SILVER LAKE TALC MINES

Ten miles northeast of Silver Lake a two-mile long discontinuous outcrop of talc schist has been mined at six locations. The Amos brothers of Silver Lake, made the first shipment of talc from their mine in 1911. At this time G. E. Gould located claims here as did M. E. Stearns who organized the Western White Talc Company. In 1918 Gould sold two claims to the Robert W. Glendenning of the Pacific Coast Talc Company. The Pacific Coast Talc Company built a mill in Los Angeles. The original shaft, known as the Gould, was sunk at a point high on the most extensive talc exposure. In 1925 the shaft was intersected by the Gould tunnel driven east on the talc-bearing zone. By 1934 additional working had been developed. By 1935 85,000 tons of talc had been produced. The Sierra Talc Company purchased the holdings of Pacific Coast Talc Company in 1941, and by 1953 an additional 90,000 tons of talc had been mined.