I Kept Exploring to See WHERE This Old Mine Led

I headed into Death Valley to explore several old mine workings associated with the Ibex mining area, including both early gold and silver prospects and later talc mines. The Ibex name can be confusing because several workings in the area have been associated with it over the years. The nearby Morehouse Mine is also commonly called the Ibex Mine because of its connection to the former mining camp at Ibex Springs. The workings explored in this video include a site believed to be associated with the earlier Ibex operations as well as later mines developed during the talc-mining period. Mining in this area dates back to the late 1800s, when prospectors were searching for gold and silver. Decades later, mining returned for a very different mineral. By the 1930s, talc deposits were being developed, leaving behind adits, mine rail, tailings, shafts, stopes, equipment, and other evidence of the later operation. I begin with a small talc tunnel before continuing to the main Ibex Mine area, where several old workings and surface remains are still visible. Some tunnels that were open during earlier visits have since collapsed, showing how quickly abandoned mine sites can change. Further into the mountains, I found another small, forgotten tunnel before reaching a much larger 1930s-era talc mine. Inside are mine rails, pipes, blasting remnants, stopes, working faces, and marks left by the miners as material was removed. Parts of this mine also show evidence of fire damage, further weakening the already unstable talc workings. These abandoned mines are constantly deteriorating. Collapses, unstable rock, burned material, hidden shafts, bad air, and failing workings make old mines extremely dangerous. Do not enter abandoned mines. CHAPTERS 00:00 Approaching the Ibex Mine Workings 00:40 Exploring the First Talc Tunnel 03:54 Reaching the Main Ibex Mine Area 10:19 Collapsed Adit and Open Mine Workings 11:45 Revisiting a Forgotten Hillside Tunnel 13:06 Exploring the Larger 1930s Talc Mine 25:21 Mine Rail, Tailings and Final Look 26:55 Historic Photos and Closing Images If you want to help keep these explorations going, you can support Desert Trails at:   / deserttrails   #DesertTrails #MiningHistory #AbandonedMines