Old Channel

The Old Channel is a gold mine located in Josephine county, Oregon at an elevation of 1,201 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: Old Channel

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Platinum

Location

State: Oregon
County: Josephine
District: Galice 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

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Harvey, J. R.
Years: 1939 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Stream Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Form: STREAM SEDIMENT DEPOSITS

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AU IS 900 FINE

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Location): LOCATION GIVEN IS MINE SYMBOL NORTH OF RICH GULCH WEST OF GALICE, SHOWN ON TOPO MAP

Comment (Commodity): NUGGETS GENERALLY SMOOTHED AND FLATTENED

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN $1 MILLION AT AVERAGE VALUES OF $0.10-0.15/YD. SMALL BYPRODUCT PGE PRODUCTION. SMALL PRODUCTION IN 1984

Comment (Workings): DEVELOPED BY A PIT 0.33 MI ACROSS AND 100 FT DEEP. HYDRAULICKED

Comment (Development): WAS PROBABLY LARGEST PLACER IN SOUTHWESTERN OREGON. PLACER WAS BEING WORKED BY FOUR SMALL OPERATORS IN 1984; THEY WERE PRODUCING GOLD FROM RIPPED UP BEDROCK

Comment (Geology): TERRACE GRAVEL IS COMPOSED OF GREENSTONE AND QUARTZ. BEDROCK IS ARGILLITE OF GALICE FORMATION. GOLD WAS PROBABLY REWORKED FROM OLDER CHANNEL DEPOSITS. ; GEOL.DESC: BEDROCK IS ARGILLITE

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT IS 500 FT ABOVE PRESENT STREAM. THICKNESS OF BED RANGES FROM 15-210 FT AND IS 0.5-1 MI WIDE AND 4.5 MI LONG

References

Reference (Production): RAMP (1979)

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. 48-49.

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H.C., RAMP, LEN, FERNS, M.L., AND GRAY, J.J., 1985, MINERAL INDUSTRY IN OREGON, 1984: OREGON GEOLOGY, V. 47, NO. 4, P. 39-46.

Reference (Deposit): PARKS, H.M., AND SWARTLEY, A.M., 1916, HANDBOOK OF THE MINING INDUSTRY OF OREGON: OREGON BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF OREGON, V. 2, NO. 4, P. 166.

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H.C., AND RAMP, LEN, 1968, GOLD AND SILVER IN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 61, P. 202-204.

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): RAMP, LEN, AND BROOKS, H.C., 1969, PLATINUM GROUP METALS, IN MINERAL AND WATER RESOURCES OF OREGON: U.S. CONGRESS 90TH, 2D SESSION, COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, SENATE PRINTING, P. 171.

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.