Old U.S Silver Mining Town Jumps Back to Life
The Rio Grande Mining Co which was acquired by Aurcana Corp. in 2008 is now hoping to give a new lease of life to a mine located in what is considered a ghost town.
The original mine was opened in 1880 and the town used to be home to about 1,500 people back in 1943. The West Texas mine was closed in 1942 due to the declining price of silver. However the mine had been the most reliable source of silver for the United States during the time of its operations.
The Canadian company has seen the rising price of silver as good incentive to get the mine up and running again. They are currently building roads and installing underground mining equipment on site. Sandy McVey, the project manager said that the price of silver makes it a viable project and they needed to get the mine up before the window of opportunity closes.
The town which has barely 60 residents has suddenly seem more action around it than in half a century. The Rio Grande Mining Co hopes to produce 800 pound silver bars from what will be Texas’ solo silver mine by the end of next year. The mine is to produce half the silver that the current largest silver mine in Alaska produces.
Written by
Joel relocated to Australia in 1995 from the United Kingdom and spent five years working in the mining industry as an exploration geotechnician. His role involved utilizing GIS mapping and CAD software. Upon transitioning to the North Coast of NSW, Australia, Joel embarked on a career as a graphic designer at a well-known consultancy firm. Subsequently, he established a successful web services business catering to companies across the eastern seaboard of Australia. It was during this time that he conceived and launched News-Medical.Net. Joel has been an integral part of AZoNetwork since its inception in 2000. Joel possesses a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of technology, comprehending its potential impact on society, and actively engaging with AI-driven solutions and advancements.
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
APA
Scanlon, Joel. (2019, March 19). Old U.S Silver Mining Town Jumps Back to Life. AZoMining. Retrieved on February 01, 2026 from https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=3745.
MLA
Scanlon, Joel. "Old U.S Silver Mining Town Jumps Back to Life". AZoMining. 01 February 2026. <https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=3745>.
Chicago
Scanlon, Joel. "Old U.S Silver Mining Town Jumps Back to Life". AZoMining. https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=3745. (accessed February 01, 2026).
Harvard
Scanlon, Joel. 2019. Old U.S Silver Mining Town Jumps Back to Life. AZoMining, viewed 01 February 2026, https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=3745.
We're committed to providing free access to quality science. By registering and providing insight into
your preferences you're joining a community of over 1m science interested individuals and help us to
provide you with insightful content whilst keeping our service free.
or
Terms
While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena
answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses.
Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or
authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for
medical information you must always consult a medical
professional before acting on any information provided.
Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with
OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their
privacy principles.
Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential
information.
Read the full Terms & Conditions.