Greenwood Gold Mine, Independent Hill, Virginia
Encyclopedia
The Greenwood gold mine operated in Prince William County, Virginia, United States, near the town of Independent Hill
for a few years before closing in 1885. It was one of two known gold mines in Prince William County, the other being the Crawford placer prospect on Neabsco Creek
, near I-95
, though small amounts of gold were occasionally found at the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine in nearby Dumfries
.
The Greenwood site was situated at the head of the North branch of Quantico Creek
on what is now part of Prince William Forest Park
near the intersection of Aden and Bristow Roads in the far northwestern area of the park. The site is situated along the Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt, which runs from northeast to southwest primarily through the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Buckingham, Culpepper, Cumberland, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Goochland, Halifax, Louisa, Orange, and Patrick.
Mining operations consisted of at least one shaft, a stamp mill
, and some form of mercury
amalgamation
recovery. The mine was a significant source of mercury pollution on Quantico Creek, and has since undergone complete reclamation including the sealing of mine shaft(s), soil removal and/or decontamination, and removal of obvious tailings.
As of 2010, the only visible evidence of the mine are a few depressions in the soil. No structures or equipment remain. The National Park Service
charges a $5 fee for entry into the park and does not allow collecting of rocks or minerals.
Independent Hill, Virginia
Independent Hill is an unincorporated town in Prince William County, Virginia. It is located along State Route 234 at the intersection with Joplin Road. The only visible remaining businesses seem to be Samsky's Market and Crosby's Crab Company. In early 2006, a realignment of 234 bypassed the...
for a few years before closing in 1885. It was one of two known gold mines in Prince William County, the other being the Crawford placer prospect on Neabsco Creek
Neabsco Creek
Neabsco Creek is a tributary of the lower tidal segment of the Potomac River in eastern Prince William County, Virginia. The Neabsco Creek watershed covers about...
, near I-95
Interstate 95 in Virginia
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...
, though small amounts of gold were occasionally found at the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine in nearby Dumfries
Dumfries, Virginia
Dumfries is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,937 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dumfries is located at ....
.
The Greenwood site was situated at the head of the North branch of Quantico Creek
Quantico Creek
Quantico Creek is a tidal tributary of the Potomac River in eastern Prince William County, Virginia. Quantico Creek rises southeast of Independent Hill, flows through Prince William Forest Park and Dumfries and empties into the Potomac at Possum Point....
on what is now part of Prince William Forest Park
Prince William Forest Park
Prince William Forest Park was established as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area in 1936 and is located in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, adjacent to the Marine Corps Base Quantico. The park is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region at...
near the intersection of Aden and Bristow Roads in the far northwestern area of the park. The site is situated along the Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt, which runs from northeast to southwest primarily through the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Buckingham, Culpepper, Cumberland, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Goochland, Halifax, Louisa, Orange, and Patrick.
Mining operations consisted of at least one shaft, a stamp mill
Stamp mill
A stamp mill is a type of mill machine that crushes material by pounding rather than grinding, either for further processing or for extraction of metallic ores. Breaking material down is a type of unit operation....
, and some form of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
amalgamation
Amalgam (chemistry)
An amalgam is a substance formed by the reaction of mercury with another metal. Almost all metals can form amalgams with mercury, notable exceptions being iron and platinum. Silver-mercury amalgams are important in dentistry, and gold-mercury amalgam is used in the extraction of gold from ore.The...
recovery. The mine was a significant source of mercury pollution on Quantico Creek, and has since undergone complete reclamation including the sealing of mine shaft(s), soil removal and/or decontamination, and removal of obvious tailings.
As of 2010, the only visible evidence of the mine are a few depressions in the soil. No structures or equipment remain. The National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
charges a $5 fee for entry into the park and does not allow collecting of rocks or minerals.