Mines and mining districts are ill defined. Geographic coverage and names have varied over time. In general, the mines listed here are those found in the northeastern part of the Black Range in Sierra County, New Mexico. The Taylor Creek Tin district is also known as the Black Range Tin District. This listing includes the Salado Mountains Fluorspar Deposit.
The following is a listing of the mines of the Hermosa Mining District, the minerals that were taken from the mines, pages dedicated to specific mines, and links to other material about the mines (e.g. entries in the Black Range newspaper).
Many of the mines in this area were dug in a particular geologic unit, the Pz. The geology of the Black Range is often intwined with the human history of mining. To the north of the area covered by the Hillsboro quadrangle is the mining ghost town of Hermosa. Several of the mines in this area were dug in the Pz geologic unit. The following map and legend is taken from US Geological Survey Bulletin 1876, “Mineral Belts in Western Sierra County, New Mexico, Suggested by Mining Districts, Geology, and Geochemical Anomalies” (1989) (page 11).
Red circles have been added to the map above to assist in located the mines identified in the legend. These mines are listed below, some of the minerals mined in them are identified, and links are provided to articles in the Black Range Newspaper, published between 1882 and 1897. In several cases the articles give lengthy descriptions of the mines and geology of the area - as it was known at that time.
74 DRAW MINE (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Cassiterite, Cristobalite, Durangite, Fluorite, Hematite,
minerals of the Smectite Group, and Tridymite.
ALBATROSS (HERMOSA)
The Albatross was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of May 18, 1883 (An
Unprejudiced Opinion) and June 27, 1884.
ALEXANDER MINE (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Cassiterite, Cristobalite, Hematite, Quartz, Sanidine, and
minerals of the Smectite Group.
AMAJACANO (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; June 8, 1883,
June 22, 1883, June 29, 1883, July 13, 1883, August 24, 1883, May 30, 1884, and June 13, 1884.
AMERICAN FLAG GROUP (HERMOSA)
Galena was one of the mineral mined at this site.
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; February 23, 1883,
March 2, 1883, March 23, 1883, May 4, 1883, May 11, 1883, May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion),
October 1883, November 2, 1883, November 30, 1883, December 21, 1883, December 28, 1883,
February 1, 1884, February 8, 1884, February 15, 1884, March 7, 1884, March 21, 1884,
March 28, 1884, April 4, 1884, April 18, 1884, April 25, 1884, May 2, 1884, May 23, 1884,
and May 30, 1884.
AMERICANO (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; May 11, 1883,
May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion), and May 25, 1883.
ANTELOPE GROUP (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; March 2, 1883,
April 20, 1883, May 9, 1884, and May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion).
ARGONAUT (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of an article in the Black Range Museum on May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion).
BERYLLIUM VIRGIN CLAIM (TAYLOR CREEK
The minerals taken from this mine include Red Beryl, Bixbyite, Brabantite, Cassiterite, Cerianite, Chernovite,
Fluorite, Gasparite, Hematite, Iimenite, Magnetite, Opal, Pseudobrookite, Quartz, Niobian Rutile,
Sanidine, Topaz, Tridymite, and Wakefieldite.
BLACK TAIL (SOUTH OF HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of an article in the Black Range Newspaper issue of April 18, 1884.
BOILER PEAK (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Bixbyite, Durangite, Montmorillonite, and Tridymite.
CHICAGO - INCL. TIP-TOP (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; May 18, 1883,
July 13, 1883, July 20, 1883, August 3, 1883, August 17, 1883, and September 7, 1883.
CLIFF-L-EMBOLITE GROUP (HERMOSA)
DIAMOND CREEK (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Analcime and Mesolite.
FLAGSTAFF PROPERTY (HERMOSA)
The minerals taken from this mine include Galena.
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; March 2, 1883,
May 4, 1883, May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion), and April 4, 1884.
INGERSOLL
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; February 15, 1884
and May 30, 1884.
The Ingersoll Mine was owned and mined by Jay Barnes at one time - see The Spell of the Black Range.
JUNIPER MINE (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Goethite, Hidalgoite, and Jarosite.
LEXINGTON (HERMOSA)
This mine was mentioned in the May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion) issue of the Black Range Newspaper.
MAVERICK MOUNTAIN (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Cassiterite and Topaz.
MYSTERY (BETWEEN THE FLAGSTAFF AND AMAJACANO MINES)
This mine was mentioned in the June 13, 1884 issue of the Black Range Newspaper.
NANA MINE (HERMOSA)
The minerals taken from this mine include Acanthite, Anglesite, Cerussite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Galena,
Goethite, Kaolinite, Lepidocrocite, Polbasite, Quartz, Silver, Sphalerite, and Talc.
NUGGET GULCH (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Cassiterite, Cassiterite (Wood Tin), Heulandite, Hidalgoite, Opal,
and Stolzite.
OCEAN WAVE GROUP (HERMOSA)
The minerals taken from this mine include Sphalerite.
PELICAN GROUP: PALOMAS CHIEF (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; February 23, 1883,
March 2, 1883, March 23, 1883, May 18, 1883 (An Unprejudiced Opinion), July 13, 1883, August 3, 1883,
October 1883, February 1, 1884, April 25, 1884, and June 27, 1884.
PELICAN GROUP: READY CASH PROPERTY (HERMOSA)
This mine was the subject of several articles in the Black Range Newspaper, see the issues of; March 2, 1883 and
July 20, 1883.
RAMSEY DEPOSIT (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Halloysite and Kaolinite.
ROUND MOUNTAIN (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Red Beryl, Bixbyite, Hematite (Specularite), Quartz, and Topaz.
SALADO MOUNTAINS FLUORSPAR DEPOSIT
The minerals taken from this mine include Fluorite.
SAWMILL CREEK (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Niobian Rutile.
SQUAW CREEK MINE (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Cassiterite, Chabazite, Chernovite, Gasparite, Goethite,
Hematite, Heulandite, Limonite, Maxwellite, Mordenite, Pseudobrookite, Quartz, Sanidine,
minerals of the Smectite Group, Stellerite, Stilbite, Tridymite, and Tripuhyite.
THE CLEARING (TAYLOR CREEK)
The minerals taken from this mine include Durangite, Goethite, Hematite (Specularite), Hidalgoite, Jarosite,
Opal, and Topaz.
TIP TOP - SEE CHICAGO
WOLFORD MINE (HERMOSA)
The minerals taken from this mine include Calcite, Cerussite, Copper Stain, Descloisite, Limonite, Mimetite,
Pyromorphite, Smithsonite, Vanadinite, and Wulfenite.