There is a cluster of lead mines in the foothills of the Nopah Range, east of Tecopa, CA. Several of these comprise the Noonday Mines. The Noonday is one of several mines in the area which was served by the Tecopa Railroad, including the Columbia Mine and the War Eagle Mine.

The “front” of the Noonday mines is on the western side of the mountain. There is an inclined shaft as well as several adits and stopes. Ore from the mines was dumped into a large bin on the mountainside. From there it was loaded into special ore carts and lowered down a funicular incline to the railroad tracks, where it was then loaded into railroad cars. Ruins of the ore bin and funicular incline remain.

One of the mine tunnels went all the way through to the canyon on the east side of the ridge. The mine’s tram tracks crossed a trestle over the canyon and continued on to the sites of two more mines. I have a separate page for that area, and you can see it here:  The East End of the Noonday Mines

Updated August 2013.

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