Ireland

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Ireland Mine. Goodsprings, Nevada.

35°45'42.84"N 115°25'6.02"W
USGS Full Report

Primary Mining: Lead
Secondary Mining: Copper, Zinc

Ireland Mine is located South of Las Vegas, Nevada. Nearest towns are Jean, Nevada, Goodsprings, Nevada and Sandy Valley, Nevada. Primary mining in the area included: copper, lead, silver, gold and zinc.

There are a few open portals and collars, but none had much depth. The deepest portal was less than 50 feet. We didn't rappel into any collar shafts for lack of anchor points and loose rock. Rappelling into them would hold a high risk of rock falling onto us.

There isn't much to see in and around Ireland Mine, but there is something of significance on a hillside in the area. A rock appears to be etched with the year "1870", but I can't be certain since the rock is extremely weathered and split.

What makes this significant is its relation to local history. 1870 predates the town of Goodsprings, Nevada. There were earlier settlers, but Goodsprings became an official township in 1904. The state of Nevada entered the Union in 1864 just six years prior. The United States of America gained its independence in 1776.