Ah Heng Placer Mine Virtual Site Tour

By the Malheur National Forest
  • Ah Heng Mining Complex A Malheur National Forest Virtual Tour
  • Introduction: Types of Gold Mining
  • Placer Mining Technology
  • Mining Terminology: Features Associated with Placer Mining Found at Big Creek
  • Mining in Oregon Oregon has several gold-bearing areas over different regions
  • Chinese Immigrant Mining Sites
  • Mining at Big Creek; Big Creek is a major, southwest-draining tributary of the Middle Fork of the John Day River in Oregon.
  • Ah Heng Company Mining Lease
  • Ah Heng Co. Mining Complex
  • Waypoint A: Trail Head
  • Waypoint B: Ditches
  • Waypoint C: Tamped Earth Dam
  • Tamped earth dams and reservoirs are indicative of Chinese mining
  • ravity feeds the water and pipes or ditches distribute it.
  • Waypoint D: Overlook
  • Curved wall of wash pit formed using hydraulic nozzles; Tailings
  • Waypoint E: Earlier Mining
  • Waypoint F: Tailings and Walls
  • Walls formed from carefully stacked tailings
  • Tailing piles show the type of mining that occurred.
  • Waypoint G: Placer Cut
  • A short, but very brushy, scramble up the edge of the cut and you are back at your car.
  • Further Information and Other Historic Places of Interest
  • Bibliography, Primary Sources, Sources about Mining, Sources about Immigrant Chinese and Mining
  • Acknowledging contributors to this virtual tour
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Historic Preservation at Battle Rock, Port Orford Oregon
Mining on the Malheur National Forest