🏭 North London Mill

The North London Mill is a gold mill in Park County, Colorado that commenced operations in 1883. In 1874, the first London mine was opened, named for the mountain it burrowed into. The London mines became some of the most productive mines of gold, silver and lead in the area. The North London Mine in the Alma district, Park County, Colorado was in operation in 1874 and was owned by the London Mining Company. Tenants Stamp Mill was built at London Junction around 1877 to process the ore from the Mine. A second stamp mill was constructed at London Junction in 1883, and during the first seven months of operation it produced $124,000 in gold bullion and 240 tons of concentrates, which were shipped to area smelters. The South London Mine, which was opened in 1892, then became the chief producer and during the late 1890s a tunnel was bored to connect the two mines. Between 1895 and 1931 the London Mining Company's gross profits were over $9,000,000. The South London's machinery was sold and it closed in 1944. During World War II, the federal government closed all of Colorado’s gold mines under decree Order L-208, issued by the U.S. War Production Board on October 8, 1942. Gold mining was deemed non-essential to the war as gold wasn’t a strategic metal for military manufacturing. This freed up thousands of skilled miners to work in critical copper and other base metal mines. The closure order was lifted in 1945, but many gold mines never reopened. This was unique in U.S. history as gold mining was the only mining sector ordered completely shut down during the war.