Mahoney Mine

The Mahoney Mine is a mercury mine located in San Luis Obispo county, California at an elevation of 1,220 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: Mahoney Mine  

State:  California

County:  San Luis Obispo

Elevation: 1,220 Feet (372 Meters)

Commodity: Mercury

Lat, Long: 35.6228, -120.89530

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 Mahoney Mine

Mahoney Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Mahoney Mine
Secondary: Gould
Secondary: Buena Vista


Commodity

Primary: Mercury


Location

State: California
County: San Luis Obispo


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

Type: Located Claim
Type: Patented


Workings

Type: Underground


Ownership

Owner Name: Harold J. Biaggini
Home Office: California
Info Year: 1981


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Plant
Plant Subtype: Flotation
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N


Physiography

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


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 LAS TABLAS CREEK MINES, PARTICULARLY THE BUENA VISTA AND KLAU MINES, ARE ACID MINE DRAINAGE PRODUCERS. IN INVESTIGATIONS INDEPENDENT OF THIS STUDY, NICKEL AND OCCASSIONALLY THALLIUM HAVE BEEN DETECTED AT CONCENTRATIONS NEAR AND ABOVE HAZARDOUS WASTE LEVELS IN WATER DISCHARGE FROM THE BUENA VISTA MINE. BUENA VISTA MINE DISCHARGE WATER AND SEDIMENT WERE SAMPLES IN 1986. IN WATER, ELEVATED ELEMENTS APPARENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH MINING ACTIVITY OR MINERALIZED ZONES INCLUDE ARSENIC, CADMIUM, CHROMIUM, COPPER, BERYLLIUM, IRON, NICKEL, SILVER, ZINC, SODIUM, MAGNESIUM, SULFATE, CHLORIDES, AND POSSIBLY CALCIUM. DISCHARGE WATER PH WAS LOW. SEDIMENTS CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING METALS ABOVE WATERSHED MEANS: ARSENIC, IRON, MERCURY, AND POSSIBLY BERYLLIUM, CADMIUM, LEAD, SILVER AND ZINC.

Comment (Deposit): ORE MINED AND MILLED ON SITE RETORTED AT MCDERMITT NV MERCURY SHIPPED TO NEW YORK A 15 PERCENT CONTINGENCY IS ADDED TO MINE CAPITAL AND OP COSTS BECAUSE SCRAPERS HAVE OCCASIONALLY BEEN REQUIRED


References

Reference (Deposit): CALIFORNIA REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD, CENTRAL

Reference (Deposit): COAST REGION. SURFACE WATER DEGRADATION BY INACTIVE

Reference (Deposit): METAL MINES IN NORTHWEST SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CA,

Reference (Deposit): DECEMBER 1993 (P. 8-10).

Reference (Deposit): CALIF. STATE MINING BUR. REPORT 15, 1915, P. 712.

Reference (Deposit): CALIF. JOUR. MINES AND GEOL., V. 35, 1939, P. 439.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 922-R, 1941, P. 548-549, 559-560.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES IC 8252, 1965, P. 196.


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"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.