Cortez is a ghost town in Lander County, in the U.S. state of Nevada.

[1] Located near Mount Tenabo, Cortez first attracted attention in 1862, when Mexican miners transported silver ore from the site to stamp mills in Austin, 80 miles (130 km) south.

In the spring of 1863, a group of eight miners exploring the area, came across Native Americans collecting silver in gulleys southwest of the Mount Tenabo mountains.

Hearst sold his shares in the partnership in 1867, when the miners encountered problems that slowed operations.

[2] By 1870, Wenban had enlarged the mill in town, and was employing Chinese miners because they were willing to work for lower wages than American and Mexican workers.