LeRoi Mine EarthCache
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The LeRoi Gold Mine Tour is the only tour like it in all of Canada. The tour takes you undergroumd into what was once a working mine shaft and see how mining was done in the early 1900’s. The tours are open May1st- Sept 1st each year. Tours go every hour and a half through the day starting at 9:30 am with the last tour leaving at 3:30pm sharp. The constant underground temperature is 55 F, which is quite refreshing on a really hot day, but if you get cold easy you may want to bring along a jacket or take one of the blankets provided. Although to get credit for this cache you do not need to take the tour, I highly recommend the tour to people of all ages. Kids love to try to pan for GOLD after the tour is over.
LeRoi Gold Mine History:
In the 1890’s
The LeRoi mine was one of five claims staked on Red Mountain. It was bought for $12.50 and eventually was sold for 3 million dollars. The LeRoi mine became the most famous of the five claims and produced almost 30 million dollars. In 1911 the five original mines were consolidated and bought by the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company later known as Cominco. Cominco later changed there name to Teck Cominco and as of June 1st, 2009 will be known only as Teck.
How Gold is formed:
Gold is formed as the result of molten rock, called magma, being intruded into solid rock. As the magma cools and solidifies, water and other volatile substances separate out from the magma under high pressure. The high pressure of hot water and steam force open fissures in the surrounding solid rock, through which these hydrothermal solutions travel. When the hydrothermal solutions cool, deposition of material occurs, especially quartz in the form of quartz veins. Because gold has a relatively low melting temperature, it is sometimes carried by these hydrothermal solutions through the fissures in the rock and solidifies inside the quartz veins. Thus, the place to look for gold is usually in quartz veins near the intrusion of a magma body. The city of Rossland is situated in the heart of an ancient volcano. This volcano is the reason why Rossland is so full of gold. If these quartz veins are eroded by the earths cycles, the gold may be found in streams and rivers; this explains why prospectors were able to pan for gold. Try your luck at panning for gold after the tour!
To get credit for this cache you must do three things:
1. Take a picture of you or your GPS at the Leroi Gold Mine sign or somewhere on the property. If you take the tour please include a picture of you underground.
2. Answer this question, how many flag poles are there in a row? Please email me your answer.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)