BIG TIME COLORADO GOLD MINE

Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine

The CC&V Gold Mine is a massive open pit, heap leach operation owned by the Newmont Mining Corporation. The mine is located above Victor, Colorado and was historically called the “Cresson Mine”. The CC&V Gold Mine is currently the largest gold mine in Colorado.

FROM WIKI-

Gold mining in the district begun in the 1890s, mostly as underground operations, chasing high grade veins. Over 23 million ounces of gold have been recovered from the district since 1890.^[3] At 2012 prices ($1600 per troy ounce ^[10]), this would be worth around US$ 37 billion.

Warren, Harry & Frank Woods entered the Victor mining scene in when they purchased the Mount Rosa Placer and incorporated the Mt. Rosa Mining, Milling and Land Company on January 9, 1892. This would later become known as the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine.^[11]

Most of the Cripple Creek properties were consolidated into the Golden Cycle Mining and Reduction Company, and the Carlton Tunnel was completed in 1941. This 6.5 mile long tunnel drained the district down to 3,000 feet. The roasting-cyanidation Carlton Mill opened in March 1951. This mill also tested the first carbon adsorption-desorption process.^{[12]:110-111,113}

The current open cut operation dates back to 1995.^[3] The operation became part of AngloGold in March 1999, when the company acquired the Independence Mining Company and thereby 66% of the mine. AngloGold merged with junior partner Golden Cycle Gold Corporation in 2008 and thereby acquired the remaining 33% of the project.^[6]

The mine is a low-cost, low-yield open pit operation, with grades well below one gram of gold per tonne of ore. In recent years, 2008 and 2009, the mine accounted for 5% of AngloGold Ashanti’s world wide production. It is the company’s only active operation in the United States.^[6] In 2008, the State of Colorado and Teller County granted the mine a mine-life extension.^[14]

Production and grade of the mine have steadily declined over the last few years, while the total production costs have risen from US$ 372 an ounce in 2007 to US$ 475 in 2009. The mine employed 562 people in 2009, of which 367 were permanent employees.^[14]

In August 2015, the mine was sold to Newmont Mining Corporation.^[5]    

Cresson Vug

On 24 November 1914, Dick Roelofs was supervising the exploration of the mine to the 1300 level, when a large gold-filled vug was blasted open on the 1200 level. The next day, Roelof, a mine owner and an attorney explored the “cave of sparkling jewels”. The vug measured 14 feet wide, 23 feet long, 36 feet high, which took a month to empty, and yielded 60,000 troy ounces of gold.^[12]:78-80

High-grade Calaverite (gold telluride) ore from the Cresson mine. Specimen size 2.6 x 2.1 x 1.1 cm. Individual calaverite crystals up to 9 mm, in frosted grey quartz.

Two “Aladdin’s caves of gold” were discovered in August 1953, on the 3100 foot level of Ajax Mine, Battle Mountain. Sylvanite and Calaverite covered the walls. Mine superintendent M.H. Grice stated, “It is a sight a mining man may see but once in a lifetime…”^[12]:114

Past Production Records

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!

We talked to their PR person and she said the production in 2016 was 386,000 troy ounces and they project 417,000 troy ounces in 2017. That’s a lot of $$$$$$$$. She also said they are always hiring, so anyone wanting to join their team should contact them to get your application filed.