The Greenback is a gold and silver 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.
Greenback MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Greenback
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Arsenic
Location
State: Oregon
County: Josephine
District: Greenback
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
Type: Unknown
Ownership
Owner Name: Wes Pieren, Grants Pass Oregon
Years: 1979 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M
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: Vein Cut Off By Fault On West & Serpentine On East
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Serpentinite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Unknown: Pyrite
Comments
Comment (Commodity): 75 % FREE MILLING GOLD
Comment (Location): S 1/2
Comment (Production): MOST OF THE PRODUCTION IS FROM THE GREENBACK VEIN
Comment (Deposit): TWO PARALLEL VEINS, THE GREENBACK AND IRISH GIRL
Comment (Geology): COMPLEX GEOLOGY NEAR THE THRUST CONTACT BETWEEN THE APPLEGATE GROUP AND UNDERLYING JURASSIC SEDIMENTS ; GEOL.DESC: GREENSTONE IS ALTERED ANDESITE; SERPENTINE POSSIBLY LATER THAN GREENSTONE
Comment (Deposit): RECORD NUMBERS (M013454), (M015211), AND (W017028) HAVE BEEN MERGED WITH THIS RECORD AND DELETED FROM THE OREGON FILE.
Comment (Workings): 7000 FEET OF WORKINGS ON TWELVE LEVELS MOST OF THE PRODUCTION IS FROM THE GREENBACK VEIN
References
Reference (Deposit): RAMP, L. AND PETERSON, N.V., 1979, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON; ODGMI BULL. 100, 45P
Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H.C. AND RAMP, L., 1968, GOLD AND SILVER IN OREGON; ODGMI BULL. 61, P.220
Reference (Deposit): OREGON METAL MINES HANDBOOK, 1942, ODGMI BULL. 14-C, VOL. 2, SEC. 1, P.104
Reference (Deposit): HOTZ, P.E., 1971, GEOLOGY OF LODE GOLD DISTRICTS IN THE KLAMATH MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA AND OREGON; USGS BULL. 1290, P.84
Reference (Production): USBM
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.
