Mike Higbee's Prospectors Cache

Lancaster County South Carolina

by Tom Ashworth

The Haile Mine in Southern Lancaster County is the largest gold mine in all the southeastern states .

MINES:

Belk Mine - was productive between 1830 - 40.

Blackmon Gold Mine - has gold associated with pyrite .

Brassington Mine - was an old lode gold mine.

Clyburn (Cay) Mine - is located on the southwest extension of the Haile mine.

Funderburk Mine - was worked in 1897 and again

Hagin Mine - was a substantial pyrite vein with small amount of gold production.

Haile Mine - is credited with most of the total production in the county between 1829 and 1942 . The mine produced approximately 280,080 ounces of lode gold. This mine is the largest gold mine in all the southeastern states. The mine was opened in 1829 and closed in 1942. It is been opened again in the past few years using modern cyanide techniques. In all area streams surrounding the mine there is placer gold. This mine is located 1/2 mile north of the junction of Routes 86 and 167.

Check out these photographs of the Haile Mine!

Reported By: Little John

Ingram Mine - was an old lode mine.

Izell (Ezell?) Mine - produced fine cabinet ore specimens, but it was not worked after 1850s .

Johnson (Strand) Mine - was following a gold vein in quartz. 1855 It was abandoned in Knight's Prospect - was a small producer in the 1850s.

Phiffer Mine - was an old lode mine.

Stevens Mine - it was productive in 1840s . It has been said that on the dumps there is pannable gold.

Stroud Mine - was a small mine

SUGGESTED PROSPECTING AREAS:

Flat Creek - is a tributary of the Lynches River and is said to have gold nuggets and colors.

Lynches River - may prove to be productive.