Black Bart Mine

The Black Bart Mine is a chromium mine located in Lake county, California at an elevation of 2,300 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: Black Bart Mine
Secondary: Great Western Mine
Secondary: Tucker Lease

Commodity

Primary: Chromium

Location

State: California
County: Lake

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

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: D. Morse, Et. Al., 1291 Mountain View Ave., St. Helena, Ca. 94574 And Bounsalls, 1510 Diamond Mounta

Owner Name: Anglo-American Mining Co.
Home Office: Clovis, Ca.
Years: 1942 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1917
Year Last Production: 1918
Discovery Method: Other
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: California Coast Ranges
Physiographic Detail: Mayacmas Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LENSE, IRREGULAR OTHER STRINGERS

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Serpentinite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ORE AVERAGED 48% CR2O3.

Materials

Ore: Chromite

Comments

Comment (Workings): IN 1917, THE ORE BODY WAS DEVELOPED BY OPEN PIT METHODS. IN 1918, UNDERGROUND METHODS WERE USED. THREE WELL TIMBERED TUNNELS GAVE ACCESS TO A COMPLEX ARRAY OF DRIFTS, CROSS CUTS, RAISES AND STOPES. IN 1975, WHEN THE MINE WAS VISITED, ONLYA LARGE BENCHED OPEN CUT REMAINED.

Comment (Development): OWNERS: D. MORSE, ET. AL., 1291 MTN. VIEW AVE., ST. HELENA, CA. 94574 AND THE BOUNSALLS, 1510 DIAMOND MTN. RD., CALISTOGA, CA. 94515. ORIGINALLY THE PROPERTY WAS MINED FOR QUICKSILVER. 1942 OPERATION LIMITED TO CLEAN UP OF OLD WORKS.

Comment (Location): TO REACH MINE, TAKE HIGHWAY 29 2.5 MILES SOUTH OF MIDDLETOWN AND GO RIGHT ON THE CLAYTON-WESTERN MINE ROAD FOR 2.4 MILES. A SHORT SPUR ROAD ON THE RIGHT LEADS TO THE MINE.

Comment (Geology): THE CHROMITE BEARING SERPENTINE FORMS A LINEAR, NW TRENDING BELT THAT AVERAGES 1 MILE WIDE AND 20 MILES LONG. IN THE VICINITY OF THE MINE, THE SERPENTINE IS HIGHLY WEATHERED AND SHEARED.

Comment (Production): THE MINE IS CREDITED WITH 125 TONS OF ORE CARRYING 45 TO 50% CR2O3. ORE RANGED FROM MASSIVE HIGH-GRADE CHROMITE TO LOW-GRADE DISSEMINATED ORE, AND FROM 20 TO 50% CR2O3.

Comment (Deposit): ORE BODIES WERE USUALLY LESS THAN 1 FT THICK. HOWEVER, SEVERAL ORE BODIES WERE ABOUT 5 FT WIDE, 50 FT THICK, HAD AN E-W STRIKE FOR 50 FT AND DIPPED TO THE SOUTH. SOME ORE BODIES HAD HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF CHROMITE IN THE CORE WHILE OTHERS HAD IT CONCENTRATED TOWARDS THE MARGINS.

References

Reference (Deposit): BRADLEY, W.W., ET. AL., 1918, CHROMIUM AND MANGANESEIN CALIF.: CALIF. STATE MINING BUREAU BULLETIN 76, P. 149.

Reference (Deposit): STINSON, M.C., 1975, MINERAL PROPERTY REPORT, CALIF.DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY UNPUBLISHED REPORT.

Reference (Deposit): DOW, D.H. AND THAYER, T.P., 1946, GEOLOGICAL INVEST IGATIONS OF CHROMITE IN CALIF.: CALIF. DIVISION OF MINES BULLETIN 134, PART 2, CHAPT. 1, P.10, 11, 32.

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.