History of Yogo Sapphires

In 1895, prospector Jake Hoover discovered gold along Yogo Creek in Montana’s Little Belt Mountains. Believing the area held great potential, he partnered with Simon Hobson and Jim Bouvet to establish a mining operation, securing $40,000 in capital. Like many fortune-seekers of the gold rush era, Hoover hoped to strike it rich. However, after a year of mining, the trio had uncovered only 40 ounces of gold—worth a mere $700—and a handful of small blue stones caught in their sluice box. While other miners dismissed these pebbles as worthless, Hoover gathered them, eventually filling a cigar box. Curious about their value, he sent the box to Tiffany & Co. in New York for identification.

One of America’s leading gem experts at the time, Dr. George F. Kuntz, examined the pebbles and identified them as remarkably high-quality natural Sapphires. Impressed by their exceptional color, clarity, and brilliance, Kuntz declared them “the finest precious gemstones ever found in the United States.” Recognizing their value, Tiffany & Co. eagerly sought to acquire the “superbly-colored, gem-quality Sapphires,” sending Hoover a check for $3,750, which was more than five times what he had earned from mining gold at the site.

The Sapphires, now known as Yogo Sapphires, turned out to be far more valuable than Hoover and his partners had ever imagined. They were worth more than all the gold Hoover had spent years mining. Realizing their potential, the partners shifted their focus to locating the source of the Sapphires. However, Hoover eventually lost interest in Sapphire mining and sold his shares to his partners. As Dr. Kuntz famously noted, “In purchasing a mere gold mine, they had acquired the most valuable Sapphire mine in America, yielding more wealth than all the other Sapphire mines in America put together, and a finer quality of gem.” This marked the beginning of decades of ownership changes and instability at the Yogo Sapphire Mine.

After selling his shares in what was then called the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Hoover’s former partners soon followed. He sold his stake for $5,000, but just two months later, it was resold to the British company Johnson, Walker and Tolhurst, Ltd. for $100,000. The eight lode claims originally staked by Hoover became the foundation of the English Mine. In 1896, two American prospectors claimed six additional sections along the dike in areas Hoover had considered unsuitable for mining, forming the American Mine. For the first half of the 20th century, these two operations were known as the English Mine and the American Mine.

In 1899, the British company dispatched mining engineer T. Hamilton Walker and his assistant, Charles T. Gadsden, to America to oversee operations, aiming to cut costs and maximize profits. Though not an engineer himself, Gadsden would go on to play a pivotal role in the history of the English Mine. In the early 20th century, the mine thrived, yielding millions of carats of rough Yogo Sapphires.

After Mike’s passing, the Vortex Mine remained closed for nearly five years, leaving its future uncertain. However, in the summer of 2017, the Baide family proudly acquired the mine and immediately set plans in motion to restore it to full operation. Under their ownership, the Vortex Mine operated as an eco-friendly and highly professional venture, impacting fewer than five acres above ground with minimal surface disturbance. Accessed via a 35-story-deep spiral decline, the mine is run by a skilled team of six experienced Montana miners.