Anyone know where this mine is at?

[XXX Snow]

http://www.ironminers.com/mineforum/...ic.php?t=20004 Great site lots of pics

[Mike]

Judging from the surrounding rock, I'm going to guess southern or eastern utah.

The photos were shot on a Sony DSC-W50 at 11:04am, December 1st, 2008. I know we had snow up here around then, and that is looking pretty dry to me. Another hint toward Southern Utah.

The inscription on the side of the cart reads "UTEX EXPLORATION COMPANY". According to this
document, UTEX is a jointly owned company, owned by the same company as theUranium Reduction company. The article also mentions relations to the 'Hidden Splendor Mine', a privately owned abandoned mine in the south eastern section of the San Rafael Swell, several miles south of the Dirty Devil Complex. I have not been to the Hidden Splendor mine, but Corey from GRE has. Perhaps he can shed some light on whether the images are familiar to him or not.

Wikipedia's article on Charles Steen (founder) shows the company being sold in 1962.
UTEX Exploration Company was frequently in lawsuits, such as wrongful eviction of a ventilation tunnel dug after the lease was up.

This article discusses a mine by the name of Mi Vida mine.

Coordinates to the Mi Vida mine show the mine being located on an off road trail, which holds the name Steen Rd, likely after the founder of the companies. This particular mine is in the south east corner of Utah, south east of Moab.

Outside that, IDK. Looks amazing. I'm going to ask.

[rhartill]

It may be the Mi Vida in Lisbon Valley, aka Utex...

Guesses as to location of this mine:

http://econgeol.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/7/632

http://www.mindat.org/loc-38514.html

report on the area

http://www.mesauranium.com/i/pdf/lisbonvalley-43101.pdf

[rhartill]

Found it!

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/20206987

[rhartill]

and apparently reclaimed in summer of 2005:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3914691/MiVida-Abandoned-Mine-Reclamation-specifications

[XXX Snow]

You guys are good, I didn't see that logo on the side of that cart. We need to go down there and check that place out. By the size of that train the place must be big.

[ExpUt]

That is the mine that made Moab!!!

I'm sure you've all heard the story but Charles Steen was just about broke and ready to pull the plug on his mining operation. His mine was far from the locations the federal geologists had suggested and he was being grub staked just to keep the operation alive. Literally (as the story goes) as they were ready to yank the plug, they struck the mother load of Uranium ore. He became one of Moab's first millionaires, building a mansion high on the hills above town (now the Sunset Resteraunt), through big parties and even commissioned a famous painter to do portraits of him and pals playing poker. The life.

He eventually lost most of his riches to the IRS after leading a quite eventful life and investing in several other projects including more mines.

The Moab museum has a fabulous display on Charles Steen, the Mi Vida mine and Moab area mining in general... even the shoes Charles was wearing the day he struck it rich. A movie was made on his ordeal (featuring Jackie Cooper I think?)

He would have been a neat guy to meet but died before I ever got the chance. There is a ton of internet info on him along with quite a few books and periodicals.