This article was originally published in Manufacturer and Builder Magazine March of 1870. Excerpt: WHEN, a few years ago, the writer of this article found in the French journals an account of a new application of the diamond, namely, for boring rocks, and gave to an American newspaper a translation of it, which went the rounds of the whole press of the United States, the story was disbelieved by many, and was thought absurd and extravagant. It was indeed known that glaziers use diamonds to cut glass, and that engravers on glass and precious stones employ them; but to use diamonds to bore in common rock, instead of the usual large steel punches and drills, was supposed by some to be the height of foolishness.

Yellowcake Towns: Uranium Mining Communities in the American West provides the first detailed analysis of the four mining and milling communities at the center of the twentieth-century unranium booms: Moab, Utah; Grants, New Mexico; Uravan, Colorado; and Jeffrey City, Wyoming.

Thomas Walsh was an Irish Immigrant that had a string of successful business ventures in the American West, culminating in the discovery and operation of the fabulously wealthy Camp Bird mine in the mountains above Ouray, Colorado. The great wealth acquired during and after the sale of the Camp Bird propelled Walsh into the upper echelons of American Society.

Riches to Rust can be thought of as both a historical overview of the development of mining in the West, and a lightweight technical manual for the budding mining historian or industrial archaeologist

California has been the source of more than 106 million troy ounces of gold, the most productive state in the Union. This digitized publication by the California Division of Mines & Geology contains information on approximately 350 gold mining districts.

David Lavender's classic novel of the rich silver strikes between Ouray (Argent) and Silverton (Baker), Colorado is back in print. Based on actual historical events and places (but with a few liberties taken) his fast-moving book details how hero Johnny Ogden builds what is now the Million Dollar Highway to connect Argent with the booming Red Mountain Mining District.

This is part two of a series of articles from the Book "Principal
Gold-Producing Districts of the United States" published by the USGS.

This is part one of a series of articles from the Book "Principal
Gold-Producing Districts of the United States" published by the USGS.

The very activity of Butte is sometimes wearisome. It never ceases. By day and night the tall chimneys at the mills are pouring forth there smoke sand flame; the stress at all hours of thr day and night are filled with moving throngs.

The territory of Montana is in itself an empire. It was given Territorial rights in 1864, and since then has increases rapidly both in wealth and population. Fabulously rich in mines, already having an annual output of nearly $26,000,000, it is famous for it’s vast areas of grazing land and becoming widely known as an agricultural country.