looking for gold, but found several outcrops of silver-bearing galena instead.

Another prospector who became famous for his incredible skill in locating major mineral deposits was Jose Maria Mendivil.

This Mexican prospector discovered the rich Apache lode at Picacho and then located the famous Clip Mine in the Trigo Mountains of Arizona. The Clip Mine turned out to be the biggest silver producer in the Trigo District.

The Trigo Mountains were home to another extraordinary prospector and mining man named John Nummel. Nummel also made two significant mineral discoveries, one of gold and one of silver, but in both cases was unable to relocate his find.

During the early 1930?s, John Nummel lived in a cabin on the Colorado River, a few miles northwest of Norton?s Landing. At the time, he worked as a caretaker of the famous Red Cloud Mine, located in the Trigo Mountains.

Nummel routinely hiked back and forth from his cabin to the mine. He would frequently alter his route, prospecting for gold and silver along the way. One day. On his way back from the mine, he stumbled on some rich silver-bearing float.

Nummel collected some of the richest specimens and continued home. Of course, when he eventually tried to relocate the float he was unable to find it. He scoured the rugged country between the Red Cloud Mine and his cabin but never found the location of the float again.

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