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Lane Mine (Sorba Mine), Darwin Mine (Anaconda; Bernon Mine; Defiance Mine; Essex Mine; Independence Mine; Intermediate Mine; Rip Van Winkle Mine; Thompson Mine), Darwin, Darwin Mining District, Darwin Hills, Inyo County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Lane Mine (Sorba Mine)Mine
Darwin Mine (Anaconda; Bernon Mine; Defiance Mine; Essex Mine; Independence Mine; Intermediate Mine; Rip Van Winkle Mine; Thompson Mine)Mine
DarwinUnincorporated Community
Darwin Mining DistrictMining District
Darwin HillsGroup of Hills
Inyo CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
36° 16' 48'' North , 117° 34' 23'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Olancha192 (2015)39.0km
Lone Pine2,035 (2015)57.0km
Mindat Locality ID:
79044
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:79044:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A former Au-Cu-Ag-Pb mine located in sec. 18, T19S, R41E, MDM, 1.3 miles NE of Darwin. The mine was discovered before 1880. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 10 meters. Updated description and position N36.27990 W117.57296 by Richard Muster.

NOTE: This is one of several mines incorporated into the "Darwin Mine" of the Anaconda Corp. It was also later incorporated into the group termed the "Darwin Mines," owned by Mexicanus Colorado Inc.

In 1945 The Anaconda Co. purchased the Bernon Defiance, Driver, Essex, Independence, Lane, Lucky Jim, Promontory, Rip Van Winkle and Thompson mines, and other small properties In the Darwin quadrangle and the Columbia mine at the south end of the Darwin Hills in the Coso Peak quadrangle, and they have operated some of them from 1945 to 1955.

The Company „Project Darwin LLC“ acquired the Darwin mines and 58 patented mining claims in 1996. The company is looking for investors to re-start the Darwin mines.

Rocks at the mine consist of lime-silicate strata interbedded with dark-blue crinoidal and fusulina-bearing limestones. Local rocks include Carboniferous marine rocks, unit 2 (SE California Carbonate Assemblage).

Workings include underground openings comprised of 2 shafts at 800 and 600 feet deep, and 2 shallower shafts west of the main shafts, which were worked until 1909. Then an adit was driven about 1,300 feet long. The shafts are now inaccessible.

The Lane mine has a recorded production of 11,944 tons from which was recovered: 1,547 ounces Au; 75,866 ounces Ag (6.3 ounces/ton); 38,738 pounds Cu, and 1,820,888 pounds Pb. The total production was probably greater than the above figures because for some years it was included in the Darwin group.

The Lane Mill is nearby at N 36.281821 W 117.571138. It was built in 1898, re-built several times and was in operation till 1942.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


8 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:

Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
Cerussite
Formula: PbCO3
Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Fluorite
Formula: CaF2
Galena
Formula: PbS
Native Silver
Formula: Ag
Description: Occurs as thin sheets.
Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Scheelite
Formula: Ca(WO4)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
Native Silver1.AA.05Ag
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
Galena2.CD.10PbS
Group 3 - Halides
Fluorite3.AB.25CaF2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Cerussite5.AB.15PbCO3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
Scheelite7.GA.05Ca(WO4)
Group 9 - Silicates
Chrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
H ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
CCarbon
C CalciteCaCO3
C CerussitePbCO3
OOxygen
O CalciteCaCO3
O CerussitePbCO3
O ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
O QuartzSiO2
O ScheeliteCa(WO4)
FFluorine
F FluoriteCaF2
AlAluminium
Al ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
SiSilicon
Si ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Si QuartzSiO2
SSulfur
S GalenaPbS
CaCalcium
Ca CalciteCaCO3
Ca FluoriteCaF2
Ca ScheeliteCa(WO4)
CuCopper
Cu ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
AgSilver
Ag Native SilverAg
WTungsten
W ScheeliteCa(WO4)
PbLead
Pb CerussitePbCO3
Pb GalenaPbS

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10188099

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality


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.

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