Ultimate Private Viewspot of Area 51, page

I found this link on another website. Numerous shots of "Groom Lake Mine", including Groom Lake and Area 51 in the backround:
outdoors.webshots.com...

I found this snippet from Campbell's now defunct website:
"Groom Mine -- Mine at the south end of the Groom Range and directly overlooking the base at Groom Lake. Although surrounded on all sides by newly withdrawn lands of the Nellis Range, the mine is still privately owned. The mine is not active, however, and the owners rarely go there. (They are supposed to give notice to the Air Force when they do.) The Sheahan family, who once worked the mine and still own part of it, suffered devastating health effects from above ground atomic testing in the 1950s."

I believe this site is located here, on GE. Although the site is located on the NORTH side of Groom Lake, contrary to the above:
37°20'24.18"N, 115°46'7.18"W

Obviously they have a functional cabin, with power, etc. And the fact that they have numerous pictures, including the base in the background in a number of shots, means it doesn't look like they have security restrictions imposed on them by the base. Unless they have broken rules by posting these pictures on a public website.





Which leads me to a number of questions:
1) What are the steps they need to do to gain access to this site?
2) What restrictions, if any, are imposed on them while in the restricted area? Certain hours? No closeup pictures of the base, or anything related to the base?
3) Will they be my friends, and can I bring some photographic equipment?
4) Maybe gariac can chime on this, perhaps he has more info?


[edit on 15-8-2010 by FosterVS]

[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

According to this source, the mine you highlighted is the Black Metal Mine. Groom Mine is a few thousand feet north of Black Metal Mine.

it has to be a pain to get access to the mine.


Great find OP, S&F for you.

Originally posted by sporkmonster
According to this source, the mine you highlighted is the Black Metal Mine. Groom Mine is a few thousand feet north of Black Metal Mine.

it has to be a pain to get access to the mine.

Great find OP, S&F for you.

Regardless.... I am certain the coordinates I posted is the site in the pictures. It is fairly obvious comparing:

The point is.... this site has an unobstructed view of the base, from 7-8 miles away. Versus the only other spot, Tikaboo Peak, which is about 26 miles away.

I would love to know the circumstances of who, when, how this site is accessible. I, for one, would fork out some big cash to get a good picture of the base, vs a grainy, hazy panorama from Tikaboo Peak.


[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

Originally posted by FosterVS

Originally posted by sporkmonster
According to this source, the mine you highlighted is the Black Metal Mine. Groom Mine is a few thousand feet north of Black Metal Mine.

it has to be a pain to get access to the mine.

Great find OP, S&F for you.

Regardless.... I am certain the coordinates I posted is the site in the pictures. It is fairly obvious comparing:

The point is.... this site has an unobstructed view of the base, from 7-8 miles away. Versus the only other spot, Tikaboo Peak, which is about 26 miles away.

I would love to know the circumstances of who, when, how this site is accessible. I, for one, would fork out some big cash to get a good picture of the base, vs a grainy, hazy panorama from Tikaboo Peak.


[edit on 16-8-2010 by FosterVS]

I would guess the process for getting to the mine involves lots of begging pleading and a case of punch whiskey to the guards

The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology's 1977 Groom Mining District Summary Report
says, in part:

The Groom mining district is located in the southwestern Groom Range. The district is centered around the one major mine, the Groom Mine in Y7S, R55E about 5 miles north of Groom Lake. While the district is not officially included within the limits of the Nellis Air Force Bombing and Gunnery Range, the Air Force has essentially taken the area and all non-military access is restricted.
[...]
Since the Air Force is restricting access to the Groom range, we were not able to conduct any field examinations in this area. We contacted Air Force Security and made a request to visit the area but it was denied. We were told we could not gain admission to this sensitive area "anytime in the foreseeable future".

And this 1964 Scouting Report for the Groom Mining District says, in part:

The Groom District has been engulfed in the Air Force Gunnery Range -- probably several years back. The Groom Mine, and perhaps other mines, plus the airstrip belonging to the Groom, are still held as valid mining claims by one Dan Sheahan, but being within the restricted area, presumably call for security clearance to get in to visit them. I am quite certain that there is zero chance of being able to locate further claims in the district; too bad, as it looked like a pretty fair shot for mineralization in an extensive pediment south of the Groom Mine outcrop area.

The district can be considered completely dead -- because of government withdrawal, not any other reason.

Here is a little story about that mine
Groom mine

Originally posted by gariac
A woman from the family that owns the mine spoke at the Roadrunners convention. Everything was videotaped, though I don't know where the video can be found. I recall she said that when they did air nuke blasts, metal would land on the mine like shrapnel. I assume metal from the bomb itself would be vaporized, but probably nearby instrumentation or structures got sucked up into the blast.

Found a link to the video on Youtube, gariac:

Originally posted by shmuu
The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology's 1977 Groom Mining District Summary Report
says, in part:
And this

I also found a document at that site (nas.library.unr.edu) as follows:

MEMORANDUM
==========
August 28, 1963

TO: JOHN M. CONROW
FROM: R.G. Wiese, Jr.
RE: Groom mine, Lincoln County, Nevada

On August 20, 1963, Dan Sheahan was contacted regarding the present status of the Groom mine. The only work undertaken on the property since the mill was destroyed in 1954 has been assessment work. Sheahan has access to the property upon written application to the proper government authority. The area near Groom Lake is apparently the site of a secret government project.

Sheahan has dropped his suit against the government for damages to the mill and effective condemnation of the property. He and his associates have received no compensation for the loss of the $80,000 mill.

Sheahan estimates the open pit area of the Groom property to contain 30,000 tons of ore averaging 4-5 percent lead and approximately 0.5 ounce of silver. The ore reserve would be substantially increased with the inclusion of material containing less than 3 percent lead. The ore is partly oxidized.

Sheahan has no immediate plans for resuming mining operations or for rebuilding the mill.

Signed: R.G. Wiese, Jr.

Interesting stuff, particularily "suit against the government for damages to the mill and effective condemnation of the property".

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