Lights Creek Copper Deposits

The Lights Creek Copper Deposits is a copper mine located in Plumas county, California at an elevation of 5,692 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

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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: Lights Creek Copper Deposits
Secondary: Engles-Superior
Secondary: Sulfide Ridge
Secondary: Superior-Engel
Secondary: Moonlight

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Silver

Location

State: California
County: Plumas
District: Lights Creek

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

Type: Private Lease
Type: Patented
Type: Located Claim

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Starfield Resources Inc
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Toronto, Canada
Info Year: 2009

Owner Name: California-Engels Mining Co
Percent: 0.00
Home Office: Greenville, CA
Info Year: 2009

Owner Name: Placer Amex
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: California
Info Year: 1978

Production

Year: 1962
Time Period: 1915-1962
Description: Prod.1915-62, 2pctcu: Conc.28.8 Pct.Cu. 4300000 Metric Tons Ore

Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1914
Discovery Year: 1880
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M

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

Unknown: Mica
Unknown: Calcite
Unknown: Chalcocite
Unknown: Chalcopyrite
Unknown: Chrysocolla
Unknown: Copper
Unknown: Covellite
Unknown: Dolomite
Unknown: Epidote
Unknown: Galena
Unknown: Limonite
Unknown: Magnetite
Unknown: Malachite
Unknown: Chlorite
Unknown: Bornite
Unknown: Azurite
Unknown: Apatite
Unknown: Molybdenite
Unknown: Orthoclase
Unknown: Plagioclase
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Pyrrhotite
Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Schorlite
Unknown: Sericite
Unknown: Siderite
Unknown: Sphalerite
Unknown: Tennantite
Unknown: Tetrahedrite
Unknown: Actinolite
Unknown: Magnesite

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserve data 1972: About 330,000,000 tonnes material with about 0.3% Cu at a lower cut-off grade.

Comment (Deposit): Associated Minerals: actinolite, azurite/malachite, bornite, carbonate, chalcocite, chalcopyrite, chlorite, chrysocolla, copper, covellite, epidote, galena, hematite, jamesonite, limonite, magnetite, molybdenite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, sericite, sphalerite, stibnite, tetrahedrite/tennantite, tourmaline

Comment (Deposit): Associated Rocks: aplite;granite porphyry, quartz porphyry, serpentinite ;andesite, agglomerate, alaskite, basalt, gabbro, granite, granodiorite, metasedimentary rocks, metavolcanic rocks, quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, schist

Comment (Geology): Record 1 L-Gaf Ranges From Lower Cretaceous To Lower Eocene. Other Def Is Hydrothermal Following Fracturing And Magmatic During Emplacement. Lr Line 4 Record 1 Is Porphory Deposit.

Comment (Geology): Mafics Represent 11.00 Vol.Pct. Metallics Represents 3.30 Vol.Pct. Order Of Importance:Chalcopyrite,Bornite,Covelite,Chalcocite Malachite,Azurite,Chrysocolla And Native Copper. Primary Gangue Minerals In Order Of Abundance:Magnetite, Hematite,Pyrite Minor Minerals-Pyrrhotite,Molybdenite,Sphalerite,Galena, Siderite,Dolomite,Calcite,Epidote,Chlorite,Actinolite Minor Minerals:Pyrrhotite,Molybdenite,Sphalerite,Galena Tetrahedrite,Tennanite,Luzonite. Minor Oxidation Minerals-Limonite,Manganese Oxides,Malachite Azurite,Chrysocholla,Native Copper.

Comment (Deposit): 1985 Update. No Activity At Mine In Recent Years. John Burnett, Ca Div Mines & Geol. June, 1985.

Comment (Location): Part Of Property Is Located In Sec 17.

Comment (Geology): Ori-1-Other Is Late Pneumatolyytic. Geo-1 Other Is Tourmalene. Description Relates To All Matricies.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Lights Creek - Moonlight And Superior Ore Bodies.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Matrix 1 Column 1-P90=Company Data On Moonlight Deposits. Matrix 2 Column 1-P90=Company Data On Superior Deposits. Matrix 3 Column 1-Company Data On Grade No Reserves Est.For Sulfide Ridge M3=Q/Unk Surface And Underground Resources Of The Engels Mine Non-Cumulative

References

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Anon.,1976,Porphyry Prospectors Learn How To Find Big Bodies At Arizona Geology Symposium. World Mining. V.29,No.6.,Pp.44-45

Reference (Deposit): Anderson,C.A.,1931.The Geology Of The Engles And Superior Mines, Plumas County, Calif.:Univ.Of Calif.,Dept. Of Geol.Sci.Bulletin,V.20,1931, Pp.293-330.

Reference (Deposit): California Division Of Mines And Geology,1960 Geologic Map Of Calif. Westwood Sheet.

Reference (Deposit): Diller,J.S.,1903,Geology Of The Talorsville Region,Ca. Westwood Sheet,1960

Reference (Deposit): Gentry.G.G.,1952,Dmea Rept 2161. Englemine,Plumas County, California; Us.Bumines 12p.

Reference (Deposit): Ingco.G,1974, Situation Rept-Lights Creek Copper Mine: U.S. Forest Service,Greenville Ranger District, Plumas National Forest 71p.

Reference (Deposit): Knopf,A.,And Anderson,C.A.,1930,The Engels Copper Deposits, Calif. Econ Geol. V.25 P.14-35.

Reference (Deposit): Macboyle,E.,1918,Mines And Mineral Resources Of Plumas Co. Calif.Div.Of Mines And Geol.,16th Rept Of The State Minerologist,P.31-36 And 55-59.

Reference (Deposit): Moore,L.1970, The Engels Copper Deposit;U.S.Bumines Unpub Report.

Reference (Deposit): Putman,G.W.,1975,Basic Metal Distribution In Granitic Rocks Three Dimensional Variation In The Lights Creek Stock Cal; Econ.Geol,V.70, P.1225-1241.

Reference (Deposit): Smith,A.R.,1970,Trace Elements In The Plumas Copper Belt, Plumas County,Calif. Calif.Divv.Of Mines And Geol. Special Report 103, 26p.

Reference (Deposit): Storey,L.O.,1977,Written Comm.Sr.Geol.Placer Amex.

Reference (Deposit): Nelson,W.I.,1932,Mining Methods And Costs At The Superior Concentrator Of The Engles Copper Mining Co.,Plumas Co. Calif.Bumines Jc6550,.23p.

Reference (Deposit): Putman,G.W.,1972,Basic Metal Distribution In Granitic Rks; Data From The Lights Creek And Rocky Hill Stocks,Cal. Econ.Geol.V.67, P.511-527.

Reference (Deposit): Nelson,W.I.,1930,Mining Methods And Costs At The Engles Mine Plumas County,Ca.;Us Bumines Ic 6260, 23p.

Reference (Deposit): Storey,L.O.,1976,Geology And Mineralization Of The Lights Creek Stock,,Plumas County,Calif.Paper Given At The Porphyry Copper Symposium,Tuscon,Ariz, 1976,17p.

Reference (Deposit): Hillman,C.T., And Schumacher, O., Lights Creek Copper Deposit Plumas County, Calif., U.S.Bumines Mas Deposit Report, 1978 40 P.

Reference (Deposit): Averill,C.V.,1928,Mining Activity In Plumas County. Calif.Div.Mines And Geol.24th Rept.Fo The State Minerol P.271-278

Reference (Deposit): Storey, L.O., 1978, Geology and mineralization of the Lights Creek Stock, Plumas County, California; Arizona Geological Society Digest, Volume 11, p. 49-58.

Reference (Deposit): Evernden, J.F. and Kistler, R.W., 1970, Chronology of emplacement of Mesozoic batholithic complexes in California and western Nevada; United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper 623, 42 p.

Reference (Deposit): Amex, 1972

Reference (General): Singer and others, (2008), Sheffield Resources Ltd. (2006)

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.