Big Thunder Gold Mine- Keystone South Dakota

I am going to give Big Thunder Gold Mine a HUGE endorsement just for being open!  More on that later....  but, we were striking out on underground attractions being open in South Dakota.  Nevermind that for now though- I would recommend this place just because it is cool.

Also, this is a nice place to hang out!  We relaxed on the porch before our tour and realized there is a nice view of Mt. Rushmore from there!

Our tour guide came out and talked to us before the tour started.  We told him about our tour bus the day before threading the needle on the needles highway.  He said that, ever so often a bus does get stuck up there.  They pretty much have to take them apart to get them out.

The tour guides name was Jerry, and, as we talked to him, we realized that like us, he had lived in Ohio for a time!  In fact, we probably crossed paths with him at some point!  it is a small world!

Our tour had a few other couples, and Jerry took us through the mine.  I THINK they drilled 650 feet in, and only recovered 2 and a half ounces of gold.  A bank funded the mine, hoping for a pay day, as just a few feet away, another mine was doing well.

In a building outside the mine, Jerry talked about how miners used chemicals to separate the gold out that caused mental health issues.

Jerry talked about how there was a portable toilet at the gold mines, and even now at some, men must wear aprons when they mine.  Those aprons are washed, and that water, and shower water are searched for gold flakes..  as was what was in the toilets in case any was ingested.

There was free gold ore you could take home with you!