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Fish Creek Mountains, Imperial County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Fish Creek MountainsMountain Range
Imperial CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 58' 59'' North , 115° 58' 59'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
32.98333,-115.98333
GeoHash:
G#: 9mve8srtb
GRN:
N22W70
Type:
Mountain Range
Köppen climate type:
BWh : Hot deserts climate
Mindat Locality ID:
211121
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:211121:9
GUID (UUID V4):
0


The Fish Creek Mountains resemble a plateau rising as a great wall above the desert basin. From a distance, few dramatic peaks are visible. However, on closer examination, a rugged land of jagged ridges and peaks appears above twisting canyons and small valleys, creating a pristine natural environment. The steep mountain slopes contain limestone outcrops that have resisted erosion. As a result, water from cloudbursts has created narrow chutes swirling with water. Shielded from the sun's evaporating rays, water at the base of these chutes remains year-round serving wildlife as natural tanks. A portion of the ancient Lake Cahuilla shoreline is visible within this wilderness. The lake was a great body of freshwater once covering the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, receding 500 years ago. (U.S. Bureau of Land Management)

Much of this mountain range is a designated wilderness area.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.


Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

8 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Anhydrite
Formula: CaSO4
ⓘ Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘ Baryte
Formula: BaSO4
ⓘ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ Celestine
Formula: SrSO4
Description: Occurs as fuine crystalline material underlain by gypsum.
ⓘ Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
Localities: Reported from at least 14 localities in this region.
ⓘ Halite
Formula: NaCl
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ 'Silica'

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 3 - Halides
ⓘHalite3.AA.20NaCl
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘAzurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAnhydrite7.AD.30CaSO4
ⓘBaryte7.AD.35BaSO4
ⓘCelestine7.AD.35SrSO4
ⓘGypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ'Silica'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Hⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Hⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ AnhydriteCaSO4
Oⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Oⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Oⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oⓘ CelestineSrSO4
Oⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
FFluorine
Fⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
NaSodium
Naⓘ HaliteNaCl
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
SSulfur
Sⓘ AnhydriteCaSO4
Sⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Sⓘ CelestineSrSO4
Sⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
ClChlorine
Clⓘ HaliteNaCl
KPotassium
Kⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AnhydriteCaSO4
Caⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
FeIron
Feⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
SrStrontium
Srⓘ CelestineSrSO4
BaBarium
Baⓘ BaryteBaSO4

Localities in this Region

USA
USA

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America Plate
Pacific PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

california.hometownlocator.com (n.d.) https://california.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,1,fid,255498,n,fish%20creek%20mountains.cfm
Ver Planck, Wm. E., Jr. (1952), Gypsum in California: California Division Mines Bulletin 163: 28-35.
California Division of Mines (1953): Mineral Information Service: 6, June, 1.
Weber, F. Harold Jr. (1963) Geology and mineral resources of San Diego County, California. County Report 3. California Division of Mines and Geology pages 167, 169
Murdoch, Joseph; Webb, Robert Wallace (1966) Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966) - California Division of Mines and Geology, Bulletin 189. California Division of Mines and Geology. 559 pp.
Pemberton, H. Earl (1983) Minerals of California. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
Todd, Victoria R., et al (1987), Mineral Resources of the Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Imperial County, California, USGS Bulletin 1711-C.
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