Location and History
The Ord district is in west-central San Bernardino County in the Ord and Newberry Mountains, about 20 miles southeast of Barstow. The mountains were named for Major General E.O.C. Ord of Civil War fame. The district was organized around 1870, and intermittent development work continued for many years after. There was some work done here again in the 1930s. Although the district is reported to have been a small producer, there are many mines and prospects.
Geology and Ore Deposits
The region is underlain by granite and quartz monzonite and a variety of Tertiary volcanic rocks that include basalt, andesite, and rhyolite. The gold-quartz veins are confined to the granitic rocks and often are associated with dikes. Tht ore bodies contain abundant sulfides and iron oxide Appreciable amounts of copper and silver minerals are present in places. There are a few placer deposits.
Mines
Alarm, Azucar, Black Butte, Camp Rod (placer), Cumberland, Elsie, Gold Banner, Gold Bell Gold Brick, Gold Peak, Grandview, Haney and Lee Hoover, Johnson, Lucky Strike, New Deal, Old, Ord, Belt, Red Hill, Riley.
Bibliography
Cloud man, H.C., et al, 1919, San Bernardino County, Ord district. California Min. Bur. Rept. 15, pp. 808-810.
Gardner, O. L., 1940, Geology of the Newberry and Ord Mountains, San Bernardino County: California Div. Mines Rept. 36, pp. 257-292.
Tucker, W. B., and Sampson, R. J., 1940, Economic mineral deposits of the Newberry and Ord Mountains, San Bernardino County: California Div. Mines Rept. 36, pp. 232-240.
Weber, F. Harold, Jr., 1963, Geology and mineral deposits of the Ord Mountain distrid, San Bernardino County: California Div. Mines and Geology Spec. Rept. 77, 45 pp.
