Sierra Iron Mine

The Sierra Iron Mine is a iron mine located in Sierra county, California.

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: Sierra Iron Mine  

State:  California

County:  Sierra

Elevation:

Commodity: Iron

Lat, Long: 39.69778, -120.71417

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 Sierra Iron Mine

Sierra Iron Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Sierra Iron Mine
Secondary: Lake Hawley and Spencer Lake Deposit


Commodity

Primary: Iron


Location

State: California
County: Sierra


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

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Contact Metasomatic
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Sierra Nevada


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR TO LENTICULAR


Structure

Type: L
Description: Folds And Faults


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Dynamothermally Metamorphosed


Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pennsylvanian


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVERAGE FIGURES OBTAINED THROUGH CALCULATIONS ON 7 SAMPLES FROM LAKE HAWLEY AND 1 SAMPLE FROM SPENCER LAKE SUGGESTS THE GRADE OF ORE TO BE ABOUT 21% FE.


Materials

Ore: Magnetite
Gangue: Talc
Gangue: Calcite


Comments

Comment (Deposit): TWO GROUPS OF DEPOSITS ABOUT A MILE AND A QUARTER APART, ONE CONSISTING OF 13 SMALL DEPOSITS NEAR LAKE SPENCER AND A LARGER ONE, 1 MILE SE OF LAKE HAWLEY. A MORE DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF EACH DEPOSIT IS FOUND IN THE REPORT BY DURRELL AND PROCTOR, 1948. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Workings): NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE

Comment (Geology): THE METAMORPHIC ROCKS IN THE AREA BELONG TO THE CALAVERAS FORMATION. MOST OF THE CALAVERAS FORMATION IN THE VICINITY OF THE IRON-ORE DEPOSITS ARE OF LOW-GRADE METAMORPHIC ROCKS DERIVED FROM FINE SANDY SEDIMENTS, FROM TUFF AND TUFF BRECCIAS (RHYOLITE TO DACITE), FROM MIXTURES OF CALCAREOUS AND CLASTIC SEDIMENTS AND FROM CHERTS. A FEW THIN BEDS OF METAMORPHOSED CONGLOMERATE AND OF METAMORPHOSED VOLCANIC BRECCIA ARE PRESENT.

Comment (Deposit): THE MAGNETITE ORE DEPOSITS ARE OF TWO TYPES, DEPENDING UPON THE ROCK IN WHICH THEY WERE FORMED. LAKE HAWLEY GROUP AND MOST OF THE SPENCER LAKE GROUP CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF TALC AND MAGNETITE. THE SECOND TYPE CONSISTS OF MAGNETITE AND CALCITE. THE TWO GROUPS CONTAIN BOTH TYPES IN COMBINATION.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): DETAIL INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE MAGNETITE FROM THE TWO GROUPS ARE IN DURRELL AND PROCTOR, 1948.


References

Reference (Deposit): DURRELL, C. AND PROCTOR, P.D., 1948; IRON-ORE DEPOSITS NEAR LAKE HAWLEY AND SPENCER LAKES, SIERRA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, CA. DIV. OF MINES BULL. 129, P. 167-192

Reference (Reserve-Resource): DURRELL AND PROCTOR, 1948


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"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.