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Coso Mine (Devil's Kitchen; Atlas; Lynch & Lynch; Nicol; Walley-Mickey & Wheeler), Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Coso Mine (Devil's Kitchen; Atlas; Lynch & Lynch; Nicol; Walley-Mickey & Wheeler)Mine
Coso Hot Springs depositDeposit
Coso Hot SpringsGroup of Hot Springs
Inyo CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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PhotosMapsSearchMineralogy
09082390017271979173545.jpg
Cristobalite, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
09334500017272055264662.jpg
Native Sulphur, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
05899300017272055277861.jpg
Opal-AN, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
00704090017271979046905.jpg
Cristobalite, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
09334500017272055264662.jpg
Native Sulphur, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
05899300017272055277861.jpg
Opal-AN, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
09082390017271979173545.jpg
Cristobalite, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
09334500017272055264662.jpg
Native Sulphur, etc.

Coso Mine, Coso Hot Springs deposit, Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County, California, USA
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
36° 2' 25'' North , 117° 47' 36'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
36.04028,-117.79361
GRN:
N25W68
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
BSk : Cold semi-arid (steppe) climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Olancha192 (2015)33.0km
Inyokern1,099 (2018)43.8km
China Lake Acres1,876 (2011)44.5km
Searles Valley1,739 (2011)46.4km
Ridgecrest28,780 (2017)47.7km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Indian Wells Valley Gem & Mineral SocietyRidgecrest, California48km
Searles Lake Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.Trona, California49km
Mindat Locality ID:
25091
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:25091:8
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Coso Quicksilver; Coso Mercury deposit; Quicksilver deposit; Coso Mercury deposit


A former Hg occurrence/mine located in the E½E½ sec. 7 & in secs. 4 through 8, T22S, R39E, MDM, 2.2 km (1.4 miles) WSW of Coso Hot Springs, on military reservation land (China Lake Naval Ordnance Test Station). Discovered in 1929 by F.J. Sanders. Operated during the periods 1931-1932, 1935-1936, and 1938-1944. Owned by the federal government. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 10 meters.

Mineralization is a Holocene Hg deposit hosted in granite and chemical sediment. The ore body is irregular at a thickness of 15.24 meters, a width of 472.44 meters and a length of 784.86 meters (dimensions given for the largest mass of sinter). Controls for ore emplacement include hot springs and fumaroles, which are still active. Hg mineralization is currently being deposited. Local alteration includes hydrothermal, argillic, and silicification. Associated rocks include recent basalt flows and Quaternary rhyolite flows. Local rocks include Quaternary volcanic flow rocks, unit 5 (Coso Volcanic Field).

Local geologic structures include hot springs and fissures associated with them.

Production data are found in U.S. Bureau of Mines files data.

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

19 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded


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

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Alunite
Formula: KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘ Butlerite
Formula: Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
ⓘ Chalcanthite
Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O
ⓘ Cinnabar
Formula: HgS
ⓘ 'Clay minerals'
ⓘ Copiapite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
ⓘ Coquimbite
Formula: AlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
ⓘ Covellite
Formula: CuS
ⓘ Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘ Halotrichite
Formula: Fe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ Jarosite
Formula: KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘ Kornelite
Formula: Fe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ Metacinnabar
Formula: HgS
ⓘ Native Sulphur
Formula: S8
ⓘ Opal
Formula: SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘ Opal var. Opal-AN
Formula: SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘ Parabutlerite
Formula: Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Voltaite
Formula: K2Fe2+5Fe3+3Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Sulphur1.CC.05S8
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘMetacinnabar2.CB.05aHgS
ⓘCinnabar2.CD.15aHgS
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
ⓘQuartz
var. Chalcedony		4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘ4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘOpal
var. Opal-AN		4.DA.10SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘ4.DA.10SiO2 · nH2O
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAlunite7.BC.10KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘJarosite7.BC.10KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘChalcanthite7.CB.20CuSO4 · 5H2O
ⓘCoquimbite7.CB.55AlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
ⓘKornelite7.CB.60Fe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O
ⓘHalotrichite7.CB.85Fe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
ⓘVoltaite7.CC.25K2Fe2+5Fe3+3Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
ⓘGypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘCopiapite7.DB.35Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
ⓘButlerite7.DC.10Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
ⓘParabutlerite7.DC.10Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Clay minerals'-
ⓘ'Limonite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Hⓘ ButleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Hⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Hⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Hⓘ CoquimbiteAlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
Hⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Hⓘ HalotrichiteFe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Hⓘ Opal var. Opal-ANSiO2 · nH2O
Hⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Hⓘ KorneliteFe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O
Hⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Hⓘ ParabutleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Hⓘ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
OOxygen
Oⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Oⓘ ButleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Oⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Oⓘ Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
Oⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Oⓘ CoquimbiteAlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
Oⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Oⓘ HalotrichiteFe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ Opal var. Opal-ANSiO2 · nH2O
Oⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Oⓘ KorneliteFe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O
Oⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Oⓘ ParabutleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Alⓘ CoquimbiteAlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
Alⓘ HalotrichiteFe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Alⓘ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
Siⓘ Opal var. Opal-ANSiO2 · nH2O
Siⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
SSulfur
Sⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Sⓘ ButleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Sⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Sⓘ CinnabarHgS
Sⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Sⓘ CoquimbiteAlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Sⓘ HalotrichiteFe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Sⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Sⓘ KorneliteFe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O
Sⓘ MetacinnabarHgS
Sⓘ ParabutleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ Native SulphurS8
Sⓘ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
KPotassium
Kⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Kⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Kⓘ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
CaCalcium
Caⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
FeIron
Feⓘ ButleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Feⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Feⓘ CoquimbiteAlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O
Feⓘ HalotrichiteFe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Feⓘ KorneliteFe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O
Feⓘ ParabutleriteFe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ VoltaiteK2Fe52+Fe33+Al(SO4)12 · 18H2O
CuCopper
Cuⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
HgMercury
Hgⓘ CinnabarHgS
Hgⓘ MetacinnabarHgS

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10040638

Localities in this Region

USA
  • California
    • Inyo County
      • Coso Hot Springs

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
North America Plate
USA

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

U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System/Mineral Industry Location System (MAS/MILS): file #0060690220.
Bailey, E.H., USGS, personal files data (unpublished).
Ross, Clyde Polhemus and Robert Giertz Yates (1943) The Coso quicksilver district, Inyo County, California. USGS Bulletin 936-Q: 395-416.
Norman, L.A. and Richard M. Stewart (1951) Mines and mineral resources of Inyo County, California. California Journal of Mines and Geology (Report 47): 47(1): 85.
Holmes, Jr., G.W. (1965), Mercury in California: in: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8252
(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.
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