Diamond Queen Mining Company
Article by Claudia Reidhead
The Diamond Queen Mine was established in early 1905, and was a good producer at the time. It was also still working during
the twenties, at a very small level. At this time it was owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Biddlecombe. After the death of Mr. Biddlecombe, Mrs.
Biddlecombe sold the property to Vic Ritter. At this point we lost track of the owners, however, when one of us gets the chance to go to Tonopah
we should be able to uncloud the waters a bit. It was leased to the Monolith Cement Co. during the fifties and sixties. They mined it for the
fluorine and fluorite that was the richest part of the ores there. it is owned by the Saga Mining and Development Company, who are not currently
mining the claims.
This article from the Beatty Bullfrog Miner May 27, 1905 establishes the start of the mine.
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"DIAMOND QUEEN - A Great Mining Property in the Beatty District (later to become the Bullfrog
Mining District) - The following article, written by Mr. E. J. Waugh, is very conservative. Assayers have informed the
editor that some portions of the ledge yield as high as $100.00 per ton.
The Diamond Queen group consisting of five claims owned and being operated by Messrs. T. R.
Kennick, Jas. A. Gillies and E. J. Waugh are situated on Eastern slope of the Bare Range of mountains of about 6 miles
southeasterly of Beatty in a direct line, though it takes about nine miles to reach the property by trail. Running through
the claims lengthwise are two parallel porphyry dykes, the country rock being the lime formation, characteristic of this
part of the district. The lower dyke of porphyry is in the neighborhood of 500 feet wide and is strongly mineralized over
its entire width. For a distance of 900 feet along the length of this dyke the porphyry is stained with fluorine and
fluorspar and fluorine stained water quartz appears throughout the mass.
Small prospect holes have been put down a few feet at the foot and hanging walls and in the
center. Gold can be panned at all these points. It would be unsafe to estimate at the present time as to the average value
of the ore. Assays range from $5.00 to $30.00 across the entire distance and a small chute of talc found on the hanging
wall was considerably richer. The upper dyke of porphyry does not show fluorine and has inclinations the Diamond Queen
Group will constitute a big low grade, free milling purposes. Springs occurring in a canyon about three miles from the
property at present furnish water for men at work on the claims."
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