Not usually thought for being a gold mining County, nevertheless near the northern-central border there was a discovery of some very rich veins. Lassen County is covered by a lot of lava rock, but in the midst of all the lava beds in the higher elevation of the county you can find the Hayden Hill District in township 36N and 37N. range 10E and 11E. Official records indicate gold was first discovered at Hayden Hill in 1870, however proper records were never kept, or were lost. Most likely mining began around the mid 1800’s just like the rest of California and Oregon. 116,000 ounces were recorded from 1870 onward. Mining came to a slow in 1910 when the town of Hayden Hill burned to the ground. According to early mining reports the quartz vein system was never more than 300 ft deep and is part of a vein system that extended to Happy Camp. The main gold mines at Hayden Hill are known as the Blue Bell Mine, Brush Hill Mine, Uncle Billy Mine, North Star Mine, Golden Eagle Mine and the Evening Star Mine. On the west side of Hayden Hill was/is the Blue Bell Mine. To the east of the Hayden Hill Camp was/is a mine named Brush Hill Mine. On Willow Creek there was a 5 stamp mill.
The Diamond Mountain Mine is located 7 miles south of Susanville. At first placer gold was discovered and worked. Later quartz veins were worked out of granite. At least half of the production came from placer deposits in the area. The Diamond Mountain area is located in T. 29 N., Rs. 11 and 12 E. Another nearby mine that was mostly low grade was known as the Gold Belt Mine.
