Big Four Placer

The Big Four Placer is a gold mine located in Josephine county, Oregon at an elevation of 850 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: Big Four Placer
Secondary: Bartlett

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Platinum

Location

State: Oregon
County: Josephine

Land Status

Land ownership: Federal
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: Thomas, Alice
Years: 1980 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Stream Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Klamath Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Form: STREAM SEDIMENT DEPOSITS

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Location): IN ROGUE NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER. LOCATION GIVEN IS ABOUT 0.5 MI NORTH OF MOUTH OF PICKETT CREEK ON WEST SIDE OF ROGUE RIVER. NO INDICATION OF PLACER ACTIVITY IS SHOWN ON TOPO MAP. ODGMI'S MILOC FILE INDICATES LOCATION IN W/2 SEC. 26, PRESUMABLY THE LOCATION USED IN THE USBM RECORD

Comment (Development): INTERMITTENT MINING FOR 40 YEARS

Comment (Deposit): LARGEST GOLD IS IN THE BOTTOM GRAVEL. TERRACE IS 300 FT ABOVE THE ROGUE RIVER

Comment (Geology): BEDROCK IS SLATE, PROBABLY OF GALICE FORMATION

Comment (Production): THERE WAS PROBABLY A LARGE PRODUCTION BETWEEN 1900 AND 1940. GOLD VALUES WERE $.20/YD. SMALL BYPRODUCT PGE PRODUCTION

Comment (Workings): HYDRAULIC. 20 ACRES MINED, 137 ACRES PATENTED. 3 OPEN PITS WITH 300 FT FACE AT 45-60 FT OF BACK

Comment (Reserve-Resource): AN ESTIMATED 4 MILLION YARDS OF MINEABLE GRAVEL WAS LEFT IN 1940, COVERING 30 WORKABLE ACRES.

Comment (Commodity): GOLD IS WELL WORN, FINE TO COARSE

References

Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, AND BROOKS, H.C., 1969, PLATINUM GROUP METALS, IN MINERAL AND WATER RESOURCES OF OREGON: U.S. CONGRESS, 90TH, 2D SESSION, COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, SENATE PRINTING, P. 170-171.

Reference (Deposit): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, 1952, OREGON METAL MINES HANDBOOK, SOUTHWESTERN OREGON--JOSEPHINE COUNTY (2D ED.): OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 14-C, V. 2, SEC. 1, P. 66-67.

Reference (Deposit): DILLER, J.S., 1914, MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTHWESTERN OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 546, P. 111-112.

Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, AND PETERSON, N.V., 1979, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 100, TABLE 1.

Reference (Deposit): PARKS, H.M., AND SWARTLEY, A.M., 1916, HANDBOOK OF THE MINING INDUSTRY OF OREGON: OREGON BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF OREGON, V. 2, NO.4, P. 36-37.

Oregon Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Oregon" 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 Oregon. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Oregon.