Chambers Mine

The Chambers Mine is a chromium mine located in Grant county, Oregon at an elevation of 6,401 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

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.

Site Name

Primary: Chambers Mine

Commodity

Primary: Chromium
Tertiary: Ruthenium
Tertiary: Rhodium
Tertiary: Platinum
Tertiary: Palladium
Tertiary: Iridium

Location

State: Oregon
County: Grant
District: Canyon City District

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.
Administrative Organization: Malheur Natioal Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Rustless Mining Co.
Years: 1943 -

Production

Year: 1945
Time Period: Wwi
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^30-33% Cr2o3

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1918
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Section: Blue Mountain Section

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Podiform chromite (minor)

Orebody

Form: MASSIVE AND DISSEMINATED. IRREGULAR LENSES AND KIDNEYS

Structure

Type: L
Description: Prominent Jointing Gives Rocks A Platy Character

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Serpentinization. Dunite Is Cut By Serpentine Stringers

Rocks

Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: RH=TR-16 PPB. 30-33% CR2O3, CR:FE=1.48:1
Analytical Data: RU=<100 PPB
Analytical Data: IR=<20 PPB
Analytical Data: PD=4-10 PPB
Analytical Data: 3 PGE ANALYSES: PT=TR-10 PPB

Materials

Ore: Chromite
Gangue: Uvarovite
Gangue: Antigorite

Comments

Comment (Location): NEAR WEST END OF BALDY MOUNTAIN AT HEAD OF PINE CREEK. UTM GIVEN IS FOR PGE SAMPLE SITE LOCATION. LAT/LONG GIVEN ARE FOR MINE SYMBOL LABELED CHAMBERS MINE ON TOPO MAP; UTM FOR THIS IS 4912260N, 355450E.

Comment (Production): MOST OF SHIPPED ORE CAME FROM THE GLORY HOLE. THE BEST GRADES REACHED 36% CR2O3.

Comment (Development): USBM DRILLED PROPERTY IN 1950'S

Comment (Deposit): DIMENSIONS ARE OF LARGEST ORE BODY; ATTITUDE IS OF ORE BODY. LENSES SPAN 900 FT. THERE ARE 3 MAIN ORE BODIES. SOME ORE HAS RUDE PLANAR BANDING.

Comment (Workings): 6 OPEN CUTS, TUNNEL, GLORY HOLE, 6,204 FT OF DIAMOND DRILLING

Comment (Geology): DIORITIC VEINS, GABBRO BOULDERS, AND PYROXENITE VEINS AND DIKES TO 1.5 FT WIDE ARE COMMON

Comment (Commodity): CHROMITE IS COARSE

References

Reference (Deposit): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, 1941, OREGON METAL MINES HANDBOOK, NORTHEASTERN OREGON--WEST HALF: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 14-B, P. 21-22.

Reference (Deposit): CARLSON, C.A., AND OTHERS, 1985, ANALYSES FOR PLATINUM-GROUP ELEMENTS IN SAMPLES FROM PODIFORM CHROMITE DEPOSITS, CALIFORNIA AND OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 85-442, 14 P.

Reference (Deposit): THAYER, T.P., 1940, CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF GRANT COUNTY, OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 922-D, P. 96-98.

Reference (Deposit): ALLEN, J.E., 1941, CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF OREGON (REVISED ED.): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 9, P. 60-62.

Reference (Deposit): WESTGATE, L.G., 1921, DEPOSITS OF CHROMITE IN EASTERN OREGON, IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 1920: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 725, P. 47.

Reference (Deposit): HUNDHAUSEN, R.J., BANNING, L.H., HARRIS, H.M., AND KELLY, H.J., 1956, EXPLORATION AND UTILIZATION STUDIES, JOHN DAY CHROMITES, OREGON: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 5238, P. 9-14.

Oregon Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Oregon" 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 Oregon. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Oregon.