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Leona Mine (Leona Heights Mine), Leona Heights deposit, Leona Heights, Oakland, Oakland Hills (San Leandro Hills), Alameda County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Leona Mine (Leona Heights Mine)Mine
Leona Heights depositDeposit
Leona Heights- not defined -
OaklandCity
Oakland Hills (San Leandro Hills)Group of Hills
Alameda CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
37° 47' 29'' North , 122° 10' 27'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
37.79139,-122.17417
GeoHash:
G#: 9q9ngzeqz
GRN:
N26W69
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
Csb : Warm-summer Mediterranean climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Moraga17,256 (2017)6.2km
Piedmont11,376 (2018)6.2km
Alameda78,630 (2017)6.6km
San Leandro90,712 (2017)7.6km
Oakland419,267 (2017)8.6km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Northern California Geological SocietyOrinda, California10km
East Bay Mineral and Lapidary ClubHayward, California15km
Mineral & Gem Society of Castro ValleyHayward, California16km
San Francisco Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.San Francisco, California22km
Contra Costa Mineral & Gem SocietyConcord, California24km
Mindat Locality ID:
3428
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:3428:2
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A former S-pyrite-Cu-Au-Zn occurrence/mine located in the SE¼NE¼SE¼ sec. 3, T2S, R3W, MDM, 0.5 km (0.3 mile; 1,500 feet) NE of Leona Heights proper and 8.5 km (5.3 miles) E of Oakland center (1 mile S of the Alma Mine), on private land. Discovered in 1891. Owned by the Blowski Copper Company (Bank Of America) (1934-1950). Produced during the period 1925 to 1929. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 500 meters.

Mineralization is hosted in the Times Porphyry and Pliocene Leona rhyolite. The ore body is lenticular, strikes NW and dips NE at a thickness of 12.19 meters. Controls for ore emplacement included fractures. The Leona rhyolite occupies a narrow belt along the front of the Oakland Hills from Hamilton Gulch in Berkeley to a point 5 miles SE of Hayward. The rhyolite is a lava flow along a contact between the Knoxville shale and the Franciscan Formation. Rocks are fractured and altered by surface agents. There are 4 distinct facies, based on texture, glassy-spheralitic-porphyritic-felsitic. The ore is overlain by gossan. There were several mines along the foothills for 2 to 3 miles. The Alma and Syndicate Mines at the N, Leona Mine in the center and the Hotel Mine at the S. Both Mace & Lawson believed that the ore is at the contact of the rhyolite and the underlying Franciscan. Pyrite is distributed throughout the rhyolite. Local rocks include Tertiary intrusive rocks (hypabyssal), unit 9 (Jurassic gabbros along Hayward Fault) and rocks of the Franciscan Formation.

Workings include underground openings with a length of 914.4 meters. There were about 3,000 feet of development in 1929.

Local geologic structures include the Hayward Fault plus 2 parallel, smaller faults with horizontal displacement. Tectonic structures include the Hayward Fault with two parallel smaller faults with horizontal displacement.

Production data are found in: Eric, J.H. (1948).

Analytical data results: 47.8% S, 40.9% Fe, 1.7% Cu, $0.80 (period values) Au/ton, 0.53 ounce Ag/ton.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


16 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

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

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Alunogen
Formula: Al2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
ⓘ Boothite
Formula: CuSO4 · 7H2O
ⓘ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
ⓘ Chalcanthite
Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O
ⓘ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ Copiapite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
ⓘ Epsomite
Formula: MgSO4 · 7H2O
ⓘ Halotrichite
Formula: FeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ Hexahydrite
Formula: MgSO4 · 6H2O
ⓘ Kröhnkite
Formula: Na2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ Native Copper
Formula: Cu
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Römerite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 14H2O
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Copper1.AA.05Cu
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
ⓘBornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘChalcanthite7.CB.20CuSO4 · 5H2O
ⓘHexahydrite7.CB.25MgSO4 · 6H2O
ⓘBoothite7.CB.35CuSO4 · 7H2O
ⓘEpsomite7.CB.40MgSO4 · 7H2O
ⓘAlunogen7.CB.45Al2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
ⓘRömerite7.CB.75Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 14H2O
ⓘHalotrichite7.CB.85FeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
ⓘKröhnkite7.CC.30Na2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
ⓘCopiapite7.DB.35Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Limonite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Hⓘ BoothiteCuSO4 · 7H2O
Hⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Hⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Hⓘ EpsomiteMgSO4 · 7H2O
Hⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Hⓘ HexahydriteMgSO4 · 6H2O
Hⓘ KröhnkiteNa2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
Hⓘ RömeriteFe2+Fe23+(SO4)4 · 14H2O
OOxygen
Oⓘ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Oⓘ BoothiteCuSO4 · 7H2O
Oⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Oⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Oⓘ EpsomiteMgSO4 · 7H2O
Oⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ HexahydriteMgSO4 · 6H2O
Oⓘ KröhnkiteNa2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
Oⓘ RömeriteFe2+Fe23+(SO4)4 · 14H2O
NaSodium
Naⓘ KröhnkiteNa2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ EpsomiteMgSO4 · 7H2O
Mgⓘ HexahydriteMgSO4 · 6H2O
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Alⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
SSulfur
Sⓘ AlunogenAl2(SO4)3 · 17H2O
Sⓘ BoothiteCuSO4 · 7H2O
Sⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Sⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Sⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Sⓘ EpsomiteMgSO4 · 7H2O
Sⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Sⓘ HexahydriteMgSO4 · 6H2O
Sⓘ KröhnkiteNa2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ RömeriteFe2+Fe23+(SO4)4 · 14H2O
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
FeIron
Feⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Feⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ RömeriteFe2+Fe23+(SO4)4 · 14H2O
CuCopper
Cuⓘ BoothiteCuSO4 · 7H2O
Cuⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Cuⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuⓘ Native CopperCu
Cuⓘ KröhnkiteNa2Cu(SO4)2 · 2H2O
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10102589

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic 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 #0060010070.
Mace, C. H. (1911), Geology at Leona Phyolite, Mining and Engineering World: 35: 1320.
Lawson, Andrew Cowper (1914), Description of the San Francisco district: Tamalpais, San Francisco, Concord, San Mateo, and Hayward quadrangles: USGS Geol. Atlas, San Francisco folio (Folio No. 193), 24 pp.: 22.
Clark, Clifton W. (1917), The geology and ore deposits of the Leona rhyolite, California: University of California, Department of Geologic Science Bulletin: 10(20): 361-382.
Laizure, Clyde McK (1929), Fresno, Alameda, and San Francisco Counties: San Francisco Field Division, California Mining Bureau. 25th. Report of the State Mineralogist: 440-441.
Bramel, Hadley R., Heyl, George R., Cox, Manning W., Ransome, Alfred L., Eric, John H., Wyant, Donald G. (1948) Copper in California. Bulletin 144. California State Mining Bureau p.212
Davis, Fenelon Francis (1950), Mines and mineral resources of Alameda County, California: California Journal of Mines and Geology: 46(2): 296, 305-307, Pl. __.
California Division of Mines & Geology (1957), Bulletin 176: 450,451, 619.
California Division of Mines (1958): Mineral Information Service: 11(5): 2.
Pemberton, H. Earl (1983) Minerals of California. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.
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