BBC Mine, El Dorado County, California, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| BBC Mine | Workings (Active) |
| El Dorado County | County |
| California | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° 38' 49'' North , 120° 43' 2'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Workings (Active) - last checked 2026
Deposit first discovered:
2016
Age:
~145.0 to 66.0 Ma
Geologic Time:
Dating method:
Radio metric
Reference for age:
USGS Report
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Park | 1,384 (2018) | 10.0km |
| Diamond Springs | 11,037 (2011) | 10.0km |
| Camino | 1,750 (2011) | 10.8km |
| River Pines | 379 (2011) | 11.4km |
| Placerville | 10,650 (2017) | 11.6km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| El Dorado County Mineral and Gem Society | Placerville, California | 12km |
| Gold Country Treasure Seekers | Placerville, California | 12km |
| Amador County Gem & Mineral Society | Sutter Creek, California | 29km |
The "BBC Mine" is surface workings in a small pegmatite–aplite occurrence within plutonic rocks of the Sierra Nevada batholith, located near a contact between older, deformed quartz diorite to diorite (Early Cretaceous, ~140 Ma) and younger granitoid intrusions. The older dioritic rocks are biotite‑ and hornblende‑rich, locally brecciated, and cut by late‑stage aplite, pegmatite, and granite dikes. The younger suite comprises lighter‑coloured, coarse‑grained granodiorite to quartz monzonite, with biotite–hornblende granodiorite dominant in the immediate claim area.
Mineralization occurs in aplite / pegmatite seams and dikes, ranging in width from less than a centimeter to several meters in width, locally containing open vugs and pockets.
The occurrence was first discovered in 2017 during recreational prospecting. Since then, small‑scale manual excavations of pegmatite seams on steep terrain have resulted in a number of significant pocket discoveries. Mechanical work has been restricted due to the difficult access and steep terrain.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
12 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Albite Formula: Na(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite Formula: Na(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ 'Allanite Group' Formula: (A12+REE3+)(M13+M23+M32+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| ⓘ 'Chlorite Group' |
| ⓘ 'Columbite-(Fe)-Columbite-(Mn) Series' |
| ⓘ Epidote Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| ⓘ Ilmenite Formula: Fe2+TiO3 |
| ⓘ 'Limonite' |
| ⓘ Microcline Formula: K(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ 'Monazite Group' Formula: REE(PO4) |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ 'Onegite' |
| ⓘ Orthoclase Formula: K(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Amethyst Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Ferruginous Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Rock Crystal Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Rutile Formula: TiO2 |
| ⓘ Schorl Formula: NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| ⓘ Siderite Formula: FeCO3 |
| ⓘ Titanite Formula: CaTi(SiO4)O |
| ⓘ Zircon Formula: Zr(SiO4) |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Ilmenite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2+TiO3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz var. Amethyst | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 | |
| ⓘ | var. Smoky Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Rock Crystal | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Ferruginous Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Rutile | 4.DB.05 | TiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Siderite | 5.AB.05 | FeCO3 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Zircon | 9.AD.30 | Zr(SiO4) |
| ⓘ | Titanite | 9.AG.15 | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| ⓘ | Epidote | 9.BG.05a | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| ⓘ | Schorl | 9.CK.05 | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Microcline | 9.FA.30 | K(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ | Orthoclase | 9.FA.30 | K(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ | Albite | 9.FA.35 | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| ⓘ | var. Cleavelandite | 9.FA.35 | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Limonite' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Monazite Group' | - | REE(PO4) |
| ⓘ | 'Onegite' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Columbite-(Fe)-Columbite-(Mn) Series' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Allanite Group' | - | (A12+REE3+)(M13+M23+M32+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Allanite Group | (A12+REE3+)(M13+M23+M32+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| B | Boron | |
| B | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Amethyst | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| O | ⓘ Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| O | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| O | ⓘ Monazite Group | REE(PO4) |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Rutile | TiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| O | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Rock Crystal | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| O | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe)-Columbite-(Mn) Series | |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Ferruginous Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Allanite Group | (A12+REE3+)(M13+M23+M32+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Na | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Na | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | ⓘ Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| Al | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Al | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Al | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Amethyst | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| Si | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| Si | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Rock Crystal | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Albite var. Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Ferruginous Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Allanite Group | (A12+REE3+)(M13+M23+M32+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Monazite Group | REE(PO4) |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Orthoclase | K(AlSi3O8) |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| Ca | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| Ti | ⓘ Rutile | TiO2 |
| Ti | ⓘ Titanite | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| Mn | Manganese | |
| Mn | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe)-Columbite-(Mn) Series | |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Schorl | NaFe32+Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe)-Columbite-(Mn) Series | |
| Zr | Zirconium | |
| Zr | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Nb | Niobium | |
| Nb | ⓘ Columbite-(Fe)-Columbite-(Mn) Series | |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Shoofly-Olds Ferry DomainDomain
- Sierra Nevada BatholithVolcanic Arc
USA
- Sierra NevadaMountain Range
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BBC Mine, El Dorado County, California, USA