Chihuahuan Desert Mining Heritage Exhibit

The Chihuahua Desert is the third largest desert in the Western Hemisphere, spanning parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. Along with several mountain ranges and dramatic vistas, the desert is home to deposits of lead, zinc, barite, copper, manganese, sulfur, oil, gas, fluorite, talc, potash, water, quarry stone, gypsum, mercury, bentonite, salt, silver, gold, sand, and gravel. The Chihuahuan Desert Mining Heritage Exhibit at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center features a model mine, ore, and mining equipment from mining activity in the norther Chihuahua Desert.

Mining Heritage Exhibit
Mining Heritage Exhibit
Exploration Shaft And Windlass
Exploration Shaft And Windlass
Headframe
Headframe

Normally, such displays are confined to buildings, but this outdoor display encourages visitors to wander by groupings of gold, silver, and other ore along with tools that had been used to mine it. A 19th century head frame stands in pride of place, surrounded by ore and next to a shack with more artifacts.

Gold, Copper, & Silver Ore
Gold, Copper, & Silver Ore
Copper & Molybdenum Ore
Copper & Molybdenum Ore
Blasting Tags
Blasting Tags
Mining Tools
Mining Tools
Ore
Ore
Assaying tools
Assaying tools