Silver Peak, Nevada
Unincorporated TownLocation: South Central Nevada
County Area: 3,588 Square Miles
Elevation: 4,259 Feet Located in the eastern foothills of the Silver Peak. Gold was found seven miles away. A mill Mountains approximately 30 miles from Tonopah is the town of Silver Peak. Home to Chemetall Foote Corporation's local lithium mine, the area's largest employer and the only lithium producing mine in the United States. Lithium and gold mining is Silver Peak's prominent industry. Silver Peak is also known for a 375-foot high cinder cone (an extinct volcano) located in the Clayton Valley. Within the Silver Peak Range also is the Silver Peak caldera. Any volcanologist would appreciate this area rich in volcanic history. HISTORY
Silver Peak is one of the oldest mining areas in Nevada, discovered in 1863; it produced substantial amounts of silver, gold, and other minerals. The town site was established in 1864 due to a spring that was in the area. A 10 stamp mill was built in 1865 and a 20 stamp mill was built in 1867. However, mining was far from steady in the area as the mines changed ownership and new milling techniques were invented. The ups and downs of the mining industry resulted in a fluctuation in the population as well. In 1948 a fire burned the town of Silver Peak. After that there was little activity until 1966, when the Foote Mineral Company started its lithium extracting operations in nearby Clayton Valley.
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