| One of the most impressive reminders of the vitality and industry that once thrived in Bullion City is the Bully Boy Mill. Constructed in 1922, the mill received raw ore from the Wedge, Dalton, Great Western, Deseret, Cascade, Shamrock and Morning Star mines. The ruins of the mill measure over 238 feet long and 45 feet wide. The mill was a technological wonder for the time. Ore came to the mill in mine cars which dumped their loads at the top of the building. As ore moved downhill through the mill, it was mechanically ground into sand by crushers and stamps. Water was added to the crushed ore and the slurry mixture was moved to "concentrators" where vibrating machines separated the gold bearing ore from the worthless rock scrap. The final step in milling ore involved passing the concentrated slurry mixture over large copper plates coated with mercury. Mercury is used because it attracts gold like a magnet attracts iron. In 1938, the mill closed because the cost of milling an ounce of gold exceeded the market value for an ounce of gold. Today, the Bully Boy Mill is privately owned by Fehrprop Inc. Please respect their property. DO NOT ENTER THE MILL.
IT IS UNSAFE |
