14K GOLD DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS

ZALES Mother-Of-Pearl and Onyx Penguin Pendant in Sterling Silver and 14K Gold per pd/nk w/othr ch

per pd/nk w/othr ch. Pique her interest with this precious penguin! Fashioned in sleek sterling silver with a 14K gold beak and feet, this super-sweet, flightless little bird will wriggle his way into her heart. His belly is adorned with a mother-of-pearl inlay, while his tuxedo jacket is bold black onyx. A luxe and lovely look for her, this whimsical penguin is polished to a brilliant shine and suspends from an 18.0-inch box chain that secures with a spring-ring clasp. This item is only available online.

This is a photograph that I took at the abandoned Vulture Mine outside of the town of Wickenburg in Maricopa County, Arizona. In the foreground are the remains of one of the old bunkhouses that served as the living quarters for some of the miners that labored in the depths of the mine for gold and silver. In the background is the Assay building where the processed gold and silver ingots were stored in a below ground vault under heavy security.

The Vulture Mine was the most productive gold and silver mine in Arizona history. During its operation from 1863 until 1942, it produced 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver. However, the mine was plagued by many problems during its history. It was the target of numerous Indian attacks, raids by ruthless highwaymen, and was almost constantly subjected to the hardships related to the lack of a viable water supply. There were also numerous mining fatalities here as well as the hanging of thieves who tried to illegally mine gold (these types of thieves were known as “high graders.”) The mine was equipped with a small jail and a hanging tree to deal with such offenders.

Operations at the mine officially ceased in 1942 per executive order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The miners thought that they would be returning within six months, but operations never resumed. Today, the mine is privately owned and has an eerily quiet presence to it as though everyone simply got up and walked away, leaving everything behind. The owner allows you to tour the grounds, but they inform you that you do so at your own risk because it is a dangerous place. There is still many millions of dollars worth of gold and silver there.

This is a photograph that I took of an old and rusty piece of equipment known as a "jaw crusher" that was left behind at the abandoned Vulture Mine near the town of Wickenburg, Arizona. The "jaw crusher" was used to crush gold and silver bearing ore that was taken from the depths of the mine so that it could be processed into gold and silver ingots.

The Vulture Mine was the most productive gold and silver mine in Arizona history. During its operation from 1863 until 1942, it produced 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver. However, the mine was plagued by many problems during its history. It was the target of numerous Indian attacks, raids by ruthless highwaymen, and was almost constantly subjected to the hardships related to the lack of a viable water supply. There were also numerous mining fatalities here as well as the hanging of thieves who tried to illegally mine gold (these types of thieves were known as “high graders.”) The mine was equipped with a small jail and a hanging tree to deal with such offenders.

Operations at the mine officially ceased in 1942 per executive order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The miners thought that they would be returning within six months, but operations never resumed. Today, the mine is privately owned and has an eerily quiet presence to it as though everyone simply got up and walked away, leaving everything behind. The owner allows you to tour the grounds, but they inform you that you do so at your own risk because it is a dangerous place. There are still many millions of dollars worth of gold and silver there.