Historical Timeline
1860s
Early reports of mineralization and occasional prospecting activity in the Resting Springs Range and southern Amargosa area.
1877
William D. and Robert D. Brown discover the Noonday and Gunsight mines, uncovering high-grade silver-lead ore that draws attention to the Resting Springs Mining District.
1878
Jonas Osborne incorporated the Los Angeles Mining and Smelting Company after acquiring claims, including the Noonday and Gunsight mines. Backed by Los Angeles investors, he builds a smelter and begins ore processing in the Tecopa region.
1880s
Borate minerals, including colemanite and ulexite, are identified in the Amargosa region, setting the stage for major borax mining ventures.
1904
F.M. “Borax” Smith incorporates the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad (T&T) to connect the borate fields of southeastern California and Nevada with transcontinental rail networks at Ludlow, CA.
1905
Development begins at the Lila C. Mine in the Amargosa Desert, a major source of colemanite. The mine becomes central to Smith’s borax empire.
1906
The Biddy McCarthy Mine is located east of Tecopa, initially developed for silver and lead, but later became known for its production of talc.
1907
The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad reaches Tecopa and Death Valley Junction, revolutionizing freight and passenger access in the remote desert mining district.
1909
The Tecopa Railroad Company is incorporated to build a short-line spur connecting the Noonday mines to the T&T at Death Valley Junction.
1910
The Tecopa Railroad begins ore haulage, efficiently moving silver-lead ore from the mines around Tecopa to the main T&T line for shipment to smelters.
1916
First talc claims are filed in the Southern Amargosa Range, particularly in the Ibex Hills and Eagle Mountain area. The region begins shifting toward talc production.
1918
Ore haulage declines on the Tecopa Railroad as major silver-lead mines begin to play out. Following postwar economic shifts and reduced output, the railroad entered a period of gradual decline, although it remained in limited use into the 1920s.
1920s
The Biddy McCarthy Mine reaches peak production as a talc operation. With silver and lead in decline, talc becomes the district’s primary mineral commodity.
1930s
U.S. Gypsum and other firms expand talc mining near Tecopa. Industrial demand for talc supports continued use of legacy mining infrastructure and revitalizes some sites.
1938
The Tecopa Railroad is dismantled. With mining activity diminished and trucking on the rise, the short line is no longer economically viable. Its removal marks the end of an era in desert mining logistics.