Mountain Spring

The Mountain Spring is a limestone, general mine located in Imperial 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.

Site Name

Primary: Mountain Spring

Commodity

Primary: Limestone, General
Tertiary: Tungsten

Location

State: California
County: Imperial
District: Jacumba

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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.
Administrative Organization: Wilderness

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Sedimentary
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1927
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Lower California

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LENS

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Tonalite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Tonalite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Tonalite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SAMPLES OF THE LIMESTONE AVERAGED 0.6% AL2O3, 51.8% CAO, 0.14% FE2O3, 1.6% MGO, <0.03% P2O5, AND 9.6% SIO2. ONE OF TWO SAMPLES FROM THE SKARN ZONES CONTAINED 0.08% WO3.

Materials

Ore: Limestone
Gangue: Graphite

Comments

Comment (Geology): IRREGULAR PODS OF GARNET-EPIDOTE-QUARTZ SKARN OCCUR ALONG THE MARGINS OF THE LIMESTONE LENS. THE SKARN PODS ARE UP TO 5 FT THICK AND 15 FT LONG. THE TABLULAR BODY OF METASEDIMENTARY ROCKS IS ENCLOSED IN TONALITE AND FORMS A SCREEN. THE SCREEN ALSO CONTAINS BIOTITE SCHIST AND NARROW PEGMATITE DIKES ALONG BEDDING.

Comment (Location): IN IN-KO-PAH GORGE, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE JACUMBA (IN-KO-PAH) WILDERNESS STUDY AREA. LOCATED ON MAIN HIGHWAY FROM JACUMBA TO EL CENTRO.

Comment (Production): A FEW HUNDRED TONS MINED IN 1940 AND 1950.

Comment (Deposit): COARSELY CRYSTALLINE, WHITE TO GRAY LIMESTONE THAT FORMS A 1600 FT LONG LENS THAT IS UP TO 30 FT THICK WITHIN A LARGER TABULAR BODY OF METASEDIMENTARY ROCKS (SEE GEOLOGIC COMMENTS). THE LIMESTONE CONTAINS MINOR SCHIST AND GRAPHITE AS WELL AS IRREGULAR SKARN PODS ALONG ITS MARGINS.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS ARE COMPOSED OF AN OPEN CUT 70 FT ACROSS AND 35 FT HIGH. THERE ARE 3 SMALL PROSPECT PITS IN THE SKARN ZONES.

References

Reference (Deposit): MORTON, PAUL K., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IMPERIAL COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, COUNTY REPORT NO. 7, P. 7.

Reference (Other Database): CIMRI

Reference (Reserve-Resource): TODD AND OTHERS, 1987.

Reference (Deposit): TODD, V.R., KILBURN, J.E., DETRA, D.E., GRISCOM, ANDREW, KRUSE, F.A., AND MCHUGH, E.L., 1987, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE JACUMBA (IN-KO-PAH) WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, IMPERIAL COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1711-D, 18 P.

Reference (Deposit): SAMPSON, R.J., AND TUCKER, W.B., 1942, MINERAL RESOURCES OF IMPERIAL COUNTY: CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF MINES BULL., VOL. 38, H2, P. 130.

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.