Laton Mine

The Laton Mine is a chromium mine located in Sonoma county, California at an elevation of 1,152 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: Laton Mine  

State:  California

County:  Sonoma

Elevation: 1,152 Feet (351 Meters)

Commodity: Chromium

Lat, Long: 38.61972, -123.13056

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 Laton Mine

Laton Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Laton Mine
Secondary: Principal Claims: Rattlesnake
Secondary: Slats
Secondary: Yellow Streak. Prospects: Burl
Secondary: Lone Bird
Secondary: Parmeter Ranch
Secondary: Red Slide
Secondary: Serpentine.


Commodity

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


Location

State: California
County: Sonoma


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

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: Laton, A. J.
Info Year: 1943

Owner Name: Laton, A. S. And Roy
Years: 1943 -


Production

Year: 1944
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^48% Cr2o3, Cr:Fe=2.6:1
Year: 1918
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^51% Cr2o3


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1916
Year Last Production: 1944
Discovery Year: 1915
Discovery Method: Unknown
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

Model Name: Podiform chromite (minor)


Orebody

Form: SMALL HIGH-GRADE LENSES, DISSEMINATED


Structure

Type: L
Description: Local Shearing


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Peridotite Is Serpentinized


Rocks

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: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: RH=9, 16 PPB. CR:FE=2.6:1
Analytical Data: RU=210, 570 PPB
Analytical Data: IR=49, 240 PPB
Analytical Data: PD=1, 3 PPB
Analytical Data: 2 PGE ANALYSES: PT=27, 47 PPB


Materials

Ore: Chromite
Gangue: Serpentine
Gangue: Olivine


Comments

Comment (Location): SLATS AND RATTLESNAKE CLAIMS ARE IN SEC. 13; YELLOW STREAK CLAIM IS IN SEC. 18. ON SLOPES ABOVE AUSTIN CREEK. UTM GIVEN IS FOR PGE SAMPLE COLLECTION SITE. LAT/LONG GIVEN IS FOR LATON MINE SYMBOL SHOWN ON TOPO MAP. UTM FOR THIS IS 4274360N, 488620E.

Comment (Deposit): MANY SMALL HIGH-GRADE LENSES EXPOSED ON YELLOW STREAK CLAIM; LARGEST CONTAINED ABOUT 15 TONS OF ORE. THREE LENSES ARE ON SLATS CLAIM - 125 X 10 X 5 FT, 70 X 15 X 2 FT, AND 50 X 10 X 5 FT. THEY STRIKE N TO NNW AND DIP ABOUT 20E. SOME LENSES BOUNDED BY SLICKENSIDED JOINTS. RATTLESNAKE CLAIM HAS ONE ORE BODY 35 FT LONG AND 10 FT WIDE. IT STRIKES N22W AND DIPS 65NE AND CONTAINS ABOUT 10% CR2O3.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): IF MAXIMUM DEPTH OF EACH LENS DOWNDIP IS ASSUMED EQUAL TO HALF THE OUTCROP LENGTH, RESERVES WOULD BE 10,000-15,000 TONS. RESERVES ARE MAINLY MILLING GRADE ORE

Comment (Commodity): ORE ON YELLOW STREAK CLAIM AVERAGES 51% CR2O3; OTHER TWO CLAIMS AVERAGE 10-15% CR2O3

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1910'S


References

Reference (Deposit): DOW, D.H., AND THAYER, T.P., 1946, GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF CHROMITE IN CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF MINES BULLETIN 134, PT. 2, CH. 1, P. 26-27, 36.

Reference (Production): DOW AND THAYER, 1946

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.


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