The Superior is a copper mine located in Plumas 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.
Superior MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Superior
Secondary: Engels
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Lead
Location
State: California
County: Plumas
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: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Sierra Nevada
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Porphyry Cu
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Actinolite
Gangue: Apatite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Workings): OPENED BY FOLLOWING LEVELS A, 1 , 2 , 3 , AND 4 . NO. 2 ADIT IS AT LEVEL OF LIGHTS CREEK MAIN SHAFT AND PORTAL OF NO. 1 ADIT ARE 200 FT. ABOVE EAST END OF MILL. A LEVEL IS 300 FT. ABOVE NO. 1 STOPES ARE 200 - 300 FT. LONG BY 10 FT. WIDE AND 400 FT. HIGH.
Comment (Deposit): SIX VEINS, ROUGHLY PARALLEL, ONLY THE A VEIN OUTCROPS AT THE SURFACE, THE K VEIN IS OF INTEREST BECAUSE IT FLATTENS BEFORE REACHING THE SURFACE AND CONTINUES FOR SOME DISTANCE AS A HORIZONTAL VEIN. VEINS AVG. 8 - 12 FT. IN THICKNESS, AND ARE SHARPLY SET OFF THE QTZ. MONZONITE.
Comment (Geology): LAMPROPHYRE DIKES ; GEOL.DESC: MINE IS IN QTZ. MONZONITE FORMERLY KNOWN AS SUPERIOR GRANO-DIORITE, NEAR ITS SOUTHERN CONTACT WITH THE PRE-PLUTONIC ROCKS. SODA-GRANITE PORPHYRY AND LAMPROPHYRE DIKES INTRUDING THE QUARTZ MONZONITE ARE ALSO FOUND.
Comment (Commodity): PYRITE ONLY KNOWN TO OCCUR IN ONE PLACE.
Comment (Production): INDIVIDUAL FIGURES FOR THE SUPERIOR ARE NOT AVAILABLE - ENGELS PRODUCTION FIGURES MOST LIKELY INCLUDE THOSE OF THE SUPERIOR MINES.
References
Reference (Deposit): AVERILL, C.V., 1924 , REDDING FIELD DIVISION; 24 TH REPT. STATE MINERALOGIST; CALIF. MIN. BUR., P. 275 - 278
Reference (Deposit): GOODWIN, J.G., LEAD AND ZINC IN CALIF.; CALIF. JOUR. MINES AND GEOLOGY, VOL. 53 , NOS. 3 & 4 ; DIV. OF MINES, P. 599
Reference (Deposit): MAC BOYLE, E., 1918 , PLUMAS COUNTY: 16 TH REPT. STATE MINERALOGIST; CALIF. MIN. BUR., P. 55 - 59.
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.
