Leviathan Mine

The Leviathan Mine is a sulfur mine located in Alpine county, California at an elevation of 7,280 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: Leviathan Mine

Commodity

Primary: Sulfur
Tertiary: Selenium
Tertiary: Gold
Tertiary: Copper

Location

State: California
County: Alpine

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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Sierra Nevada

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Comment (Environmental Factors): THE LEVIATHAN MINE SITE IS A 265-ACRE ABANDONED SULFUR MINE. THE SITE IS DRAINED BY LEVIATHAN CREEK AND ASPEN CREEK, WHICH FLOW VIA BRYANT CREEK INTO THE EAST FORK CARSON RIVER. MUCH OF THE WASTE FROM THE MINE WAS PLACED IN AND ALONG THE CHANNELS OF LEVIATHAN AND ASPEN CREEKS. WATER QUALITY IN LEVIATHAN CREEK DETERIORATED DUE TO ACID MINE DRAINAGE AND HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ARSENIC, COPPER, ZINC, AND IRON. LEVIATHAN CREEK IS ALSO CONTAMINATED FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH WASTE, SURFACE DISCHARGES FROM THE OPEN PIT, AND SEDIMENT FROM THE ACTIVE LANDSLIDE ON THE NORTHERN PART OF SITE. ANALYSIS HAS SHOWN THAT THE ACID MINE DRAINAGE IS LARGELY FORMED BY OXIDATION OF THE VERY FINE-GRAINED PYRITE, NOT BY OXIDATION OF ELEMENTAL SULFUR.

References

Reference (Deposit): CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MINES BULLETIN 144, P. 213.

Reference (Deposit): CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MINES BULLETIN 17.

Reference (Deposit): CALIFORNIA STATE MINING BUREAU, 27TH REPORT, 1931, P. 491.

Reference (Deposit): FINAL REPORT, JULY 1988, 416 PP. (P. 221-229).

Reference (Deposit): UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY. MINING WASTE STUDY,

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES IC 7898.

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.