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Big Indian Mine (Big Indian deposit), Government Peak, Kern County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Big Indian Mine (Big Indian deposit)Mine
Government PeakPeak
Kern CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
35° 20' 11'' North , 117° 39' 56'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
35.33661,-117.66563
GRN:
N24W69
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
BWk : Cold desert climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Johannesburg172 (2011)4.9km
Ridgecrest28,780 (2017)31.8km
China Lake Acres1,876 (2011)34.9km
Inyokern1,099 (2018)37.0km
California City13,277 (2017)37.3km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Indian Wells Valley Gem & Mineral SocietyRidgecrest, California32km
Mindat Locality ID:
79828
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:79828:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A Mn deposit/prospect located in the SW¼ sec. 11, T30S, R40E, MDM, 2.0 km (1.3 miles) SSE of Government Peak (coordinates of record) and 2 miles S of Randsburg. Discovered in 1918. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 500 meters.

The ore body is 0.91 meter (3 feet) wide. The primary ore is rhodonite. Local rocks include Precambrian rocks, undivided, unit 2 (Mojave Desert and Transverse Ranges) and/or schist of various types and ages, unit 2 (Southern and West-central California).

Workings include unspecified surface openings.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


9 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Anthophyllite
Formula: ◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Description: Occurs as a few crystals in a contact zone.
ⓘ Clino-suenoite
Formula: ◻{Mn2+2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Description: Occurs in a contact zone.
ⓘ Grunerite
Formula: ◻{Fe2+2}{Fe2+5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Colour: pale beige, tan
Description: elongated, pale beige, lustrous crystals in sprays to a few cm
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
Habit: euhedral
Colour: black
Description: black crystals up to a few mm
ⓘ Pyroxmangite
Formula: Mn2+SiO3
Colour: Yellowish
Description: Occurs in a contact zone of Mn ores as small grains in quartzite.
ⓘ Rhodonite
Formula: CaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Habit: massive in black Fe-Mn-oxide matrix
Colour: dirty light and dark pink
ⓘ Spessartine
Formula: Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
Habit: massive, crystals rarely seen, mainly in vugs
Colour: orange to red-brown, pink
ⓘ Stilpnomelane
Formula: (K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
Description: Occurs in Mn ores.
ⓘ Tephroite
Formula: Mn2+2SiO4

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘTephroite9.AC.05Mn2+2SiO4
ⓘSpessartine9.AD.25Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
ⓘAnthophyllite9.DD.05◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
ⓘClino-suenoite9.DE.◻{Mn2+2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
ⓘGrunerite9.DE.05◻{Fe2+2}{Fe2+5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
ⓘRhodonite9.DK.05CaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
ⓘPyroxmangite9.DO.05Mn2+SiO3
ⓘStilpnomelane9.EG.40(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ Anthophyllite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Hⓘ Grunerite◻{Fe22+}{Fe52+}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Hⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
Hⓘ Clino-suenoite◻{Mn22+}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ Anthophyllite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Oⓘ Grunerite◻{Fe22+}{Fe52+}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ PyroxmangiteMn2+SiO3
Oⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Oⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Oⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
Oⓘ TephroiteMn22+SiO4
Oⓘ Clino-suenoite◻{Mn22+}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
NaSodium
Naⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ Anthophyllite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Mgⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
Mgⓘ Clino-suenoite◻{Mn22+}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Alⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Anthophyllite◻{Mg2}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Siⓘ Grunerite◻{Fe22+}{Fe52+}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Siⓘ PyroxmangiteMn2+SiO3
Siⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Siⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Siⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
Siⓘ TephroiteMn22+SiO4
Siⓘ Clino-suenoite◻{Mn22+}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
KPotassium
Kⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
CaCalcium
Caⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Caⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O
MnManganese
Mnⓘ PyroxmangiteMn2+SiO3
Mnⓘ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Mnⓘ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Mnⓘ TephroiteMn22+SiO4
Mnⓘ Clino-suenoite◻{Mn22+}{Mg5}(Si8O22)(OH)2
FeIron
Feⓘ Grunerite◻{Fe22+}{Fe52+}(Si8O22)(OH)2
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ Stilpnomelane(K,Ca,Na)(Fe,Mg,Al)8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)36 · nH2O

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10033478

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
USA

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

(n.d.) Minerals Availability System (MAS), U.S. Bureau of Mines.file #0060290002
Trask, Parker Davies, Ivan F. Wilson & F.S. Simons (1943), Manganese deposits of California – a summary report: California Division Mines Bulletin 125: 123-124
Trask, Parker Davies (1950) Geologic description of the manganese deposits of California. California Division of Mines Bulletin 152, 378 pp.: 84.
Hewett, Donnel Foster, Chesterman, Charles Wesley, Troxel, Bennie Wyatt (1961) Tephroite in California manganese deposits. Economic Geology, 56 (1). 39-58 doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.56.1.39Pp. 51-56, 57
Troxel, Bennie W., Morton, Paul K. (1962) Mines and Mineral Resources of Kern County California. County Report 1. California Division of Mines and Geologypp.238-240
Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 310, 321, 353, 361.
Pemberton, H. Earl (1983) Minerals of California. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.
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