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Osceola, most famous of the White Pine County gold producers, was probably the longest-lived placer camp in Nevada. The gold-bearing quartz belt found in 1872 was 12 miles long by seven miles wide. Placer gold was found in 1877 in a deep ravine indenting the area. Miners first used the simple process of the common "49" rocker. Hydraulic monitors later were used to mine the gold from the 10 feet- to 200 feet-thick gravel beds. One gold nugget found was valued at $6,000. Osceola was a good business town because of its location near the cattle and grain ranches and gardens in the Spring and Snake Valleys. Famous district mines were: The Cumberland, Osceola, Crescent and Eagle, Verde, Stem-Winder, Guilded Age, Grandfather Snide, Red Monster and The Saturday Night. The camp produced nearly $5 million, primarily in gold, with some silver, lead and tungsten. Intermittent mining continues.
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