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Cerro Gordo Mine, Cerro Gordo, Cerro Gordo Mining District, Inyo Mts (Inyo Range), Inyo County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Cerro Gordo MineMine
Cerro GordoTown
Cerro Gordo Mining DistrictMining District
Inyo Mts (Inyo Range)Mountain Range
Inyo CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
36° 32' 15'' North , 117° 47' 33'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Lone Pine2,035 (2015)25.4km
Olancha192 (2015)34.3km
Independence669 (2011)46.8km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Lone Pine Gem & Mineral SocietyLone Pine, California25km
Mindat Locality ID:
3463
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:3463:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A former Ag-Pb-Cu-Zn mine located in secs. 12, 13, 23 & 24, T16S, R38E, MDM, at the site of the former town of Cerro Gordo (mining ghost town), 9.5 km (5.9 miles; 9 road miles) NE of Keeler. The property consisted of 550 acres. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 10 meters. This mine resulted from the consolidation of the Union and Santa Maria mines.

Mineralization is a replacement deposit (Mineral occurrence model information: Model code: 72; USGS model code: 19a; Deposit model name: Polymetallic replacement; Mark3 model number: 47), hosted in Late Devonian marble. The ore body is lenticular in form, strikes N-NW and dips 70SW at a width of 6.1 meters and a length of 21.34 meters. The predominant rock is white marble. Slate and igneous rock, with dikes of diorite and porphyry occur within the marble. Three periods of mineralization are recognizable in the mine. The earliest was of pyrite; the second was argentiferous galena and sphalerite with some pyrite; and, the last was quartz with subordinate amounts of galena and argentiferous tetrahedrite. There are 6 ore bodies: China stope, Jefferson Diabase dike, La Despreciada, Union and Belshaw. These formed along steep, N-NW fissures in the Devonian marble. Local rocks include Carboniferous marine rocks, unit 3 (SE California Clastic Assemblage).

Local geologic structures include faults, both pre-intrusive and post-intrusive, pre-mineralization and post-mineralization, some with considerable displacement.

Workings include underground openings with a length of 48,279 meters and an overall depth of 274.32 meters. The greatest vertical dimension of the stopes was about 1,000 feet. The mine was developed by a 900 foot shaft with levels at 85, 200, 400, 550, 700 and 900 feet. A 200 foot deep winze was sunk from the 900 foot level extends to the 1000 and 1100 levels. A second winze was sunk 250 feet and gave access to the 1030 and 1150 levels S of the shaft. Total underground workings are about 30 miles in extent.

During the period 1943 to 1945, the Golden Queen Mining Co. shipped 750 to 1,000 tons of ore, which assayed 17.5% Pb and 13.2 ounces/ton Ag. Total production was estimated to be over $17,000,000 (period values). The recorded production since 1906 is over $6,000,000.

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

45 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

Acanthite
Formula: Ag2S
Anglesite
Formula: PbSO4
Aurichalcite
Formula: (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Baryte
Formula: BaSO4
Description: An important mineral in quartz veins.
'Bindheimite'
Formula: Pb2Sb2O6O
Description: A common oxidation product in Pb ores.
Bournonite
Formula: PbCuSbS3
References:
Brochantite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
References:
Caledonite
Formula: Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
Colour: Bright green
Cerussite
Formula: PbCO3
Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
Chlorargyrite
Formula: AgCl
Description: Fairly abundant in the upper levels.
Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Description: Occurs as pseudomorphs after cerussite.
Covellite
Formula: CuS
Cuprite
Formula: Cu2O
Description: Occurs as massive material surrounding cores of copper.
Galena
Formula: PbS
Galena var. Silver-bearing Galena
Formula: PbS with Ag
Geocronite
Formula: Pb14Sb6S23
Goethite
Formula: Fe3+O(OH)
Greenockite
Formula: CdS
Halloysite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Colour: White, banded white & brown
Hemimorphite
Formula: Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Hydrozincite
Formula: Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6
Jamesonite
Formula: Pb4FeSb6S14
Leadhillite
Formula: Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
Colour: Pale sea-green tint
Description: Small, imperfect crystals.
'Limonite'
Description: Occurs as pseudomorphs after long, prismatic crystals of stibnite.
Linarite
Formula: PbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Liroconite
Formula: Cu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Minium
Formula: Pb3O4
Mixite
Formula: BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
Colour: Pale blue
Description: Occurs as needles in radiating clusters.
Native Copper
Formula: Cu
Description: Occurs as cores in massive cuprite.
Plumbogummite ?
Formula: PbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
Description: Reported.
Plumbojarosite
Formula: Pb0.5Fe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Polybasite
Formula: [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]
Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Pyromorphite
Formula: Pb5(PO4)3Cl
Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Rosasite
Formula: (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Siderite
Formula: FeCO3
References:
Smithsonite
Formula: ZnCO3
Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
Tenorite
Formula: CuO
Tetradymite
Formula: Bi2Te2S
'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
Willemite
Formula: Zn2SiO4
Wulfenite
Formula: Pb(MoO4)

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
Acanthite2.BA.35Ag2S
Covellite2.CA.05aCuS
Sphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
Greenockite2.CB.45CdS
Galena2.CD.10PbS
var. Silver-bearing Galena2.CD.10PbS with Ag
Tetradymite2.DC.05Bi2Te2S
Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Bournonite2.GA.50PbCuSbS3
'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
Polybasite2.GB.15[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]
Jamesonite2.HB.15Pb4FeSb6S14
Geocronite2.JB.30aPb14Sb6S23
Group 3 - Halides
Chlorargyrite3.AA.15AgCl
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
Goethite4.00.Fe3+O(OH)
Cuprite4.AA.10Cu2O
Tenorite4.AB.10CuO
Minium4.BD.05Pb3O4
Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
'Bindheimite'4.DH.20Pb2Sb2O6O
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Siderite5.AB.05FeCO3
Smithsonite5.AB.05ZnCO3
Cerussite5.AB.15PbCO3
Azurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Malachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Rosasite5.BA.10(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Aurichalcite5.BA.15(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Hydrozincite5.BA.15Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6
Leadhillite5.BF.40Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
Anglesite7.AD.35PbSO4
Baryte7.AD.35BaSO4
Brochantite7.BB.25Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
Plumbojarosite7.BC.10Pb0.5Fe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Caledonite7.BC.50Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
Linarite7.BC.65PbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Wulfenite7.GA.05Pb(MoO4)
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
Plumbogummite ?8.BL.10PbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
Pyromorphite8.BN.05Pb5(PO4)3Cl
Liroconite8.DF.20Cu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
Mixite8.DL.15BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
Willemite9.AA.05Zn2SiO4
Hemimorphite9.BD.10Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Halloysite9.ED.10Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Chrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Unclassified
'Limonite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
H Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
H AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
H BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
H CaledonitePb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
H ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
H GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
H HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
H HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
H HydrozinciteZn5(CO3)2(OH)6
H LeadhillitePb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
H LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
H LiroconiteCu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
H MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
H MixiteBiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
H PlumbogummitePbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
H PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
H Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
CCarbon
C Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
C AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
C CalciteCaCO3
C CaledonitePb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
C CerussitePbCO3
C HydrozinciteZn5(CO3)2(OH)6
C LeadhillitePb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
C MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
C Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
C SideriteFeCO3
C SmithsoniteZnCO3
OOxygen
O AnglesitePbSO4
O Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
O AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
O BaryteBaSO4
O BindheimitePb2Sb2O6O
O BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
O CalciteCaCO3
O CaledonitePb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
O CerussitePbCO3
O ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
O CupriteCu2O
O GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
O HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
O HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
O HydrozinciteZn5(CO3)2(OH)6
O LeadhillitePb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
O LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
O LiroconiteCu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
O MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
O MiniumPb3O4
O MixiteBiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
O PlumbogummitePbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
O PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
O PyromorphitePb5(PO4)3Cl
O QuartzSiO2
O Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
O SideriteFeCO3
O SmithsoniteZnCO3
O TenoriteCuO
O WillemiteZn2SiO4
O WulfenitePb(MoO4)
AlAluminium
Al ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Al HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Al LiroconiteCu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
Al PlumbogummitePbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
SiSilicon
Si ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Si HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Si HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Si QuartzSiO2
Si WillemiteZn2SiO4
PPhosphorus
P PlumbogummitePbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
P PyromorphitePb5(PO4)3Cl
SSulfur
S AcanthiteAg2S
S AnglesitePbSO4
S BaryteBaSO4
S BournonitePbCuSbS3
S BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
S CaledonitePb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
S ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
S ChalcociteCu2S
S CovelliteCuS
S GalenaPbS
S GeocronitePb14Sb6S23
S GreenockiteCdS
S JamesonitePb4FeSb6S14
S LeadhillitePb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
S LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
S PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
S Polybasite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]
S PyriteFeS2
S SphaleriteZnS
S TetradymiteBi2Te2S
S Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
S Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
ClChlorine
Cl ChlorargyriteAgCl
Cl PyromorphitePb5(PO4)3Cl
CaCalcium
Ca CalciteCaCO3
FeIron
Fe ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Fe GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Fe JamesonitePb4FeSb6S14
Fe PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Fe PyriteFeS2
Fe SideriteFeCO3
CuCopper
Cu Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Cu AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cu BournonitePbCuSbS3
Cu BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Cu CaledonitePb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
Cu ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cu ChalcociteCu2S
Cu ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Cu CovelliteCuS
Cu CupriteCu2O
Cu Native CopperCu
Cu LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Cu LiroconiteCu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
Cu MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cu MixiteBiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
Cu Polybasite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]
Cu Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Cu TenoriteCuO
Cu Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
ZnZinc
Zn Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Zn HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Zn HydrozinciteZn5(CO3)2(OH)6
Zn Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Zn SmithsoniteZnCO3
Zn SphaleriteZnS
Zn WillemiteZn2SiO4
AsArsenic
As LiroconiteCu2Al(AsO4)(OH)4 · 4H2O
As MixiteBiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
MoMolybdenum
Mo WulfenitePb(MoO4)
AgSilver
Ag AcanthiteAg2S
Ag ChlorargyriteAgCl
Ag Polybasite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]
Ag Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
CdCadmium
Cd GreenockiteCdS
SbAntimony
Sb BindheimitePb2Sb2O6O
Sb BournonitePbCuSbS3
Sb GeocronitePb14Sb6S23
Sb JamesonitePb4FeSb6S14
Sb Polybasite[Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4]
Sb Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
TeTellurium
Te TetradymiteBi2Te2S
BaBarium
Ba BaryteBaSO4
PbLead
Pb AnglesitePbSO4
Pb BindheimitePb2Sb2O6O
Pb BournonitePbCuSbS3
Pb CaledonitePb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6
Pb CerussitePbCO3
Pb GalenaPbS
Pb GeocronitePb14Sb6S23
Pb JamesonitePb4FeSb6S14
Pb LeadhillitePb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
Pb LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Pb MiniumPb3O4
Pb PlumbogummitePbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6
Pb PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Pb PyromorphitePb5(PO4)3Cl
Pb WulfenitePb(MoO4)
Pb Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
BiBismuth
Bi MixiteBiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O
Bi TetradymiteBi2Te2S

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Link to USGS MRDS:10076617

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