Location and History
The Vanderbilt or New York mining district is in northeastern San Bernardino county, in the northeast end of the New York Mounains. Gold was first discovered here in 1861, but the principal periods of mining were 1892-98 and 1934-41. The district was so named by people who hoped it would prove to be as rich as the Vanderbilt fortune. From 1893 until 1923, the district was served by a Branch of the Santa Fe Railroad that extended north from Goffs and continued northeast to Searchlight, Nevada. The chief sources of gold have been the Vanderbilt and Gold Bronze mines. Silver, copper and zinc also have been produced in this district.
Geology and Ore Deposits
The district is underlain by granitic rocks with smaller amounts of schist, gneiss, limestone, and Tertiary volcanic rocks. The ore deposits occur largely in granitic rocks and consist of quartz veins, often with abundant sulfides. One ore body in the Vanderbilt mine was mined to a depth of 400 feet and had a stoping length of 200 feet.
Bibliography
Hewett, D. F., 1956, Geology and mineral resources of the Ivanpah quadrangle, California and Nevada: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 275, 172 pp.
Tucker, W. B., and Sampson, R. J., 1943, San Bernardino County, Vanderbilt mine: California Div. Mines Rept. 39, p. 464.
