California Tunnel

The California Tunnel is a silver, gold, lead, and copper mine located in Eureka county, Nevada at an elevation of 7,799 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: California Tunnel
Secondary: California & Silver King

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Primary: Lead
Primary: Copper

Location

State: Nevada
County: Eureka
District: Eureka District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1879
Discovery Year: 1879
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Great Basin
Physiographic Detail: Basin And Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement

Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: L
Description: Northeast-Striking Transverse Faults More Abundant

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Local Silicification

Rocks

Name: Dolomite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian

Name: Dolomite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cambrian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Anglesite

Comments

Comment (Location): TUM PRECISION 500M

Comment (Deposit): WORKED INTERMITANTLY FROM 1879 TO 1917, 3,378 TON OF ORE VALUED AT $108,644 WERE PRODUCED (NOLAN 1962). THE MINE IS SITUATED ALONG THE DUNDERBERG-WINDFALL BELT, ONE OF FIVE MINERALIZED BLOCKSIN THE DISTRICT. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Development): WORKED INTERMITTENTLY FROM 1879 TO 1917

Comment (Deposit): REPLACEMENT OREBODIES IN FRACTURED ZONES OF DOLOMITE

References

Reference (Deposit): ROBERTS R.J., ETAL (1967) GEOLOGY & MINERAL RESOURCES OF EUREKA CO. NEV., NEV. BUREAR OF MINES BULL 64

Reference (Deposit): USB OF M. (ELY) MILS NO 112 REF NO 3201100128

Reference (Deposit): NOLAN T.B., (1962) THE EUREKA MINING DISTRICT, USGS PROF PAPER 406

Reference (Production): NOLAN, T.B. (1962)

Nevada Gold

Nevada has a total of 368 distinct gold districts. Of the of those, just 36 are major producers with production and/or reserves of over 1,000,000 ounces, 49 have production and/or reserves of over 100,000 ounces, with the rest having less than 100,000 ounces. Read more: Gold Districts of Nevada.