The Oceanic is a mercury mine located in San Luis Obispo county, California at an elevation of 1,201 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
Elevation: 1,201 Feet (366 Meters)
Commodity: Mercury
Lat, Long: 35.58529, -121.00086
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.
Oceanic MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Oceanic
Secondary: Oceanic Mine
Commodity
Primary: Mercury
Location
State: California
County: San Luis Obispo
District: Cambria - Oceanic
Land Status
Not available
Holdings
Type: Patented
Workings
Type: Surface/Underground
Ownership
Owner Name: Ernest, Mina, Henry, And Mariana Curti
Production
Year: 1961
Time Period: To 1961
Material type: HG
Description: Cp_Grade: ^2-15 Lb/Ton
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Year First Production: 1875
Discovery Year: 1865
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
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
Not available
Structure
Type: L
Description: Ocenaic Fault
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silica Carbonate Alteration Of Serpentine
Rocks
Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Cinnabar
Ore: Mercury
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Comments
Comment (Exploration): 1955 DIREXPL DME
Comment (Production): USBM DATA
Comment (Location): Adit shown and labeled on topo in NE4 of SE4 of sec. 16. Probably the west-most extent of the deposit.
Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: CINNABAR REPLACES FOSSILS
Comment (Production): LARGEST PRODUCER IN COUNTY
Comment (Economic Factors): THE POTENTIALLY POLLUTING MINE OF HIGHEST PRIORITY IN THE SANTA ROSA CREEK WATERSHED IS THE OCEANIC MINE. IT APPEARS TO BE AN ACID MINE DRAINAGE PRODUCER. WATER SAMPLES COLLECTED IN 1992 REVEALED ELEVATED SULFATE IN TWO SAMPLES JUST BELOW THE OCEANIC MINE AND ELEVATED TOTAL CHROMIUM, TOTAL NICKEL, TOTAL MERCURY, AND DISSOLVED IRON IN SOME, OR MOST, OCEANIC MINE TRIBUTARY SAMPLES. THESE ELEVATED CONCENTRATIONS APPEAR MINE RELATED. SEDIMENT DATA REVEALED ELEVATED MERCURY, NICKEL, IRON, AND ARSENIC, ALL APPARENTLY MINE RELATED, IN ONE OR MORE SAMPLES IN THE OCEANIC MINE TRIBUTARY. ANTIMONY WAS ELEVATED IN SEDIMENT BELOW THE OCEANIC MINE TRIBUTARY CONFLUENCE WITH THE SANTA ROSA CREEK.
Comment (Workings): OLD WORKINGS LARGELY INACCESSIBLE
References
Reference (Deposit): CALIF. STATE MINING BUR. REPORT 4, 1884, P. 337.
Reference (Deposit): FROLLI, A.W., 1937, MINING AND REDUCTION METHODS AND COSTS AT THE OCEANIC QUICKSILVER MINE, CAMBRIA, SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CALIF.: USBM IC 6950, 13 P.
Reference (Deposit): CALIFORNIA REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, CENTRAL COAST REGION. SURFACE WATER DEGRADATION BY INACTIVE METAL MINES IN NORTHWEST SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CA, DECEMBER 1993 (P. 10-11).
Reference (Deposit): FRANKE, H.A., 1935, MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CALIF.: CJMG, V. 31, P. 434-455.
Reference (Deposit): BRADLEY, W.W., 1918, QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA: CJMG BULL. 78, 389 P.
Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, A. L. AND KELLOGG, J. L., 1939, QUICKSILVER RESOURCES IN CALIFORNIA: CALIF. JOUR. OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, V. 35, P. 353-486.
Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E. B., YATES, R. G., AND GRANGER, A. E., 1940, QUICKSILVER DEPOSITS IN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND SOUTHWESTERN MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: USGS BULL. 922-R, P. 515-580.
Reference (Deposit): HOLMES, G. W., JR., 1965, MERCURY IN CALIFORNIA: IN USBM IC 8252
Reference (Deposit): BAILEY, E. H., USGS, PERSONAL FILES
California Gold
"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.
