Keystone

The Keystone is a copper mine located in Shasta county, California at an elevation of 2,999 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: Keystone

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Zinc

Location

State: California
County: Shasta
District: West Shasta Copper - Zinc

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
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: Massive sulfide, kuroko

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: L
Description: Steep Faults Have Been Found To Terminate Some Of The Massive Sulfide Bodies, Suggesting Possible Feeder Channels For Ore Solutions.

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Devonian

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Devonian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite

Comments

Comment (Production): 122,000 TONS MINED - ORE AVERGED 6 % CU, 8 % ZN, 2.7 OZ/TON AG, .06 OZ/TON AU, 30 % FE, 35 % S, AND 15 % INSOLUBLE MATERIAL.

Comment (Deposit): ORE WAS SUBDIVIDED ON BASIS OF COPPER CONTENT - BOTH TYPES ARE MASSIVE SULFIDE BODIES, ORE BODIES ARE LOCATED IN A PRODUCTIVE ZONE 300 FT. THICK, IMMEDIATELY BELOW BASE OF UPPER UNIT IN THE BALAKLALA RHYOLITE.

Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: ORE BODY IS OVERLAIN BY A GENTLY DIPPING CONTACT BETWEEN UPPER AND MIDDLE UNITS OF THE BALAKALA RHYOLITE, NEAR THE PORTAL IS THE UPPER PART OF THE MIDDLE UNIT, AS COURSE PHENOCRYST TUFF THAT CONTAINS A FEW BODIES OF MASSIVE COURSE PHENOCRYST RHYOLITE.

Comment (Deposit): PORTALS OF THE MAIN ADITS ARE CAVED

Comment (Workings): 2 ADITS, DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS

Comment (Commodity): COPPER RICH ORE OCCURS IN SEPERATE, TABULAR BODIES AND AS PART OF LARGE PYRITIC MASSES.

References

Reference (Deposit): KINKEL, A. R., HALL, W. E. AND ALBERS, J. P., 1956 , GEOLOGY AND BASE - METAL DEPOSITS OF WEST SHASTA COPPER - ZINC DISTRICT SHASTA COUNTY, CALIF., GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 285 , PG. 129 - 131 .

Reference (Deposit): LYDON, P. A. AND O'BRIEN, J. C., 1974 , MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF SHASTA COUNTY CALIF.; COUNTY REPORT 6, CALIF. DIV. MINES AND GEOLOGY, PG. 107 .

Reference (Production): KINKEL ET AL., 1956 , PG. 129 (SEE REF.)

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.