Ruth Mine, Reward, Russ Mining District, Inyo Mts (Inyo Range), Inyo County, California, USAi

Regional Level Types
Ruth Mine	Mine
Reward	Town
Russ Mining District	Mining District
Inyo Mts (Inyo Range)	Mountain Range
Inyo County	County
California	State
USA	Country

A former Au mine located 0.2 km (0.2 mile) SE of Reward, S of Eclipse Canyon (4.7 miles N of Owenyo Station). MRDS database accuracy for this location is not stated.

Mineralization is hosted in quartz monzonite. The ore body strikes N65W-WNW and dips 60-70SW at a thickness of 12.19 meters. Controls for ore emplacement included a fault. Ore is iron-stained quartz fragments and stringers in a fissure 6 to 40 feet thick. Local alteration includes oxidation. Local rocks include Carboniferous marine rocks, unit 3 (SE California Clastic Assemblage).

Workings include surface and underground openings comprised of a glory hole 200 feet long by 100 feet wide and the main working adit, called the "tunnel level" from which a winze and "footwall shaft" were sunk. Lateral workings, including the "tunnel level," "intermediate level," and crosscuts and drifts running from the winze and footwall shaft, total more than 2,700 feet. The tunnel level extends 1,015 feet from the portal, and an ore body 225 feet long, 10 to 13 feet wide, and averaging $9.00 per ton (period values), was mined under the glory hole. Sixty feet above the tunnel level elevation, an intermediate level was driven. The level was stoped and is now inaccessible. A winze 525 feet from the portal of the tunnel level was sunk 350 feet, S20W, at an average inclination of 65 degrees. Drifts were run in the ore body on the 1200, 200, and 300 foot levels. The footwall shaft, inclined 60S, located 542 feet from the portal of the tunnel level, was started 45 feet N of the fissure and sunk to a depth of 500 feet. Crosscuts varying from 45 to 60 feet long were driven to intersect the 100, 200 & 300 foot winze levels and to cut the ore body on the 400 foot level. Drifts on the 100, 200, 300, & 400 foot levels were 275, 312, 140, & 200 feet in length, respectively. The length of the ore body exposed on the 4 levels was 220, 230, 180 & 220 feet, respectively. The width of the ore body mined was from 10 to 15 feet. On the 500 level, an 80 foot crosscut S of the shaft failed to cut the ore but a test hole drilled from the heading showed ore. The level was not surveyed and is under water. Several tons of broken ore remains between the 200 and 400 foot levels as well as a block of unmined ore at the E end of the 400 foot level. The greatest possibilities for ore are thougth to lie in the E part of the mine, below the tunnel level. A sketch map of the workings is found in Nornman and Stewary (1951).

Production data are found in: Norman, L.A. & Richard M. Stewart (1951); Tucker, W. Burling & Reid J. Sampson (1938).

The average ton of tailings recovered from all ore processed in the mill contained Au worth $0.70 per ton (period values). Former operators mined and milled 10,000 tons of ore from the glory hole. Estimated tonnage of ore developed from the glory hole level is stated to be 30,000 tons of ore with an average value of $6 per ton (period values). Between the tunnel level and the glory hole level it is estimated that there is developed 10,000 tons of ore with an average value of $6 per ton (period values). Between the tunnel level and the winze level it is stated that there is developed 10,000 tons of ore with an average value of $15 per ton in Au (period values). The total estimated tonnage of ore is said to be 50,000 tons. In 1938, production was $5,000 per month (period values) for an unspecified period of time.

Analytical data results: The large ore body exposed on 4 levels of workings assayed $10 to $15 Au/ton (period values), and some $40 Au/ton (period values) from the 300 foot level. Ore from the glory hole assayed $4 to $6 Au/ton (period values).

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:	10036059

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References