Gold mining in Virginia


Most gold mining in Virginia was concentrated in the Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt in a line that runs northeast to southwest through the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, Fauquier, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Orange, Louisa, Fluvanna, Goochland, Cumberland, and Buckingham. Some gold was also mined in Halifax, Floyd, and Patrick counties.

History of Virginia gold mining

The earliest recording of gold mining activity in Virginia began about 1804 as placer mining, followed quickly by lode mining. Mining continued unabated until the onset of the California Gold Rush, at which point most serious speculators moved west. Production continued at a low level until the Civil War, when it virtually ground to a halt.
Near the end of the war, Union troops began a systematic campaign to destroy the economic base of the South. Many gold mines were subsequently damaged beyond repair. Most were, by this time, marginal producers, their ores of such low concentrate as to stretch the limits of the mercury amalgam recovery technology of the day. Many of these mines never reopened.
Other mines did, however, and gold production in Virginia continued until World War II, when, on October 8, 1942, the War Production Board issued Limitation , which branded gold production as a non-essential and directed all but the smallest of gold mines to shut down so their labor force could be used elsewhere to support the war effort.
Economic conditions following the war were such that few miners returned to mining, so only a handful of mines reopened. For all practical purposes, commercial gold production in Virginia ceased after 1948.
At its peak, Virginia was the third largest gold producing state, and the heart of the gold production area was at the junction of Spotsylvania, Culpeper, Greene near Wood Dr., and Orange counties near Wilderness.

Modern era

More than 300 prospects and mines are known to have existed in Virginia, yet very few, if any at all, are commercially active at this time. Amateur and hobby prospecting continues to this day, primarily consisting of individual or small scale placer operations. Many hobbyists simply use a gold pan or a sluice box.

Museums and displays about gold mining

  • Lake Anna State Park contains the remnants of the Goodwin mine and some historical displays. Gold panning is permitted on the park grounds.
  • Monroe Park in Goldvein has a museum about gold mining operations in the area, with some reconstructed buildings and historical artifacts.

    List of gold mines, claims, and prospects

Since most commercial gold activity ceased in the late 1940s, records are scant. This list is not complete.
quadrangles are USGS 7.5 minute quads and the coordinates are UTM.

Mines in Buckingham County

  • Anaconda mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,165,950 E 729,000
  • Anderson mine
  • *Quadrangle: Andersonville
  • *Location:N 4,149,050 E 715,050
  • Apperson mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,160,830 E 724,830
  • Bondurant mine
  • *Quadrangle: Andersonville
  • *Location:N 4,147,630 E 713,180
  • Buckingham mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,158,740 E 723,820
  • Burnett mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,160,010 E 724,400
  • Copal mine
  • *Quadrangle: Andersonville
  • *Location: N 4,147,580 E 715,500
  • Duncan mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,163,050 E 726,150
  • Flood mine
  • *Quadrangle: Andersonville
  • *Location: N 4,146.340 E 712.190
  • Ford mine
  • *Quadrangle: Diana Mills
  • *Location: N 4,174,840 E 730,820
  • Gilliam mine
  • *Quadrangle: Andersonville
  • *Location: N 4,145,400 E 711,420
  • Greelsy mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,162,120 E 730,510
  • Hudgins mine
  • *Quadrangle: Arvonia
  • *Location: N 4,173,530 E 737,360
  • Lightfoot mine
  • *Quadrangle: Diana Mills
  • *Location: N 4,175,860 E 731,370
  • London and Virginia mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,418,860 E 723,980
  • Morrow mine
  • *Quadrangle: Willis Mountain
  • *Location: N 4,152,590 E 721,570
  • Morton mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: N 4,166,920 E 728,800
  • Philadelphia mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location: Near the London and Virginia mine.
  • Rough and Ready mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location:N 4,166,270 E 728,470
  • Seay mine
  • *Quadrangle: Willis Mountain
  • *Location:N 4,152,770 E 721,350
  • Williams mine
  • *Quadrangle: Dillwyn
  • *Location:N 4,158,070 E 723,130
  • Willis Creek mine
  • *Quadrangle: Andersonville
  • *Location:N 4,146,230 E 710,500
  • Mines with insufficient data
  • *Piedmont mine
  • *Walker mine

    Mines in Carroll County

  • Woodlawn mine
  • *Quadrangle: Woodlawn
  • *Location: N 4,063,540 E 515,020

    Mines in Culpeper County

  • Childsburg mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,255,260 E 263,870
  • Cromarty mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,253,500 E 264,790
  • Culpeper mine
  • *Quadrangle: Chancellorsville
  • *Location: N 4,250,700 E 262,790
  • Dry Bottom mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,251,940 E 265,010
  • Eagle mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,251,530 E 263,720
  • Ellis mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,254,840 E 264,930
  • Embrey mine
  • *Quadrangle: Chancellorsville
  • *Location: N 4,250,230 E 263,120
  • Field's mine
  • *Quadrangle: Germanna Bridge
  • *Location: N 4,255,760 E 259,790
  • Greeley Horace mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,251,330 E 263,520
  • Hill mine
  • *Quadrangle: Castleton
  • *Location: N 4,265,890 E 760,320
  • Love mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,251,560 E 263,060
  • Milbank mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: East-northeast of Richardsville, south of the Rappahannock River.
  • Morganna mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,255,490 E 266,300
  • Ricardsville mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: Near Richardsville
  • Rossin's mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,252,260 E 262,600
  • Smith mine
  • *Quadrangle: Chancellorsville
  • *Location: N 4,250,490 E 264,450
  • Urquhart mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,254,490 E 264,450
  • Mines that had insufficient data
  • *Enterprise
  • *Everlasting
  • *'''Pennsylvania'''

    Mines in Cumberland County

  • Dickey, C. S. mine
  • *Quadrangle: Lakeside Village
  • *Location: N 4,175,660 E 751,780

    Mines in Fairfax County

  • Bull Neck mine
  • *Quadrangle: Falls Church
  • *Location: N 4,315,060 E 307,990

    Mines in Fauquier County

  • Bancroft mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,262,340 E 262,680 / N 4,261,490 E 263,260
  • Cool Spring mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,260,180 E 266,920
  • Embrey mine
  • *Quadrangle: Midland
  • *Location: N 4,264,900 E 264,190
  • Emigold mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: Near Goldvein, Va
  • Franklin mine
  • *Quadrangle: Midland
  • *Location: 4,264,710 E 267,970
  • *First mine in the county, opened in 1825.
  • Gamewood mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,261,890
  • Johnston mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,256,800 E 268,140
  • Kelly mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,260,340 E 260,100
  • Kidwell mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,258,130 E 260,830
  • Kirk mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,264,060 E 267,680
  • Liberty mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,259,310 E 266,380
  • Liepold mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,263,940 E 263,970
  • Little Elliot mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,260,450 E 266,450
  • Pine View mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,259,640 E 265,380
  • Pollard mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,261,520 E 261,360
  • Randolph mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,260,940 E 266,210
  • Union mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,258,030 E 265,730
  • Waterman mine
  • *Quadrangle: Midland
  • *Location: N 4,264,470 E 267,570
  • Wykoff mine
  • *Quadrangle: Richardsville
  • *Location: N 4,263,020 E 266,640

    Mines in Floyd County

  • Black Run mine
  • *Quadrangle: Floyd
  • *Location: About northwest of Floyd, in the stream bed of Black run, which empties into Little River, off the northwest side of State Highway 8.
  • Brush Creek mine
  • *Quadrangle: Pilot
  • *Location: N 4,100,810 E 561,200
  • Laurel Creek mine
  • *Quadrangle: Pilot
  • *Location: N 4,097,270 E 560,250
  • McAlexander, Lester mine
  • *Quadrangle: Alum Ridge
  • *Location: About northeast of Alum Ridge, just off the west side of State Road 617 approximately by road north of its intersection with State Highway 8.

    Mines in Fluvanna County

  • Bartlett mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: About north of Columbia on Bartlett Branch, a tributary off the east side of Byrd Creek, approximately northwest of the intersection of Byrd Creek with State Road 605.
  • Bowles mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,194,540 E 755,890
  • Cassell's mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,191,490 E 751,390
  • Cocke mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,188,600 E 751,060
  • Fountain mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,189,630 E 751,990
  • Hughes mine
  • *Quadrangle: Palmyra
  • *Location: N 4,185,510 E 738,510
  • Jennings mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,191,320 E 753,710
  • Marks, Lemuel mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,190,560 E 752,960
  • McGloam mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,193,320 E 754,840
  • Mosby mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,190,110 E 752,590
  • Page mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,192,390 E 743,960
  • *Previous User contribution:
  • Prospect A
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,190,920 E 753,780
  • Prospect B
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,190,420 E 753,680
  • Scotia mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,190,740 E 754,090
  • Scotia mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,191,920 E 754,410
  • Shaw mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,194,260 E 755,130 / N 4,195,130 E 755,150
  • Snead mine
  • *Quadrangle: Palmyra
  • *Location: N 4,184,760 E 741,590
  • Stockton Tunnel mine
  • *Quadrangle: Columbia
  • *Location: N 4,193,840 E 744,450
  • Tellurium mine
  • *Quadrangle: Caledonia
  • *Location: N 4,192,220 E 754,650
  • Mines that had insufficient data
  • *'''Chalk Level'''