People have found almost every mineral you can name in Arkansas. To this day, records show there have been more than 11,600 mining claims. There are more than 1000 mines in Arkansas; most of them producing minerals like zinc, manganese, lead, etc.
Precious metals and stones such as gold, silver, and diamonds are also found in small quantities in the state. Let’s learn about the history of gold mining and the best places to look for the yellow metal in the state.
History of Gold in Arkansas
From the records available, it was the Spanish explorers, who came to the new world, first discovered gold in Arkansas in the 1540s. The travelers used rudimentary equipment for gold extraction. Even today the sites are referred to as the Old Spanish Diggings. The gold mining activity was not widespread then.
Later, during the 17th and 18th century, gold was discovered in Arkansas by the Mexicans. The second wave of gold mining activity commenced in the early 1800s and lasted till the 1830s. The early settlers found the yellow metal in the Ouachita Mountains (the same mountain where the Spanish travelers found gold).
Throughout the gold rush period the mountain range in Garland County was abuzz with activity. Fortune seekers reportedly also found the precious metal in the Fourche Mountain (located to the north of the Ouachita Mountain).
Prospectors have found gold but not in large quantities. Hence, no large scale mining activity has ever taken place in this area. Even today the place doesn’t attract many gold prospectors and it may be for good reason.
Best Places for Prospectors to Look for Gold
People who focused on Polk County have found some gold, mostly in the igneous rocks. Look for gold in the quartz veins along with manganese deposits.
For a long time, the Old Silver World Mine, situated to the east of Mena, produced silver and gold. Many believe that the Old Silver World Mine was one of the famous spots where the Spaniards found gold and other precious metals.
Records show that many mountains that are situated east of Mena have served as prospecting spots for gold miners. One such place with a history of gold mining is the Helen Gould Mine, located near Egger in Cherry Hill.
Gold mining in Arkansas has not always yielded rich returns. Little Brushy Creek was a busy site for many years. Both gold and silver mining took place in this area. The mining company used sodium cyanide solution to extract gold and silver from the ores. They also adopted the electrically-powered mining process for filtering the precious metals from ores.
The extraction and processing techniques were time-consuming and expensive. In return, the quantity of the precious metals extracted wasn’t worth the effort and investment. Soon the mining operations ended due to heavy losses.
In southwest Arkansas, a small amount of gold is produced in the Bellah Mine. Located in Sevier County, the Bellah Mine mainly produces copper. But, both gold and silver are extracted as byproducts of the base metal.
Decades ago there were reports that small-scale mining of gold took place on the West Branch of Carter Creek. The creek is located southeast of Dallas County.
Gold Mines Ignored Due to Insignificant Yield
As mentioned above, the state of Arkansas has more than 1000 mines, most of them small ones, reported in the US Geological Survey. Prospectors can find the locations given above in the survey. Apart from those discussed above, there are two other sites – Kellog Mine and Julius Hess – in Pulaski County were prospectors found gold in the past.
Gold was also extracted from Otto Mine (in Sevier County) and Old Spanish Diggings (in Garland Country). These four locations mainly provided minerals such as zinc, manganese, and lead. Precious metals including gold were found but in very small quantities.
Due to dwindling yield most prospectors have switched focus to streams fed by the Little Missouri River and Cossatot River. Both these rivers drain the Ouachita Mountains.
Commercial mining of gold is almost absent in the state of Arkansas. There are many operations that mine minerals; some even produce very limited amounts of the yellow metal. In the latest edition of the Arkansas Mineral Yearbook one can find a list of all minerals produced in the state. There is no mention of gold in the list; indicating the absence of any noteworthy gold mining activity.
Diamonds, Quartz and other Minerals
Apart from gold and silver, prospectors have also found diamonds in Arkansas. Fortune seekers are drawn to the Crater of Diamonds State Park. It’s a public area where visitors are free to keep the diamonds or precious stones that they find here.
Quartz is another major mineral that is mined commercially in Arkansas. If you go to one of the major mineral shows you will likely see a lot of quartz for sale that comes from mines in Arkansas. Some crystals are exceptionally large… as amazing as any on Earth.
Gold prospecting didn’t really take off in Arkansas. There aren’t many prospecting spots in the state. But, Arkansas isn’t completely devoid of gold. Prospectors determined to find gold won’t go empty-handed if you put in the effort. And rockhounds can also find valuable minerals. Do your research and seek out the historic mining areas and you might be surprised at the treasures that are out there.