The Laton Mine is a chromium mine located in Sonoma county, California at an elevation of 1,152 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: 1,152 Feet (351 Meters)
Commodity: Chromium
Lat, Long: 38.61972, -123.13056
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.
Laton Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Laton Mine
Secondary: Principal Claims: Rattlesnake
Secondary: Slats
Secondary: Yellow Streak. Prospects: Burl
Secondary: Lone Bird
Secondary: Parmeter Ranch
Secondary: Red Slide
Secondary: Serpentine.
Commodity
Primary: Chromium
Tertiary: Rhodium
Tertiary: Ruthenium
Tertiary: Iridium
Tertiary: Palladium
Tertiary: Platinum
Location
State: California
County: Sonoma
Land Status
Land ownership: Private
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
Owner Name: Laton, A. J.
Info Year: 1943
Owner Name: Laton, A. S. And Roy
Years: 1943 -
Production
Year: 1944
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^48% Cr2o3, Cr:Fe=2.6:1
Year: 1918
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^51% Cr2o3
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1916
Year Last Production: 1944
Discovery Year: 1915
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: California Coast Ranges
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Podiform chromite (minor)
Orebody
Form: SMALL HIGH-GRADE LENSES, DISSEMINATED
Structure
Type: L
Description: Local Shearing
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Peridotite Is Serpentinized
Rocks
Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic
Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic
Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: RH=9, 16 PPB. CR:FE=2.6:1
Analytical Data: RU=210, 570 PPB
Analytical Data: IR=49, 240 PPB
Analytical Data: PD=1, 3 PPB
Analytical Data: 2 PGE ANALYSES: PT=27, 47 PPB
Materials
Ore: Chromite
Gangue: Serpentine
Gangue: Olivine
Comments
Comment (Location): SLATS AND RATTLESNAKE CLAIMS ARE IN SEC. 13; YELLOW STREAK CLAIM IS IN SEC. 18. ON SLOPES ABOVE AUSTIN CREEK. UTM GIVEN IS FOR PGE SAMPLE COLLECTION SITE. LAT/LONG GIVEN IS FOR LATON MINE SYMBOL SHOWN ON TOPO MAP. UTM FOR THIS IS 4274360N, 488620E.
Comment (Deposit): MANY SMALL HIGH-GRADE LENSES EXPOSED ON YELLOW STREAK CLAIM; LARGEST CONTAINED ABOUT 15 TONS OF ORE. THREE LENSES ARE ON SLATS CLAIM - 125 X 10 X 5 FT, 70 X 15 X 2 FT, AND 50 X 10 X 5 FT. THEY STRIKE N TO NNW AND DIP ABOUT 20E. SOME LENSES BOUNDED BY SLICKENSIDED JOINTS. RATTLESNAKE CLAIM HAS ONE ORE BODY 35 FT LONG AND 10 FT WIDE. IT STRIKES N22W AND DIPS 65NE AND CONTAINS ABOUT 10% CR2O3.
Comment (Reserve-Resource): IF MAXIMUM DEPTH OF EACH LENS DOWNDIP IS ASSUMED EQUAL TO HALF THE OUTCROP LENGTH, RESERVES WOULD BE 10,000-15,000 TONS. RESERVES ARE MAINLY MILLING GRADE ORE
Comment (Commodity): ORE ON YELLOW STREAK CLAIM AVERAGES 51% CR2O3; OTHER TWO CLAIMS AVERAGE 10-15% CR2O3
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1910'S
References
Reference (Deposit): DOW, D.H., AND THAYER, T.P., 1946, GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF CHROMITE IN CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF MINES BULLETIN 134, PT. 2, CH. 1, P. 26-27, 36.
Reference (Production): DOW AND THAYER, 1946
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.
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.
