Pioneer Mine

The Pioneer Mine is a gold mine located in Coos county, Oregon at an elevation of 210 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

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: Pioneer Mine
Secondary: Lane Mine

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Platinum
Tertiary: Iridium
Tertiary: Ruthenium
Tertiary: Rhodium
Tertiary: Chromium

Location

State: Oregon
County: Coos
District: Beach Area

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

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Alex H. Smith
Years: 1939 -

Owner Name: Western Consolidated Mining Corp.
Years: 1939 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Beach Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1866
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Oregon Coast Range

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: BLACK SANDS AVERAGE 3% MAGNETITE, 55% CHROMITE + ILMENITE

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Chromite
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Iridium

Comments

Comment (Location): ON CUT CREEK. LOCATION GIVEN IS MINE SYMBOL SHOWN ON TOPO MAP

Comment (Commodity): PT WITH MINOR IR AND RU FOUND IN SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF PGE ALLOY RECOVERED IN SLUICING

Comment (Production): SMALL PRODUCTION.

Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: PAY STREAK IS LAYERED BLACK SAND 3 FT OR MORE THICK.

Comment (Deposit): THE MINE HAS A HISTORY OF NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO SET UP A PAYING OPERATION. BECAUSE OF EXTENSIVE OVERBURDEN, AVERAGING MORE THAN 50 FT, AND VARIOUS OTHER CAUSES, ONLY THE EARLIER OPERATION WAS PROFITABLE. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Development): 2 PATENTED CLAIMS OVER 19.51 ACRES

Comment (Deposit): ANCIENT BEACH TERRACE

Comment (Workings): 3 CAVED TUNNELS, THE LONGEST OF WHICH IS 1,340 FT.

References

Reference (Deposit): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, 1940, OREGON METAL MINES HANDBOOK, SOUTHWESTERN OREGON--COOS, CURRY, AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 14-C, V. 1 , P. 25-26.

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H.C., AND RAMP, LEN, 1968, GOLD AND SILVER IN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 61, P. 179-180.

Reference (Deposit): LIBBEY, F.W., 1963, LEST WE FORGET: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, ORE BIN, V. 25, NO. 6, P. 98, 102-103.

Reference (Deposit): PARDEE, J.T., 1934, BEACH PLACERS OF THE OREGON COAST: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 8, P. 38.

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.