Walker

The Walker is a copper mine located in Plumas county, California at an elevation of 6,001 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

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MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Walker

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Zinc

Location

State: California
County: Plumas

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Sierra Nevada

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Description: Faults: Max. Displacement 20 Ft. Cut The Veins: A Qtz-Diorite Dike Is Found To Displace Veins 10 Ft.

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Cubanite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Jamesonite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Stibnite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Cordierite
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): WALKER VEIN SYSTEM HAS A BARREN-APPEARING OUTCROP. CENTRAL OREBODY HAS A MAX. LENGTH OF 1,000 FT. THE SOUTH OREBODY IS 250 FT LONG IN TWO PARTS, MAIN AND HANGING-WALL. THE NORTH OREBODY IS 1,000 FT. LONG. THE 712 OREBODY IS 200 FT. LONG. THE PIUTE OREBODY IS 800 FT. LONG, AVG. WIDTH 35 FT.

Comment (Workings): MAIN HAULAGE IS THE 7TH LEVEL ADIT, 10,000 FT. LONG. A RAISE WAS BEING DRIVEN FROM PIUTE OREBODY TO SURFACE IN 1924. A WINZE HAD BEEN SUNK 500 FT. ON S. OREBODY FROM 7TH LEVEL TO 10TH LEVEL, AND 150 FT. OF DRIFTING DONE ON LATTER. 350 FT. WINZE SUNK ON C ORE BODY FROM 7TH TO 9TH LEVEL, 900 FT. OF DRIFTING DONE. ON 8TH LEVEL, 600 FT. OF DRIFTING DONE ON S. OREBODY AND 400 FT. ON C. OREBODY. ALL STOPING ABOVE 7TH LEVEL.

Comment (Commodity): CHALCOPYRITE IS THE MOST PROMINENT COPPER MINERAL IN THE ORE, IT CARRIES CONSIDERABLE BORNITE AND IN RICHEST STREAKS PYRITE IS PLENTIFUL.

Comment (Production): DISCOVERED IN 1904 , DID NOT BEGIN DEVELOPMENT UNTIL 1915 , MINE SHUT DOWN 1932 - 1935 . 1935 IT BEGAN TREATING 500 - 600 TONS/DAY, WHICH HAD INCREASED BY 1937 TO 1200 TONS/DAY. NO KNOWN PB, ZN RECOVERED.

Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: OLDEST FORMATION IN AREA IS A PRE-SILURIAN METARHYOLITE ON LITTLE GRIZZLY CREEK. OVERLYING THIS ARE: THE PEALE FORMATION (CARBONIFEROUS) COMPOSED OF SANDSTONES, SHALES AND SOME CHERTS; THE TAYLOR META-ANDESITE: THE ROBINSON FORMATION (CARBONIFEROUS) OF SANDSTONES AND SHALES WITH FEW LIMESTONE LENSES, AND CONGLOMERATE BEDS; THE KETTLE META-ANDESITE; AND THE TRAIL FORMATION (LOWER JURASSIC) OF SLATY SHALES WITH SOME INTERBEDDED SANDSTONES AND CONGLOMERATES. THESE FORMATIONS STRIKE N 30 W IN BELTS 1/2 - 1 MILE WIDE, EXTENDING SOUTHEASTERLY FROM GENESEE TO THE WALKER MINE. TRAIL FORMATION-ALTERED IN PART TO HORNFELS BY INTRUSION OF GRANODIORITE, ALTERATION IS INTENSE, LITTLE REMAINS TO INDICATE ORIGINAL COMPOSITION. COUNTRY ROCK IS A FINE-GRAINED DARK SCHIST OR HORNFEL FORMED BY ACTION OF IGNEOUS INTRUSIONS ON SEDIMENTARY SERIES.

Comment (Deposit): SHRINKAGE METHODS USED TO EXTRACT ORE. COMPRISED OF 1140 ACRES.

References

Reference (Deposit): GOODWIN, J.G., 1957 , LEAD AND ZINC IN CALIFORNIA; CALIF. JOUR. MINES AND GEOLOGY, VOL. 53 , NOS. 3 & 4 ; DIV. OF MINES, P. 599

Reference (Deposit): LOGAN, C.A., 1921 , PLUMAS COUNTY; 17TH REPT. STATE MIN.; CALIF. MIN. BUR., P. 471 - 473

Reference (Production): AVERILL, C.V., 1937

Reference (Deposit): AVERILL, C.V., 1937 , MINERAL RESOURCES OF PLUMAS COUNTY; CALIF. JOUR. MINES AND GEOLOGY, VOL. 33 , NO. 2 ; DIV. OF MINES, P. 95 - 103

Reference (Deposit): AVERILL, C.V., 1924 , REDDING FIELD DIVISION; 24TH REPT. STATE MIN.: CALIF. MIN. BUR., P. 280 - 285

California Gold

"Where to Find Gold in California" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in California. Read more: Where to Find Gold in California.