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Mountain Ranch Mining District, East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Mountain Ranch Mining DistrictMining District
East Belt- not defined -
Calaveras CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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02107110017272092431206.jpg
Quartz

Mountain Ranch Mining District, East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
02107110017272092431206.jpg
Quartz

Mountain Ranch Mining District, East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
02107110017272092431206.jpg
Quartz

Mountain Ranch Mining District, East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° 13' 31'' North , 120° 30' 51'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
38.22528,-120.51417
GRN:
N26W68
Type:
Mining District
Köppen climate type:
Csa : Hot-summer Mediterranean climate
Mindat Locality ID:
75660
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:75660:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0


Location
This is a small district in central Calaveras County in the vicinity of the town of Mountain Ranch. It includes the Cave City area.

Geology
The district is largely underlain by graphite schist, quartzite, limestone, and thin bodies of mlcose schist. Patches of Tertiary auriferous gravels overlie the bedrock. A few narrow gold-quartz veins, in schist, contain small but sometimes rich ore shoots. The ore contains free gold and abundant sulfides, especially galena.

Mines
Lode: Gaston Hill. Placer: Cotton Flat, Foley, Hidden Cave, Humboldt, Mountain Ranch, Rose Hill.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

17 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Ankerite
Formula: Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
ⓘ Arsenopyrite
Formula: FeAsS
ⓘ 'Asbestos'
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
Description: Occurs as chlorite schist.
ⓘ Chrysotile
Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘ Erythrite
Formula: Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Description: Occurs in small stringers between schist and quartzite.
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Graphite
Formula: C
Description: Occurs in graphitic schist.
ⓘ 'Manganese Oxides'
ⓘ Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Description: Occurs as a component of sericite schist.
ⓘ Native Gold
Formula: Au
Localities: Reported from at least 118 localities in this region.
ⓘ 'Psilomelane'
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Localities: Reported from at least 6 localities in this region.
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Localities: Reported from at least 89 localities in this region.
ⓘ Rhodonite
Formula: CaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup'
Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4
ⓘ Skutterudite
Formula: CoAs3
Description: Occurs in small stringers between schist and quartzite.
ⓘ Spessartine
Formula: Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Habit: Dodecahedral
Colour: Light brown (fresh)
Description:
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ Talc
Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
ⓘ 'Tourmaline'
Formula: AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Colour: Black
Description: Occurs in quartz.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Gold1.AA.05Au
ⓘGraphite1.CB.05aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘArsenopyrite2.EB.20FeAsS
ⓘSkutterudite2.EC.05CoAs3
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘAnkerite5.AB.10Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
ⓘErythrite8.CE.40Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘChrysotile9.00.Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘSpessartine9.AD.25Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
ⓘRhodonite9.DK.05CaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
ⓘTalc9.EC.05Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
ⓘMuscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘvar. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Unclassified
ⓘ'Asbestos'-
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Psilomelane'-
ⓘ'Tourmaline'-AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
ⓘ'Serpentine Subgroup'-D3[Si2O5](OH)4
ⓘ'Manganese Oxides'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ ChrysotileMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hⓘ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Hⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Hⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
BBoron
Bⓘ TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
CCarbon
Cⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ GraphiteC
OOxygen
Oⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ ChrysotileMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oⓘ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Oⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Oⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Oⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Oⓘ TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Oⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Mgⓘ ChrysotileMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Mgⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Alⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ ChrysotileMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Siⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Siⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Siⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
SSulfur
Sⓘ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
KPotassium
Kⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
MnManganese
Mnⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Mnⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
FeIron
Feⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Feⓘ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CoCobalt
Coⓘ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Coⓘ SkutteruditeCoAs3
CuCopper
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
Asⓘ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Asⓘ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Asⓘ SkutteruditeCoAs3
AuGold
Auⓘ Native GoldAu
PbLead
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS

Localities in this Region

USA
USA

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate

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

Turner, Henry Ward (1894), Geological atlas, Jackson (California) folio (Folio No. 11): 1-6.
Clark, Lorin D. (1954) Geology and mineral deposits of the Calaveritas quadrangle, Calaveras County, California. Special Report 40. California Division of Mines
Clark, William B., Lydon, Philip A. (1963) Mines and Mineral Resources of Calaveras County, California. County Report 2. California Division of Mines and Geology
Clark, W.B. (1970) Gold Districts of California. Bulletin 193. California Division of Mines & Geologypp.93-94
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