Randsburg...

[dutch john]

Howdy all... this information is for those who plan on going to the Randsburg area. I just

found out about it...

The Rand Mountain north and south slopes are posted as being closed to all vehicle

traffic, passinger cars included, driving of the main highways without going to the Ridgecrest BLM

office, reading the rules, signing it, and keeping a copy with your vehicle...

According what I have been informed by "Sandtrap," for the pass you must go to the

BLM office in Ridgecrest and read and sign the pass. It has a map of the off roads

you must have a pass to travel over.

The pass is for the driver of the vehicle... it is not needed for a passenger... This ruling took

place on November 1st...

I write this to let anyone going to the Randsburg area know... At this point I do

not know if anyone haveing a valid BLM claim within the area needs to have a pass. According

to a copy of the map I have, this closure is limited to the Rand Mountain slope in

Kern county... East of 395 is not affected. Also the El Paso range north of the east-west

cutoff that passes near Garlock. As you remember, much of the north slope was posted

closed for seveal years back about 10-years ago to protect the desert tortoise.

Jerry (Sandtrap) has the details... I hope he adds to this post with more information...

Or maybe someone who has access to the BLM website can post this information. My

earthlink is limited... Best to All... Jim Straight...

PS: Okie Jim's Lunker Hill property in northern Nevada has just been sold...

[dutch john]

I just got more information about the closure... I understand it has

been planned over the years in phases....

http:www.blm.gov/ca/st/on/fd/ridgecrest/rand_mountains_ma

I manually posted the link... it may not be correct....

Jim

[~LARGO~]

Hi Jim,

The Okie Jim place has been on the market for a real long time,

I wonder if his widow sold it, or ???

I heard there were some of his kin trying to get in on some of the action,

but then there are always stories about lots of things.

I am curious as to who might have bought it.

Randsburg: I did read a blub about stuff in the wind blowing around from the old mining

operations, potentially making people sick.

~LARGO~

[dutch john]

Largo... yes Patti sold it... All is fine... The blub: arsenic and nitrates and other stuff safe

unless the surface shield is damaged. This goes for mercury, asbestos, diatomaceous earth

and other particulate matter... I have been exposed to much of this stuff for over 78 years.

Now... the rand mountain slope... any updates? this broad area has a rich history in both lode

and placer gold... Can anyone go to the BLM website and post the complete phases

planned by the BLM?

[Uncle Ron]

Here's the link to the rules....Not lookin' too bueno: Click Here

Beginning next year visitors have to take special class and buy a permit....Your govt. in action ... ...Cheers, Unc

[Guest sandtrap]

Go to this site to read full article on Randsburg,Ca,

http://www.thereporter.com/wirenews/ci_11287468

I went in to the BLM office, and got my permit, as I generally hunt in the affected areas..and carry it in my "jeep". Until next year sometime, the map the BLM gives you, is free.. After that, $$$$$.................you sign the map , that you understand the affected areas, someone from BLM signs it also, permitting you to go into the areas by vehicle,.This includes your passengers. you can always walk in, and hope your vehicle is still there when you walk out. Looks like the FEDERALES found another way to get money, as the fine is $1,000, if caught with vehicle in area that is closed.

I have had frequent sitings of BLM rangers on the paved roads, but not yet, on the dirt roads.. It is just a matter of time, I know, before being stopped.

[dutch john]

Thank You Sandtrap and Uncle Ron...

[dutch john]

The Randslope closure is explained by Uncle Rons link. Sandtraps link is about the

arsenic in Red Mountain that is linked to the idle Kelly Silver Mine dumps.

[Guest sandtrap]

Well, I stopped in at RANDSBURG GENERAL STORE today,had breakfast, and a few cups of their getting infamous arsenic coffee.. didn't see any changes in the people there. Still too cold with the ever present wind, to detect, so just enjoyed the company there..

Rich and I , both had an extra cup of "joe", for you Mr. Jim !!

[dutch john]

Howdy... the supposed arsenic in Red Mountain area is related to the Kelly

underground hardrock silver mining. It seems to be surface particulates that

are associated with the dumps... I believe the Randsburg General Store coffee

is safe to drink.

The north and south Rand slope "closure" is a different concern... it is related

to mine shafts, critical vegetation and critters that fly and walk and other

concerns...

The link... <http:www.blm.gov/ca/st/on/fo/ridgecrest/rand_mountain_ma>

which I posted earlier and now post again manually could be posted wrong.

I cannot give the link so as you can directly open it. It is with the BLM website

in Ridgecrest... If you go back to Uncle Ron's earlier post and punch on the

link he gives, you will get an overview of the phases and why... Just go to

uncle rons "click here"

Will someone please get my original post on track about the need for a vehicle

pass? This forum is widely read and the "heads-up" could save a wasted trip. So

far I have saved at least one prospector from making the trip. As far as I know

the members of the BLM Prospecting Assocations with claims on the slopes

have not got the word.

[montana]

Dutch John. I might be a little concerned if I lived at Red Mountain, but you and I both know that there is very little worry about breif visits to the area. Just another example of the Beaurocrats justifying their existance. With all the real problems in the world, we don't need to spend Millions cleaning up and monitering arsenic levels in remote locations like that. Visitors are at no risk, especially if they are coming out to the desert from L.A. where the air is truely toxic. Arsenic isn't all that toxic. The people in Fallon Nevada have been drinking water that is hundreds of times above what the EPA considers safe for over 100 years with no ill effects. Arsenic can be deadly in super concentrated forms, but breif exposure to diluted amounts certainly doesn't merit the alarmist nature of these regulations.----Bob

[Dutchman]

Dutch John. I might be a little concerned if I lived at Red Mountain, but you and I both know that there is very little worry about breif visits to the area. Just another example of the Beaurocrats justifying their existance. With all the real problems in the world, we don't need to spend Millions cleaning up and monitering arsenic levels in remote locations like that. Visitors are at no risk, especially if they are coming out to the desert from L.A. where the air is truely toxic. Arsenic isn't all that toxic. The people in Fallon Nevada have been drinking water that is hundreds of times above what the EPA considers safe for over 100 years with no ill effects. Arsenic can be deadly in super concentrated forms, but breif exposure to diluted amounts certainly doesn't merit the alarmist nature of these regulations.----Bob

Montana

I am no environmental alarmist, but do think that there is a significant health concern in Fallon Nevada. I have a good college buddy that lives there and talks about the cancer cluster that is around there. Arsenic may or maynot be the culprit since there are other environmental hazards as well. A study has been undertaken and it may take years to know the truth.

Here is a link if interested in more info.

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/Fallon/default.htm

[montana]

Dutchman. It's been argued for years, but there are also high selinium levels in the area and the town is surrounded with farmland with it's crop dusting and agricultural chemicals. Fallon sits on a dry lake bed with no outlets(Carson Sink). Every bit of water that enters the Carson sink evaporates there and leaves the natural and manmade chemicals in ever growing concentrations in the soil. It would be hard to blame arsenic as the culprit with all the other possibilities. The point I was trying to make is that a visitor to the Randsburg area is in no danger from those minerals in the mine dumps, but the Blm is making a big issue of the presence of arsenic in the tailings. It's just more propoganda from the anti- mining groups and people with hidden agendas within our government agencies. The people who live in Randsburg are probably wondering when the EPA will have their town condemned and they will be getting their eviction notices. They probably wish that they could just be left alone to breath a little arsenic dust . I would bet that almost none of them wants anything done about it. By the way , Fallon has been one of the fastest growing small cities in the country. All those people moving there don't appear to be too worried and the longtime residents aren't going anywhere. I love the area myself and had many fun days duck hunting in the marshes in my younger years. We can't let the government get too involved in where we go and what we do for fun. I'll chance a little arsenic while prospecting or driving around a mining area, and I resent the government sticking their nose in. We know where this is heading. Believe me , they aren't worried about our health.----Bob

[DigDeep]

I was there on Saturday, Randsburg and El Pasos. I think the biggest danger there is the damn refrigerators and other trash I just about run into when going over a hill and into washes. I came close to stuffing a piece of a washing machine into my oil pan.

[El Dorado]

Montana

I am no environmental alarmist, but do think that there is a significant health concern in Fallon Nevada. I have a good college buddy that lives there and talks about the cancer cluster that is around there. Arsenic may or maynot be the culprit since there are other environmental hazards as well. A study has been undertaken and it may take years to know the truth.

Here is a link if interested in more info.

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/Fallon/default.htm

Do not know if anyone realizes that Fallon was also a nuclear test site in the 50's Also if the road closure mentioned effects anyones access to a claim, please contact Jerry Hobbs @ www.plp2.org

[montana]

Digdeep. As I Mentioned on the AZO forum, cleaning up all the junk cars and appliances would improve the area much more than trying to clean up the mine dumps, and would cost a lot less. Might even generate some cash for salvage and improve property values. That would be welcomed by the residents and the visitors.----Bob

[dutch john]

Dig Deep... Good post: if everyone would just drive reasonable and stick to the marked trails

there would be less problems with the governmental restrictions... I'm glad you did

not punch your oil pan as the spilt oil would have cost the taxpayers $$$ to cleanup (GRIN).

Also, if you were in Randsburg on Saturday, and happened to drive off the main highway,

over the hills and into washes (?), you may have needed a driver (vehicle) pass?

Montana... as far as arsenic... it is found native. also realgar and orpiment were

used by the Native Americans to paint their faces. It is not only associated with the mining

of gold and silver but with the copper mines. It forms three classes of compounds;

the arsenides, sulfarsenides and arsenates and the number of minerals that contain

arsenic are considerable... (Pg. 390 in my Dana's manual of minerology, 15th ed. 1941)

1941... yep I'm an oldtimer... used mercury and asbestos and painted houses for

extra money with Acme White Lead...Burned ceosote-laced RR-ties for heat,

and cleaned with carbon tetrachloride. And washed off grease and oil with leaded gasoline.

And now I have found out that the water I have been drinking out of my tap is

contaminated.

Moreover, off the subject: Likely the dust in most back yards may test for nitrates...

and during the 1950's there were atomic bomb testing with fallout through most of the

great basin..

You mention duck hunting in the marshes... well metallic arsenic was used in some alloys,

particularily with lead shot metal.

Gosh everyone... we now live in a contaminated world, so be careful out there...

And I hope Ya' All had a Merry Christmas... And may 2009 find you with a panful of yellow

nuggets that clunks in the pan...

[sawmill]

You don't suppose that the big arsenic scare isn't a diversion from

the radiation that caused the cancer clusters?

The miners that left the arsenic are long gone. The folks that dumped

the radiation are still here.

Dust carries radiation too. Kinda funny they didn't get too alarmed over

that,and now make such a big deal out of the arsenic.

Heck maybe a little arsenic will take the edge off the radiation poisoning.

If you already glow in the dark,peeing green shouldn't bug you.