Salt Rock

The Salt Rock is a chromium mine located in Josephine county, Oregon at an elevation of 2,881 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: Salt Rock

Commodity

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

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

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Arnot, Pat
Years: 1951 -

Production

Year: 1957
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^45% Cr2o3, 2.7 Cr:Fe
Year: 1952
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^51% Cr2o3

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
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: LENS, PODS

Structure

Type: L
Description: Northeast-Trending Shear Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Serpentinization

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: PD=4 PPB
Analytical Data: RH=91 PPB.
Analytical Data: RU=1,600 PPB
Analytical Data: IR=900 PPB
Analytical Data: 1 PGE ANALYSIS: PT=850 PPB
Analytical Data: 56.04% CR2O3, 11.70% FE

Materials

Ore: Chromite
Gangue: Serpentine

Comments

Comment (Geology): SERPENTINE COUNTRY ROCK

Comment (Development): 3 UNPATENTED CLAIMS IN 1951

Comment (Deposit): VERY SMALL SIZE; DISCONNECTED, ALONG FAULT

Comment (Workings): SMALL CUTS

Comment (Location): LOCATION GIVEN IS FOR PGE SAMPLE SITE LOCATION. TOPO MAP DOES NOT SHOW ANY PROSPECTS IN THE AREA

Comment (Production): 25 TONS PRODUCED BEFORE SOMETIME IN 1951. PRODUCED UP TO 1958

References

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 (Production): RAMP, 1961, ESTIMATE OF 80 TONS; THAYER FILES INCOMPLETE

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

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.

Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, 1961, CHROMITE IN SOUTHWESTERN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 52, P. 132.

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.