Emigrant Gap Mining District (Blue Canyon Mining District), Placer County, California, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Emigrant Gap Mining District (Blue Canyon Mining District) | Mining District |
| Placer County | County |
| California | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
39° North , 120° West (est.)
Estimate based on other nearby localities or region boundaries.
Margin of Error:
~76km
Type:
Köppen climate type:
There is no USGS MRDS database file for this mining district.
Location and History: This district is in the east-central Placer and Nevada Counties in the vicinity of the towns of Emigrant Gap and Blue Canyon. It is both a lode and placer gold-mining district that was first worked during the gold rush. There has been intermittent prospecting and development work here since. The Zeibright Mine (Nevada County side of the Blue River) was worked on a large scale during the 1930's. The Washington district is just to the NW and the Westville district is to the S. The Zeibright mine camp is now a boy scout camp. Clark (1970a) designated this district as the "Emigrant Gap District;" however, several USGS MRDS database files designate it as the "Blue Canyon District."
Geology: The district is chiefly underlain by thick beds of slate, schist and phyllite of the Blue Canyon Formation (Carboniferous). To the north and west these rocks are overlain by andesite and rhyolite tuff. There are several patches of auriferous Tertiary channel
gravels.
Ore Deposits: There are a number of north-trending quartz veins in schist and slate that contain free gold, pyrite, and small amounts of other sulfides. The veins range from 1 to 10 feet in thickness and consist of a series of parallel quartz stringers. The milling-grade
ore usually contained 0.5 ounce per ton or less, but some of the ore shoots were extensive. Channel deposits at the Lost Camp hydraulic mine contain both cemented and free-washing quartzitic gravels. These gravels are overlain by sands and volcanic rocks. Some of the gold recovered from the gravels was coarse.
Mines: Lode: Red Rock, Texas, Van Avery, Zeibright ($1 million+). Placer: Golden Channel, Golden Nugget, Lost Camp, Shell, and Wild Yankee.
Location and History: This district is in the east-central Placer and Nevada Counties in the vicinity of the towns of Emigrant Gap and Blue Canyon. It is both a lode and placer gold-mining district that was first worked during the gold rush. There has been intermittent prospecting and development work here since. The Zeibright Mine (Nevada County side of the Blue River) was worked on a large scale during the 1930's. The Washington district is just to the NW and the Westville district is to the S. The Zeibright mine camp is now a boy scout camp. Clark (1970a) designated this district as the "Emigrant Gap District;" however, several USGS MRDS database files designate it as the "Blue Canyon District."
Geology: The district is chiefly underlain by thick beds of slate, schist and phyllite of the Blue Canyon Formation (Carboniferous). To the north and west these rocks are overlain by andesite and rhyolite tuff. There are several patches of auriferous Tertiary channel
gravels.
Ore Deposits: There are a number of north-trending quartz veins in schist and slate that contain free gold, pyrite, and small amounts of other sulfides. The veins range from 1 to 10 feet in thickness and consist of a series of parallel quartz stringers. The milling-grade
ore usually contained 0.5 ounce per ton or less, but some of the ore shoots were extensive. Channel deposits at the Lost Camp hydraulic mine contain both cemented and free-washing quartzitic gravels. These gravels are overlain by sands and volcanic rocks. Some of the gold recovered from the gravels was coarse.
Mines: Lode: Red Rock, Texas, Van Avery, Zeibright ($1 million+). Placer: Golden Channel, Golden Nugget, Lost Camp, Shell, and Wild Yankee.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities5 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Native Gold Formula: Au Localities: Reported from at least 8 localities in this region. |
| ⓘ Native Osmium Formula: (Os,Ir,Ru) References: |
| ⓘ Native Osmium var. Iridosmine Formula: (Os,Ir) References: |
| ⓘ Native Platinum Formula: Pt |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Localities: Reported from at least 6 localities in this region. |
| ⓘ 'Tourmaline' Formula: AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z Description: Occurs with quartz. |
| ⓘ Zircon Formula: Zr(SiO4) Colour: Hyacinthine Description: Occurs in sands. References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| ⓘ | Native Osmium | 1.AF.05 | (Os,Ir,Ru) |
| ⓘ | var. Iridosmine | 1.AF.05 | (Os,Ir) |
| ⓘ | Native Platinum | 1.AF.10 | Pt |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Zircon | 9.AD.30 | Zr(SiO4) |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Tourmaline' | - | AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| B | Boron | |
|---|---|---|
| B | ⓘ Tourmaline | AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Tourmaline | AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| O | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Zr | Zirconium | |
| Zr | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Ru | Ruthenium | |
| Ru | ⓘ Native Osmium | (Os,Ir,Ru) |
| Os | Osmium | |
| Os | ⓘ Native Osmium | (Os,Ir,Ru) |
| Os | ⓘ Native Osmium var. Iridosmine | (Os,Ir) |
| Ir | Iridium | |
| Ir | ⓘ Native Osmium | (Os,Ir,Ru) |
| Ir | ⓘ Native Osmium var. Iridosmine | (Os,Ir) |
| Pt | Platinum | |
| Pt | ⓘ Native Platinum | Pt |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Native Gold | Au |
Localities in this Region
- California
- Placer County
- Emigrant Gap Mining District (Blue Canyon Mining District)
- Placer County
- California
- Placer County
- Emigrant Gap Mining District (Blue Canyon Mining District)
- Placer County
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Calaveras-Baker DomainDomain
- Sierra Nevada BatholithVolcanic Arc
USA
- Sierra NevadaMountain Range
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References
