Columbia

The Columbia is a chromium, platinum, and gold mine located in Josephine county, Oregon at an elevation of 1,801 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: Columbia
Secondary: Greenback Consolidated

Commodity

Primary: Chromium
Primary: Platinum
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Oregon
County: Josephine
District: Grave Creek, Greenback Area

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

Ownership

Owner Name: Columbia Placer Co.
Years: 1940 -

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

Analytical Data: DAY AND RICHARDS: GREEN BACK: $326.79 AU/TON, $191.40 PT/TON OF CONCENTRATES, CONC. 100 TO 1, RECALCULATED TO 0.16 OZ/TON (5.5 PPM) AU, 0.06 OZ/TON (2.1 PPM) PT

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Platinum
Gangue: Zircon

Comments

Comment (Commodity): GOLD REPORTEDLY FINE, NUGGETS RARE

Comment (Location): NEAR GREENBACK MINE ALONG TOM EAST CREEK. LOCATION GIVEN IS FOR TAILINGS SHOWN ON TOPO MAP NEAR CENTER NE/4 SEC. 5

Comment (Reserve-Resource): OWNER IN 1940 ESTIMATED THERE REMAINED 400 DREDGABLE ACRES AT $.50/YD

Comment (Production): THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE GOLD PLACERS ON SOUTHWESTERN OREGON. $400,000 PRODUCED BEFORE 1914.

Comment (Development): 6 ACRES MINED ANNUALLY

Comment (Workings): HYDRAULIC, 6 ACRES/YEAR (1914)

Comment (Geology): GREENSTONE BEDROCK AND GREENSTONE BOULDERS IN CONGLOMERATE

References

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H.C., AND RAMP, LEN, 1968, GOLD AND SILVER IN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULLETIN 61, P. 218.

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): DAY, D.T., AND RICHARDS, R.H., 1906, USEFUL MINERALS IN THE BLACK SANDS OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES, CALENDAR YEAR 1905, P. 1212-1213.

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. 98.

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.