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The "lost mine" is a popular form of lost treasure legend. Although there are countless examples around the world, several common themes can be traced throughout the various legends. Usually the mines are said to contain valuable elements or minerals such as gold, silver or diamonds. Often there is a map or other document allegedly detailing the history or location of the mine. Common to all the lost mine legends is the idea of a valuable and mysterious resource being lost to history. Some lost mine legends have a historical basis, and some have none. Regardless, the lure of these legends is attested by the many books on the subject, and the popularity of publications such as Lost Treasure magazine.^[1]^[2]

List of lost mine legends

This list is inexhaustive, but provides some well known examples from around the world.

Mexico

Lost diamond mine of Vicente Guerrero
Lost Naranjal mine, Durango
Planchas de Plata, Sonora, (sometimes called Bolas de Plata).
Tayopa silver mine, Sonora

Russia

In the 19th century, gold fever was prevalent in the Ural region near Yekaterinburg. There are many legends of the lost mines, for example in Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak's stories.
There are many modern stories of lost diamond mines in the Sakha region of north and northeast Russia^{[citation needed]}