Corkscrew Canyon Mine, Ryan, Furnace Creek Mining District (Furnace Creek Borate Mining District), Inyo County, California, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
36° 22' 40'' North , 116° 45' 36'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Corkscrew Mine
A former borate mine located in the center N½ sec. 21, T26N, R2E, SBM, 10.1 km (6.28 mi) NW of Ryan, in Furnace Creek Wash at the mouth of Corkscrew Canyon, E flank of the Black Mountains, on National Park Service wilderness land (Death Valley National Park/Death Valley Wilderness). Owned by the U.S. Borax and Chemical Co. (1976). MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 1,000 meters.
The entrance to this site is through a locked gate east on Route 190 about 1-1/4 miles beyond the exit road from Twenty-Mule-Team Canyon. Mine workings found here alongside a wash consisted of several adits, a huge wooden four-chute ore bin, and an adjacent platform loading area. Activity here was all underground.Greene, 1981
Mineralization is a Miocene borate deposit (Mineral occurrence model information: Model code: 260; USGS model code 35b.3; Deposit model name: lacustrine borates), hosted in rocks of the Furnace Creek Formation (mudstone, shale, sandstone, limestone). The orebody is 548.64 meters long and has a depth-to-top of 0.0 meters. The borate-bearing zone is about 1,800 feet (ca. 549 m) long. The colemanite is massive and cavernous. Basalt occurs in the footwall; tuffaceous mudstone and sandstone occur in the hanging wall. Local rocks include Tertiary non-marine rocks, undivided.
Workings include unspecified underground workings.
Reserve-Resource data are found in: Evans, James R., G.C. Taylor, and J.S. Rapp (1976).
Reserves and resources data: Type: in-situ: Estimate year: 1976; total resources: 172,000 metric tons of ore.
Assay results: B2O3: 31 weight per cent B (1976). 50% of these reserves were considered to be recoverable.
The entrance to this site is through a locked gate east on Route 190 about 1-1/4 miles beyond the exit road from Twenty-Mule-Team Canyon. Mine workings found here alongside a wash consisted of several adits, a huge wooden four-chute ore bin, and an adjacent platform loading area. Activity here was all underground.Greene, 1981
Mineralization is a Miocene borate deposit (Mineral occurrence model information: Model code: 260; USGS model code 35b.3; Deposit model name: lacustrine borates), hosted in rocks of the Furnace Creek Formation (mudstone, shale, sandstone, limestone). The orebody is 548.64 meters long and has a depth-to-top of 0.0 meters. The borate-bearing zone is about 1,800 feet (ca. 549 m) long. The colemanite is massive and cavernous. Basalt occurs in the footwall; tuffaceous mudstone and sandstone occur in the hanging wall. Local rocks include Tertiary non-marine rocks, undivided.
Workings include unspecified underground workings.
Reserve-Resource data are found in: Evans, James R., G.C. Taylor, and J.S. Rapp (1976).
Reserves and resources data: Type: in-situ: Estimate year: 1976; total resources: 172,000 metric tons of ore.
Assay results: B2O3: 31 weight per cent B (1976). 50% of these reserves were considered to be recoverable.
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
11 valid minerals. 1 (FRL) - first recorded locality of unapproved mineral/variety/etc.
Rock Types Recorded
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Celestine Formula: SrSO4 |
| ⓘ Colemanite Formula: Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O Description: The color of brown to coal black colemanite is due to the inclusions of todorokite.
Large pseudomorphs after inoyite has been found (Müehle 1974) |
| ⓘ Datolite Formula: CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
| ⓘ Datolite var. Bakerite (FRL) Formula: Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) Type Locality: |
| ⓘ Gowerite Formula: Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O References: Erd, R. C., McAllister, J. F., Almond, H. (1959) Gowerite, a new hydrous calcium borate from the Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist, 44 (9-10) 911-919 Christ, C. L., Clark, J. R. (1960) X-ray crystallography and crystal chemistry of gowerite, CaO·3B2O3·5H2O. American Mineralogist, 45 (1-2) 230-234 |
| ⓘ Gypsum Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| ⓘ Inyoite Formula: Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O References: |
| ⓘ Meyerhofferite Formula: CaB3O3(OH)5 · H2O Description: Occurs as an alteration product of inyoite. References: |
| ✪ Nobleite Formula: CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O Habit: Finest crystals. Colour: Colorless Description: Finest crystals to 3 mm in size. Occurs in geode-like cavities in colemanite. References: Erd, R. C., McAllister, J. F., Vlisidis, A. C. (1961) Nobleite, another new hydrous calcium borate from the Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist, 46 (5-6) 560-571 |
| ⓘ Todorokite Formula: (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| ⓘ Ulexite Formula: NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Todorokite | 4.DK.10 | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 6 - Borates | |||
| ⓘ | Meyerhofferite | 6.CA.30 | CaB3O3(OH)5 · H2O |
| ⓘ | Inyoite | 6.CA.35 | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O |
| ⓘ | Colemanite | 6.CB.10 | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O |
| ⓘ | Ulexite | 6.EA.25 | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| ⓘ | Gowerite | 6.EC.10 | Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O |
| ⓘ | Nobleite | 6.FC.05 | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Celestine | 7.AD.35 | SrSO4 |
| ⓘ | Gypsum | 7.CD.40 | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Datolite var. Bakerite (TL) | 9.AJ.20 | Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) |
| ⓘ | 9.AJ.20 | CaB(SiO4)(OH) | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Datolite var. Bakerite | Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) |
| H | ⓘ Colemanite | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O |
| H | ⓘ Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Gowerite | Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O |
| H | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| H | ⓘ Inyoite | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O |
| H | ⓘ Meyerhofferite | CaB3O3(OH)5 · H2O |
| H | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| H | ⓘ Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| H | ⓘ Nobleite | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| B | Boron | |
| B | ⓘ Datolite var. Bakerite | Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) |
| B | ⓘ Colemanite | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O |
| B | ⓘ Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
| B | ⓘ Gowerite | Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O |
| B | ⓘ Inyoite | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O |
| B | ⓘ Meyerhofferite | CaB3O3(OH)5 · H2O |
| B | ⓘ Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| B | ⓘ Nobleite | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Datolite var. Bakerite | Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Celestine | SrSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Colemanite | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O |
| O | ⓘ Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Gowerite | Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O |
| O | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| O | ⓘ Inyoite | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O |
| O | ⓘ Meyerhofferite | CaB3O3(OH)5 · H2O |
| O | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| O | ⓘ Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| O | ⓘ Nobleite | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Na | ⓘ Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Datolite var. Bakerite | Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) |
| Si | ⓘ Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Celestine | SrSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Datolite var. Bakerite | Ca4(H5B5Si3O20) |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Colemanite | Ca[B3O4(OH)3] · H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
| Ca | ⓘ Gowerite | Ca[B5O8(OH)][B(OH)3] · 3H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Inyoite | Ca(H4B3O7)(OH) · 4H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Meyerhofferite | CaB3O3(OH)5 · H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Ulexite | NaCa[B5O6(OH)6] · 5H2O |
| Ca | ⓘ Nobleite | CaB6O9(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| Mn | Manganese | |
| Mn | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Sr | Strontium | |
| Sr | ⓘ Celestine | SrSO4 |
| Sr | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | ⓘ Todorokite | (Na,Ca,K,Ba,Sr)1-x(Mn,Mg,Al)6O12 · 3-4H2O |
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10023434 |
|---|
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mojave DomainDomain
- Southern Basin and RangeWide Rift
USA
- Death Valley National ParkNational Park
- Mojave DesertDesert
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References
(n.d.) Minerals Availability System (MAS), U.S. Bureau of Mines.file ID #0060271264
Christ, C. L., Clark, J. R. (1960) X-ray crystallography and crystal chemistry of gowerite, CaO·3B2O3·5H2O. American Mineralogist, 45 (1-2) 230-234
Erd, R. C., McAllister, J. F., Vlisidis, A. C. (1961) Nobleite, another new hydrous calcium borate from the Death Valley region, California. American Mineralogist, 46 (5-6) 560-571
Erd, Richard C., McAllister, James F., Vlisidis, and Angelina C. (1970) Wardsmithite, 5CaO·MgO·12B2O3·30H2O, new borate mineral from the Death Valley Region, California. American Mineralogist, 55 (3-4) 349-357
Corkscrew Canyon Mine, Ryan, Furnace Creek Mining District, Inyo County, California, USA