Pick and Shovel Mine

The Pick and Shovel Mine is a chromium mine located in San Luis Obispo county, California at an elevation of 1,519 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: Pick and Shovel Mine
Secondary: Safety Chrome Mine

Commodity

Primary: Chromium

Location

State: California
County: San Luis Obispo

Land Status

Land ownership: State
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: State Of California
Home Office: California

Owner Name: Pierce, W. D.
Home Office: 803 4th St., Morro Bay, Ca. 93442
Years: 1958 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1885
Year Last Production: 1958
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
Physiographic Detail: Santa Lucia Range

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LENSE

Form: LENSE

Structure

Type: L
Description: Deposit Cut By 3 Low Angle Normal Faults, Dipping 25 To 35 Sw And Striking To Nw.

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Serpentinization Of Saxonite, Dunite, Pyroxenite

Rocks

Name: Serpentinite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CALCULATED AVG. GRADE OF LUMPORE SHIPPED IN 1950'S: 46.76% CR2O3, 11.96% FE, 2.67 CR TO FE RATIO

Materials

Ore: Chromite

Comments

Comment (Location): PRINCIPAL WORKINGS LIE IN THE CHORRO CREEK DRAINAGE.

Comment (Workings): DURING WW I, UNDERGROUND WORKINGS CONSISTED OF OVER 3200 FT OF ADITS, DRIFTS AND CROSS CUTS. 1950'S PRODUCTION PROBABLY RESULTED FROM SUFFACE WORKINGS CONSISTING OF SEVERAL LARGE BENCH CUTS

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT OCCURS IN AN IRREGULAR MASS OF ULTRAMAFIC ROCK THAT FORMS THE RIDGE RUNNING NW FROM CUESTA PASS. THE TORO FM. IS IN FAULT CONTACT TO THE NORTH AND A SERIES OF MASSIVE LANDSLIDES ARE FOUND TO THE SOUTH OF THE ULTRAMAFIC MASS.

References

Reference (Deposit): STINSON, M.C., 1975, CDMG MINERAL PROPERTY REPORT, UNPUBLISHED

Reference (Production): STINSON, M.C., 1975

Reference (Deposit): SMITH, C.T. AND GRIGGS, A.B., 1944, CHROMITE DEPOSITS NEAR SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA., USGS BULL 945-B, P. 40.

Reference (Deposit): WALKER, W.W. AND GRIGGS, A.B., 1953, GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF CHROMITE IN CALIF., CDMG BULL 134 PART 2, CHAPT. 2, P. 64.

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.