Keystone

The Keystone is a gold mine located in Amador county, California.

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

Name: Keystone

State:  California

County:  Amador

Elevation:

Commodity: Gold

Lat, Long: 38.41806, -120.82194

Map: View on Google Maps

Satelite View

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.


Satelite image of the Keystone

Keystone MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Keystone


Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Arsenic


Location

State: California
County: Amador


Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: Keystone Mining Co.
Home Office: C/O John D. Culbert


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1851
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

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Stibnite


Comments

Comment (Commodity): GOLD BOTH FREE IN QUARTZ AND ASSOCIATED WITH SULFIDE

Comment (Production): MINE FORMED OF SEVERAL CLAIMS LOCATED IN 1851 AND WAS ONE OF THE MOST PROFITABLE IN THE MOTHER LODE, PRODUCING $24,000,000 DURING OPERATIONS. WORKED UNTIL 1919; REOPENED IN 1933 AND PRODUCING 1935-1942. IDLE SINCE EXCEPT FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF WORK DONE IN 1952. MUCH HIGH-GRADE ORE PRODUCED UNTIL 1888. DURING OPERATIONS 1935-1942 PRODUCED ABOUT $1,000,000. PRODUCTION WAS FROM 900 TO 2100 LEVELS, MOSTLY FROM THE 1400 TO THE 2100 LEVELS

Comment (Workings): MAIN SHAFT 2680 FT ON 52 DEGREE INCLINE WITH PRODUCTION ON 900 TO 2100 FT LEVELS, EXTENSIVE CROSSCUTTING. LOCATED 1851 ; WORKED UNTIL 1919 ; REOPENED 1933 UNTIL 1942 BY GOVERNMENT ORDER.

Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: MAIN OR CONTACT VEIN VARIES IN THICKNESS FROM 12 TO 200 FT. BETWEEN SLATE FOOTWALL, GREENSTONE HANGING WALL. VEIN DIPS FROM 35 TO 65 DEGREES EAST. ORE OCCURED IN VEINS AND QUARTZ STRINGERS BRANCHING FROM VEIN.

Comment (Deposit): ADD. REF.: KEYSTONE GROUP INCLUDES THE KEYSTONE, SPRING HILL, GENEVA, GRANITE STATE, NIAGARA AND EAST KEYSTONE CLAIMS. DIV. OF MINES BULL. 108, P. 91-95, PL. 3; USGS FOLIO 63, CLAIM SHEET 1, SEC. 1 AND P.8. F. Y. ENDING 7/31/1867 APPROX. 12,000 TONS ORE MINED; AVE. YIELD PER TON WAS $12.86 - RES. OF STATES & TERRITORIES W. OF THE ROCKY MTNS. ROSSITER W. RAYMOND. SPEC. COMMISSIONER OF MNG. STATISTICS, TREAS. DEPT - 1869 (GPO REPRINT AS "OLD MINES OF CALIF-NEV., 1964, P. 20-21)


References

Reference (Deposit): DOM BULL. 144, P. 215

Reference (Production): CARLSON, D.W. AND CLARK, W.B., 1954

Reference (Deposit): CARLSON, D.W. AND CLARK, W.B., 1954 , MINES AND MIN. RES. OF AMADOR COUNTY, CAL: CJMG VOL. 50 , P. 185


California Gold

Where to Find Gold in California

"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.