Iowa Hill Chrome Mine

The Iowa Hill Chrome Mine is a chromium mine located in Placer county, California at an elevation of 3,455 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: Iowa Hill Chrome Mine
Secondary: Williamson and Beck Property 1918

Commodity

Primary: Chromium

Location

State: California
County: Placer
District: Forest Hill Diride 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

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: W. S. Macy, Wm. And W. S. Hales
Years: 1918 -

Owner Name: Macy, Wm. And W. S. Hales
Years: 1918 -

Production

Year: 1918
Time Period: 1917-1918
Material type: ORE CR
Description: Cp_Grade: ^Avg. 46% Cr2o3

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1917
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: POD

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CR TO FE RATIO 2.8 TO 1
Analytical Data: AVG. 46% CR2O3

Materials

Ore: Chromite

Comments

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT OCCURS IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF A NNW TRENDING PERIDOTITE BODY THAT IS EXPOSED OVER AN AREA APPROX. 2 MILES BY 5 MILES AND IS BORDERED BY PALEO ZOIC META SEDS. AND TERTIARY VOLCANICS.

Comment (Location): PIT USED AS THE LOCATION POINT IS IN THE AREA CALLED IOWA HILL #2, 3 ON RYNEARSON'S MAP (1953). PIT IS 800 FT NE OF COMMON CORNER OF SECTS 19, 24, 25, 30 JUST ABOVE A SMALL CREEK.

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF SMALL PODS THAT HARE ABOVE STRIKE FOR APPROX. 600 M. ORE ZONE DIMENSIONS ESTIMATED TO BE AS SHOWN ABOVE.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS CONSISTED (1975) OF PITS AND TRENCHES; THE LARGEST TRENCH HAD ABOVE DIMENSIONS.

Comment (Development): DURING W.W. II, VICTORY CHROME CO.'S PROSPECTING REVEALED NO NEW CHROMITE ORE BODIES.

Comment (Commodity): ABOVE VALUES FROM CHROMITE OF NEAR BY ESTNER AND PHYLLIS MINE. IOWA HILL CR VALUES ASSUMED TO BE THE SAME.

References

Reference (Deposit): RYNEARSON, G.A., 1953, CDMG BULL 134, PT. 3, CHAPT. 5, P. 216, 217.

Reference (Deposit): STINSON, M.C., 1975, CDMG MINERAL PROPERTY REPORT, UNPUBLISHED.

Reference (Deposit): BRADLEY, W.W. ET AL, 1958, CALIF. STATE MINING BUREAU BULL 76, P. 164

Reference (Production): CDMG MINERAL PROPORTY REPORT, 1975, 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.