In Silver Reef, transforming silver ore into bullion on site was essential because the closest railhead was 100 miles away in Milford over rugged country, and the nearest mills were in Salt Lake City more than 300 miles north or in Pioche, Nevada, over 100 miles to the northwest. Because existing mills were so distant, and because the ore was rich and the sandstone was relatively easy to break and crush, mills were built near the mines so the ore could be processed locally and finished bullion shipped by wagon to rail. Milling was a multistage process that began with silver ore from the mines and ended with bullion bars, using the crusher, the stamp mill, the mullers, the retort, and the melting room. Five mills operated in the area, three in Silver Reef, one near Leeds, and one on the Virgin River.