Ajax Mine

The Ajax Mine is a chromium mine located in Grant county, Oregon at an elevation of 5,279 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: Ajax Mine

Commodity

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

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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
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: LENSES

Structure

Type: L
Description: Country Rock Is Highly Broken And Jointed

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Peridotite And Dunite Are Locally Serpentinized

Rocks

Name: Dunite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Dunite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: RH=7 PPB. 35-41% CR2O3
Analytical Data: RU=<100 PPB
Analytical Data: IR=<20 PPB
Analytical Data: PD=21 PPB
Analytical Data: 1 PGE ANALYSIS: PT=46 PPB

Materials

Ore: Chromite

Comments

Comment (Location): NEAR CENTER OF SOUTH HALF OF SECTION ON WEST SIDE OF INDIAN CREEK ABOUT 1,000 FT ABOVE THE CREEK. LOCATION GIVEN IS FOR PGE SAMPLE SITE LOCATION. TOPO MAP SHOWS NO PROSPECTS IN AREA.

Comment (Production): 25 TONS WERE REMOVED FROM A CUT 25 X 5 X 5 FT

Comment (Workings): 3 OPEN CUTS OVER 140 FT DISTANCE, EACH ABOUT 25 FT LONG AND 40 FT APART

Comment (Geology): PERIDOTITE IS PORPHYRITIC AWAY FROM ORE ZONE. LONG AXES OF LENSES PARALLEL DUNITE CONTACTS. SPOTTED ORE FINGERS OUT INTO DUNITE IN SERIES OF IRREGULAR CONES EXTENDING PARALLEL TO LINEAR BANDING, WHICH TRENDS N80E AND PITCHES 50E.

Comment (Deposit): STRIKE IS FOR ORE ZONE; INDIVIDUAL EN ECHELON ORE BODIES STRIKE N50-60E. DIP IS FOR INDIVIDUAL ORE BODIES. ORE FORMS LOW-GRADE DISSEMINATED KIDNEYS. ORE HAS A CONSPICUOUS LINEAR BANDING FROM ELONGATION OF CHROMITE NODULES.

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. 19.

Reference (Deposit): ALLEN, J.E., 1941, CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF OREGON (REVISED ED.): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 9, P. 65.

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. 103.

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.