Rough and Ready Bench

The Rough and Ready Bench is a platinum and gold mine located in Josephine county, Oregon at an elevation of 2,799 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

Name: Rough and Ready Bench  

State:  Oregon

County:  Josephine

Elevation: 2,799 Feet (853 Meters)

Commodity: Platinum, Gold

Lat, Long: 42.11667, -123.81806

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Rough and Ready Bench

Rough and Ready Bench MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Rough and Ready Bench
Secondary: Part of the Rough and Ready Group


Commodity

Primary: Platinum
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Nickel
Tertiary: Chromium
Tertiary: Cobalt


Location

State: Oregon
County: Josephine


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.
Administrative Organization: Siskiyou National Forest


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Type: Surface


Ownership

Owner Name: Inspiration Development Co. ; Walt Freeman
Years: 1978 -


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Residual
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Klamath Mountains


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Lateritic Ni


Orebody

Form: BLANKET


Structure

Type: L
Description: Shear Zone - Fault Contact


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Serpentinization


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: FE=0.0-40.7% FE
Analytical Data: CR=0.0-2.56%
Analytical Data: CO=0.0-0.13%
Analytical Data: CALCULATED AVERAGE GRADE OF SOIL AND SAPROLITE IS 0.7% NI, 1.4% CR, 0.08% CO. 34 ASSAYS OF ROUGH AND READY GROUP: NI=0.3-1.58%


Materials

Ore: Platinum
Ore: Gold


Comments

Comment (Deposit): ESTIMATED VOLUME OF UNWEATHERED ROCK IN SOIL IS 40%. DEPTH OF LATERITIC DEVELOPMENT IS GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 FT

Comment (Location): WEST EDGE OF SEC. 6, MAINLY IN SEC. 1. LOCATION GIVEN IS NEAR SECTION BOUNDARY IN E PART SEC. 1.

Comment (Production): SAID TO HAVE HAD A SMALL BYPRODUCT PGE PRODUCTION

Comment (Development): BENCH MINED IN EARLY DAYS FOR PLACER GOLD AND PLATINUM. NICKEL EXPLORATION BEGAN IN THE 1950'S. INSPIRATION DID DRILLING, SAMPLING, AND SEISMIC SURVEYS. APPLICATION TO PATENT 4,360 ACRES SUBMITTED IN 1992

Comment (Geology): AREA IS UNDERLAIN BY SERPENTINIZED HARZBURGINT OF JOSEPHINE OPHIOLITE, IN FAULT CONTACT WITH UPPER JURASSIC GALICE FORMATION. FAULT IS VERTICAL AND STRIKES ABOUT N20E. LATERITE IS REMNANT OF OLD UPLAND WEATHERED SURFACE.


References

Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, 1978, INVESTIGATIONS OF NICKEL IN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES MISCELLANEOUS PAPER 20, P. 35-38.

Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, AND PETERSON, N.V., 1979, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 100, P. 37.

Reference (Deposit): HLADKE, F.R., 1993, MINING AND EXPLORATION IN OREGON DURING 1992: OREGON GEOLOGY, V. 55, NO. 2, P. 27-34.


Oregon Gold

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"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.