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The most complete guide to Southern Nevada's mining history.


Lookout Mine.  Goodsprings, Nevada.

35°48'11.51"N  115°27'25.38"W
USGS Full Report

Primary Mining: Zinc
Secondary Mining:  Silver, Lead, Gold, Copper

Lookout Mine is located South of Las Vegas, Nevada. Nearest towns are Jean, Nevada,  Goodsprings, Nevada  and Sandy Valley, Nevada. Primary mining in the area included: copper, lead, silver, gold and zinc.

Lookout mine isn't very deep, but is stoped very wide.  Far too wide in some spots as evidenced by the collapses.  This mine seemed to be promising with its many branching adits, but all were shallow and ended abruptly. 

Still, the drive up Table Mountain is worth it just for the views or if you enjoy the trails more than the destinations.  There are a few areas where the lean is more than the comfort level of some, but the trail is mostly safe with the exception of the switch-back heading down and towards the final approach to Lookout Mine.  There is a portion of the trail that has been washed by weather where it's barely wide enough for a narrow vehicle to cross, but should not be attempted.  Crossing will only get you 20 feet closer which is not worth the risk of loss of life or vehicle.

For you mineral and fossil collectors, we've recently located layers of petrified wood throughout this area.  Most were small and hardly worth the effort to remove, but there were some specimens measuring almost two feet across.  The rules for fossil and mineral collection on public lands are as follows:

Only surface collection is permitted.

All rock and mineral collection is limited to 25 lbs/day per person for a total of 250 lbs per year.

Petrified wood may not be traded or sold without a permit issued by the BLM.

Common invertebrate fossil such as plants, mollusks and trilobites may be collected for personal use in resasonable quantities, but may not be sold or bartered.

Vertebrate fossils such as dinosaurs, mammals, fish, reptiles, and uncommon invertebrate fossils may be collected only by trained researchers under special permit.