The California Mine is a gold mine located in Josephine county, Oregon.
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.
California Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: California Mine
Secondary: Hercules Mining Co.
Secondary: Wheeler Tunnel
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Location
State: Oregon
County: Josephine
District: Mt. Reuben
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.
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: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Klamath Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: L
Description: Adjacent To Major North Trending Fault With Serpentine On East Side, Mine On West Side
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz - Sericite - Pyrite - Chlorite
Rocks
Name: Serpentinite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: ASSAYS DID NOT EXCEED 0.015 OZ AU/TON - SEE GEN
Materials
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Chlorite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): AN ASSAY IN 1926 (PROBABLY CROOKED) SAID $1.80 AU, 1.5 OZ. AG, & 6.0% CU; NO WIDTH OF QUARTZ GIVEN, PROBABLY A SMALL LENS.
Comment (Deposit): ONE PATENTED AND EIGHT UNPATENTED LODE CLAIMS.
Comment (Workings): DEVELOPED BY THE 7364 FOOT WHEELER TUNNEL, A 115 FOOT SHAFT AND ABOUT 850 FEET OF CROSSCUTS AND DRIFTS ON THE UPPER WORKINGS. UNSUBSTANTIATED PRODUCTION
Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: GREENSTONE IS ALTERED PORPHYRITIC ANDESITE
References
Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H.C. AND RAMP, L., 1968, GOLD AND SILVER IN OREGON; ODGMI BULL. 61, P. 209
Reference (Deposit): YOUNGBERG, E.A., 1947, MINES AND PROSPECTS OF THE MOUNT REUBEN MINING DISTRICT, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON; ODGMI BULL. 34, P. 29
Reference (Deposit): OREGON METAL MINES HANDBOOK, 1942, ODGMI BULL. 14-C, VOL. 2, SEC. 1, P. 33
Reference (Deposit): RAMP, L. AND PETERSON, N.V., 1979, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON; ODGMI BULL. 100, 45 P
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.
