The Backbone is a copper mine located in Shasta county, California.
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.
Backbone MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Backbone
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Lead
Location
State: California
County: Shasta
District: East Shasta Copper-Zinc
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
Type: Underground
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
Form: LENTICULAR
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Pyrite
Comments
Comment (Location): UTM ACC. LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 7-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH USFS LAND OWNERSHIP BOUNDARIES, 1:126,720 SCALE.
Comment (Commodity): PYRITE IS THE MAJOR ORE COMPONENT
Comment (Production): OPERATED A 50 - TON MACE FURNACE FOR A SHORT TIME IN 1937 NO PRODUCTION REPORTED
Comment (Deposit): GOSSAN ON SURFACE
Comment (Workings): PRINCIPLE DEVELOPMENT IS FROM 2 ADIT LEVELS, 100 FT. APART VERTICALLY. LOWER ADIT IS BELIEVED TO BE BELOW THE ORE BODY. CONSIDERABLE STOPING HAS BEEN DONE FROM THE UPPER ADIT. THE ADITS ARE ROUGHLY 300 FT. IN LENGTH
Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: DUE TO FLAT LYING NATURE OF THE ORE STRIKE AND DIPS ARE UNCERTAIN. IT PROBABLY STRIKES A LITTLE NORTH OF EAST AND DIPS TO THE SOUTH AT A SMALL ANGLE.
References
Reference (Production): AVERILL, C. V., 1939 , MINERAL RESOURCES OF SHASTA COUNTY, 35TH REPORT OF THE STATE MINERALOGIST, CALIF. DIV. OF MINES, PG. 124 - 125
Reference (Deposit): AVERILL, C. V., 1939 , MINERAL RESOURCES OF SHASTA COUNTY, 35TH REPORT OF THE STATE MINERALOGIST, CALIF. DIV. OF MINES, PG. 124 - 125
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.
