Penelas
Silverino Penelas, a naturalized Spaniard, came to the Bruner district in 1913. For nearly twenty years he lived in poverty, and worked his mines by candlelight and without ventilation. Following his 1931 death by pneumonia (contracted due to his poor mining conditions), it was discovered that Penelas had hoarded nearly $100,000 from his mine.
Not surprisingly, major activity began shortly thereafter. The Nevada Porphyry Gold Mines, Inc, headed by Louis D. Gordon, acquired the mine in 1931 and organized the Penelas Mining Company. By October 1935, an attractive camp of about 30 buildings had sprung up, and in 1936 a 50-ton cyanide mill began operating. Penelas would gain the reputation of Nevada's most modern mining camp and its mill was known as one of the state's most efficient. At its peak, Penelas had a population of seventy.
In 1940, the mill closed and most of the residents left. The mine closed in 1942, and the camp was completely abandoned. The Penelas mine produced close to $900,000, making it the most productive property in the Bruner district. The mill was dismantled in 1942 and all the camp's buildings were moved to other locations, including Gabbs.
