Mining association June 4-7 marks 20th conference

CREEDE— Any summer day in the high country finds a healthy amount of tourists enjoying Creede, but be prepared for traffic gridlock from Thursday, June 4 to Sunday, June 7, when the Mining History Association holds its 20th annual summer conference here.

The Mining History Association, based in Sedalia in Douglas County, is made up of an army of mining aficionados all across the United States. According to the association’s website, members include independent scholars, laypersons, college and university professors, historians, miners, geologists, retired mining industry personnel, and many others. Its 2008 annual conference was held in Chisholm, Minnesota, which is located in the northeastern corner of the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

Plans for the four-day mining festivities include trips to the Amethyst, Commodore, and King Solomon mines, along with other places of interest along the Bachelor Loop above Creede. For those who just can’t wait for June 4, a pre-conference field trip focusing on the geology of the eastern/central San Juan volcanic field is also being organized for Wednesday, June 3.

The early-June conference will also feature lectures and presentations at Creede’s Underground Mining Museum and South Fork’s Rio Grande Club, and a trip to the Lake City area.