Commonwealth Mine
(Joplin)

The Union Mine was the site of the original silver-lead discoveries that lead to the formation of Galena townsite in 1860, but the smelter and mill built at that time failed and the mine was subsequently abandoned, with a small revival toward the end of the 1880s when it was known as the Willow Creek. After the turn of the century, the Nevada Commonwealth Mining & Milling Company took over the old Union Mine and erected a 200-ton gravity concentrating plant in 1906 along the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. In addition to the silver-lead, a quantity of zinc was noted, and a carload of that element was shipped to Kansas in October. A new post office called Joplin was planned to be moved from Washoe City, and plans also called for the plant to be enlarged to 500 tons. Meanwhile, a townsite called Commonwealth was laid out on the opposite side of the railroad tracks. By March 1908, production ceased while construction was undertaken on a new 8-stamp mill and smelter near Reno, powered by a dam on the Truckee River. The mill was completed in February 1909, but it is not known if it was ever operated. The Company saw litigation starting around the same time, and lasting through 1911 during which the mine and facilities were sold off at sheriff's sale.

By 1912, the new Washoe Consolidated Mining Company had overtaken the Commonwealth Mine, and over the next two and a half decades multiple companies worked the property and made some developments and production. The Union Lead Mining & Smelting Company took over in 1939, and between 1943 and 1947 managed to produce some $400,000 in lead, silver, copper, and zinc. The property was idle after 1957, but in the 1970s and 80s was used by the Mackay School of Mines as a training facility for the Mining Engineering Department.

See Also
Galena

Bibliography