38.608056, -117.892222

The Olympic Mines Company built this seventy ton cyanide mill way back in 1917 after gold was discovered in the area two years before. It burned down and was rebuilt as an 80 ton mill in 1919, where it produced refined ore until 1921. Mining continued on a lesser basis on individual claims for another 20 years or so, even after an earthquake caused the mine workings to collapse. (Paher)

The Royal George group of nine claims was located in 1915 by James P. Nelson. The property was sold shortly after to San Francisco interests that organized the Olympic MInes Co. Omco is an abbreaviation of the name of this company. The Olympic Mines Co. erected a 70-ton cyanide mill in 1917. This mill burned down in 1919 and another of 80 tons capacity was built in 1920, which was closed in 1921. The mine has been operated at various times by lessees, and in 1929 it was sold at a tax sale. On December 20, 1932, the mine workings were caved in by a severe earthquake that occurred in this vicinity. In 1936, the mine and mill were being rehabilitated by .H. Simpson and associates of Simon. Production, principally by the Olympic Mines Co., has been about $700,000, princeipally in gold. The Omco mine is developed by a shaft 225 deep, inclined 43 degrees. Total lateral worksings comprise about 3,000 feet. The Omco mill equipment includes a Hendy crusher, Hendy tube mill, Hendy ball mill, a Door duplex drag classifier, two 12 x 14' Oliver filters, two Door agitation tanks, three Door thickener tanks, pumps, refinery, and other cyaniding equipment. An extract of 93 percent is reported to have been made in milling. The mine and mill are served with power by a branch transmission line from Simon. In 1936 a 2 inch diameter pipe 4 miles long was laid to carry water from the collar of the Simon shaft to Omco by gravity.
-W.O. Vanderberg, DISTRICT REPORT; PROPERTY REPORTS; PRODUCTION; GEOLOGY; ASSAYS; USBM IC 6941 1937

This description lays out the specific time periods of activity for Omco and the Olympic Mine

HISTORY
DISCOVERY (1915)
The Olympic ore shoot was discovered in May of 1915 by the careful prospecting of James P. Nelson, who had located the Royal George lode mining claims over the showings six months earlier (Siebert, 1917). During the excitement in central Nevada following the discovery of Tonopah and Goldfield, the ground at Olympic had been located several times before, but the rights had been allowed to lapse. After doing initial development work underground on the ore shoot, Nelson optioned the claims to Fred J. Siebert, Goldfield mining engineer and promoter.
OLYMPIC MINES COMPANY(1917-1921)
Siebert formed the Olympic Mines Company, which was mainly financed by San Franciscans Andrew Carrigan, E. G. McConnell, and G. J. Panario. The mine was developed in 1916 and a 65 mtpd counter current decantation cyanide plant put into operation in 1917. The mill burned down in 1919 and was replaced by a slightly larger one of similar design in 1920. The mine was shut down in 1921 when the ore was worked out. During the period of Olympic Mines Company operation, a few shipments of high grade ore were sent to smelter.
LEASERS (1921-1942)
During the 1920's Olympic Mines Company attempted to interest an established mining company in taking over the property. Nothing came of this, for it was essentially an exploration proposition. A number of reports by mining experts such as Hershey, Fredrickson, Fred Searles Jr., Simpkins, Clark, and Grant were written 1916-1921. They focused on the possibility of finding the offset vein, which had been lost on a fault. Little exploration was done at the time, except for crosscutting into hanging and foot wall with the idea of finding an entirely new vein. Recent geologic work indicates that the heading in the foot wall on the 200 level may have gone into Tertiary lake beds where they are downthrown on a post-ore fault. The crosscut into the hanging wall on the 150 level was apparently stopped just short of a separate vein which has been mapped on the surface. The property was given over to a series of leasers until 1929, when it was sold at tax sale by Mineral County. From 1929 to early 1942 leasers continued to rob pillars, draw fill from old stopes, and mine low grade left by early operators. An unknown but apparently considerable amount of dead work was done underground at this time. These workings are not shown on any of the maps which have been found to date. Contemporary accounts indicate that leasing was profitable neither for owner nor for leaser. The underground workings were damaged slightly and the mill was badly damaged during an intense earthquake on 20 December 1932 (Gianella and Callaghan, 1934, p. 370). During the 1930's and likely again on later occasions, cloudbursts washed surface debris into the mine through raises where dirt had been passed underground for use as stope fill. At the outbreak of World War II the workings were described as requiring major rehabilitation if underground exploration was to be done. The main shaft and raises to the surface are now caved, no entry underground has been made for 20 years or more. Inactive Years (1942-1979) There is no record of significant exploration, development, or production at Olympic during the period 1942-1979. The mine could not have operated during World War II under the constraints of War Production Board limiting order LP-208. Constant inflation of operating costs in the postwar period made gold mining ever less attractive under the fixed U.S. Government $35 gold price.
INACTIVE YEARS (1942-1979)
There is no record of significant exploration, development, or production at Olympic during the period of 1942-1979.
There has been s little poking around by mining companies since then, but no development or production.
-Geologic Report on the Olympic Gold Mine, Bell Mining District, September 15, 1988 by Anthony Payne

Development in the area begins.

On the Royal Gorge group owned by Nelson and associates, ore carrying up to $140 in gold and five ounces silver have been taken out of a 40 foot ledge. Even the dirt about the place pans good values.
-Goldfield News and Weekly Tribune, June 19, 1915

The United States has entered World War 1. By the end of World War 2, almost one-third of the U.S. was either a donor to the Red Cross or serving as a volunteer. Omco was proud of its contributions.

GOOD RED CROSS RECORD
Omco, 20 miles east of Mina, in Mineral county, has a Red Cross membership of 51, or 100 per cent of the population. Included in the membership are three Chinese cooks. Monthly subscriptions to the Red Cross amount to $156.50 [$3,271.00 in 2022 dollars]
-Goldfield News and Weekly Tribune, April 6, 1918

Even the cook was behind the American war effort.

SAVE SOME SUGAR SAYS CHINESE COOK
A home made poster covering half of the dining room door of the boarding house at Omco in Mineral county tells the miners in some peculiar sentences what the food administration wants them to do and why they get only two pounds of sugar a month. The Chinese cook designed the poster and, according to a letter received by the food administration from Fred J. Siebert, manager of the mine, he is very proud of it. Siebert supplied the food administrator with a picture of the poster. The wording follows:
SAVE SOME SUGAR
Please every person must to help
The government to win this war.
Please do not against government.
Every person two pounds sugar per month.
We want to win this war.
Use some more syrup.
United States Food Administration.
-Reno Evening Gazette, September 11, 1918

The United States Food Administration (1917–1920) was a Federal agency that controlled the production, distribution and conservation of food in the U.S. during World War I. It was established to prevent monopolies and hoarding, and to maintain government control of foods through voluntary agreements and licensing.

Back then, they really didn't care for people who didn't or wouldn't serve in the military.

A Deserter
Carl Umback, alias W. W. Ward, was arrested by sheriff Balzar and deputy sheriff Hamill Wednesday at Omco, where he has been employed as master mechanic at the Siebert mines. Umback is a deserter from Camp Funston, Kansas, and when he deserted he forgot to leave the funds of the Commissary department behind. It is said that he has acknowledged that he is a deserter. He will be taken before the proper tribunal for trial.
-Walker Lake Bulletin, August 10, 1918

Meanwhile, gold had to be dug!

Twenty-five miles east of Mina, at the camp of Omco, a property operated by Fred Siebert and associates is treating approximately 100 tons daily of gold ore and this operation is said to be yielding good results.
-Reno Evening Gazette, October 8, 1918

And men had to be fed!

WANTED-- Help for the kitchen in mining camp boarding house. Write for particulars. Boarding House, Omco, Nevada (Omco is near Mina)
-Reno Evening Gazette, December 7, 1918

A liberty bond (or liberty loan) was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the Allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financial securities to many citizens for the first time. The Victory Loan of 1919 was a bond issue intended to help pay World War I costs. The citizens of Omco seemed to be happy participants.

Nearly every community in the state will receive an honor flag and some may be awarded higher honors for oversubscription. The little town of Omco in Mineral county lays claim to the state record having subscribed 235 percent of her quota.
-Reno Evening Gazette, May 20, 1919

The Discoverer returns for a visit!

J.P. Nelson, discoverer of the Olympic Mine at Omco in Mineral county is visiting Tonopah for the first time since 1908. He makes his home at Salt Lake.
-Tonopah Daily Bonanza, July 21, 1919

We're still mining, but the end is near.

SIMON DISTRICT GOLD BELT IS ATTRACTING ATTENTION
MINA, Nev.
Although the silver-lead belt of the Simon district has been occupying the spot-light in this region for some time, with the interest therein daily increasing, the great expanse of gold-bearing porphyry contiguous thereto, extending westerly for a few miles but lying mainly in a northerly and northeasterly direction, is now claiming lively attention on the part of big mining men and gives evidence that within the near future it will rank very high in the gold-producing activities of the state. That the district "has the goods" is shown by the splendid results that have been achieved during the past three years by the Olympic Mining company on its property which is located about four miles north of the Simon silver-lead mine, and from which a production of upward of one million dollars has been made. This was originally known as the Siebert-Nelson property, former Governor Tasker L.. Oddie also being interested with them. It was incorporated as the Olympic Mining company, with a number of San Francisco capitalists becoming identified with it. The present officers and directors are: D. E. G. McConnell of San Francisco, president; A. E. Scarbaro of San Francisco, vice-president; Fred J. Siebert, general manager; R. J. Bonnemort, assistant general manager; Andrew Carrigan of San Francisco, additional director. Besides its other extensive surface equipment, the property is equipped with a 75-ton cyanide plant, and quite a village of substantial buildings has grown up, with a postoffice known as Omco, signifying Olympic Mining company. This property is about 26 miles northeast of Mina, and reached by good auto roads. The main Olympic vein is an east-west fissure which dips strongly to the south, the values being carried in a white sugary quartz which ranges from two to seven feet or more in width. The average value of most of the ore is said to run about $15 per ton, two-thirds of the value being gold and one-third silver. Quite extensive bodies of ore carrying much better values are frequently encountered, such an occurrence being recently reported on the west side of a fault that made its appearance in the westerly drift on the 200-foot level. Development consists of a 200-foot incline shaft, with levels at 100, 150 and 200 feet, the total drifting amounting to about 2000 feet. The principal production is now coming from between the 200 and 150-foot levels. From 65 to 75 tons daily are being handled at the mill, which is located close to the shaft. Construction on the mill was begun in 1915 and the plant was placed in operation early in 1916. Power is supplied by a big compound Diesel engine, and the milling process consists of a Blake crusher, ball mill for fine grinding. with accessory tube mills if their use is desired, cyanide tanks, Oliver filter, etc. About 70 men are employed in mine and mill, and the operations of the company have proven highly satisfactory. The affairs of the !company are conducted as a close corporation. -Goldfield News and Weekly Review, August 16, 1919

That was a close call.

HIS CLOTHES TORN FROM HIS BODY ON SHAFTING
Special to the Gazette MINA, Oct. 1. -With every stitch of clothing stripped from his body, G. W. Pearl, an oiler employed in the mill of the Olympic Mines Company at Omco, was picked up from the floor of the mill by fellow employes and found to have suffered no serious injuries despite the fact that he was whirled around a rapidly moving shafting several times. Pearl was oiling the line shafting in the mill when his clothing was entangled in a setscrew on the .shafting. The clothing held fast for a few second:, and he was pulled onto the shafting and whirled .around. How many times he went around he could not tell, but when his clothes finally gave way he was shot to the floor of the mill and had nothing on but his shoes. He has a few bruises to show for his experience.
-Reno Evening Gazette, October 1, 1919

As usual, a fire doesn't help at all, especially now.

BIG OLYMPIC MILL AT OMCO BURNED;
DESTRUCTION IS TOTAL
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Fire Starts on Night Shift And Oil Storage Tank Is Still in Flames Today
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Surrounding Buildings Saved; Plant Cost $70.000: Large Projects Are Held Up
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Special to the Gazette
MINA. Nev. Fire in the mill of the Olympic Mine Company at Omco. Mineral county, twenty-five miles from Mina completely destroyed the building and contents last night. The fire was discovered by a man on the night shift in the mill, who saw !flames arising from engineroom floor. He gave the alarm and turned the hose on the flames, but without avail, as the oil-soaked flooring and timbers burned fiercely. Cost $70,000 The one hundred-ton mill was built in 1916, at a cost of $70,000. It was of heavy timber frame, covered with corrugated iron sheeting. The power was furnished by a heavy duty Diesel engine and the mill was equipped with ball and tube mills, crusher, cyanide tanks. All is a total loss. At nine this morning the oil storage tank was still burning. The surrounding buildings were saved. The property was owned and operated by the Olympic Mines Company.
Fire Spoils Projects
Dr. E. G. McConnell. of San Francisco, is president of the company; Andrew Carrigan, of the Durham Carrigan-Hayden Company is vice-president. J. Siebert of Reno is general manager, and R. J. Bonnemort, superintendent. The fire occurred at a most inopportune time. as arrangements had just been concluded to treat ore from the Loo mine and a new vein of high-grade has been opened in the Olympic. The only theory as to the origin of the fire at present is that it was due to spontaneous combustion.
--Reno Evening Gazette, November 22, 1919

But we will rebuild!

OMCO MILL TO BE REBUILT
The Omco mill of the Olympic Mines Company, which was destroyed by fire a few weeks ago, will be rebuilt net springs, according to J. E. Greenan, of the Mina Commercial Club, who is in Reno today. Officers of the company have been on the ground and have announced that they intend to rebuild the plant. The mine is retaining the same regular number of miners and is producing ore regularly. The new mill will be of one hundred tons capacity the same as before and will be located on the old site. Insurance carried on the mill amounted to $60,000.
-Yerington Times, January 3, 1920

OMCO
Olympic Mines Company to start construction on a forty-five ton cyanide mill.
-The Silver State, April 29, 1920

We know that gold is here somewhere.... but where?

U.S. Geologist Reports on Omco
In a bulletin recently published by the United States geological survey, the geology of the Omco and Simon mining districts in Mineral county is discussed by Alfred Knopf. Knopf's report on the Omco district discusses the fault at the Olympic mine and in his conclusion he states that the movement was probably in the opposite direction from what it had been previously supposed. The Olympic mine has yielded $700,000 in gold in the past six years, but the vein ended in a fault. The owners have been unsuccessful in picking it up again. If Knopf's conclusion is acted upon it will call for an entire change in the plan of operations to pick up the lost vein.
-Reno Evening Gazette, February 6, 1922

At this point, the Olympic Mine Co. was effectively out of the mining business and the mine was leased out, but Omco died.

A litle production was obtained from leasers, but nothing really serious.

LEASER SHIPS FROM OMCO MINE,
HAWTHORNE, Nev.. Oct. 25. (Special)—Trucks of the Chappell Transportation Company of Mina were engaged over the weekend hauling a shipment of gold ore from the Omco mine east of Mina to the Dayton Consolidated custom mill at Silver City. The shipment ran about thirty tons and was from the lease being operated on the Omco by Bill Myers and his son. A veteran miner of the Omco-Simon district. Myers, with the assistance of his son, has been successfully leasing on the Omco. known also as the Olympic mine, for several months past.
-Reno Evening Gazette, October 25, 1939

Omco is an interesting site for us chiefly because we discovered a couple of things we'd never seen before- empty cans of cyanide, for one- and a giant, fabric-covered wheel, the use of which is a mystery to us at present. Lots of debris including corrugated metal, barrel hoops, and the usual cans and glass.

First, we asked the University of Nevada just what the hell this big wheel was, and they submitted a guess, but when we visited Camp Douglas we found one in its entirety, and a miner who explained to us just what an Oliver Filter was and how it worked.

There are many ruins in this area and plenty to explore. We suggest combining your visit with one to nearby Simon.