Silver Nugget Mine and Richmond Basin mining district

Richmond Basin 2.0 - 3.0

The Richmond Basin is a large area with a long history of mining for Zinc, Silver, Lead and Gold.. This Jeep trail will take you on a loop through the heart of the area. You will see remains of the Silver Nugget five-stamp mill, as well as many abandoned mines in the small area now commonly known as Richmond Basin.

Both Silver Nugget and Richmond Basin can be reached on 2.0 roads if you want to do in-and-out trips. The road into Richmond Basin has a spur to the north with nice views of Four Peaks and Roosevelt Lake.

The loop on this site takes you from one to the other without returning to the highway. The connection is remote, very scratchy and is not for the faint of heart. Nugget Wash and the eroded climb from Nugget Wash Basin up to Richmond Basin are rated 3.0. A GREAT trail for the right vehicles.

Ghosttowns.com has a page about the town of Nugget and the Silver Nugget Mine, but not all of it agrees with what we saw on the ground. Mindat.org states there was a 5-stamp mill - perhaps it was with the arrastra shown here.

There are numerous mines all along the route, but the biggest concentration is in the area known as Richmond Basin. Seemingly bottomless shafts have been closed with covers designed to allow bat entry. Areas of "black sand" point to exploration for gold. Up to 1000 people lived there back in it's heyday.

There is a GPS - gpx track at the bottom of the page.

Remains of Richmond Basin Mill

Black sand surrounds mine shaft

Eroded hill

There are interesting mill remains along the Silver Nugget section.

Silver Nugget Mill

Silver Nugget arrastra

I received the following note from Mike and Cindy:

Greetings Steve & Jayne. A note about The Nugget site. Myself and Cindy have lived in the old Copper Hill area for a long time. The Nugget site has always been a favorite area for me to explore for about 2 years. What ghosttowns.com explains is only about a 3rd reliant. So here are my findings. The Salado indian ruins are actually on the south side of the mill ruins just on the other side of a barbed wire cattle fence. Not much left but rock outlines but still neat to walk through. The only evidence of Nugget camp itself is about a mile or so along the road which crosses the wash past the nugget spring. When you come to a fork in the wash there is a vertical culvert that reads dead end, and the trail leads to the right, the site is on the left side at this point among dense trees and brush. I have investigated up and down the wash and there are no foundations or tent house flats up and down the wash as ghosttown.com claims. But at this point which I have found, You can find retaining walls of rock, scant evidence of roofing tin, tin cans, old wood, and a small cabin structure of wood. The structure is hard to find due to the trees, but appears to been apart of Nuggets time. it has collapsed over the decades. After many ghost town investigations and research I have found that a saloon or general store could have been nothing more than a ranch tent structure. Nugget may have been a smaller mining camp than most books claim. On the other hand, the mill site was quite an operation in itself and came shortly after the mine and camp was established. Happy and safe trails to both of you and always fun to share adventure with folks. sincerely Mike & Cindy

We had not known about the Indian ruins south of the mill ruins, so we visited them in 2018.

Perhaps a building outline

Fairly deep wall

From a book on Arizona Mining Districts:

GLOBE, GILA COUNTY
This is a large district, embracing what is sometimes called the McMillen District, which, it is claimed, was irregularly formed, and the Richmond Basin. It includes the Apache Mountains and the northeastern slope of the Pinal Mountains. The Pioneer District bounds it on the west. This section of the country affords fine facilities for mining. The forests of pine and other timber furnish good lumber and wood for fuel, while Pinal Creek and other small streams furnish ample water for milling purposes. The ores are gold, silver, copper, and lead. Large, well-defined veins, with prominent croppings, are found throughout the district, and mineral float frequently covers the surface. The climate is mild and healthful.

The Richmond Basin is situated fourteen miles northeast of Globe, in a hollow plateau of the highest part of the Apache range. The mountains immediately back of it, forming the eastern barrier, rise boldly in Alpine peaks hundreds of feet above the plateau. The prevailing rock in this section is porphyry, which forms the walls of the mineral veins, and gives assurance of their permanence. These solid rocks have been rent and torn asunder, and washed away, leaving the silver ore on the surface of the basin, where so many nuggets of the native silver metal have been found. In this basin are located the Mack Morris, Richmond, East Richmond, Silver Nugget, and other valuable properties.

Nugget Wash

Deep mine with interesting color

1881 book by Patrick Hamilton;

Richmond Basin - The camp is situated on the western slope of the Apache mountains and about fourteen miles north of Globe. Wood and water are plentiful. The veins are strong and well defined. This camp is famous for the native silver nuggets which were found on the surface. It is estimated that over $80,000 in pure silver was picked up in this locality. The McMorris, the leading mine of the camp, is a vein nearly 8 feet wide. The ore is a native silver, silver glance, and bromide of silver. The main shaft is down 400 feet. An incline has been sunk 300 feet, and a tunnel driven 100 feet. There are three levels aggregating 700 feet. The mine has been one of the most productive in Gila county, and the yield up to date is estimated at $400,000. Steam hoisting-works have been erected and also a ten-stamp mill.

The West Richmond is an extension of the McMorris. It shows a vein 8 feet wide. It has a shaft 96 feet, and one of 35 feet. The Dundee is a 4-foot vein that assays $60 per ton. It is a fine-looking prospect. The East Richmond is a 9-foot vein, has produced very rich ore, and is opened by two shafts, 100 feet and 30 feet, respectively. La Plata has a ledge 7 feet in width. A shaft has been sunk 60 feet, and a tunnel run 120 feet. It is an extension of the McMorris,and has been sold for $60,000. The Cora, South Plata, Rifleman, Belle Boyd, and a great many others in this camp, show every indication of developing into valuable paying properties.

The Silver Nugget takes its name from the “planchas" which were found within its limits on the surface. Some of these lumps of silver weighed five pounds. The ore of the Nugget, is free-milling. The vein is large, and is opened by two shafts, one of 160, and one of 100 feet, and a drift 180 feet in length. The ore is worked in a five-stamp mill.

Bat access cover

Retaining wall

1916 book by James H. McClintock

The mines of Richmond Basin were discovered by Dickey & Olvaney, who located the Richmond East and Richmond West claims for themselves and the MacMorris for a grub-stake partner, one MacMorris of Prescott, together with Cook & Styles of Florence. The last claim proved the best. In 1885, for $90,000, it was sold to Fisk & Stout of New York, who formed a company for its operation. The senior member of the firm was Gen. Clinton B. Fisk, the first national prohibition candidate for President. He sent his son out to Globe to establish a bank.

At Wheatfield the company built a ten-stamp mill that ran for three years, with returns of $1,750,000. Good values were found in the ore from the upper levels, but from 400 to 800 feet of depth little ore was found. Superintendent Baldwin, who last was in charge, started for the East to consult with the directors and was accidentally killed while crossing the Sierras. It is also told that a senior of the company, coming from New York, made a close inspection of the mine and immediately ordered out every workman and closed it down, as he supposed forever. Despite this decision, considerable money has come of late out of the old MacMorris, from ore overlooked in the early workings.

One of the richest silver mines of the district was the Silver Nugget, in Richmond Basin, located by a German prospector, who sold it, for a mule, to the four Chilson brothers, whose first shipment to the Selby works in San Francisco was of $60,000 worth of almost pure malleable native and horn silver, picked up from granite bedrock on the surface of the ground. Most of it was in chunks that could be tossed into a wagon. There was a ledge, however, which was worked down about 100 feet, with the finding of several pockets of the same rich ore. The Chilsons sold for $100,000, to a New York company, which built a mill and which never realized a cent from its investment.

Email received in May, 2018.

Thanks for your article about the Richmond Basin. You might like to know that your story of how the Chilson Brothers got the Silver Nugget mine is only sort of partly true. My great grandfather D. G. "Gip" Chilson actually discovered the mine. Here is an excerpt from an article for the May 1926 Arizona Mining Journal, written by my grandfather's cousin Carl Wallace Chilson, (we called him "Uncle Carl"). His father was Richard Wallace Chilson, the "Chloride Dick" in the story, so Uncle Carl learned the story directly from one of the brothers.

Gip, recognizing the country, namely, the Apache Peaks, which were described by Col. Wolsey as being the country in which the colonel and his men had found the silver bullets which were shot by the Indians, as before mentioned, immediately set out to find the mine from which the silver came. While at Globe, which was beginning to look like a camp, he met a Dutchman, by name of Henry Wagner, who knew little, if anything, about prospecting or mining. Although Wagner did not have any money or outfit, Gip, had taken a liking to Wagner, explained to him what he had in mind, asking Wagner to join him on his hunt for the silver mine.

They started for the Apache Peaks, about twelve miles distance from Globe. It will be remembered that the town of Globe had not been laid out or a district organized. The mine had been discovered and named “Globe” on of account of the immense size of the property, andk as the locators said, “She’s as big as the globe”. By nightfall, Chilson and Wagner made camp in a small basin close to the Apache Peaks, and finding a fine spring of water, the outlook was favorable. The next morning Gip found native and horn silver nuggets from the size of small flakes up to ten and twelve pounds. He located a claim which he named the “Silver Nugget”, in which he located Wagner for a one-half interest. During the day they saw a great deal of fresh Indian signs and at early evening saw several head of Indian ponies in the distance. Shortly after dusk, they saw a small camp fire spring up in a canyon about one-half mile away. Gip, knowing the customs, habits and methods of the Indians, felt sure that a small band of Indian scouts were working the country and had made camp for the night. However, to make sure as to whether they were prospectors or Indians he decided to investigate more closely. He carefully made his way up the ridges to a point opposite the fire and he saw, as they passed back and forth and around the fire, that they were Indians. Returning to inform Wagner they broke camp and went to the “Globe” mine that night. The following day or two Gip proposed to Wagner that they return to their rich discovery. Wagner was frightened to a frenzy, stating that he would not go back in there for all the mines in the country. Gip tried to convince him that they had a bonanza and that the Indians were probably scouts and were on the move. Wagner could not be convinced and said he would sell his interest for anything. Gip told him he had very little money. Wagner said, “I will take your pack, mule and what money you have.” Gip gave Wagner his mule, pack and $30 in cash, which was all the money he had.
The location notice for the “Silver Nugget” having not been recorded, as the nearest recorder’s office was at Florence, it was therefore not necessary to draw up any agreement of transfer. A new location notice was posted which gave Gip the full ownership of the mine. He also located two additional claims, which he named “The Rifleman” and “The Hoodoo”. He then returned to Florence.

When Gip arrived at Florence, in search of pack animal and provisions, he wrote to his brothers, Eme and Bill, who were in California, to come to him at once, which they did. Several weeks were required to make the trip, as the Indians were on a rampage throughout the country.
In the meantime, Gip had returned to the “Silver Nugget” and was gathering up all the nuggets he could find on the surface and burying them under his campfire until his brothers arrived. During the time, Gip ran pretty low on provisions. One evening about sundown Bob Dicky rode up to find Gip scratching around among some ironwood chips. Gip asked Dickey to stop over with him, stating that they would have something to eat as soon as he could find some old bacon rinds he had thrown among the chips, as he needed them to season the beans. Dickey told about the incident later, stating that little did he realize that Gip had over $10,000 in silver nuggets buried under the old black bean pot on that campfire.

I remember the story of the silver nuggets under my great grandfather's campfire, Uncle Carl was a wealth of family history.

Sincerely, Sarah Yarter

Updated 2018. Our 2018 trip found severe erosion in Nugget Wash. Several sections of the road were washed out and we had to drive up the creek bed. This new track is reflected in the gpx file. The 2-3 miles northeast of Silver Nugget is even more scratchy and brushy than it was. We suggest you start this trip on the Silver Nugget end so if you are discouraged by the brush, or if the erosion becomes more severe, you do not have far to backtrack.

We like to say there are 3 rules in Jeeping, all of which come into play in these photos from the eroded area.

Protect your Pumpkin
If there is any doubt about clearance Put a Wheel On It
A hole is only a problem if you fall in it.

2018 in the wash

2018 Hole in road was a problem

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