Violet

The Violet is a chromium mine located in Josephine county, Oregon at an elevation of 3,681 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: Violet
Secondary: Briggs Creek Sordy
Secondary: Part of Sordy Group

Commodity

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

Location

State: Oregon
County: Josephine
District: Chrome Ridge District

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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Year: 1955
Time Period: 1942-1955
Material type: TOTAL
Description: Cp_Grade: ^44.99% Cr2o3 (Weighted Average Grade)
Year: 1944
Time Period: 1942-1944
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^39% Cr2o3, 2.4:1 Cr:Fe
Year: 1955
Time Period: 1951-1955
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^44-52% Cr2o3 (Conc.)

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
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: Podiform chromite (minor)

Orebody

Form: LAYERS OF DISSEMINATED ORE

Form: LAYERS OF DISSEMINATED ORE

Structure

Type: L
Description: Close To Axis Of Syncline

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Local Serpentinization

Rocks

Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Name: Peridotite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: RH=18, 19 PPB.
Analytical Data: RU=200 PPB (1 NOT ANALYZED)
Analytical Data: IR=40 PPB (1 NOT ANALYZED)
Analytical Data: PD=<4, 9 PPB
Analytical Data: CONCENTRATES MADE FROM DISSEMINATED ORE CONTAIN 11.85% CR2O3. NOTE: 52.3% CR2O3, 17.6% FE, 1.3% SIO2, 13.0% MGO, 11.2% AL2O3. 2 PGE ANALYSES: PT=<10, 15 PPB
Analytical Data: ORE CONCENTRATES TO A UNIFORM HIGH GRADE OF ABOUT 53% CR2O3, 14% FE

Materials

Ore: Chromite
Gangue: Olivine

Comments

Comment (Location): LOCATION GIVEN IS FOR PGE SAMPLE SITE LOCATION. TOPO MAP SHOWS NO PROSPECTS IN AREA

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVE ESTIMATES 4,000-5,000 TONS AT 30% CR203

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION LISTED FOR SORDY GROUP, MOST FROM VIOLET.

Comment (Deposit): OFFSET BY EN ECHELON FAULTS, FOLDED. GLORY HOLE DATA GIVEN

Comment (Workings): TWO SETS OF WORKINGS, UPPER (CAVED IN 1955) AND LOWER. UPPER IS 2 TUNNELS AND OPEN CUT, LOWER IS 2 TUNNELS AND GLORY HOLE. GLORY HOLE LOCATED NEAR AXIS OF SYNCLINE

References

Reference (Deposit): THAYER, T.P., 1974, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, UNPUB. DATA.

Reference (Deposit): PAGE, N.J, JOHNSON, M.G., HAFFTY, JOSEPH, AND RAMP, LEN, 1975, OCCURRENCE OF PLATINUM GROUP METALS IN ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS OF THE MEDFORD-COOS BAY 2 DEGREE QUADRANGLE, SOUTHWESTERN OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MISCELLANEOUS FIELD STUDIES MAP MF-694, SCALE 1:250,000.

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, TABLE 1.

Reference (Deposit): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, 1952, OREGON METAL MINES HANDBOOK, SOUTHWESTERN OREGON--JOSEPHINE COUNTY (2D ED.): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 14-C, V. 2, SEC. 1, P. 145-146.

Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, 1961, CHROMITE IN SOUTHWESTERN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 52, P. 80-81.

Reference (Deposit): WELLS, F.G., PAGE, L.R., AND JAMES, H.L., 1941, CHROMITE DEPOSITS IN THE SOURDOUGH AREA, CURRY COUNTY, AND THE BRIGGS CREEK AREA, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 922-P, PT. 4, P. 461-496.

Reference (Deposit): CARLSON, C.A., AND OTHERS, 1985, ANALYSES FOR PLATINUM-GROUP ELEMENTS IN SAMPLES FROM PODIFORM CHROMITE DEPOSITS, CALIFORNIA AND OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 85-442, 14 P.

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.