Mount Diablo Mine

The Mount Diablo Mine is a mercury mine located in Contra Costa county, California at an elevation of 951 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

Name: Mount Diablo Mine

State:  California

County:  Contra Costa

Elevation: 951 Feet (290 Meters)

Commodity: Mercury

Lat, Long: 37.90167, -121.87806

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 Mount Diablo Mine

Mount Diablo Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Mount Diablo Mine
Secondary: Ryne
Secondary: Bagley Creek


Commodity

Primary: Mercury


Location

State: California
County: Contra Costa
District: Mount Diablo


Land Status

Not available


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Type: Surface/Underground


Ownership

Owner Name: Guadelupe Mining Co.

Owner Name: Nevada Scheelite Co.
Years: 1956 -


Production

Year: 1962
Time Period: To 1962
Material type: HG
Description: Cp_Grade: ^6 Lb/Ton


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Discovery Year: 1863
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: California Coast Ranges


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR, TABULAR


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silica Carbonate Alteration Of Serpentine


Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Metacinnabar
Ore: Cinnabar
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Opal
Gangue: Stibnite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Marcasite
Gangue: Chromite
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Chalcedony


Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): LOW GRADE RESERVES STILL EXIST AT MINE, 17,000 TONS OF INDICATED AND INFERRED RESERVES

Comment (Production): LAST PRODUCED IN 1953

Comment (Development): ECON.COM: LANDSLIDES; VOLATILE GASES

Comment (Geology): RHYOLITE PLUGS NEARBY. BITUMINOUS CLAYS (BLACK ALTA).

Comment (Location): SE/4 SEC. 29.

Comment (Workings): FLOODED

Comment (Deposit): INDIANS USED THE CINNABAR IN TRIBAL CEREMONIES. LATER WAS MINED AS A PLACER ; INFO.SRC : BAILEY E H


References

Reference (Deposit): BAILEY, E. H., USGS, PERSONAL FILES.

Reference (Deposit): HOLMES, G. W., JR., 1965, MERCURY IN CALIFORNIA: IN USBM IC 8252.

Reference (Deposit): ROSS, C. P., 1940, QUICKSILVER DEPOSITS OF THE MOUNT DIABLO DISTRICT, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: USGS BULL. 922 - B.

Reference (Deposit): DAVIS, F.F. AND GOLDMAN, H.B., 1958, MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: CJMG V. 54, P. 530-535

Reference (Deposit): 1955 DIREXPL DMEA UNSUCCESSFUL IN DISCOVERING NEW OR

Reference (Production): USBM DATA


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.