The Monarch Rand mining claim was discovered by a small outcropping of oxidized pyrite near Fremont Peak in or around 1890. The property was purchased by the Monarch Rand Mining Company in early 1900, the company did well with the mine as evidenced by their acquisition of other mines in the area such as the Baltic, Fremont Peak and many others.
The Monarch-Rand company was private and owned by W.O. Walker and Fred P. Rossiter of Pomona, California.
The Monarch Rand property is and was the flagship property of the Monarch Rand Company. Financial difficulties arose in 1925 and development was halted around the stock market crash (1929). The mine is located in an extremely remote region of the California desert, often referred to as a wasteland. The mine produced at least 100 tons of ore with gold reported at over 2 ounces per ton. Estimated return from this 100 tons would have been $4800.00 minus logistics and processing costs.
By 1934 the company had installed stamps and an amalgamation mill. This however was still only recovering 60% or less of the gold values.
By 1938 the Monarch Rand Company had installed a cyanide plant for the treatment of the ore, but it is unclear whether the cyanide process was ever executed.
The War Act in 1942 was the final death knell for the company. When the War Act was lifted the Monarch Rand Mining Company was defunct. Sources reported that the primaries of the company had not returned from deployment in WWII.
From the California Journal of Mines v.30, 1934
“Developments consist of incline sunk on the vein to a depth of 185 ft.; on the 50-ft. level, drift northeast 275 ft.; on the 100-ft, level, drift northeast 300 ft.; on the 185-ft. level, drift 300 ft. southwest, and drift northeast 1100 ft. At 120 ft. west of the shaft a crosscut has been driven northwest 1280 ft., cutting five parallel veins which strike northeast and southwest. Ore-shoot, developed on the 185-ft. level, is 400 ft. in length with an average width of 2 ft. The average value is said to be $20 per ton in gold. The vein quartz shows gold, mineralized with pyrite and arsenopyrite.”
The mines were developed based on a large lode (reported 3.5’ wide) which averaged $48.00 per ounce in gold. The Vein reported was cut off on the top, bottom, and both sides by faults. The Monarch Rand Company executed work in locating the continuation of the vein, however with no modern drilling and sampling tools, the work was extremely slow.
Whether or not the vein was ever located is unknown. It is known that the two partners ran the mine with a small crew of less than 15 miners at any given time and still managed to pay for massive improvements at the mine including stamps, tables and processing equipment.
Recent exploration of the mines (1998-2010) showed that the mine workings were much more extensive than originally reported. A drift at the 150 (ish) level ran in an apparent circular pattern for 1100’. Other stations were reported at the 400’ and 600’ levels. These stations were reported to have reception for skips and dump stations. The 400’ level is reported to have 3 large, front dumping ore cars. While the 600 level is reported to have 6 of the same type of ore cars. This indicates substantial development.
The shaft is said to continue well past the 600’ station but surveyors did not have sufficient rope to travel beyond that station.
The mine is relatively stable and cut into hard rock. Some sections are reported to be timbered but the mine is overall very dry, so the damp decay of wood and the resulting air concerns are not a high priority.
Reclamation of the site occurred in 2012 and a large steel cage was put in place over the massive shaft. A new concrete footing supports the cage and is invaluable to the site for future development. A short drift just east of the main shaft is reported to have been an adit access point into the lower workings. It was filled in by reclamation contractors in 2012 and old oil barrels were put over the backfill to make it appear as a small prospect. It could be excavated or at very least assessed as a viable second exit to the mine workings.
