Grau Mine

The Grau Mine is a chromium mine located in Tehama county, California at an elevation of 2,480 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: Grau Mine
Secondary: North Elder Creek Group

Commodity

Primary: Chromium

Location

State: California
County: Tehama
District: Elder Creek Area

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.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Ellis, Rose N.
Home Office: 3841 19th St., San Francisco, Ca.

Owner Name: Withers, John K.
Home Office: P.O. Box 6341, Santa Rosa, Ca
Years: 1975 -

Owner Name: Jubilee Mining Co.
Years: 1958 -

Production

Year: 1952
Material type: CON
Description: Ap_Grade: ^Avg. 43.09% Cr2o3
Year: 1944
Time Period: 1941-1944
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^Milling Ore, Avg. 10% Cr2o3
Year: 1944
Time Period: 1941-1944
Material type: CON
Description: Cp_Grade: ^Avg. 44.0% Cr2o3, Cr To Fe Ratio 3.1 To 1
Year: 1918
Time Period: 1893-1918
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^45-50% Cr2o3

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1893
Year Last Production: 1958
Discovery Year: 1885
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: California Coast Ranges

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: POD

Form: POD

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Partial To Complete Serpen Tinization Of Host Rocks.

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ANALYSIS OF 44 SAMPLES AVGERAGED 18% CR2O3

Materials

Ore: Chromite

Comments

Comment (Commodity): U.S.G.S., 1941

Comment (Location): WORKINGS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SLOPE OF THE NORTH FORK DRAINAGE OF ELDER CREEK.

Comment (Deposit): ORE BODY OF EAST PIT TRENDS N 80 W, DIPS 40 N AND HAS AVG. THICKNESS OF 30 FT. ORE BODY OF WEST PIT TRENDS N 35 W, DIPS AT MODERATE ANGLE TO THE NE AND IS 100 FT LONG WITH AVG. THICKNESS OF 20 FT.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS (EAST PIT) COMPLETELY COVERED BY DEBRIS FLOWS; WORKINGS (WEST PIT) CONSISTED OF A LARGE BENCH CUT 250 FT. LONG; 100 FT. WIDE AND 60 FT. DEEP. (1975)

Comment (Geology): GRAU MINE IS LOCATED NEAR THE NORTH END OF THE ELDER CREEK MASS, ALONG, FAULT BOUNDED N-S TRENDING ULTRAMAFIC BODY THAT IS EXPOSED OVER AN AREA APPROX. 120 KM BY 4 KM.

References

Reference (Deposit): STINSON, M.C., 1975, CDMG MINERAL PROPERTY REPORT, UNPUBLISHED.

Reference (Deposit): WELLS, F.G. AND HAWKES, H.E., 1965, CDMG BULL 134, PART 1, CHAPT. 3, P. 159, 161.

Reference (Production): STINSON, 1975, CDMG MINERAL PROPERTY REPORT, UNPUBLISHED

California Gold

"Where to Find Gold in California" 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 California. Read more: Where to Find Gold in California.