Gold has been recovered from the southeast end of the Chocolate Mountains in eastern Imperial County in an area east of Glamis, a stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad. The district includes the area known as the Mesquite mining district. The Paymaster lead-silver and manganese mining district is just to the north. This district was first prospected prior to 1900 both by quartz mining and small-scale dry placer methods. During the 1930s, several unsuccessful short-lived attempts were made to work the dry placer deposits on a large scale. Gold and silver associated with iron oxides in quartz veins occur in granitic rocks. The veins usually are narrow, but several high-grade pockets have been discovered. The placer deposits occur in the washes along the south and west flanks of the range.
Mines
Desert Gold, Gold Basin, Gold Delta, Mary Lode, Mesquite Lode, Peg Leg, Rainbow, Vista.
Bibliography
Sampson, R.J., and Tucker, W. B., 1942, Imperial County, gold: California Div. Mines Rept. 38, pp. 112-126.
