Ratcliff Mine

The Ratcliff Mine is a gold mine located in Inyo county, California at an elevation of 6,001 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

Name: Ratcliff Mine  

State:  California

County:  Inyo

Elevation: 6,001 Feet (1,829 Meters)

Commodity: Gold

Lat, Long: 36.02472, -117.12778

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 Ratcliff Mine

Ratcliff Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Ratcliff Mine
Secondary: Radcliff Mine


Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Iron
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Tungsten


Location

State: California
County: Inyo
District: South Park


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
Discovery Year: 1897
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M


Physiography

Not available


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: L
Description: Panamint Metamorphic Complex


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ASSAYED 0.02% SCHEELITE. SAMPLES CUT FROM 4-10 FT. THICK VEIN ASSAYED $14-$64/TON.


Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Deposit): MAIN RATCLIFF VEIN IN NARROW BELT OF METAMORPHIC ROCK. ZONE CONSISTS OF QUARTZ LENSES AND MASSES IN WHICH GOLD ASSOC. WITH SULFIDES. PRINCIPAL VEIN 4-55 FT. IN THICKNESS. VEIN-FILLING OF COARSE, GLASSY QUARTZ, OFTEN SMOKY, GREASY ASPECT. ORE OCCURS BOTH OXIDIZED AND WITH SULFIDES. GOLD FILLS MINUTE FRACTURES IN PYRRHOTITE. ORE SHOOTS ON OR NEAR FOOTWALL. PRINCIPAL SHOOT 20-50 FT. THICK, 125 FT. LONG. 4-10 FT. VEIN CARRYING RICH SULFIDES WAS EXPOSED BELOW WORKINGS ON SECOND LEVEL. THIRD SHOOT OCCURS EAST OF LAYER OPEN CUT. 2 PARALLEL VEINS, JUST NORTH OF MILL, CONTAIN SCHEELITE. DETAILED PETROGRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF ORE IN SAMPSON (1932).

Comment (Workings): 7 ADITS AND RELATED WORKINGS COVER APPROX. 800 FT. VERTICALLY ON S SIDE OF PLEASANT CANYON. NO. 1 LEVEL IS 1800 FT. ABOVE CAMP, WHICH WAS AT BOTTOM OF CANYON. 100 FT. ADIT AND 25 FT. WINZE ON 2 PARALLEL SCHEELITE-BEARING VEINS NORTH OF MILL. LARGE GLORY HOLE OR OPEN CUT, 90 FT. LONG, 55 FT. WIDE AND 45 FT. HIGH. SMALL STOPES WORKED FROM THIRD AND FOURTH LEVELS. SOME 4000 FT. NORTH OF WORKS IS 40-FT. SHAFT SUNK ON 18-IN. CROSS VEIN WHICH WAS REPORTED TO BE HIGH-GRADE. MILLSITE AND BUILDINGS. SKETCH MAP OF WORKINGS IN SAMPSON (1932)

Comment (Location): UTM ACC. LAND UNSURVEYED

Comment (Production): A SMALL AMOUNT OF AU ORE WAS PRODUCED IN 1893.

Comment (Geology): COUNTRY ROCK VARIOUSLY DESCRIBED AS QUARTZ-SERICITE GNEISS, METAQUARTZITE OR, CONGLOMERATE SCHIST, WITH INTERBEDDED LIMESTONE.

Comment (Deposit): 10 PATENTED CLAIMS AND MILSITE INCLUDES SUN RISE, GROVER CLEVELAND, JOHN C. CARLISLE, KENTUCKY, TEXAS, JOKER, JOKER EXT., NEVER GIVE UP, TREASURE VAULT. W.G. QUARTZ ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT


References

Reference (Deposit): GOODWIN, J.G., 1957, LEAD AND ZINC IN CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA JOURNAL OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, V. 53, NOS. 3 & 4, P. 503

Reference (Production): NORMAN AND STEWART (1951) SAMPSON (1932), GOODWIN (1957)

Reference (Deposit): NORMAN, L.A., JR. AND STEWART, RICHARD M., 1951, MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF INYO COUNTY: CALIF. JOURNAL OF MINES AND GEOLOGY V. 47, NO. 1, P.47-48, 160

Reference (Deposit): SAMPSON, R.J., 1932, MINERAL RESOURCES OF A PART OF THE PANIMENT RANGE: CALIF. JOUR. MINES AND GEOLOGY, V. 28, P. 373-376


California Gold

Where to Find Gold in California

"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.