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BULLETIN No. 27. SAN FRANCISCO, JANUARY, 1908. 
 
 THE 
 
 QUICKSLVER RESOURCES 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 (SECOND EDITION.) 
 
 ISSUED BY 
 
 THE CALIFORNIA STATE MINING BUREAU, 
 
 FERRY BUILDING, SAN FRANCISCO. 
 
 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 
 
 LEWIS E. AUBURY, - - State Mineralogist. 
 
 SACRAMENTO. 
 
 W. W. SHANNON. - - - SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE PRINTING. 
 
 1908. 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CAUFORNIA 
 DAVIS 
 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
 
 To Hon. George C. Pardee, Governor of the State of Cali- 
 fornia^ and the Honorable the Board of Trustees of the 
 State Mining Burea^i : 
 
 Gentlemen: I have the honor to transmit the results of 
 the recent work of the State Mining Bureau in investigating 
 the Quicksilver Resources of California, and which are embodied 
 in Bulletin Xo. 27. 
 
 This is the third of a series of bulletins, issued under my 
 direction, on special features of the mining industry in Cali- 
 fornia, and in which will be found a description of the geology 
 of all the deposits of economic importance in the State, together 
 with maps and such data as it was possible to obtain. The 
 geological field work for this bulletin was performed by Mr. 
 William Forstner, Assistant in the Field, of the State Mining 
 Bureau. No description of any mine or prospect, nor of the 
 geology of any part of the territory, has been given except after 
 personal investigation by Mr. Forstner. 
 
 In treating of the geology and the genesis of ore deposition, 
 subjects of which differences of opinion exist, endeavors have 
 been made to present as briefly and clearly as possible the 
 different opinions, and some suggestions have been added 
 which have resulted from Mr. Forstner's personal observation. 
 
 In the chapter on the metallurgy of quicksilver, it has been 
 the aim more to give the general principles upon which the 
 different methods of treatment are based than to make a mere 
 detailed description of the different installations. 
 
 The courtesy generally shown by the owners and superin- 
 
 91575 
 
4 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
 
 tendents of the difierent mines deser\'es special mention. With 
 only one exception, at every mine all information which would 
 be of value from a technical and often from a commercial 
 standpoint was given with the greatest courtes}-. This is the 
 more appreciated, as quicksilver is a product for which the 
 demand is to a certain extent limited, and it is only natural 
 that operators do not feel inclined to disclose all the facts per- 
 taining to their business. 
 
 I wish to extend m}- thanks to Mr. J. W. C. Maxwell, who 
 assisted in the revision of the technical and descriptive portions 
 of the bulletin; to Mr. Charles G. Yale, for assistance in the 
 editorial part of the work; and to Mr. E. B. Preston, for the 
 classification of specimens of ores and formations submitted. 
 
 To the many owners and superintendents of quicksilver 
 
 mines and prospects who lent their assistance, I wish also to 
 
 extend my thanks, for without their valuable aid it would have 
 
 been impossible to present the full results of the work as herein 
 
 set forth. 
 
 Ver>- respect full}', 
 
 LEWIS E. AUBURY, 
 
 State Mineralogist. 
 San Francisco, June 30, 1903. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 CONDITION OF THE INDUSTRY .-..(» 
 
 GEOLOGY OF THE QUICKSILVER BELT IN CALIFORNIA 12 
 
 ORE DEPOSITS ------- 23 
 
 GENESIS OF QUICKSILVER ORE DEPOSITS - - 26 
 
 COST OF MINING AND REDUCTION - - - - 34 
 
 DISTRICTS NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO: 
 
 Mayacmas District ------ 35 
 
 Clear Lake District ----- 39 
 
 Sulphur Creek District - - - - - 40 
 
 Knoxville District . - - - . 42 
 QUICKSILVER MINES IN THE COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA: 
 
 Colusa County ------ 43 
 
 Lake County ------- 46 
 
 Napa County - - - - - - 72 
 
 Solano County - - - - - - 93 
 
 Sonoma County ------ 97 
 
 Yolo County - - - - - - - 117 
 
 Fresno County ------ no 
 
 Kings County - - - - - - - 122 
 
 Monterey County ----- 123 
 
 San Benito County ------ 125 
 
 San Luis Obispo County ----- 144 
 
 Santa Clara County ------ Kjg 
 
 Stanislaus County ----- igg 
 
 El Dorado County ------ 190 
 
 Trinity County - - - - - - 190 
 
 Other Counties ------ 195 
 
 METALLURGY ------- 197 
 
 ELEVATIONS - - - - - ' . - - 254 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 SKETCHES. 
 
 Figure. Pagk 
 
 1. Section of northwest slope of Pine 
 
 Mountain, Sonoma County 38 
 
 2. Sulphur Creek District, section 
 
 over Abbott ridge 40 
 
 3. Abbott mine, Lake County, section 
 
 over the serpentine 46 
 
 4. Abbott mine, Lake County, plan 
 
 near intersection of Reardon 
 tunnel and first level 47 
 
 5. Plan and elevation of Abbott 
 
 mine . _ faces 48 
 
 6. Big Injun group, Lake County 50 
 
 7, 8. Sections of Chicago mine 52 
 
 9. Cross-section of Great Western 
 
 mine 54 
 
 10. Section over Great Western mine . 55 
 
 11. Cross-section of Helen mine. Lake 
 
 County -- -.- -- 56 
 
 12. Plan of Lucitta mine 59 
 
 13. Section of Bullion mine (Standard 
 
 Quicksilver Co.) _. 61 
 
 14. Sulphur Bank mine faces 62 
 
 15. Sulphur Bank mine, elevation of 
 
 Upper Wagon Spring Cut at X, . 63 
 
 16. Sulphur Bank mine, section and 
 
 plan of Herman shaft 67 
 
 17. Sulphur Bank mine, ore formation 
 
 in Herman shaft tj8 
 
 18. Sulphur Bank mine, section of 
 
 Diamond shaft 69 
 
 19. Front vievr of the Wall Street mine, 
 
 from opposite hill.side 71 
 
 20. ^Etna Consolidated mines 72 
 
 21. .Etna Consolidated mines, eleva- 
 
 tion at mouth of Tunnel No. 2.. 74 
 
 22. .Etna Consolidated mines, basalt 
 
 dike, Silver Bow claim 74 
 
 23. iEtna Consolidated mines, section 
 
 of Washington shaft... 75 
 
 24. Boston mine, section over the min- 
 
 eralizedzone 78 
 
 25. Corona mine .faces 78 
 
 26. Corona mine, section showing 
 
 formation. Dip S. W. 30' 79 
 
 27. Areal geology, Manhattan mine, 
 
 faces 80 
 
 28. Manhattan mine, section over the 
 
 works at (f,) 87 
 
 29. Napa Consolidated mines, general 
 
 trend of veins 89 
 
 Figure. Page. 
 
 30. Napa Consolidated mines, crossing 
 
 of two veins . . . 91 
 
 31. St. John mine, section east and 
 
 west over main tunnel shaft 93 
 
 32. St. John mine, plan showing main 
 
 tunnel west of shaft ... 96 
 
 33. St. John mine, plan of works in 
 
 main tunnel shaft 96 
 
 34. Cloverdale mine, section over 
 
 works. Mount Vernon claim 99 
 
 35. Cloverdale mine 100 
 
 36. Cloverdale mine, plan and section 
 
 of Murphy tunnel . 101 
 
 37. Plan of Crown Point and Pacific 
 
 mines _ . 103 
 
 38. Section of Culver-Baer mine... ... 104 
 
 39. Eureka mine 107 
 
 40. Great Eastern mine, general plan, 
 
 faces 108 
 
 41. Section over the Great Eastern 
 
 mine 108 
 
 42. Great Eastern mine, plan showing 
 
 the form of the ore bodies 111 
 
 43. Socrates mine 116 
 
 44. Plan of Mexican mine, Fresno 
 
 County 120 
 
 45. Workings, Bradford mine 132 
 
 Cerro Bonito mine . 134 
 
 46. Elevations open cut (6), Cerro Bo- 
 
 nito mine 136 
 
 47. New Idria mine 140 
 
 48. Plan of New Idria mine 141 
 
 49 Section west end of fifth level. New 
 
 Idria mine 142 
 
 50. Open cut, San Carlos mine 144 
 
 51. Section at Gray buck shaft, Stayton 
 
 mine 148 
 
 52. Plan of .\lice and Modoc mine 1-55 
 
 53. Libertad tunnel No. 2 160 
 
 54. Lower Ocean View tunnel. Pine 
 
 Mountain Mine 164 
 
 55. Section near R R. B. shafl, New 
 
 Almaden property. 170 
 
 56. Section on road above Randol shaft, 
 
 New Almaden mine ... 170 
 
 57. Ore bodies in the New jVlmaden 
 
 mine .faces 174 
 
 58. Section of Mine Hill, New Alma- 
 
 den 178 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Figure Page. 
 
 59. Section over Santa Rita West, 
 
 Giant Powder stopes, New Al- 
 maden 178 
 
 60. Plan of the clay walls, New Alma- 
 
 den mine (from Atlas, Mono- 
 graph XIII, V. S. G. S.) ./aces 184 
 
 61. Section in Enriquita mine, New 
 
 Almaden -._ 185 
 
 62. Sketch of works in the Santa 
 
 Teresa mine _ 186 
 
 Trinity County quicksilver districts 191 
 6.1a . U nderg^ound workin gs of In tegral 
 
 „- mine 194 
 
 63y Plan and elevations of concentrat- 
 
 @ing system, Manzanita mine 199 
 Pipe retort furnace, by G. V. 
 Northey 201 
 
 65. Condensing plant, soot retort, Bos- 
 
 ton mine 202 
 
 66. Johnson & McKay furnace 203 
 
 67. Continuous retort, quicksilver fur- 
 
 nace 204 
 
 68. Exeli furnace - _ 209 
 
 69. Knox & Osborne coarse-ore fur- 
 
 nace.. ._ 211 
 
 70. Coarse-ore furnace, John Neat's 
 
 patent 212 
 
 71. New Idria coarse-ore furnace 213 
 
 "i*. Longitudinal section, modified 
 
 Livermore quicksilver furnace.. 215 
 73. Knox & Osborne fine-ore furnace. 216 
 
 GURE. Page. 
 Plan of Hiittner & Scott 8-tile fur- 
 nace 220 
 
 Tilings of Furnace No. 3, New Al- 
 maden 221 
 
 Tiling of Cermak-Spirek furnace.. 221 
 Ore-drier, utilizing exhaust steam . 225 
 Ore-drier, special furnace at Abbott 
 
 mine 227 
 
 New Idria fine-ore furnace — meth- 
 od of conveying fumes from top. 228 
 Top of the modified Scott furnace. 229 
 Top of Hiittner & Scott furnace ... 230 
 
 Discharge Scott furnace. 2.32 
 
 New Idria fine-ore furnace, details 
 
 of drawing door 234 
 
 General plan of reduction works 
 (from Mineral Industry, Vol. 7), 
 
 between 234-235 
 Sketch showing method of hand- 
 ling ore at Abbott mine. Lake 
 
 County 236 
 
 . Plan of works 237 
 
 Details of condensers 237 
 
 , Installation to save flour mercury. 
 
 New Almaden 240 
 
 Scott's brick condenser plant 248 
 
 Knox ironclad condenser _. 249 
 
 Watertank condenser.. 250 
 
 The Baker flue 251 
 
 Wooden condenser box, Corona 
 
 mine.. 252 
 
 Soot-cleaning machine 253 
 
 PHOTOGRAPHS. 
 
 No. Page. 
 
 1. Chicago plant 51 
 
 2. Great Western quicksilver mine .. 53 
 3 Western cut. Sulphur Banks 62 
 
 4. .^itna quicksilver mine 73 
 
 5. Boston quicksilver mine 77 
 
 6. Manhattan quicksilver mine 81 
 
 7. Oathill quicksilver mine . 90 
 
 8. St. John mine and furnace 94 
 
 9. St. John quicksilver 'mine 94 
 
 10. Great Eastern quicksilver mine. . 109 
 
 11. Thin section of sandstone and ser- 
 
 pentine from New Idria district. 127 
 
 12. View of New Idria 1:59 
 
 1:'.. Los Picachos mine (Ramirez Con- 
 solidated) 146 
 
 14. La Libertad mine 159 
 
 15. General view of New Almaden 
 
 mine 175 
 
 ir>. Dump of New Almaden mine 
 
 works 179 
 
 17. Durapof Grey shaft and Mine Hill, 
 
 New Almaden 180 
 
 18. Victoria shafl, New .\lmaden 181 
 
 P.4.GE. 
 Santa Isabel shaft. New .\lraaden . 182 
 
 Randol shaft. New Almaden. 183 
 
 Entrance Castella development 
 
 tunnel. Integral mine 193 
 
 Pipe-retort furnace. Manzanita ^ 
 
 mine, Colusa County ^200 
 
 Corona furnace 207" 
 
 Tufa furnace in course of construc- 
 tion. Corona quicksilver mine. . . 207 
 New Idria quicksilver mine, show- 
 ing new SO-ton coarse-ore furnace 214 
 
 Cloverdale reduction plant 217 
 
 Great Western Quicksilver Mining 
 
 Company's reduction plant 217 
 
 Manhattan furnace 218 
 
 Altoona quicksilver mine 219 
 
 Furnace plant, Integral mine, 
 
 Trinity County 222 
 
 Karl furnace, San Luis Obispo 224 
 
 Great Eastern mine, drying ore in 
 
 sun "226 
 
 Reduction works at New Almaden, 
 Hacienda 231 
 
8 
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 No. Page. 
 
 34. General view of reduction works 
 
 at New Almaden, Hacienda 233 
 
 35. Furnace Nos. 1 and 2, New Alma- 
 
 den, Hacienda 233 
 
 36. Reduction plant in cour.se of con- 
 
 struction, Silver Creek Quick- 
 silver Mining Company, Santa 
 Clara County 235 
 
 37. Reduction plant, Silver Creek 
 
 Quicksilver Mining Company, 
 Santa Clara County 238 
 
 38. Great Eastern furnaces 239 
 
 39. New Idria mine, showing Scott fur- 
 
 nace _ _. 241 
 
 40. Boston quicksilver mine, quicksil- 
 
 ver furnace 242 
 
 41. Flues connecting furnace with con- 
 
 denser plant. New Almaden, 
 Hacienda - 242 
 
 No. Page. 
 
 42 Oceanic quicksilver reduction 
 
 plant, San l,uis Obispo County. 243 
 
 43. Interior view of reduction works. 
 
 New Almaden. Hacienda 245 
 
 44. New Idria, showing round wooden 
 
 flue and wooden tanks used for 
 condensers 245 
 
 45. Retorting soot, Great Eastern 246 
 
 Ferry building, San Francisco, one 
 
 half of which is occupied by the 
 State Mining Bureau 261 
 
 Mineral Museum, California State 
 Mining Bureau __. 263 
 
 Library and free reading-room, Cali- 
 fornia State Mining Bureau 265 
 
 Laboratory, California State Mining 
 Bureau 267 
 
 Draughting department, California 
 State Mining Bureau 269 
 
 MAPS— (Folders). 
 
 P.\GE. 
 Geological map of portions of Napa, Sonoma, and Lake County quicksilver districts, 
 
 California _ ._ _ 35 
 
 Geological map of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Yolo County quicksilver deposits 39 
 
 Map of Sulphur Creek District _ _ . 40 
 
 Map of Little Panoche Mining District _ 118 
 
 Geol ogical map of quicksilver districts in southern portion of San Benito County . . _ 126 
 
 Geologfical map of Stay ton Mining District. ._. 129 
 
 Geological map of quicksilver districts northwestern portion of San Luis Obispo 
 
 County ... 149 
 
 Map of the New Almaden Mining District 168 
 
THE QUICKSILVER RESOURCES 
 OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 By WM. FORSTNER, E.M. 
 
 Assistant in the Field. 
 
 CONDITION OF THE INDUSTRY. 
 
 Quicksilver has been produced in California since 1850. The 
 table published in the report of the Eleventh Census (1890), 
 page 188, compiled bj' Mr. J. B. Randol, giving the annual pro- 
 duction of the various mines from 1850 to 1889, indicates that 
 in the decade 1850 to i860 the Xew Almaden mine was about 
 the onl}- producer. In the latter part of the 6o's, the New 
 Idria, Redington, and i^tna mines began to produce. The 
 greatest number of mines were in operation between the years 
 1874 and 1880. This activity was due to the high price of 
 quicksilver obtained in 1874, when the prices per flask in San 
 Francisco were: highest, $126.22; lowest, $84. 15. In 1875 the 
 price dropped to $49.75, and until 1883 the average price was 
 about $30. The lowest price was in this period for awhile, 
 $25. For years the price remained rather low, but in the last 
 few 3-ears it has maintained a figure which gives the operators 
 a fair remuneration. These low prices in 1879 and 1880 caused 
 the closing of a number of quicksilver mines, and for some 
 years quicksilver mining was carried on only at a few of the 
 large mines. In later years the price of quicksilver has risen, 
 although by no means to that of the prosperous times, and 
 graduall}- the old mines, closed for years, are being reopened. 
 In the meanwhile the older mines, which have been steady 
 producers for many years, appear to have worked out their 
 bodies of high-grade ores, and are all now working what in 
 
 (9) 
 
10 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 years past would have been classed as poor ores. In the well- 
 managed properties, however, where they have availed them- 
 selves of the more economical methods of mining and especially 
 of reducing the ores, a fair interest on the investment is earned 
 from these low-grade ores. The yearly production of quick- 
 silver in California has been as follows: 
 
 TABLE GIVING YEARLY PRODUCTION OF CALIFORNIA MINES AND 
 AVERAGE PRICE PER FLASK IN SAN FRANCISCO. 
 
 Flasks 
 
 Year. Produced. 
 
 1850 [a) 7,723 
 
 1851 27,779 
 
 1852 20,000 
 
 1853 22.284 
 
 1854 3O1OO4 
 
 1855 33,000 
 
 1856 30,000 
 
 1857 W 28,204 
 
 1858 31,000 
 
 1859 13,000 
 
 i860 10,000 
 
 1861 35,000 
 
 1862 42,000 
 
 1863 40,531 
 
 1864 47,489 
 
 1865 53.000 
 
 1866 46,550 
 
 1867 47,000 
 
 1868 47,728 
 
 1869 33,8x1 
 
 1870 30,077 
 
 1S71 31,686 
 
 1872 31,621 
 
 1873 27,642 
 
 1874 27,756 
 
 1875 50,250 
 
 1876 75,074 
 
 1877 79,396 
 
 1878 63,880 
 
 Average 
 
 
 Price per 
 
 
 Flask. 
 
 V 
 
 $99 45 
 
 I 
 
 66 93 
 
 I 
 
 58 33 
 
 1 
 
 55 45 
 
 I 
 
 55 45 
 
 I 
 
 53 55 
 
 I 
 
 51 65 
 
 I 
 
 48 73 
 
 I 
 
 47 83 
 
 I 
 
 63 13 
 
 I 
 
 53 55 
 
 I 
 
 42 05 
 
 I 
 
 36 35 
 
 I 
 
 42 08 
 
 1 
 
 45 90 
 
 I 
 
 45 90 
 
 I 
 
 53 13 
 
 I 
 
 45 90 
 
 I 
 
 45 90 
 
 I 
 
 45 90 
 
 Ic 
 
 57 38 
 
 II 
 
 63 10 
 
 K 
 
 65 93 
 
 IC 
 
 80 33 
 
 I( 
 
 105 18 
 
 I( 
 
 84 15 
 
 K 
 
 44 00 
 
 K 
 
 37 30 
 
 It 
 
 32 90 
 
 
 Flasks 
 Produced. 
 
 1879 73,684 
 
 1880 59,926 
 
 il 60,851 
 
 £882 52,732 
 
 1883 46,725 
 
 t884 31,913 
 
 [885 . 32,073 
 
 [886 29.981 
 
 1887 (<r) 33,760 
 
 1888 33,250 
 
 1889 26 464 
 
 22 926 
 
 [891 22,904 
 
 1892 . 27,993 
 
 i893(d?) 30,164 
 
 30,416 
 
 C895 36,104 
 
 1896 30,765 
 
 1897 26,648 
 
 [898 3^,092 
 
 1899 29,454 
 
 [900 26,317 
 
 [901 26,720 
 
 1902 29,552 
 
 1903 32,094 
 
 [904 28,876 
 
 [905......... 24,655 
 
 [906 19,516 
 
 Average 
 
 Price per 
 
 Flask. 
 
 $29 
 
 85 
 
 31 
 
 00 
 
 29 
 
 83 
 
 28 
 
 23 
 
 28 
 
 75 
 
 30 50 
 
 30 
 
 75 
 
 35 
 
 50 
 
 42 
 
 37>^ 
 
 42 
 
 50 
 
 45 
 
 00 
 
 52 
 
 50 
 
 45 
 
 25 
 
 40 71 
 
 36 
 
 75 
 
 30 
 
 70 
 
 37 04 
 
 34 
 
 96 
 
 37 
 
 28 
 
 38 
 
 23 
 
 47 
 
 70 
 
 44 94 
 
 48 46 
 
 43 
 
 20 
 
 42 
 
 25 
 
 37 
 
 62 
 
 35 
 
 94 
 
 36 
 
 50 
 
 (<7) Report nth Census. 1850 to 1865, great bulk of quicksilver produced by the 
 New .\ltQaden mine. 
 
 16) The New Idria mine begins to produce 1857. 
 
 (c) From 1887 to 1893, Dr. Day's Report, U. S Geol. Survey. 
 
 (rf) 1893 to date. Annual Statistical Bulletins, California State Mining Bureau. 
 
 Quicksilver furnaces are great consumers of wood, and even 
 those mines which are located in well-timbered regions find 
 the cost of their fuel steadil}' increasing. Only in exceptional 
 cases can mines get their cordwood delivered for $3.50 per 
 cord; generally the price is higher, in some cases double that 
 figure. Hence most of the quicksilver mine managers are 
 eagerly looking for a substitute for cordwood as fuel in 
 
CONDITION OF THE INDUSTRY. 11 
 
 their furnaces. Up to the present time, however, this has not 
 been found. 
 
 As mentioned above, many of the quicksilver mines have 
 been idle for some years, and of these it is very difficult to 
 obtain either reliable historical data, or details of the old work- 
 ings or of the output of mercury. Even in the mines which 
 have been in continuous operation, large portions have been 
 worked out and abandoned, and it is nearly impossible to get 
 the desired information regarding these portions of the mines. 
 In regard to several of the principal mines of the State, belong- 
 ing to the Napa Consolidated and affiliated companies, these 
 data were to a great extent destroyed in 1898, in which year 
 the main office in Oathill was burned and most of the mine 
 maps, etc., were destroyed. 
 
 Whatever information of this character it was possible to 
 collect, is inserted in the descriptions of the respective mines. 
 It may here be stated that in accordance with the general 
 scheme of this Bulletin, its contents are confined strictly to 
 the occurrence of quicksilver in the State of California, for 
 which reason all reference to mines and works in other locali- 
 ties is omitted. 
 
GEOLOGY OF THE QUICKSILVER BELT 
 IN CALIFORNL\. 
 
 The quicksilver deposits in California are, with a few scat- 
 tered exceptions, located in the Coast Ranges. There is a ver>' 
 marked difierence of opinion among the geologists who have 
 made a special study of this territory, regarding two points: 
 First, as to the age of the metamorphic series which form such a 
 prominent part of the rocks in this territory; and secondly, as 
 to the origin of the serpentine. Thej^ all agree that violent 
 geological disturbances took place in this region at some period 
 within the Mesozoic age. These disturbances were sudden and 
 sharp, resulting in the crushing and fracturing of the strata 
 rather than their uplifting and folding [Whitnej', Auriferous 
 Gravels, page 15], and gave this series a characteristic struc- 
 ture, which serves to its identification. The epoch of this 
 revolution is placed by Becker at the end of the Xeocomian or 
 Lower Cretaceous, while Fairbanks and others place it at the 
 close of the Jurassic epoch, hence as pre-Cretaceous. 
 
 The rock series metamorphosed b}- the revolution is called 
 by Becker the Xeocomian, and also occasionally the Metamorphic 
 series; by Fairbanks, the Pre-Cretaceous or the Metamorphic 
 series; by Lawson, the Franciscan series. These rocks rest 
 upon a basement complex consisting of crystalline limestones 
 and schists and granites. The granite does not appear at the 
 surface north of the bay of San Francisco, except on the coast 
 twenty miles north of San Francisco at Point Tomales; but 
 south of San Francisco there are two ages of granitic uplifts. 
 The granite is intrusive in the older strata. The crystalline 
 rocks of the basement complex are only found at a few points; 
 the granitic uplifts brought them within a zone of such 
 efiective erosion that the granite was almost entirely denuded 
 before the next period of subsidence and deposition of the 
 Franciscan series set in. The age of the crystalline rocks of 
 the basement complex is either Carboniferous or older. [See 
 Bulletin Geological Society of America, vol. VI, pages 79-81.] 
 
 (12) 
 
GEOLOGY OF THE QUICKSILVER BELT. 13 
 
 Intimately mingled with the rocks of the Franciscan series 
 are large masses of serpentine. Becker holds that these are 
 prominently altered sedimentaries [see Mineral Resources, 1892, 
 U. S. G. S., page 144]; while Fairbanks holds these serpen- 
 tines to be exclusivel}^ derived from eruptives. A. C. L,awson 
 is of the same opinion, so far as the serpentines in the penin- 
 sula of San Francisco are concerned. Apparenth' the latter 
 views as to the origin of the serpentine in the Coast Ranges 
 are entertained by all the geologists on the Pacific Coast. The 
 serpentine bodies occur in different forms and the rocks them- 
 selves vary very sensibly in structure in different regions and 
 in the various bodies of serpentine. In places the serpentine 
 occurs in bodies indicating an original dike formation and 
 showing intrusive phenomena; while in other places large 
 areas of serpentine occur which can hardly be conceived to be 
 derived from eruptive masses, and wherein are found small 
 areas of sandstone and occasionally shales, indurated but 
 slightly altered, in places even unaltered. In other places the 
 serpentine overlies or underlies the sandstone and shales with- 
 out any intrusive phenomena. During the investigation in 
 the preparation of this Bulletin, in the neighborhood of New 
 Idria [see general description of the New Idria district, page 
 125] and near Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, sandstone and 
 serpentine were found intimately associated. Samples of these 
 occurrences are in the museum of the State Mining Bureau, 
 and a slide of the first mentioned has been prepared and 
 photographed. 
 
 Both views of the origin of the serpentine can be sustained 
 by microscopical examination. [See, for instance, Becker, 
 Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 275, and following; A. C. Law- 
 son, 15th Ann. Report, U. S. G. S., pages 417, 433, and 447; 
 etc.] It may be argued that both views are correct and that 
 probably the serpentine is an alteration product of both sedi- 
 mentaries and eruptives in this region, as is the case elsewhere. 
 This view is that of the majority of geologists. In 1888 this 
 question was submitted to the American Committee of the 
 International Congress of Geologists [.see American Geologist, 
 vol. II, page 180], in the following form: 
 
 Question N — Is serpentine (i) sometimes, (2) always an 
 alteration product, (3) of eruptives, (4) of sedimentaries, (5) of 
 either? 
 
14 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Thirteen answers were received, which can be summarized 
 as follows: Twelve declared serpentine to be an alteration 
 product, and one characterized it as an original aqueous rock. 
 Three of the first twelve took the view that it is exclusively an 
 alteration product of igneous rocks; one exclusively of sedi- 
 mentar\' rocks; two, generalh' of igneous rocks, but could also 
 be such of sedimentarN' rocks; and five that it is an alteration 
 product of both eruptive and sedimentary rocks, while one 
 leaves this part of the question unanswered. 
 
 Professor van Hise remarks, in his Principles of North 
 American Pre-Cambrian Geology [i6th Ann. Report, U. S. 
 G. S., Part I, page 68g] : "Actinolite, serpentine, and magnetite 
 "have been observed to replace quartz. In the case of the two 
 "former minerals their relation to the quartz suggests that the 
 "other constituents, with the exception of silica, were at hand 
 "or were furnished b}" the percolating water out of which the 
 "serpentine and actinolite formed; and that the quartz itself 
 "ma}' have furnished the necessary silica to produce these 
 "minerals." [On page 691:] "Among basic sedimentan,- rock 
 "serpentine very often develops." 
 
 E. S. Dana [Mineralogy, 1898, page 477] states: "Microscopic 
 "examination has established the fact that serpentine is largely 
 "produced by the alteration of chrysolite; in other cases it has 
 "resulted from the alteration of pyroxene or amphibolite." 
 [See also Williams, Lithology, page 254.] 
 
 A. C. Lawson, in describing the deformations of the earth- 
 crust which have influenced the geology of the San Francisco 
 peninsula [15th Ann. Report, U. S. G. S., page 466], mentions 
 "an invasion of the upper portion of the Franciscan series by 
 "peridotite magma, which solidified in the form of dikes or 
 "laccolitic lenses." 
 
 The granites of that part of the Coast Range which contains 
 the quicksilver belt appear only at the surface south of San 
 Francisco. Lawson has carefully studied granite in two 
 places: the Montara granite in the San Francisco peninsula 
 [above cited, page 411], which he describes as a coarse gray 
 hornblende, biotite granite, which originally was a hornblende 
 granite; and at Carmel Bay [Bulletin Geological Department, 
 University of California, vol. I], which he describes as a coarse 
 porphyritic granite. Similar granite rocks are found in the 
 Santa Lucia Peak, and in the San Jose range. 
 
GEOLOGY OF THE QUICKSILVER BELT. 15 
 
 Fairbanks has studied extensively the granites in the Coast 
 Range south of San Francisco, and considers them as true 
 mica feldspar quartz granites, difiering from the granites in the 
 Sierra Nevada, which are usually hornblendic. [Bulletin Geo- 
 logical Society of America, vol. VI, page 79.] 
 
 H. W. Turner [Am. Geol., vol. XI, page 324] supposes these 
 granites to be of Carboniferous age. Fairbanks thinks this 
 may be true or they may be older. 
 
 Accepting the suggestion of Becker that the entire Coast 
 Range is underlaid by granite [Mon. XIII, page 140], a source 
 of ferro-magnesian silicates other than the suggested post- 
 Franciscan peridotite intrusions is present in this region. Law- 
 son [above cited, page 434] calls attention to the fact that the 
 entire period of accumulation of the Franciscan series was 
 a period of volcanic activity, and that the lower portions of 
 this series were traversed by igneous rocks, which arriving at 
 the surface, became constituents of the upper portion of the 
 series. 
 
 It appears most probable that all of these materials have 
 contributed to the formation of the bodies of serpentine found 
 in this region. As van Hise remarks [above cited, page 691], 
 " Material for the serpentines maybe furnished in part or in 
 "whole by minerals present, or the material of the serpentine 
 ''may come from an extraneous source. Also, widespread for- 
 "mations may be extensively serpentinized, so as to give for 
 "considerable areas almost solid masses of serpentine." 
 
 The pressures which caused these deformations produced 
 great heat from dynamic action, which was increased by that 
 obtained from the intruding magmas; consequently both 
 pressure and temperature were raised during the deformations, 
 causing an increased chemical activity of the circulating 
 waters, and it appears only reasonable to assume that all 
 available sources for the formation of serpentine masses were 
 called upon. 
 
 The later intrusions, forming the dike and laccolitic lenses, 
 can be generally defined by the phenomena of contact meta- 
 morphism accompanying them; while the large, widely-dis- 
 tributed ma.sses of serpentine were probably formed by 
 magnesian solutions acting upon the rock material. [Mon. 
 XIII, pages 1 21-127, ^^^d 273-278.] The ferro-magnesian 
 silicates are probably derived from the basal granite, and per- 
 
16 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 haps from intrusives, which would explain the entire lack of 
 contact metamorphism phenomena at the contact of many ser- 
 pentine bodies with the other rocks. This lack of contact 
 metamorphism and intricate mixture of serpentine with the 
 sandstones and shales of the Franciscan series, and even 
 probabl3' with the schists of the basal complex, can be exten- 
 sively studied in the New Idria district. 
 
 As already stated above, there is a great diversit}' of opinion 
 as to the historical geology of the Coast Ranges. The accom- 
 panying table of comparison will set this forth. [See American 
 Geologist, vol. XL] 
 
 AGE. Period. 
 
 Gabb — 
 
 CALI- 
 FORNIA. 
 
 WHITE AND ' °STAVTOn''° 
 
 C^Li'f'oRnTa NORTHCrLIPOR- I'^-^^-' 
 CALIFORNIA. ^.j^ ^^^ OREGON. 
 
 Cenozoic. 
 
 Miocene. 
 Eocene. 
 
 
 Chico Tejon. 
 
 Probable place of 
 the Wallalla. 
 
 Tejon. 
 
 Monterey 
 
 Series. 
 
 Light color'd 
 
 Sandstone? 
 
 
 Upper 
 Cretaceous. 
 
 Tejon. 
 
 Martinez. 
 
 Chico. 
 
 V, 
 
 .a 
 
 'C 
 
 V 
 
 m 
 o 
 
 ■I 
 (J 
 
 5 
 7. 
 
 Hiatus 
 and 
 nconformity. ^ r. 
 
 : '*- 
 
 'Chico. j « 
 
 o 
 
 N 
 
 O 
 Ol 
 
 Lower 
 Cretaceous. 
 
 Shasta. 
 
 Hiatus of White. 
 
 Unconformity of 
 
 Becker. 
 
 . fHorsetown. 
 
 i i Knoxville, 
 j: including 
 '"^ L Mariposa. 
 
 Horsetown. 
 
 t Knoxville. 
 
 a 
 a 
 u 
 
 •s 
 
 a 
 
 1 
 
 
 Jurassic. 
 
 Mariposa. 
 
 Mariposa. 
 
 
 This difference of classification is closely related to the above- 
 mentioned difference of opinion as to the period wherein took 
 place the disturbances which caused the metamorphism of the 
 rocks deposited after the first-recorded intrusions. J. S. Diller 
 says [Bulletin Geological Society of America, vol. IV, page 
 2o6] : " The Cretaceous of north California, embracing the 
 " Chico, Horsetown, and Knoxville beds, are essentiall}^ con- 
 " formable, hence the upheaval must have been pre-Neocomian." 
 Becker places the upheaval after the Horsetown series, refer- 
 ring to it as post-Xeocomian. Fairbanks indorses Diller's 
 opinion, and names the Metamorphic series the Pre- Cretaceous 
 series. 
 
GEOLOGY OF THE QUICKSILVER BELT. l7 
 
 Whatever may be its age, this Franciscan series presents some 
 distinguishing characteristics which facilitate its identification 
 from the underlying crystalline limestones and schists of the 
 basement complex, and from the overlying younger rocks. 
 This series consists mainly of sandstones, associated with some 
 shales, cherts, and occasionally limestone. The sandstones are 
 rather massive; the bedding planes have often intercalated 
 beds of shale. They are very generally altered through a 
 process of recrystallization and cementation by silicification. 
 All grades of alteration can be observed, from nearly unaltered 
 arkose sandstone to compact jasper, or jaspilite (a term sug- 
 gested by Wadsworth). [See i6th Ann. Rep. U. S. G. S., 
 Pt. I, page 702.] Interbedded with the sandstones are lime- 
 stones, cherts, and volcanic rocks. 
 
 The chert beds form a very characteristic member of this 
 series, but are much more prominent in the districts north of 
 San Francisco than in those south. They have been exten- 
 sively discussed by Becker, Fairbanks, and Lawson. The 
 first named refers to them as schistose rocks which have been 
 subjected to a process of silicification, and classes them as 
 phthanites. Blake supposed that they had resulted from the 
 metamorphism of shales and sandstones by igneous action. 
 J. J. Newberry [General Geology of California, page 66] says: 
 " Whether the material of which they are composed is thrown 
 " up from below, or, as is more probable, it is a metamorphosed 
 " form of the associated rocks, it is evident that the material 
 " has been subject to great heat." Fairbanks [Bulletin Geo- 
 logical Society of America, vol. VI, page 71] classifies this 
 formation as jasper. Lawson [above cited, page 420] as 
 Radiolarian cherts, which designation appears the most correct. 
 
 The following is a concise statement of Mr. Lawson's study 
 of this formation : 
 
 "These beds consist of alternate thin sheets of chert, rang- 
 "ing generally from one to four inches in thickness, only 
 " exceptionally having a much greater thickness, with part- 
 "ings of shale from one eighth to one half inch thick. Some- 
 " times the regularity is much less marked, and in the less 
 ''ferruginous varieties of the chert beds the sheets of chert 
 "assume occasionally a lenticular form. The difference of 
 "opinion as to the proper classification of this formation is 
 
 2— QR 
 
18 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 "due to the fact that petrographically these cherts are not 
 "uniform. In many cases they are true jaspers; in others 
 "the silica is chiefly amorphous, and the rocks have a flinty 
 "character; in still other cases the proportion of iron oxide 
 "is so great that the cherty character disappears and the 
 "beds become locally very soft. All gradations between 
 "cherts composed almost wholly of amorphous silica, to those 
 "which are a holocrystalline aggregate of quartz granules, 
 "are found. The amorphous silica differs, however, from opal, 
 "in that it has a much higher specific gravity and contains 
 "much less combined water. The cherts are, then, minutely 
 "granular aggregates of cr^^stalline silica, tending more toward 
 "the chalcedonic than to the quartz variety, with varying pro- 
 " portions of amorphous silica, mixed with ferric oxide and 
 "ferric hydrate, sometimes uniformly distributed, or again in 
 "patches or streaks. The mass is intersected bj' numerous 
 "small, often microscopical veins, the smaller filled with chal- 
 "cedonic, the larger with quartzose silica, and occurring in two 
 "sets of fissures crossing at high angle. Zoisiteis often found 
 "in the vein filling. These chert beds contain round or oval 
 "spaces, occupied by chalcedony, which are the residual casts 
 "of Radiolaria. The intervening shale consists of silica, iron, 
 "considerable magnesia, and a small amount of alumina with- 
 "out any clastic material. The association of chert beds with 
 "the sandstone precludes the possibility of their formation 
 "under deep-sea conditions, which would be indicated by the 
 "absence of fragmental material." 
 
 The most probable hypothesis of their formation is, as sug- 
 gested by lyawson, that the silica was derived from siliceous 
 springs and precipitated in the bed of the ocean in local accu- 
 mulations, in which Radiolarian remains were imbedded. The 
 alteration of the beds of chert with partings of shale may 
 perhaps be ascribed to an intermittent action of the springs. 
 These chert beds occur throughout the Coast Range in a spo- 
 radic manner, and are especially of interest, as in some mines 
 they form the ore-bearing zones. Associated with these rocks 
 of the Franciscan series are metamorphic schists which appear 
 to represent stages of alteration of rocks of very diverse origin, 
 and may be principally the result of contact metamorphism, 
 which, as H. W. Turner remarks, "is, however, yet to be fully 
 demonstrated." As already stated above, the rocks of this 
 
GEOLOGY OF THE OUICKSIL\^R BELT. 19 
 
 series are further associated with many and various igneous 
 intrusives, entirely separate from the later Tertiary and post- 
 Tertiary igneous ejections. 
 
 There must have been a considerable difference in the geo- 
 logical history of the northern and southern part of the quick- 
 silver belt. South of San Francisco the Franciscan series were 
 elevated and eroded to such an extent that the Tejon is found 
 resting directly on the granite and a second elevation, and 
 post-Miocene erosion must have followed, as the Pliocene is 
 also found resting direct on the granite. North of the bay of 
 San Francisco, the erosion of the Franciscan series has been 
 much less, so that between the bay and Clear Lake the granite 
 does not appear at the surface and the younger formations all 
 rest on this series. 
 
 The metamorphism of the Franciscan series was eminently 
 a process of recrystallization of the clastic sediments into holo- 
 cr^'stalline feldspathic rocks, carrj'ing ferro-magnesian silicates, 
 and in the formation of vast quantities of serpentine. [See 
 Becker, above cited, page 57.] The serpentinization was pos- 
 terior to the former process, which included a silicification which 
 altered part of the shales to jaspery masses and formed in these 
 and in other rocks innumerable minute veins of quartz. \_Ibid., 
 page 393-] 
 
 There are reasons to believe that the metamorphism of this 
 series took place at no great depth. The rocks were often 
 crushed into a confused mass of rubble by dynamic action [see 
 above, page 12], which is often recemented bj- metamorphic 
 process. The readjustment of the strata under pressure hence 
 took place largely through fracturing, rather than through 
 flowage and flexure of the rocks, consequently they can not 
 have been buried at great depths. 
 
 A much later silicification process took place attendant upon 
 or just prior to the ore deposition and of a distinct character 
 from that above mentioned, in many cases resulting in the 
 formation of a black opal rock. This opal replaces constitu- 
 ents of the rock masses, particularly but not exclusively serpen- 
 tine. The opal is often deep black, resembling some varieties 
 of obsidian, and is accompanied by small amounts of crystal- 
 line silica, quartz, and chalcedonite — the name suggested by 
 Dr. Becker [above cited, page 390] for a mixture of opal and 
 cr>'stalline silica ; sometimes it contains a small amount of 
 
20 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 calcite. A perfect network of minute bands of quartz often 
 traverses the opal, resulting from infiltration into fissured opal. 
 This material is seldom, if ever, free from sulphides of iron, 
 occasionally of nickel, and at least traces of cinnabar are inva- 
 riably found close to it (hence its local name of "quicksilver 
 rock"), showing its close relation to metalliferous solutions. 
 While some of this opaline rock has certainl}- been deposited 
 in pre-existing openings, a large part is a substitution product. 
 The silica solutions seem to have permeated more or less frac- 
 tured rocks, principally serpentine, dissolving the bases and 
 depositing the opal. 
 
 This silicification process is closeh' related to the deposition 
 of cinnabar ores and to the later igneous phenomena. As 
 above stated, cinnabar is often found in the filling of minute 
 cracks in the opaline rock, accompanied bj' quartz and chal- 
 cedonite, but seldom if ever imbedded in the opal. Hence this 
 silicification process must have preceded the ore deposition; 
 but the effects of the two processes are so closeh' related that 
 the former must have been an earlier stage of the latter. The 
 fact that mercuric ores are hardly ever found in direct contact 
 with the opal is hard to explain, as it would suggest that the 
 siliceous solutions during that period of the process were 
 entirely barren of mercuric sulphide. The solutions during the 
 ore deposition were, however, also certainl}- siliceous, and 
 hence it is hard to understand wh}' the former should have 
 been entirelj' barren. Dr. Becker ofiers as explanation the 
 hypothesis that the cinnabar was separated from the solutions 
 in the fissures when the siliceous fluids permeated the rocks, 
 through a mechanical process more or less analogous to dialysis. 
 The difficulty is, however, that metallic salts are cr3'stalloid 
 bodies and pass readilj' through membranes, while silica is 
 colloid. In the Manhattan mine, Xapa Count}^ sulphide of 
 mercury- is, besides, found intimately mixed with the chalce- 
 donite. This silicification process was directly connected with 
 the later igneous eruptions and intrusions. Perhaps the greater 
 heat during the first part of the period covered by this process 
 may ofier an explanation for the absence of mercuric sulphide 
 in the opal then formed. [See, on this point. Genesis of the 
 Quicksilver Deposits, page 26.] 
 
 Calcite and dolomite form besides the silica the gangue min- 
 erals accompanying the cinnabar. Sometimes these carbonates 
 
GEOLOGY OF THE QUICKSILVER BELT. 21 
 
 are in direct contact with the cinnabar. The associated 
 metallic minerals are in nearly all cases pyrite and marcasite; 
 very often arsenious and antimonious minerals, and sometimes 
 copper minerals. Cinnabar ores are nearly exclusively depos- 
 ited in pre-existing openings. Ore bodies precipitated b}' 
 substitution are very rare. Where cinnabar deposition can 
 now be observed the same rule holds good. The later igneous 
 eruptions, to which the ore deposition is related, are of Tertiary 
 or later date. Becker [above cited, page 152 and following] 
 cites three different periods: The first, pre- Pliocene, during 
 which large masses of andesite were ejected — a bluish-gray 
 rock, containing pyroxene and feldspar crystals imbedded in a 
 ground mass of feldspar and magnetite. A later andesitic 
 eruption, very late Pliocene or at the close thereof; the ande- 
 sites belonging to a special group having a trachytic character, 
 for which Becker proposes the name Asperites. Rhyolite, 
 probably younger than the andesites, is found near New Alma- 
 den and in the northwestern part of San Luis Obispo County. 
 Basalt eruptions, belonging to the Quaternary and more recent 
 periods. These eruptions are closely related to the fissure 
 system of the former upheavals, which had established lines of 
 weakness, along which the strata adjusted themselves to the 
 posterior deformations. The ore depositions were most prob- 
 ably formed by mineral springs connected with the volcanic 
 activity of the post- Andesitic period; hence the3' belong to the 
 post-Pliocene period. According to Becker, this is indicated 
 by the usual association of cinnabar with basalt, or as in New 
 Almaden with rhyolite, and also by the unimportance of cin- 
 nabar deposits in andesite. It is a striking fact that most of 
 the prominent mines north of San Francisco are in close prox- 
 imity to basaltic or relatively recent eruptions, as for instance: 
 The .^tna mines, a basalt dike on the Silver Bow claim, and 
 basalt in the Star claim; the Oathill mine, a large basalt body 
 in close vicinity to the mine; the Corona and Twin Peaks 
 mines, between the basalt of Oathill and that of the Howell 
 Mountains; the Great Western, a body of basalt south and in 
 close proximity to the mine; the Sulphur Bank, basalt all 
 around the mine; the Manhattan, surrounded by basalt to the 
 east and north; the Boston, within half a mile of the basalt in 
 the Manhattan ground. 
 
 In the southern field the geological conditions vary very 
 
22 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 much. In the New Idria district no definitive!}^ post-Tertiarj' 
 igneous rocks can be found, and those rocks which show indi- 
 cations of igneous origin are so altered that it requires micro- 
 scopic stud}' of the rocks to determine whether they are altered 
 eruptives or sedimentaries. In the Stayton district, the 
 country rock near the ore deposition is prominently basaltic, 
 sometimes closely related to Becker's asperites. In San Luis 
 Obispo County, in the Pine Mountain, Adelaide, and Oceanic 
 districts, the scattered exposures of igneous rock are of rhyo- 
 lite. In Santa Clara County the only eruptive rock in the 
 neighborhood of the ore deposits is rhyolite. 
 
ORE DEPOSITS, 
 
 The peculiar characteristics of quicksilver, so different from 
 those of all other metals, render the study of the conditions 
 governing the genesis of quicksilver deposits an intricate 
 problem; in fact, some of the phenomena occurring in those 
 deposits have as yet not been fully explained. 
 
 Quicksilver occurs in nature principally as a sulphide, 
 occasionally to a small extent associated with the native metal. 
 The compounds of mercury with chlorine, selenium, tellurium 
 antimony, etc., are all rare minerals, and probably the result of 
 secondar}' concentration. 
 
 Quicksilver differs in many characteristics from gold, which 
 occurs in nature principally as native metal, though occasion- 
 ally as a telluride. Gold is soluble in solutions of alkaline 
 sulphides and iodides, ferric sulphate, and carbonate of sodium 
 above 200° C. Chlorine is a prominent solvent of gold, 
 especially in desert regions. In whatever form gold may be 
 transported, it is precipitated either as a telluride, or as metallic 
 gold associated with tellurides and sulphides; whether gold is 
 precipitated in nature as a sulphide is, as yet, uncertain, 
 because the existence of a sulphide of gold in nature has not 
 been definitely established. At all events, this sulphide of gold 
 would be an unstable compound, while sulphide of mercury is 
 a very stable compound. These differences are here presented, 
 because the fact that gold is present in cinnabar deposits has 
 been used as a strong argument in the discussion of the genesis 
 of those deposits. 
 
 Quicksilver also differs greatly from silver in its chemical 
 behavior toward other elements. The original forms of silver 
 deposits are, besides sulphides, sulphantimonious and sulph- 
 arsenious salts. In the zone of oxidation, silver occurs to some 
 extent in the native state, but much more commonly as a 
 chloride, cerargyrite. 
 
 Mercuric sulphide is not found intimately associated with 
 the sulphides of lead, zinc, and iron, as is the sulphide of silver. 
 Sulphide of iron is often found in contact with mercuric 
 
 (23) 
 
24 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 sulphide, but no mixtures of the sulphides, like argentiferous 
 galena, etc., have been found. Oxidation products of mercuric 
 sulphide, similar to those of the sulphides of lead, zinc, copper, 
 and iron, are also unknown. 
 
 Quicksilver dififers further materially from all other metals 
 in its behavior toward heat. Nearly all metals have high 
 melting and boiling points, but mercury becomes a solid at 
 — 39-5° C., and boils at 357" C, even vaporizing to a certain 
 extent at ordinar}- temperatures. 
 
 Following is a list of the known quicksilver ores: 
 
 Amalgam. — A compound of silver and mercury, AgHg or 
 Ag,Hg3. 
 
 Arguerite, from Coquimbo, Chili. AgioHg. 
 Kongsbergite, from Norway. AgisHg. 
 
 Color silver white, in isometric crystals and massive. 
 
 Ammiolite. — A compound of mercury containing antimony 
 and copper, also a little sulphur and iron. An earthy powder; 
 color deep red or scarlet. Possibly antimonate of copper mixed 
 with mercuric sulphide. Rare. 
 
 Arguerite. — See Amalgam. 
 
 Barcenite. — Related to Ammiolite, but contains no copper. 
 Possibly antimonate of mercury. Rare. 
 
 Calomel, or Horn Quicksilver. — Mercurous chloride, 
 Hg2Cl2. Color light yellowish or gray; luster adamantine, 
 translucent or subtranslucent. Tough and sectile. Not 
 abundant. 
 
 Cinnabar. — Mercuric sulphide, RgSorHgiSi- Color bright 
 red to brownish-red and brownish-black. Streak,. scarlet-red. 
 Subtransparent to nearly opaque. Cr^^stals often tabular, 
 sometimes acicular; also massive and in earthy coatings. 
 Cinnabar is the principal mercurial ore. 
 
 Hepatic Cinnabar^ or Liver Ore, contains some carbon 
 and clay; color and streak brownish. 
 
 Metacinnabarite^ or black sulphide of mercury, HgS or 
 HgsSs. Amorphous, color black, resembling graphite, 
 streak same color. Fracture like tetrahedrite. Recrys- 
 tallizes on slow cooling into cinnabar. 
 
 CocciNiTE. — Iodide of mercury. Color red to yellow, some- 
 times green and greenish-gray. In acicular crystals or mas- 
 sive. Rare. 
 
ORE DEPOSITS. 25 
 
 CoLORADOiTE. — Telluride of mercury, HgTe. Color gray- 
 ish-black. Rare. 
 
 GuADALCAZARiTE. — Sulphide of mercury; closely allied to 
 metacinnabarite. Part of the sulphur is replaced by selenium, 
 some zinc is also present, although these latter two metals are 
 probably no essential portions of the mineral. Rare. 
 
 KoNGSBERGiTE. — See Amalgam. 
 
 Lehrbachite. — A combination of selenide of mercury and 
 of lead. Rare. 
 
 Leviglianite. — A ferriferous guadalcazarite. Rare. 
 
 LiviNGSTONiTE. — A Combination of sulphides of mercury 
 and antimonium, HgS, aSbiS;;. Color grayish-black, generally 
 fibrous, also massive, resembling stibnite. Rare. 
 
 AIagnolite. — Mercurous tellurate, HgTe-;04. Rare. 
 
 Mercury, Native. — Occurs to some extent in many quick- 
 silver mines, exceptionally in large quantities, generally in dis- 
 seminated fine globules. 
 
 Metacinnabarite. — See Cinnabar. 
 
 OnofriTE. — A sulphide of mercury, wherein the sulphur is 
 partly replaced by selenium, Hg (S, Se), often associated with 
 tiemanite. Rare. 
 
 TiEMANiTE. — Selenide of mercury, HgSe. Color dark steel 
 gray, resembling galena. Rare. 
 
 TerlinguaiTE. — Oxychloride of mercury. Rare. 
 
 TocORNALiTE. — Iodide of silver and mercurj'. Color pale 
 yellow; granulaf and massive. Rare. 
 
 The hydrocarbons Idrialite and Aragotite in places carry 
 cinnabar. Rare. 
 
 In Hungary a copper ore, consisting of sulphides of copper, 
 iron, zinc, mercury, antimony, and arsenic, is found, often rich 
 enough in mercury to warrant the special extraction of that 
 metal as a by-product. 
 
 This list shows that mercury combines in nature almost 
 exclusively with sulphur, which in rare instances is partially 
 or totally replaced by its closely related elements, selenium 
 and tellurium; and that mercury also, but rarely, combines 
 with the halogens chlorine and iodine. 
 
 From a practical point of view, sulphide of mercury and 
 native mercury are the only products requiring consideration, 
 the others being of no commercial importance. 
 
GENESIS OF QUICKSILVER ORE DEPOSITS^ 
 
 The majority of the geologists who have treated the subject 
 of ore deposits consider them, as they exist to-day in situ, as 
 principall)^ the result of precipitation from aqueous solution. 
 [See Genesis of Ore Deposits, pages 57 and 73, F. Posepny; 
 ibid., page 284, C. R. van Hise; ibid., page 658, Prof. J. H. L. 
 Vogt, etc.] More especially in reference to quicksilver deposits. 
 [Monograph XIII, U. S. Geological Sur\'ey, page 416, G. F. 
 Becker; x\merican Journal of Science, vol. XVII, 3d series, 
 S. B. Christ}-; Genesis of Ore Deposits, page 596, W. Lindgren.] 
 
 A concise exposition of the modern views of the genesis of ore 
 deposits is required to explain the special phenomena obser^-ed 
 in quicksilver ore deposits, and the deductions to be derived 
 therefrom. 
 
 There is no reason for supposing that the heavj- metals of 
 ore deposits come from the enormously compressed centro- 
 sphere; hence the conclusion that the ore deposits are derived 
 from the crust of the earth. Indeed, a notable number of ore 
 deposits may be referred to eruptive processes connected, not 
 with the heavj- interior, but with the crust of the earth, which 
 must be regarded as being at least 50 kilometers in thickness. 
 
 This crust can be divided into zones from two different 
 standpoints: 
 
 {a) The zone of fracture. 
 
 The intermediate zone of combined fracture and flowage. 
 The zone oi flowage. 
 
 These zones are delimited b}- the manner in which the rocks 
 j'ield to deformation. In the upper zone of fracture, the strata 
 yield to deformation by fracturing; in the deepest zone, onh* 
 spaces of microscopic size can exist, and the deformation 
 process is similar to that of mashing or kneading. 
 
 The maximum depth (assuming no lateral pressures occur) 
 be3''ond which the strongest rock material will yield to defor- 
 mation by flowage can be placed at 12,000 meters. In regions 
 of orogenic and eruptive actions, the lateral stresses may 
 
 (26) 
 
GENESIS OF QUICKSILVER ORE DEPOSITS. 27 
 
 materially reduce this depth, which probably may have to be 
 further reduced, because of the greatly increased plasticity of 
 the rocks saturated with superheated water. It therefore 
 follows that all fissures must disappear at a certain depth. 
 
 As rocks are of varying strength, and as lateral pressures 
 materially influence the conditions under which the rocks 
 exist, there must be a zone of combined fracture and flowage 
 below the zone of fracture. This belt has a considerable 
 thickness, possibly over 5000 meters. 
 
 The earth crust may also be subdivided from a physico- 
 chemical standpoint, controlled by the relations between chem- 
 ical action and heat and pressure, into: 
 
 (d) The Upper Physico-cJiemical zone, resubdivided into: 
 . Upper Belt — Belt of weathering. 
 LrOwer Belt — Belt of cementation. 
 The Lower Physico-chemical zone. 
 
 Near the surface, where temperature and pressure are low, 
 the preponderating reactions are heat-developing. In the 
 lower zone the heat-absorbing reactions preponderate, accord- 
 ing to van Hoff's law. [W. Nernst, Theoretical Chemistry, 
 page 583.] 
 
 Two important reactions separate these zones: First, tne 
 reactions between oxygen and sulphur. In the upper zone 
 oxygen replaces sulphur, resulting in great liberation of heat 
 and expansion of the volume of the solid compound. In the 
 lower zone sulphur replaces oxygen with condensation and 
 great absorption of heat. This reaction is the more important 
 when considering that oxide of iron, in the form of magnetite, 
 is one of the constituents of eruptive rocks (rocks of deep- 
 seated origin). Secondly, the reaction between carbon dioxide 
 and silica. In the upper zone, especially in the belt of weather- 
 ing, carbon dioxide replaces silica, acting specially upon sili- 
 cates; the liberated silica passing into solution in a colloidal 
 form and not ionized [Kahlenberg and Lincoln, Journal of 
 Physical Chemistry, 1898, page 88], and carried downward into 
 the belt of cementation. In the lower zone silica replaces car- 
 bon dioxide, with great absorption of heat and with condensa- 
 tion; the carbon dioxide entering into the solution. 
 
 The depths at which these reactions reverse for different 
 compounds, and for the same compound under different con- 
 
28 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ditions, are very variable, and are greatly affected b\- the fact 
 whether the latter are mass-static or mass-dynamic. 
 
 The water circulation through the earth crust represents a 
 cycle, caused chiefly by gravitation stress, and is due to the 
 fact that the water entering the ground at a certain level, after 
 a short or long underground journey, issues at a lower level. 
 
 From the point of view of the genesis of ore deposits, only 
 the water that enters that part of the earth crust situate below 
 ground-water level is of importance. Its temperature increases 
 with depth, and below 3000 meters, in the zone of fracture, it 
 is in the form of superheated water, having consequently great 
 chemical activity. 
 
 There is a strong tendency for water entering through an 
 indefinite number of small openings to converge into larger 
 openings which are located on the lines of weakness in the 
 formations. These waters reach, in the lowest part of their 
 course, where they possess their highest chemical activity, the 
 zone wherein sulphur is the more active agent, so that they 
 dissolve prominently sulpho-compounds out of the rocks, 
 through which they percolate in capillary and supercapillary 
 openings, until saturated, and hold them in solutions in ion- 
 ized form. The precipitation out of these solutions is the 
 result of supersaturation due to several causes, among which 
 the most prominent are dilution and loss in temperature and 
 pressure. 
 
 It is more than probable, from the intimate association of 
 igneous rocks with a large majority of ore deposits, that they 
 are the main source of the metallic ores; and that there is 
 a direct genetic relation between ore deposits and eruptive 
 processes. A number are, in fact, intimately connected with 
 eruptive magmas, especially through eruptive after-action, as 
 sublimation, gaseous action, igneous-aqueous action, etc., by 
 which the heavy metals were in great part extracted from 
 such magmas. As the eruptive magmas, at least those of 
 deep origin, are admitted to contain a more or less notable 
 admixture of water, with other constituents of hydrous or 
 gaseous character, the formation of minerals on cooling and 
 the subsequent cycle of solution and reprecipitation, as above 
 described, will take place. 
 
 In this connection the following quotation is important: 
 "It is thought highty probable that under sufficient pressure 
 
GENESIS OF QUICKSILVER ORE DEPOSITS. 29 
 
 "and at a high temperature there are all gradations between 
 "heated water containing mineral material in solution and a 
 "magma containing water in solution. If this be so, there 
 "also will be all stages of gradation between true igneous 
 "injection and aqueous cementation, and all the various phases 
 "of pegmatization may thus be fulh' explained." [C. R. van 
 Hise, 1 6th Ann. Rep., vol. XI, page 647.] 
 
 The foregoing explains the reason that the metals are origi- 
 nally deposited principally in the form of sulpho-compounds; 
 which, in the upper portion of the earth crust, in the belt of ' 
 weathering, under the action of the various gases, especially 
 carbon dioxide and oxygen, and of organic bodies, are trans- 
 formed into various oxidation products thereof, including the 
 native metal. [See on this subject more particularly: F, 
 Posepny, Genesis of Ore Deposits; C. R. van Hise, Principles 
 of North American Pre-Cambrian Geolog}', i6th Ann. Rep. 
 U. S. Geological Sun'e}^ Pt. I; ibid.^ Physico-Chemistry of 
 Metamorphism, Bulletin Geol. Soc. of Am., vol. IX; J. L. H. 
 Vogt, Problems in the Geology of Ore Deposits, Genesis of 
 Ore Deposits, page 636 and following; etc.] 
 
 The opinion that quicksilver deposits are formed in accord- 
 ance with the general principles above described is based upon 
 obser\^ations at Steamboat Springs and Sulphur Bank, and 
 finds confirmation in the associated minerals within those 
 deposits which bear evidence of precipitation out of aqueous 
 solutions. The following observations on this subject are of 
 sufficient importance to be shortly discussed: 
 
 Most of these deposits show that at some time during their 
 history they have been the scene of intense solfataric action, 
 and a great many are in contact or in close proximity to 
 eruptive phenomena. 
 
 Mercury boils at 357*^ C, but volatilizes to some extent at 
 ordinary temperatures. 
 
 Liquid mercury combines with sulphur in the manufacture 
 of vermilion in the dry way, below the melting point of sul- 
 phur, 120° C. ; in the wet waj', sulphide of mercury forms 
 between 45° and 50° C. Hence the combination of mercury 
 and sulphur takes place between liquid mercury and sulphur. 
 That in the wet process a heat below 50° C. is insisted upon 
 would indicate that the combination of liquid mercury and 
 sulphur can only take place within the immediate vicinity of 
 
30 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 the surface, as the proximity of igneous-aqueous action to the 
 quicksilver deposits during some time of their history will 
 cause the increase of heat in depth to be much more rapid than 
 the ordinary static rate of i° C. per loo feet. (At Sulphur 
 Bank, Dr. Becker gives the heat of the water of the Herman 
 shaft at the surface 128° F., and at a depth of 300 feet 176° F.) 
 
 In vapor form mercury combines with sulphur at high tem- 
 peratures, proof of which can be found in the bricks of old 
 furnaces wherein cinnabar and native mercury are often found 
 in large quantities; the mercurial vapors must have recombined 
 with free sulphur in vapor form and recr^'stallized as cinnabar. 
 The agency which causes the recombination of these disso- 
 ciated vapors, at practically the same temperature, is as yet 
 undetermined. 
 
 All these considerations have caused a great number of 
 operators of quicksilver mines to retain the old theory of ore 
 formation by sublimation, and to hold the opinion that mer- 
 cury is brought into the lithosphere, and possibh' even into the 
 belt of weathering, in the form of mercurial vapors. These, 
 under favorable conditions, form mercuric sulphide, which then 
 follows the cycle of solution and precipitation indicated by 
 Messrs. Becker and Christy, namely, a solution of a double 
 sulphide of mercury and sodium (HgS, nNaiS) in waters holding 
 in solution: alkaline-sulphides, -sulph5'drates, and -h3-drates, 
 or neutral or acid sodium carbonates partially saturated by 
 hydrogen sulphide; and a precipitation mainly due to decrease 
 in temperature and pressure or to dilution. 
 
 Dr. Becker [Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., above cited, page 419 
 and following] thoroughly discusses this subject and gives 
 extensively his reasons for considering the cinnabar deposits as 
 exclusively formed by precipitation from solutions. Prof. S. B. 
 Christy [Am. Journal of Science, vol. XVII, 3d series, 1879, page 
 453 and following] had previously given his reasons why he 
 arrived at the same conclusion. He made several tests as to 
 the solubility of mercuric sulphide in different solutions under 
 varying conditions of temperature and pressure, and regarding 
 its precipitation out of those solutions. A short extract from 
 his article will be of great interest: 
 
 "The tests were made at temperatures varying from 200"^' to 
 "250° C, and pressures varying from 260 to 500 pounds per 
 
GENESIS OF QUICKSILVER ORE DEPOSITS. 31 
 
 " square inch. The duration of the tests varied from three to ten 
 "hours, and in each case the cooling was allowed to take place 
 "gradually and undisturbed. Their result proved that waters 
 "containing solutions of alkali sulphides and some natural min- 
 "eral waters to which sulphydric acid had been added, will, 
 "under certain conditions of temperature and pressure, dissolve 
 "mercuric sulphide; that increase in pressure aids rather than 
 "retards this solution, and that cinnabar is deposited from such 
 "solutions in the crystallized form when temperature and pres- 
 "sure are slowly lowered, while the occasional occurrence of 
 " metacinnabarite, or black amorphous sulphide of mercury, was 
 "explained by the sudden dilution or cooling of the depositing 
 "waters, or the local mixing, during crystallization, of agents 
 "causing rapid precipitation." 
 
 Professor Christy in the course of these tests obtained out of 
 a solution of potassic sulphydrate wherein amorphous mer- 
 curic sulphide was placed, a coherent mass of crystals of cinna- 
 bar, perfectly simulating the crystals which occur in nature. 
 He further argues that while the deposition of cinnabar from 
 mercury in vapor form occurs in the masonry of furnaces, 
 condenser walls, etc., the same can not account for the same 
 action in ore deposits, because the high temperature required 
 to volatilize mercury and cinnabar would destroy the gangue 
 minerals almost invariably associated with the ore in nature, 
 such as dolomite, calcite, bitumen, and pyrites, which besides 
 are never found in the occurrences of cinnabar and mercury in 
 the masonr}^ of furnaces and condenser walls, directly traceable 
 to volatilization and sublimation. 
 
 There are some fundamental differences between quicksilver 
 ore and gold ore deposits, which must be noted. All the quick- 
 silver deposits worked up to the present time show a lack of 
 persistence in depth, and at a rather shallow depth in the 
 different deposits their cinnabar content becomes too low for 
 commercial purposes. The approach of this impoverishment 
 is in nearly every case accompanied with the occurrence of 
 native mercury, while in gold deposits generally, once the 
 sulphide zone is reached, the character of the ore remains 
 nearly permanent. 
 
 Dr. Becker attributes this phenomenon to the precipitation 
 of native mercury by dilution of the solution, or by the action 
 of decomposition products of organic matter; the latter causing 
 
32 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 the presence of hydrocarbons so often found accompanying 
 quicksilver ores. [Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 437.] That 
 the native mercury is mainly found in the lower parts of the 
 mines is ascribed by him to the fluidit}' and high density of 
 the metal. [Ibid., page 388.] 
 
 As to the precipitation of native mercury b}- dilution, when 
 the precipitation is caused suddenly, the product is a black 
 mass of metacinnabarite with a very small quantity of native 
 mercury [ibid., pages 429, 430, and 436] ; hence the copresence 
 of cinnabar and native mercury would involve a re-solution 
 and precipitation and slow cooling of the metacinnabarite 
 without affecting the native mercun- present. 
 
 The reduction of mercuric sulphide through decomposition 
 products of organic matter would relegate the locus of this 
 reaction to the upper portion of the deposit, and as those agents 
 are active at the present time, native mercury ought to be 
 found, at least to some extent, in the upper horizon of all 
 quicksilver deposits. 
 
 Prof. S. B. Christy remarks on the occurrence of native 
 mercury: "Unless w^e regard it as an efiect of local oxidation 
 "of a very stable compound, its appearance is well nigh inex- 
 "plicable upon either h3'pothesis" of production by sublimation 
 or deposition from solution. [Am. Journal of Science, vol. 
 XVII, 3d series, page 463.] 
 
 The oxidation of mercuric sulphide takes place at high 
 temperature; mercuric sulphate being formed in the condensers 
 nearest the furnaces, but not having been found in nature. 
 
 Whatever may be the cause of the formation of native 
 mercurs', its fluidity and density can hardly account for all 
 phenomena of its occurrence. In the Socrates mine, Sonoma 
 County, native mercury is found in fine globules within com- 
 pact rock, while in the fracture planes of the same rock cinnabar 
 is found associated with the native metal; if the cinnabar was 
 the original form wherein the metal was deposited, some traces 
 of it ought to be found in the compact rock, where the decom- 
 posing agents can not have been as active as in the fracture 
 planes. Original deposition as native metal and subsequent 
 transformation into sulphide appear here more probable. 
 
 The quicksilver deposits are closely connected with eruptive 
 phenomena — either the presence of eruptives, or intense solfa- 
 taric action. As Professor Vogt states: "In the exceedingly 
 
GENESIS OF QUICKSILVER ORE DEPOSITS. 33 
 
 "numerous deposits in some way connected with eruptive 
 "processes, the nearness of igneous rocks must have caused 
 "increase of temperature (and also of pressure?). This is 
 "often so great as to exceed for heavy compounds the critical 
 "temperature." [Genesis of Ore Deposits, page 659.] 
 
 The source of the great heat in most of the quicksilver 
 mines can, in many cases, be traced directly to the chemical 
 reactions taking place at the present time. Chemical activity 
 being increased by temperature and pressure, it is only reason- 
 able to suppose that, at no great depth, conditions exist which 
 would keep the mercury in a gaseous state. 
 
 The suggestion of Professor Vogt: " With regard to younger 
 "veins especially, we must keep in mind a possible extraction 
 "from laccolitic magma in depth" [ibid., page 656], may 
 in many cases offer an explanation for the genesis of quick- 
 silver deposits, where no extrusive igneous rocks are found in 
 their vicinity. Erosion is the cause of the absence of quick- 
 silver deposits in older formations. This erosion is much more 
 considerable than generall)- taken into account. [See ibid., 
 page 670.] Professor de Launay, comparing ore deposits oc- 
 curring relativel}- near the surface in less denuded regions with 
 those deep below the surface in strongly denuded regions, takes 
 as instance of the former quicksilver deposits, "which occur 
 "chiefly in recent rocks near volcanic eruptives, while from 
 "older ranges, partly destroyed by erosion, they have disap- 
 "peared with other debris." 
 
 The cinnabar deposits are in many cases connected with 
 alteration zones in the country rock, caused by silicification, 
 forming by preference in those zones. The latter, however, do 
 not uniformly contain cinnabar, and the same form of altera- 
 tion of the rocks is found throughout the Neocomian outside 
 of the quicksilver belts. This process of silicification is more 
 especially characteristic of the belt of cementation. [See above, 
 page 27.] The term cementation designates the binding to- 
 gether of the rock particles by infiltration of mineral materials 
 in solution, and their deposition as minerals in the interstices 
 of the rocks. 
 
 The process of serpentinization resembles that of silicifica- 
 tion. The material for the serpentine may be furnished 
 partly, or in whole, b}- the minerals present in basic sedimen- 
 
 3— QR 
 
34 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 tary rocks, which are altered through this process, or the 
 material may come from extraneous sources. [Van Hise, i6th 
 Ann. Rep., Part I, page 691.] 
 
 As serpentine may replace quartz, the presence of cemented 
 and indurated sandstones, chalcedonite, phthanite, and serpen- 
 tine may represent various phases of the physico-chemical 
 process of cementation in the belt of fracture. 
 
 This silicification process forms different materials in different 
 localities. It forms a great quantity of black opal, containing 
 some quartz and chalcedonite (a mixture of opal and crystal- 
 line silica). A considerable portion of the sandstones of the 
 Coast Ranges show the effects of this silicification process, in 
 varying degrees. 
 
 The cinnabar forms in the cracks, seams, and fissures of the 
 silicified material. The richness of the cinnabar ore is to a 
 great extent dependent upon the size of the cavities favorable 
 for deposition and consequently upon the compactness of the 
 fissure-filling; hence rich ore bodies are principally found in 
 those parts where the fissure-filling has been crushed and 
 distorted. 
 
 COST OF MINING AND REDUCTION. 
 
 The cost of mining and reduction of quicksilver ores differs 
 very sensibly in the various mines. The nature of the ground 
 is one great cause of this difference. In some mines the 
 ground is such that little or no timbering is required. In 
 others, the ground is so bad that the stopes have to be tim- 
 bered and filled. In some mines the air is generally good, 
 while in others the heat is so great that the men work under 
 disadvantage. 
 
 The cost of timber and cordwood also varies very much, some 
 districts being well provided with timber, while others are at 
 considerable distance from the source of suppl)-. 
 
'• I--?/ 
 
 YTVTJOO 
 
 
Geology by Win. Forstner, E.M. 
 
 MAYACMAS D 
 
 I — Sunrise. ") lo — Geyser, Sulphur, 
 
 2 — Cloverdale. Il — Black Bear Group. 
 
 3— Mercury. 12— Pluton Den. 
 
 4 — Manzanita. j 13 — Clyde. 
 
 5 — Albian. /■ Cloverdale Mine. 14 — Culver — Baer Group. 
 
 6 — Mattole. 15— Rattlesnake. 
 
 7 — Mount Vernon. 16 — Tunnel Site. ) 
 
 8 — Philadelphia. 17 — Incandescent. '- 
 
 9 — Waterloo. J 18 — Almaden. ) 
 
 No. Name OF Mine. 
 
 NO. N.4ME OK MINE. 
 
 19— Mate. 1 
 
 29 — Socrates. 
 
 20 — Eureka Nos. i and 2. [Eureka Con. 
 
 30 — Mercury. 
 
 21— Captain. f 
 
 31— Great Northern. 
 
 22- 1 
 23 — Cedar. 
 
 32-Hope.j. p^„^,,, p^^i,,^ ^ 
 
 24— Quicksilver. ( Crown Point 
 
 34-Denver. 
 
 25— Queen Group.! Q. Mining Co. 
 
 35-) 
 
 26 — Lookout. 1 
 
 36 — V Lucky Stone Group 
 
 27 — Diamond. \ 
 
 37—) 
 
 28 — Mercury. 
 
 38— Hurley. 
 
 N.AaiE OF Mi: 
 
 39 — Pacific. 
 
 40 — Hercules. 
 
 41 — Sonoma. 
 
 42— 
 
 43— 
 
 44— 
 
 45 — Pontiac. 
 
 46- " 
 
 47 — Boston. 
 
 48— Empire. 
 
 rn Point Quick- 
 ver Mining Co. 
 
 49 — Double Star. 
 
 50 — Occidental. 
 
 51 — Healdsburg. 
 
 52— Edith. 
 
 53— Cinnabar King Group. 
 
 54-Eugenie. ) 
 
 55— Maud. [■ Bacon Con. 
 
 56— Dragon. ' 
 
 57— Napa. 
 
DISTRICT. 
 
 58— St. George, i 
 
 59— Golden Gate. ■ Bacon Con. 
 
 60— Eagle. \ 
 
 61— Helen. 
 
 62 — Young America. 
 
 63 — Chicago. 
 
 64— Wall Street. 
 
 65 — ^Jewess. 
 
 66 — Middletown. 
 
 67- 
 
 Nameof mi: 
 
 68— Gem. 
 
 69 — Great Eastern. 
 
 70 — Hope. 
 
 71 — Iviverpool Con. 
 
 72 — Eureka Con. ) 
 
 73— " 
 
 Great Western 
 
 -Standard Q. Co. 5 
 
 74- 
 75— 
 76- 
 
 1- Napa Consolidated. 
 
 1 — Eureka Con. 
 
 79— " 
 
 80— " 
 I— Contention. 
 
 82 - Minnesota. 
 83 — Manzanita. 
 S4 — Mercury. 
 S5 — Bone. 
 86 — Fanny. 
 
 Napa Consolidated. 
 
 88— South Side.' 
 
 89 — Corona. 
 
 90 — Napa Con. 
 
 91— 
 
 92 — Beecher. 
 
 93 — New Granada 
 
 94— Twin Peak. 
 
 95- " 
 
 Xi.. Namk of Mink. 
 
 96 — Ida Easly. 
 
 97— Old Discovery. 
 
 98— Twin Quartz. 
 
 99— Good Enough. 
 100 — Silver Bow. ') 
 loi— Phrenix. j 
 
 102— Red Hill. [ :jj(^jj ^^Q„ 
 
 103— Starr. j 
 
 104— Pope. I 
 
 (05 — Washington. J 
 
34 
 
 tary rockj 
 material n 
 Ann. Rep. 
 
 As serp( 
 and indurj 
 tine may 
 process of 
 
 This sili 
 localities, 
 some quar 
 line silica) 
 Coast Ran 
 varying de 
 
 The cini 
 silicified n 
 great exte: 
 for deposit 
 fissure-filli 
 those part 
 distorted. 
 
 qAK J 
 
 rri- 'Tj 
 
 ./d/iHOTlIJAO 
 
 COS 
 
 The cost 
 ver>' sensil 
 is one gn 
 ground is 
 others, the 
 bered and 
 while in ot 
 disadvanta 
 
 The cost 
 districts be 
 considerab 
 
 A 3TATe 
 
 - c.tW3J 
 Obi 
 
 •ej3»*.« - 
 
 i 
 
DISTRICTS NORTH OF SAN FRANQSCO. 
 
 MAYACMAS DISTRICT, 
 
 The Mayacmas District, as defined b}- Dr. G. Becker [see 
 Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 368], embraces parts of Napa, 
 Lake, and Sonoma counties, along the Mayacmas range, of 
 which Mount St. Helena and Mount Cobb are the most promi- 
 nent mountains. [See geological map of portions of Napa, 
 Sonoma, and Lake counties quicksilver districts, in this Bul- 
 letin.] 
 
 Quicksilver deposits are found on both sides of the range; 
 the main belt, however, lies in its eastern part north of the range, 
 crosses it near Pine ^Mountain (between Mount St. Helena and 
 Mount Cobb), and lies principally south of it, west of Pine 
 Mountain in Sonoma County. 
 
 The general trend of the belt is northwest. In its south- 
 eastern part, in Napa Count3', it is in very close proximity to 
 a region of very intense and probably prolonged eruptive 
 action, covering Tertiarj- and post-Tertiary periods. The 
 center of eruptions in this region was probably' in the territory 
 bounded b}- Mount St. Helena, the Twin Peaks (or Sugar 
 Loafs), and High Peak; the flows have, however, spread over 
 a large adjoining territory. Outside of this are found a great 
 many other eruptive bodies in this district, of which the more 
 prominent are: The basalt body on Oathill, some smaller 
 ones in the territory of the ^-Etna Consolidated Company, an 
 andesitic eruptive body northeast of Oathill, Pine Mountain, 
 Col)b Mountain, and others. This district is hence a region of 
 intense eruptive action. Large masses of lava have covered 
 parts of it, and while partly eroded, extensive sheets of tufa 
 cover at present parts of it to a greater or less depth, and make 
 it ver>- difficult to determine the limits of the cores of igneous 
 rocks. The present deeply car\-ed topography of the region is 
 largely governed by the erosion of this capping. 
 
 The older rocks are mainly represented by sandstones, some- 
 times nearly unaltered, sometimes thoroughly altered into 
 
 (35) 
 
36 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 schists, with all intermediary gradations. Serpentine is very 
 prominent, mostly a hard, dry variety, in places disintegrated 
 and pulverized b}- weathering, showing as large bare spots 
 along the ranges. Even where not bare, the serpentine can be 
 detected at a distance by a sparse vegetation, w^hile on the 
 balance of the surface a ver>' close growth of brush or grass is 
 found. The relation of the serpentine to the quicksilver 
 deposits is not clear. Most of these are associated with, or in 
 close proximity to, serpentine; but others, like those at Oat- 
 hill and Cloverdale, are entirel}' away from the serpentine; 
 and where the serpentine is verj^ prominent and continuous 
 over a certain width, no deposits of any value have been found; 
 as, for instance: between Oathill and the Mirabel around the 
 head of Bucksnorter Creek; on the ridge between Bear Creek 
 and Drj' Creek ; on the main ridge between the headwaters of 
 Dry Creek and Briggs Creek. Neither are workable quick- 
 silver deposits found in the serpentine. Where serpentine is 
 associated with any deposits, these are always contact deposits, 
 while both the Oathill and Cloverdale mines are in the sand- 
 stone. 
 
 The quicksilver deposits appear from their association with 
 the opaline rock, which is presumably an alteration product of 
 serpentine by silicification, to be related to the serpentine to 
 a certain extent. The fact that, where it is A-ery wide, no 
 paying deposits have been found, would indicate, however, 
 that either the sandstones contain the primary disseminated 
 metal, which is concentrated through some process of second- 
 ary concentration, or else in the large bodies of serpentine the 
 concentration took place only in those parts affected by contact 
 metamorphism. While this holds true only for the south- 
 eastern part of the district, it must be remarked that in the 
 northwestern part, in Dry Creek and Pine Flat districts, there is 
 in many cases an undoubted relation between the quicksilver 
 occurrence and igneous actions. In the Dry Creek district the 
 only deposit of any ascertained consequence is the Helen, 
 which lies very close to the tufas of Pine Mountain. There 
 are undoubted signs of igneous rocks in the Pine Flat district 
 on both sides of Big Sulphur Creek; some of these igneous 
 dikes run, as far as determined, in a direction which would 
 bring them near the ore deposits of the Eureka mine; others 
 were found near the Cloverdale mine. For a great number of 
 
MAYACMAS DISTRICT. oi 
 
 deposits, these relations are not yet determined. Considering 
 the intimate relation of quicksilver deposits and aqueo-igneous 
 actions and the general geological conditions in this region, it 
 may, however, be expected that, at least, laccolitic relations 
 exist there. 
 
 Between the Corona and St. Helena Creek, a distance of 
 four miles in an air line, along the headwaters of Bucksnorter 
 Creek, the belt of serpentine is verj- wide. Between St. Helena 
 Creek and Bucksnorter Creek the Standard Quicksilver Min- 
 ing Company- has in the last few years spent a considerable 
 sum of money prospecting, but so far without any favorable 
 result. 
 
 To the west of the Great Western mine are the headwaters 
 of Dry Creek, a bowl-form basin nearly encircled bj' the main 
 ridge and by a ridge dividing Dry Creek from the drainage of 
 Putah Creek. Serpentine is very prominent in a great portion 
 of the Dry Creek basin, and again barren of any workable 
 deposits of cinnabar, notwithstanding some very prominent, 
 peculiar croppings, standing out boldly in the serpentine. 
 These croppings, especially prominent in the Wall Street and 
 Jewess grounds, consist of a network of white quartz seams, 
 mostly thin amorph quartz, with occasional concretions of 
 botryoidal form; the ground mass is a light yellow-brown, 
 ochreous mass; this material is locall}- called "dry bone," and 
 so far as yet observ'ed, never indicates a w^orkable ore deposit. 
 The same is found on the Bacon Consolidated and Cinnabar 
 King ground (Pine Mountain), and also in the Double Star 
 mine (Pine Flat). (Lawson's silica-carbonate sinter.) 
 
 Pine Mountain is a mass of andesitic tufa, most probably 
 with an eruptive core, of small dimensions and very steep 
 sides, and entirely disconnected from the Mount St. Helena 
 and the Mount Cobb groups of eruptives. Its main ridge is 
 not over 25 feet wdde, and about 300 feet long; elevation, 3475 
 feet. The tufa is of a light grayish color, and has spread over 
 a part of the adjacent ravines. No signs of basaltic rock could 
 be found on the ridge. The Helen mine is situated on the 
 eastern slope, near the edge of the tufa, and on the south- 
 western, western, and northwestern slopes are located a series 
 of mines, comprising the Cinnabar King and Bacon group of 
 mines. The northwestern slope is very steep and partly cov- 
 ered by tufa, which covers alternate beds of serpentine and 
 
38 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Fig. I. Section of uonhwest slope of Pine 
 Mountain, Sonoma County. 
 
 metamorphosed sandstones. At the contacts wide belts of 
 croppings show, partly in place, partly covering the side hill 
 with large bowlders. These croppings resemble very much 
 those of the Wall Street and Jewess. In the caiion continu- 
 ing below the old road from Middletown to Pine Flat a very 
 well-defined cropping on the contact of serpentine and sand- 
 stone is seen. [See Fig. i.] A great amount of work has 
 
 been done here; remnants 
 of old shafts and tunnels 
 are found everywhere on 
 the hillsides, but all work 
 is now abandoned. Sev- 
 eral pockets of very rich 
 cinnabar ore were found 
 at diSerent points at the 
 surface, but none appear 
 to have been found persist- 
 ent in depth. 
 
 The headwaters of Putah Creek are situated in a basin on 
 the south slope of Mount Cobb. In this basin are a great 
 number of hot springs, of which Anderson Springs are by far 
 the most prominent. These springs generally contain a great 
 amount of sulphur, and in several places sulphur deposition 
 and rock decomposition b}- sulphurous fumes are taking place. 
 Here, as in other parts of the district, cinnabar deposition 
 does not occur in or close to those places where hot waters and 
 vapors reach the surface. There are no cinnabar mines in this 
 basin — only a few prospects, which can scarcely be said to 
 give, up to the present, much promise of turning into mines; 
 a condition partly due to insufficient development. 
 
 The mines around Mount St. Helena have a considerable 
 supply of timber in their vicinity, although the ^Etna, Oathill, 
 Corona, Mirabel, and Great Western mines have made serious 
 inroads on the supply. The Oathill mine is the only one having 
 a sawmill. The other mines must use round timbers, or get 
 their timbers from the sawmills in Lake County at the foot of 
 Mount Cobb. In the Pine Flat district, the timber supply is 
 rather scant. There is one sawmill in the district. Round 
 timbers cost per set, including lagging, from $2.50 to $2.75; 
 timbers, 7 cents per linear foot; lagging, 3^ cents apiece; 
 

 -TT- 
 
 An 
 
 i^' 
 
 r^ 
 
 v., 
 
 
 f^. 
 
 .-J- 
 
 ^^Sr 
 
5-y 
 
 V? ^ 
 
 L\ 
 
 ''K^, 
 
 \\jO\v4v Lake 
 
 \ /^hur»lpi(Lake 
 
 \<M 
 
 
 C y o t * ^i> Gehnatdl lake 
 
 ,Y<i' 
 
 j% 
 
 wjii 1 r ' 
 
 -/'• 
 
 -^^^^iii^ 
 
 ''^^^^^-^r:^"' 
 
 [IZl [Z] 
 
 GEOLOGICAL MAP OF NAPA, SONOMA, LAKE, AND YOLO COUNTY QUICKSILVER DISTRICTS, 
 
 IssuKD BV California Statu Mining Bureau— Lewis E. Auburv, Statu Minbralouist, 1903. 
 
CLEAR LAKE DISTRICT. 39 
 
 sawed square sets at mill, $2.15; lagging, 15 at 7 cents, $1.05; 
 cordwood averages from S2.50 to $3 per cord. 
 
 This district connects by several good roads with railroads. 
 The southeastern and central parts, by three roads to Calistoga — 
 one from Oathill, the toll road from Middletown, and the toll 
 road from the Great Western mine; distances, from 12 to 20 
 miles. The northwestern part connects with Calistoga and 
 Healdsburg, and for the most extreme northwestern portion 
 also with Cloverdale; distances, from 16 to 20 miles. 
 
 CLEAR LAKE DISTRICT. 
 
 The southern borders of Clear Lake and the adjoining terri- 
 tory* have been a region of great volcanic activity; a great 
 part of the territory south, southeast, and east of Clear Lake 
 bears evidence of having at one time been covered by lava 
 flows, most of the ridges being covered with eruptive 
 flows. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., X, page 232.] 
 Whether these were ejected from a few large vents, or from a 
 great number of disseminated minor vents, has not yet been 
 determined. In close proximit}' to Clear Lake, at Mount Ko- 
 nockti or Uncle Sam, and in the territory northwest of Sulphur 
 Bank, such vents are undoubtedly located. These eruptions 
 took place at different periods, and ejected lavas of different 
 compositions. Mount Konockti is formed b)- later andesites, 
 which are also found to the northeast of the lower part of Clear 
 Lake; but in the close neighborhood of Sulphur Bank the 
 eruptives are priiicipall}^ but not exclusively, basalts. These 
 latter eruptions must have been recent, the basalt overlying 
 the Quaternary Cache Lake beds. To the northeast of the 
 lava flows in this district is a verj* extensive belt of serpentine; 
 but the rocks underlying the lava flows are, north of Putah 
 Creek, prominently sandstones and shales. [See geological 
 map of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Yolo counties quicksilver 
 deposits.] 
 
 Around Lower Lake lumber is worlh $17 per 1000 feet 
 (B. M.); round timber, 6 cents per linear foot; lagging, 6 cents 
 apiece. 
 
 This district finds its railroad outlet through Calistoga. 
 Lower Lake is 33 miles distant from that town. 
 

 '-5-^- 
 
 ..-^ 
 
 i^v^, 
 
 f^ 
 
CLEAR LAKE DISTRICT. 39 
 
 sawed square sets at mill, $2.15; lagging, 15 at 7 cents, $1.05; 
 cordwood averages from $2.50 to $3 per cord. 
 
 This district connects by several good roads with railroads. 
 The southeastern and central parts, by three roads to Calistoga — 
 one from Oathill, the toll road from Middletown, and the toll 
 road from the Great Western mine; distances, from 12 to 20 
 miles. The northwestern part connects with Calistoga and 
 Healdsburg, and for the most extreme northwestern portion 
 also with Cloverdale; distances, from 16 to 20 miles. 
 
 CLEAR LAKE DISTRICT. 
 
 The southern borders of Clear Lake and the adjoining terri- 
 tory have been a region of great volcanic activity; a great 
 part of the territory south, southeast, and east of Clear Lake 
 bears evidence of having at one time been covered by lava 
 flows, most of the ridges being covered with eruptive 
 flows. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., X, page 232.] 
 Whether these were ejected from a few large vents, or from a 
 great number of disseminated minor vents, has not yet been 
 determined. In close proximity to Clear Lake, at Mount Ko- 
 nockti or Uncle Sam, and in the territory northwest of Sulphur 
 Bank, such vents are undoubtedly located. These eruptions 
 took place at different periods, and ejected lavas of different 
 compositions. Mount Konockti is formed bj^ later andesites, 
 which are also found to the northeast of the lower part of Clear 
 Lake; but in the close neighborhood of Sulphur Bank the 
 eruptives are principally, but not exclusively, basalts. These 
 latter eruptions must have been recent, the basalt overlying 
 the Quaternary Cache Lake beds. To the northeast of the 
 lava flows in this district is a very extensive belt of serpentine; 
 but the rocks underlying the lava flows are, north of Putah 
 Creek, prominently sandstones and shales. [See geological 
 map of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Yolo counties quicksilver 
 deposits.] 
 
 Around Lower Lake lumber is worth $17 per 1000 feet 
 (B. M.); round timber, 6 cents per linear foot; lagging, 6 cents 
 apiece. 
 
 This district finds its railroad outlet through Calistoga. 
 Lower Lake is 33 miles distant from that town. 
 
40 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 SULPHUR CREEK 
 DISTRICT. 
 
 The Sulphur Creek 
 district comprises the 
 headwaters of Sulphur 
 Creek, on the line be- 
 tween Lake and Colusa 
 counties, east of Clear 
 Lake. This region has 
 been considerablj- erod- 
 ed, a great amount of its 
 debris covering to a con- 
 siderable depth the coun- 
 try Ij'ing to the west 
 toward Cache Creek, a 
 distance of three miles 
 in an air line. The ridge 
 near the Abbott mine, 
 forming the watershed 
 between Cache Creek 
 and Bear Creek, is in 
 places covered with 
 wash gravel, some of 
 the pebbles being de- 
 rived from igneous rocks. 
 
 Two nearly parallel 
 belts of serpentine run 
 through the district [see 
 special map of the dis- 
 trict and Fig. 2] with a 
 northwest trend. The 
 western runs partly on 
 above-mentioned divide; 
 the serpentine is very 
 siliceous in character 
 and rather opaline. On 
 its eastern contact with 
 a belt of rather soft sand- 
 stone lies a zone of 
 crushed opaline. To the 
 west of this serpentine, 
 
SULPHUR CREEK DISTRICT. 41 
 
 between it and the adjoining shales, is a zone of a light gray 
 or yellow material, containing inclusions (varying in size 
 from small pebbles to bowlders of considerable size) of obsid- 
 ian, chalcedonite, and opalinized serpentine. The matrix of 
 this breccia is a tufi, or better, a tuffoid (a tuff altered by 
 regional metamorphism, according to Miigge). [See Williams, 
 Litholog}', page 290.] The same material is found in the 
 Elgin mine. 
 
 The surface of this serpentine has been leached by acidic 
 w^aters, leaving a peculiar hard, siliceous material of a light 
 bluish-gray color, full of cavities, and occurring in thin slabs. 
 Near the surface the serpentine is generally not silicified, but 
 the ledge matter is largely a much crushed opaline rock, more 
 friable and less hard than the opaline in the tuffoid. This ser- 
 pentine belt is not very long and is surrounded by shales and 
 argillaceous sandstones. [See map of district.] To the east is 
 a wider and more continuous serpentine belt, at the western 
 contact of w^hich are located the Wide Awake, Empire, and 
 Manzanita mines. 
 
 The shales contain bitumen, sometimes forming heavy oil, 
 and sometimes lighter gaseous hydrocarbons. The waters 
 percolating through these formations are often charged with 
 hydrogen sulphide. Occasionally they form hot springs. A 
 hot sulphur spring at Blanck's Hotel [see map] was cut off by 
 the Wide Awake shaft when the latter was sunk from the 200 
 to the 300 foot level, at a distance of 1300 feet from the spring, 
 and a depth of about 300 feet below the spring, and never 
 reappeared, cold water now issuing from the same spring. 
 This proves that this spring was caused by hot ascending 
 waters, following a gentle slope of about 1300 feet horizontal 
 to 300 feet vertical. The great amount of mineralized waters, 
 the siliceous sinters and sulphur deposits formed by extinct 
 solfataric springs, and the still existing hot sulphur springs, 
 indicate strong irruptive action. As no igneous rocks appear 
 at the surface in the immediate neighborhood, this may have 
 been laccolitic. In the bed of Sulphur Creek a conglomerate 
 is constantly forming, the pebbles in the creek being cemented 
 by deposits from the water, which is charged with sulphur and 
 sulpho-salts. 
 
 The shales and sandstones occur unaltered and in various 
 stages of alteration. A belt of limestone passes through the 
 Manzanita property, course southeast, adjoining to the west a 
 
42 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 belt of conglomerate, a water formation, similar to that now 
 forming in the bed of Sulphur Creek. About three fourths of 
 a mile farther on, in the same direction, but without any sur- 
 face connection with this limestone, is found a small body of 
 fossiliferous limestone, with fossils of the Cretaceous age 
 {Rhvnchonella whitJieyi). 
 
 In the Sulphur Creek district the cost of sawed timber is 
 very high, the nearest sawmill being 28 miles distant and the 
 roads very heavy; the mines use exclusively round timber at 
 8 cents per linear foot for 6 inches (smallest) diameter. Cord- 
 wood (oak) costs $s per cord. 
 
 KNOXVILLE DISTRICT. 
 
 The Knoxville district, situated at the junction of L,ake, 
 Napa, and Yolo counties, was in former times the scene of 
 much activity. A number of the mines then in operation — 
 Reed, Andalusia, Royal, and Grizzly— are closed down and 
 abandoned, and the newer prospects — Harrison, New Eng- 
 land, Red Elephant, etc. — have as yet disclosed nothing im- 
 portant. 
 
 The two mines at present in operation (the Boston and the 
 Manhattan) offer, however, many points of interest. These 
 mines are in proximity to a basaltic body ; the Manhattan is 
 in contact therewith, and the Boston is in very close proximity 
 and practically in line with the direction of the main fissure 
 through which the basalt was ejected. This basalt is the only 
 eruptive body coming to the surface in the district, and lies 
 on the contact between the large belt of serpentine which runs 
 in a southeasterly direction from Cache Creek and the unal- 
 tered Neocomian to the northeast thereof. This serpentine belt, 
 which reaches into Napa County and is several miles wide, con- 
 tains, as far as yet ascertained, only sporadic signs of cinnabar 
 ore, and it is very doubtful if any workable deposits will ever 
 be found therein. 
 
 There is no timber in the vicinity of Knoxville. It has to 
 be hauled from Lower Lake, 18 miles. Round timber, 8 inches 
 (smallest) diameter, costs 10 cents per linear foot. Cordwood, 
 oak, $5; pine, etc., $3.50 per cord. Oak is so much superior to 
 pine in the furnace that at $5 per cord it is not more expensive 
 than the latter at $3.50 per cord. 
 
 This district connects with the railroad at Rumsey, a dis- 
 tance of 15 miles; generally supplies are hauled from Napa, 
 40 miles distant. 
 
QUICKSILVER MINES IN THE COUNTIES 
 OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 COLUSA COUNTY. 
 
 Central Mine. — Sulphur Creek District. Empire Consoli- 
 dated Quicksilver Company, owner; R. A. Boggess, general 
 manager, Sulphur Creek, Colusa Count}'. Consists of the 
 Central, Dewe}^ and Little Giant claims, in Sec. 29, T. 14 N., 
 R. 5 W. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, page 185; 
 XII, page 359.] This mine covers a small triangular territory 
 on the left bank of Sulphur Creek, and is traversed bj^ a ledge 
 with a northwestern strike, on the contact of a decomposed 
 rock, probably serpentine, and shales in which some ore was 
 found near the surface. 
 
 Elgin Mine. — Sulphur Creek District. Elgin Quicksilver 
 Mines, owner; C. F. Humphrey, president. No. 137 Mont- 
 gomer}' street, room 15, San Francisco. In Sec. 13, T. 14 N., 
 R. 6 W. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, page 
 182; XII, page 359.] The mine is situated near the head of 
 Sulphur Creek, and is at present idle. The main tunnel is 
 caved in 120 feet from the entrance. The ledge matter is a 
 tuffoid very highl}' impregnated by sulphur, and decomposed. 
 The entire territory covered by this mine is so highly impreg- 
 nated by sulphur that attempts have been made to distill sul- 
 phur from the rock. Another tunnel, 60 feet below the main 
 tunnel, is also caved in; hot water, very high in sulphur, is 
 flowing out of it. A number of shallow openings on the line 
 of the croppings show on the dump some cinnabar-bearing 
 material. The excessive heat in the mine interfered to a certain 
 extent with its operation. Some quicksilver was, however, 
 made in a lo-pipe retort furnace belonging to the property. 
 
 Empire Mine. — Sulphur Creek District. Empire Consolidated 
 Quicksilver Company, owner; R. A. Boggess, general manager, 
 vSulphur Creek, Colusa County. This consists of four claims — 
 Empire, Hidden Treasure, Mercury King, and Mercury Queen. 
 
44 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 In Sec. 28, T. 14 N., R. 5 W. [See Report State Mining Bureau 
 of Cal., XI, page 186.] There are several drifts and open cuts 
 on the propert)', but none showing any ore body of conse- 
 quence. The company is now sinking a vertical shaft in the 
 northwestern part of the propert}'. 
 
 Manzanita Mine. — Sulphur Creek District. Manzanita Gold 
 Mining Company, owner; G. V. Northey, lessee. Sulphur Creek, 
 Colusa County. In Sec. 29, T. 14 N., R. 5 \V. [See Mon. 
 XIII, U. S. G. S., page 367; Report State Mining Bureau of 
 Cal., X, page 160; XI, page 184; XIII, page 126.] This mine 
 was opened about 1865, but was worked onl}' for gold until 
 1892, when it was also worked for quicksilver, and up to lately 
 mostl}^ by surface work and short drifts. The rocks of a large 
 part of the territor}' covered by this mine consist of sandstones 
 and shales, intersected by narrow quartz seams, containing 
 gold, sometimes associated with cinnabar; these seams had 
 occasionally very rich spots, but as they are very thin, and 
 separated by wide blocks of barren country rock, their work- 
 ing was not very profitable and could onh- be carried on at all 
 by surface cuts, etc. The deposits occur on both sides of 
 Sulphur Creek ; on the west side of the creek the formation is 
 sandstone; on the opposite side of the creek it is more shaly. 
 In both places, extensive old works can be seen at and near 
 the surface. Bej-ond this surface zone the shaly country rock 
 east of the creek is barren. Farther down along the creek, on 
 the same side close above the mill, the sidehill consists of a 
 white rock, evidently the country rock leached by waters 
 coming from sulphur springs formerly situated higher up the 
 hillside. This leached material carries both gold and quick- 
 silver. The leaching process is, however, only superficial, and 
 the mineralization must be due to the action of the same 
 waters, for the countr}^ rock past this zone of leaching has 
 proven to be barren. At present the gold deposits are not 
 worked. The work is confined to the quicksilver deposit on 
 the northeastern part of the Manzanita claim, where the ore 
 carries only quicksilver and no gold. The shaft is on the top 
 of a knoll, at an elevation of 475 feet above Sulphur Creek. 
 A ledge of conglomerate, from 20 to 30 feet wnde, of the same 
 nature as the conglomerate now forming in the bed of vSulphur 
 Creek, crosses the hill in a northwesterly direction, and on the 
 southeastern sidehill siliceous sinters are found. 
 
COLUSA COUNTY. 45 
 
 In the mine near the shaft a whitish friable material (leached 
 sandstone) carries sensible amounts of cinnabar. The ledge is 
 very winding in both strike and dip; the accompanying gouge 
 is also very irregular. The hanging-wall shale is in places 
 altered to a whitish material ver}^ similar to that above men- 
 tioned. The ledge material, especially in the lower 150-foot 
 level, is principally chalcedonite. In places conglomerate is 
 found on the foot wall of the ledge, but it is doubtful if the 
 real foot wall has been reached. This deposit shows plainly 
 that it is the result of deposition out of solfataric waters, as 
 well in the ore body as by their action on the adjacent rocks. 
 To the west of the deposit lies a belt of limestone, adjoining at 
 the west to a belt of conglomerate. 
 
 In the old workings are found some phenomena, which have 
 a bearing on the genesis of cinnabar ores. In an abandoned 
 tunnel, on walls which originally showed no signs of cinnabar, 
 a great amount of sulpho-salts is forming, accompanied in 
 places with cinnabar, generally as a coating of the wall, but 
 occasionally successive layers of silica have been found inclos- 
 ing a thin seam of cinnabar. As proof that this cinnabar for- 
 mation is going on at present, pieces of barren country rock 
 lying on the floor have been coated with cinnabar on the face 
 touching the wall similarly coated, while no signs of cinnabar 
 can be found on any other face, nor on any similar rock not in 
 contact with the wall. The cinnabar must hence have been 
 derived by exudation out of the wall rock. The tunnel is 
 perfectly dry, and the only water found therein on the floor is 
 some seepage from the surface after heavy rains, this cinnabar 
 formation taking place at a very shallow depth. 
 
 The reduction works of the Manzanita mine are specially 
 interesting, as the quicksilver ores are successfully concen- 
 trated, and the concentrates treated in retorts at a sensibly 
 reduced cost per ton of ore treated. [See chapter on Metallurgy.] 
 
 Wide Awake Mine (Buckeye).— Sulphur Creek District. W. H. 
 Martin, Crocker Building, San Francisco, and A. A. Gibson, 
 Sulphur Creek, Colusa Count5^ owners. In Sees. 28 and 29, 
 T. 14 N., R. 5 W. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 XI, page 187; XIII, page 594.] The main workings consist 
 of a vertical shaft 500 feet deep, with some short drifts. This 
 shaft is now filled with water above the first level. Near the 
 
46 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 northwest end of the claim is an open cut with some short 
 tunnels and winzes. Rich ore pockets have been worked out, 
 but do not seem to continue in any direction. The mine is 
 equipped with a very fine reduction plant consisting of a 24-ton 
 fine-ore furnace, which has, however, been scarcely used. 
 
 LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 Abbott Mine. — Sulphur Creek District. Empire Consolidated 
 Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; R. A. Boggess, general 
 manager. Sulphur Creek, Colusa County. Includes the Abbott 
 and Disturnell mines. In Sees. 30, 31, and 32, T. 14 N., 
 R. 5 W. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 368; Report State 
 Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, page 239; XII, page 360; XIII, 
 page 595.] This mine was discovered in 1862. In 1870 a 
 furnace of a daily capacity of 10 tons was erected and operated 
 until 1879. The mine was idle from 1879 to 1889. In 1899 
 the property was equipped with a 40-ton Hlittner & Scott 
 
 W. , 8 
 
 Fig. 3. Abbott Mine, Lake County— Section over the serpentine. 
 
 furnace. The total production has been about 30,000 flasks. 
 Including the old works there are 15,000 linear feet of shafts 
 and drifts. The deepest working is 350 feet below collar of 
 the Boggess shaft. This mine lies on the southwestern con- 
 tact of a serpentine belt, strike northwest, with a shale country 
 rock, occasionally sandstone. The serpentine varies in width 
 from a few hundred feet to a quarter of a mile, and is about* 
 2>^ miles long. To the northeast is a belt of sandstone, rather 
 narrow in the southern portion, but widening rapidly going 
 northward. [See map of Sulphur Creek District.] The ser- 
 pentine is interstratified with beds of shales and sandstone [see 
 Fig- 3 — a crosscut on the road from the Abbott mine to 
 Sulphur Creek] ; the same alternations are found underground. 
 For instance, near the intersection of the Reardon tunnel 
 and the first level [see Fig. 4]; near the Boggess shaft in the 
 first level, where two serpentine ledges have been exposed [see 
 Fig. 5 J; in drift II of the old works [see Fig. 5], etc. To the 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 47 
 
 west of the serpentine lies the body of brecciated tuffoid — 
 more especially described in the general description of the 
 Sulphur Creek district. The map of the mine workings indi- 
 cates that they follow generally the line of contact of the 
 tuffoid, wnth the shales lying west thereof. At some places, 
 as at the intersection of the Reardon tunnel and the first level 
 [see above], serpentine is found west of this contact. There 
 is no doubt that the same alternations of serpentine and shales 
 take place east of the territory at present opened. The exten- 
 sive slides found at the surface in Disturnell Caiion, and the 
 reverse dip found, the rocks having been tilted over by the 
 pressure of the sliding material, lead to the expectation of 
 irregularities in the un- 
 derground formations. 
 Near the Boggess shaft 
 this is ver}' clearly illus- 
 trated. The shales west 
 of the serpentine contain 
 some hydrocarbons. In 
 places petroleum is 
 found; in others, gases 
 of light inflammable hy- 
 drocarbons emanate from 
 the rock, or bubble up 
 through the water. A 
 few feet southeast of the 
 end of the Reardon tun- 
 nel in the first level is a mmeral spring containing carbonate 
 of magnesium, calcium, sodium, and lithium, and also some 
 sulphur compounds. The cinnabar ore forms in these bands 
 of serpentine, more especially in close proximity to the tuffoid; 
 exceptionally the ore is found in the shale. The gangue is 
 generally strongly crushed opaline. Metacinnabarite occurs 
 occasionally, but no native mercury has as yet been found. 
 The cinnabar is disseminated through the crushed opaline, 
 partly as face metal, but also in seams and pockets. The ore 
 zones contain a great amount of iron sulphides, in varying 
 quantities, rendering it very difficult to regulate the temper- 
 ature in the furnace. Very little gouge is found between the 
 ore bodies and the walls. The ground in the ore zones and 
 in the shales is often swelling, but the tuffoid stands very well. 
 
 Fig. 4. Abbott Mine— Plan near inter- 
 section of Reardou tuuuel and first 
 level . 
 
48 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 In the lower 250-foot level at the Boggess shaft, an ore bod^'- 
 was found, averaging 30 feet in width and 1 50 feet long, which 
 pinched out in the intermediary level 50 feet above, reappear- 
 ing, however, in the upper 150-foot level. In the intermediary 
 level, 140 feet from the shaft, 50 feet of fair ore was found. 
 In the first (upper) level, two ore bodies were followed, and a 
 crosscut is started at the southeast end of the lower level to 
 cut the more easterly ore body. [See Fig. 5.] 
 
 The first level has been driven over 1500 feet, largely in the 
 hanging-wall shales, to find the ore bodies existing in the 
 northwestern part of the Lightner level, about 65 feet above 
 the first level. Two ore bodies, marked A and B, were found 
 and stoped. Near A, a shaft is sunk from the first level to tap 
 this ore body below, to a depth of 130 feet. The ore bodies 
 opened farther east by the lyightner level have not as yet been 
 reached by the first level. The territory between a point 
 250 feet west of the Boggess shaft and A, a distance of about 
 1000 feet in an air line, below the level of the collar of the 
 shaft, is practically unexplored ground; old surface workings 
 indicate that such exploration might lead to a discovery of 
 workable ore bodies. 
 
 The mine is equipped with a 48-ton Scott furnace. The ore 
 is dried on a special drier located between the crusher and the 
 furnace, having its own heating furnace. 
 
 The Anderson Prospects. — Mayacmas District. In Sees. 25 and 
 35, T. II N., R. 8 W. Owners, the Anderson family, Anderson 
 Springs, Lake County. On the ridge between Bear Creek and 
 the south fork of the Putah, in section 35, about half a mile 
 south of Anderson Springs, a seam of good cinnabar ore has 
 been to some extent opened up in a very much decomposed 
 sandstone. About one quarter of a mile southeast of Ander- 
 son Springs, in Sec. 25, T. 1 1 N., R. 8 W., at an elevation of 300 
 feet above the springs, the formation is strongly saturated with 
 sulphur, which has thoroughly decomposed the country rock, 
 wherefrom its local name of Sulphur Bank. The upper part 
 consists of thin, flat beds of quartzose rocks interbedded with 
 clay seams (possibly a series of chert beds, like the ledge mat- 
 ter of the Great Western, but too decomposed to be absolutely 
 classified). The quartzose rock carries on its fracture faces 
 cinnabar; when broken it proves to contain a great amount of 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 49 
 
 iron sulphides. Its structure would indicate that the two 
 metallic sulphides were not deposited simultaneously. [See 
 1 6th Ann. Rep. U. S. G. S., Part II, page 448, 3d line from top.] 
 The softer decomposed clayey material does not contain any 
 cinnabar; this material was probably decomposed by the action 
 of the waters highlj^ charged with sulphur on the less compact 
 seams. This sulphur deposition must be of a different period 
 from that of the sulphides. Below these beds lies thoroughly 
 decomposed sandstone, having a nearly vertical bedding, 
 wherein lies a 2-foot seam of quartzose material, similar to the 
 more compact part of above described beds, standing parallel 
 to the dip of the inclosing sandstone and carrjdng some cinna- 
 bar. All the water at this Sulphur Bank is cold, while a 
 quarter of a mile distant are the hot sulphur springs and blow- 
 holes, from which hot sulphur vapors emanate, without anj' 
 formation of cinnabar ore. 
 
 Baker Mine.— Clear I^ake District. S. T. Palstine, Lower 
 Lake, Lake County, owner. In Sec. 16, T. 12 N., R. 6 W. 
 [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 368; Report State Mining 
 Bureau of Cal., X, page 67; XII, page 360; XIII, page 595.] 
 Consists of the Baker and Trade claims. This mine lies on 
 a belt of serpentine cutting through the sandstones and prob- 
 ably abutting against the basalt bounding Soda Creek Valley 
 to the west. The lower tunnel crosscuts the formation, and as 
 the slope of the hill is very fiat, it gains very little depth. The 
 first 140 feet are in ver}' tough black clay, then 20 feet of serpen- 
 tine, when the ledge is reached, along which they have drifted 
 for 250 feet. In a stope 20 feet high, the seams have been 
 partially filled with quartz, upon which have been deposited a 
 coating of iron pyrites, which are coated with metacinnabarite. 
 Cinnabar also forms in the serpentine associated with iron 
 pyrites. Farther on in the drift it forms in the fissures and seams 
 of serpentine, and is to a less degree associated with iron; yet 
 throughout the entire mine iron occurs verj- prominently in 
 association with cinnabar and metacinnabar. About 800 feet 
 north of this tunnel is a tunnel, course about north, 75 feet 
 long. The ledge matter is an opaline silica, carrying cinnabar 
 and iron pyrites, entirely different from that in the first named 
 tunnel where the gangue is tjuartz. A little southeast of this 
 tunnel and about 25 feet lower, another tunnel runs about east 
 
 4— OR 
 
50 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 at right angles to the preceding, crosscutting the formation. 
 This tunnel is caved in, but judging from the material on the 
 dump it has reached the ledge. About 300 feet northwest of 
 this tunnel and 30 feet lower, a third tunnel has been run 
 S. 54° E., for 235 feet; then S. 24° E., 26^/^ feet to the opaline 
 ledge, where it is connected by a winze with the end of the 
 former tunnel; the ledge is about 25 feet wide. To the north- 
 west of these works a strong mineral spring is forming quite 
 a large mound on the hillside. The mine is equipped with a 
 lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 The Big Injun Group* — Mayacmas District. In Sec. 2, T. 10 N., 
 R. 8 W., and Sec. 35, T. 11 N., R. 8 W.— on both sides of 
 
 y 
 
 f^ t' £> ay'yn C ly ^2 
 
 J?^ 
 
 ^«/A 
 
 r^r 
 
 1?,^yrfy.,. 
 
 fro<ffi/'rt.qt 
 
 Fig. 6. Big Injun Group, Lake County. 
 
 Bear Creek. Consists of two claims, the Big Injun and the 
 Digger Injun. The property is located on a very irregular and 
 disconnected line of croppings, showing only over a short dis- 
 tance south of Bear Creek, and apparenth" faulted or displaced 
 in the gulch through which that creek flows. [See Fig. 6.] 
 The country rock is serpentine and sandstone, very much mixed. 
 On the south side of the creek only surface indications of cin- 
 nabar are found. On the north side, cinnabar ore has been 
 found in man^^ shallow openings; in one, 3 inches of good 
 cinnabar ore is disclosed in a quartz seam in the opaline rock 
 over a length of 15 feet, but nothing assuring permanency in 
 depth has yet been developed. 
 
 [Since writing the above, these claims have been segregated. 
 The Big Injun belongs to the New Phoenix Mining Company, 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 51 
 
 and the Digger Injun to the Congress Mining Company. 
 Theo. A. Bell, president, Behlow Building, Xapa.] 
 
 Chicago Mine (Ural). — Mayacmas District. In Sec. i, T. lo N., 
 R. 8 W. About half a mile west of the Wall Street mine, and 
 nearly at the head of Dry Creek. [See Report State Mining 
 Bureau of Cal., XIII, page 595.] Owners, U. G. Schreves, of 
 Mirabel, Lake Count}', and others. In a large open cut, from 
 which former owners have taken 125 flasks of quicksilver. 
 
 PHuTu Xu. 1. CHICAGO PLANT. 
 
 with a short drift and a shaft 12 feet deep, is a ledge of hard 
 opaline rock, with only a little cinnabar in the cross fissures, 
 having a strike X. 23" W., and a dip to the southwest about 
 60°. This is overlaid by a seam carrj-ing cinnabar and also 
 some native mercury, in turn overlaid by one foot of softer 
 ledge matter carr^'ing fair values in cinnabar and native 
 mercur}-; then comes about 4 feet of more or less decomposed 
 serpentine, and then the serpentine hanging wall. The foot 
 wall is probably serpentine, but has not been uncovered. [See 
 Fig. 7.] A lower tunnel, 65 feet below the open cut, 80 feet 
 
52 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 long, has a long stope 40 feet high to the surface and at the 
 breast a winze 16 feet deep; both on the same seam, which 
 here has a metal- carrying zone 3 feet wide, showing no native 
 mercury. [See Fig. 8.] A very crooked crosscut tunnel, 60 
 feet lower down the hillside, has not reached the ledge. 
 
 3 yy. I 
 
 Fig. 7. Section of Chicago Mine. 
 
 Fig. 8. Section of Chicagfo Mine. 
 
 Great Western Mine* — In Sees. 16, 21, and 22, T. 10 N., R. 7 W. 
 Owner, The Great Western Quicksilver Mining Company, E. W. 
 Newhall, president, Nos. 309-311 Sansome street, San Fran- 
 cisco; John Andrews, superintendent, Quicksilver, Lake Count}'. 
 [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 35S; Report State Mining 
 Bureauof Cal.,XI,page64; XII,page36i; XIII,page595.] The 
 Great Western mine was opened in 1873, and has been a con- 
 stant producer since 1 874. The total production is about 90,000 
 flasks. There are about 18,000 feet of drifts and 11 50 feet of 
 shafts in the mine; the greatest depth of the workings is 750 
 feet. This mine is situated about two miles northwest of the 
 Mirabel and Bullion mines. The serpentine belt in the inter- 
 vening space is very wide and prominent, but as yet no work- 
 able cinnabar deposits have been discovered therein, nor on its 
 contact with the eruptives forming the main ridge northwest 
 of INIount St. Helena. Whether the latter are onl)- lava flows 
 from the igneous masses forming IMount St. Helena, or form 
 part of these masses, has not j'et been determined. At and 
 near the Great Western mine the serpentine belt is much nar- 
 rower, being confined between a wide sandstone formation to 
 the east and the above-mentioned bod}' of eruptive rocks. 
 
 The present workings are southeast of those in operation 
 
54 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 when Dr. Becker examined the mine [see Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S.] , 
 which explains some differences between the two descriptions. 
 The general strike of the ore body is northwest, with a south- 
 western dip of about 70°. The foot wall is a very hard sedi- 
 mentary rock altered by silicification, locally called greenstone. 
 The hanging wall, at least at the surface, is serpentine. The 
 ledge matter is formed by a series of thin beds of chert, having 
 
 their bedding planes 
 
 ^^^'\^k.^^~-~)>-/ ^ parallel to the strike of 
 
 the ledge and interstrat- 
 ified with clay seams. 
 This chert is locally 
 called quartzite. The 
 dip of the serpentine is 
 flatter than that of the 
 ledge matter, and the 
 \- intervening, widening 
 
 S". vV space is filled with black 
 
 Fig. 9. Cross-section of Great Western Mine. Sita. [OCe -Tig. 9-J 
 
 The main working shaft 
 is sunk vertically in the foot-wall greenstone, and is on the 
 600-foot level, 340 feet northeast of the ledge. 
 
 The ore forms in the chert ledge, in a very irregular manner; 
 generally in the seams, and as face metal in the fractures of 
 the chert, but in the richer parts of the ledge disseminated 
 through the chert itself, associated with iron pyrites. The ore 
 bodies occur very irregularly in this chert zone, and the only 
 available indication for the occurrence of pay ore is the fact 
 that the mineralization is in general the strongest in those 
 parts where the chert beds have been more or less crushed. 
 The ore forms very seldom in the serpentine, but some bunches 
 of very hard and rich ore have been found in the serpentine, 
 without, however, any continuity. The black gouge is less 
 clayey and less foliated than generally in these ore deposits. 
 The increase in width of the hanging-wall gouge in depth is the 
 reason that no serpentine is uncovered in the lower workings; 
 and as no crosscuts have been run through the gouge to the 
 hanging-wall country in the lower levels, the persistency of the 
 serpentine in depth is not established. On the 600-foot level a 
 body of good grade ore, over 200 feet long and 50 feet wide, has 
 been opened up, which continues upward to about 70 feet 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 55 
 
 above the 500-foot level. A "horse" has come in, and throws 
 the ore body somewhat out of its course, so that it has not yet 
 been reached in the 700-foot level. A drainage tunnel, 2200 
 feet long, runs through the foot-wall material, connecting with 
 the 500-foot level. This tunnel crosses some very narrow belts 
 of serpentine, but passes mainly through sandstone, until at 
 about 1 200 feet from the entrance it reaches a belt, 500 feet 
 wide, of decomposed, impervious shales, next to which lies the 
 foot-wall greenstone, about 450 feet wide, which is more or 
 less decomposed near the ledge, but at a distance of a few feet 
 therefrom becomes very hard and compact, and carries con- 
 siderable iron pyrites. [See Fig. 10.] This greenstone has 
 certainly not the appearance of being the source of the cin- 
 nabar, as the sandstone at Oathill, ^tna, etc. The formation 
 
 
 Fig. 10. Section over the Great Western Mine. 
 
 shows great displacement and distortion and great bowlders 
 of the neighboring series are found imbedded in the rock, 
 indicating strong dynamic action. On the strike of the ledge 
 ore is at present only extracted from one ore shoot, but the 
 company is doing considerable underground prospecting work 
 to find reserves for future development. The ore is treated in 
 a Litchfield furnace of 50 tons capacity. 
 
 Helen Mine (American).— May acmas District. In Sec. i, 
 T. 10 N., R. 8 W. About half a mile south of the Wall 
 Street mine, in the upper part of Dry Creek basin. Owner, 
 Andrew Rocca, Middletown, Lake County. [See Mon. XIII, 
 U. S. G. S., page 375; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, 
 page 362.] This mine is at present the only one in the Dry 
 Creek basin which produces quicksilver. It lies very close to 
 the tufas of Pine Mountain. The vein matter is a mixture of 
 opaline rock and serpentine, containing numerous inclusions of a 
 black flinty rock. The strike of the ledge is about due east and 
 west: its dip underground southerly, rather fiat, 30° to 40°. 
 
56 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The ledge lies at the contact of the sandstone and serpentine 
 [see Fig. ii], and can be readily traced on the surf ace for quite 
 a distance. In places the ledge crops out boldly above the sand- 
 stone, showing occasionally the cla}^ gouge, weathered to a 
 white color, indicating that the black color is principalh- due 
 to iron, probably in the form of mono-sulphide. At the north 
 end of the claim, eruptive rock (probably basaltic) shows on 
 the surface near the hanging w^all, but as no eruptive rock has 
 as yet been found in the underground workings, this may be a 
 flow from Pine Mountain. The cinnabar is accompanied by a 
 great amount of iron sulphide; it forms mostly in the fissures 
 and cracks of the vein filling, sometimes forming seams of 
 solid cinnabar an inch or more wide. The strike of these cin- 
 
 FiG. II. Cross-section of Helen Mine, Lake County. 
 
 nabar seams is parallel to the general strike of the ledge. In 
 the ore shoot the vein filling is less compact on the foot wall, 
 and the cinnabar seams are in places several inches wide, the 
 cinnabar besides permeating the entire rock. A gouge seam 
 separates this richer ore from the overlying relatively poorer 
 ore, which seems to indicate a movement during the period of 
 metal deposition, the gouge seam localizing the latter deposition. 
 [See Fig. ii.] The ore shoot, in fact, as far as at present 
 opened, shows cinnabar in nearly every fracture plane. The 
 ledge is reached by a crosscut tunnel, running nearly south, 
 through the foot-wall serpentine and driven to the hanging- 
 wall sandstone, which it reaches at a distance of 347 feet, with 
 140 feet of backs. The ledge as cut by the tunnel is 120 feet 
 wide, of which 100 feet is ore-bearing. The ore shoot has been 
 developed along the strike over a length of 80 feet. At the 
 breast of the tunnel a vertical shaft is in process of sinking, 
 which has cut through the vein and is in the foot-wall ser- 
 pentine. A lower tunnel, running about parallel to the one 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 0/ 
 
 above described, 1300 feet long, has not yet reached the vein, 
 due to its flat southerly dip. 
 
 A lo-retort plant, with a daily capacity of 1500 pounds of 
 ore, is in operation to test the value of the ore mined. The 
 great amount of iron sulphides carried by the ore necessitates 
 a very slow treatment, only one charge being treated per 
 twenty-four hours. 
 
 Jewess Mine. — Majacmas District. In Sees, i and 12, T. 10 X., 
 R. 8 W.; Sees. 6 and 7, T. 10 N., R. 7 W. Some work has 
 been done on croppings of the same character and probabh' 
 belonging to the same body as those on the Wall Street mine, 
 on the opposite or southwest side of Dry Creek. These crop- 
 pings appear to be barren. A tunnel, run about 75 feet lower 
 down the sidehill, has caved in, but the dump shows no sign 
 of ore. Judging from common report no ore has ever been 
 taken out of this propert}'. 
 
 King of All Consolidated Group. — Clear I^ake District. Owners, 
 D. Jones, Xo. 137 Montgomery street, San Francisco; W. G. 
 Temper, Lower I^ake, Lake Count)^ In Sees. 29 and 32, 
 T. 12 N., R. 7 W. The group consists of the King of All, 
 Trejon, Cinnabar Queen, and Eagle Bird claims. This mine 
 is situated on a belt of serpentine, having a general northwest 
 trend. Bad Cailon Creek runs through this property and cuts 
 through the serpentine to the underlying schist. The lower 
 tunnel, a little above the bed of the creek, is in serpentine. 
 Its direction is nearly west. At about 100 feet from the mouth 
 a side drift is run in a northwesterly direction on a spur, with 
 a small stope showing the serpentine walls. The tunnel 
 passes two other spurs, and at 150 feet reaches what is con- 
 sidered the main ledge, which has a northwesterly course, with 
 dip nearly vertical. The tunnel is run 12 feet farther, the 
 breast being still in ledge matter. There is so much fire damp 
 in this mine that, as the air blower could not be used, it was 
 too dangerous to break any ore; hence the character of the 
 ledge matter could not be determined. The wall rock is in 
 places strongly decomposed, showing the action of solfataric 
 waters. To the northeast of the serpentine lies a large body 
 of tufas and volcanic bowlders, and about a mile north of the 
 King of All mine is Howard Springs, a region of ver>- strong 
 solfataric action, containing within a very small area forty-two 
 
58 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 mineral springs, some hot, others cold, and of the most vary- 
 ing chemical composition. It is claimed that in the waters of 
 one of the springs, mercurial salts have been detected. The 
 ore composition in the King of All mine has most probably 
 some connection with the solfataric action at these springs. 
 The igneous rocks above alluded to belong probably to the 
 system of the Mount Konockti eruptives. That they are in 
 some way connected with the genesis both of the mineral 
 springs at Howard Springs and of the cinnabar ore deposits 
 at the King of All mine, appears very probable. 
 
 Lucitta Mine.— Clear Lake District. G. W. Pardee, E; G. 
 Pardee, B. R. Parrott, Lower Lake, Lake County, owners. In 
 Sees. 20 and 21, T. 13 N., R. 8 W. This property', on the 
 southern slope of Mount Konockti, or Uncle Sam, consists of 
 four claims: the Lucitta, Lucitta Extension N., Lucitta Exten- 
 sion S., and Lucitta Extension W. [See Fig. 12.] The work, 
 however, has been concentrated in the southern half of the 
 Lucitta claim. The entire formation is igneous, bowlders of 
 andesites being prominent, the intervening material being a 
 decomposed tufa bleached by solfataric action. White beds of 
 leached metamorphic shales are found in these igneous masses^ 
 and occasionally bodies of cla3\ In the lower tunnel (No. i) 
 cinnabar has been deposited on the face of the bowlders and 
 in the decomposed tufa, occasionally forming bunches of ore, 
 apparently of good grade. Such an ore body is found in the 
 first crosscut [see Fig. 12]. In the middle tunnel (No. 2) the 
 country- rock is the same as in the lower tunnel. The best ore 
 is found in the side drift, 60 feet long, running southeast and 
 branching from the southwest crosscut near breast. Past the 
 crosscut the drift enters into very hard, barren material. The 
 ledge matter appears to be a metamorphic bleached shale, occa- 
 sionall}- gritty; while very much broken up, it shows a tendency 
 to a stratification dipping southwest. The material in the 
 upper tunnel (No. 3) is principally decomposed tufa, carrying 
 some ore. The main drift has caved at 100 feet from the 
 mouth, and two cur\'ed drifts have been run to reach the terri- 
 tory past the cave; the left-hand drift shows good ore in the 
 breast. The plan shows that this ore lies above that opened 
 in tunnel No. 3; hence this ore body is probably continuous for 
 a depth of 80 feet. A little higher up the mountain is an open 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 59 
 
 pit, 25 feet deep. The walls are formed entirely by decomposed 
 and leached tufa, with bunches of cinnabar ore all through the 
 material. Similar bunches of cinnabar ore are found in the 
 decomposed tufa on the hillside all over the claim, but onh^ in 
 the middle tunnel a regular ledge is exposed, which, from the 
 appearance of the breast of the left-hand drift in the upper 
 tunnel, is probably covered up by the cave. A small prospect 
 
 Fig. 12. Lucitta Mine. 
 
 opening near the dump of tunnel No. 2 shows solfataric action, 
 and formations very similar to those at the surface at Sulphur 
 Bank. The mine is equipped with a lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 Middletown Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sec. 7, T. 10 N., 
 R. 7 W. ; about half a mile southwest of the Jewess. Owner, 
 W. H. Parsons, Middletown, Lake County. An outcrop 
 similar to that on the Jewess and Wall Street, on which some 
 work has been done on the top of the ridge, showing a small 
 amount of cinnabar through the ledge matter. The countr}^ 
 rock is nearly all serpentine. About 90 feet lower a tunnel 
 
60 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 35 feet long shows very hard, cherty material, carrying some 
 specks of cinnabar. A crosscut tunnel 50 feet long is started 
 about 200 feet below the upper croppings in very decomposed 
 country rock, probably schist. 
 
 Shamrock Mine* — Clear Lake District. Owners, J. C. Ansel, 
 
 Sulphur Creek, Colusa County; J. B. Mason and Swift, 
 
 Knoxville, Napa County. In Sees. 14 and 23, T. 13 N., R. 6 W. 
 It consists of the Shamrock and Shamrock Extension claims. 
 The mine is on Rocky Creek, a tributary of Cache Creek, in a 
 very extensive belt of serpentine, which to the southeast 
 extends to the Knoxville district. Rocky Creek makes a sharp 
 curve on the ground of this mine, forming a narrow peninsula, 
 about 100 feet above the bed of the creek, which has been 
 crosscut by two tunnels; the one starting from the up-stream 
 side has caved in and is inaccessible; the other, on the down- 
 stream side, runs in a course S. 60° W., first through 125 feet 
 of shales, then 75 feet through decomposed serpentine and 
 sandstone bowlders. At this poin^ drifts have been run 
 N. 68° W., and S. 68° E., mainly in gouge; but little ore can 
 be seen in these drifts. 
 
 Standard Quicksilver Company. — Mayacmas District. Z. W. 
 Christopher, superintendent, Mirabel, Lake County. This 
 company owns a large tract of land in the neighborhood of 
 Mirabel, on both sides of St. Helena Creek. [See Mon. XIII, 
 U. S. G. S., page 375; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 VIII, page 325; XI, page 64; XII, page 360; XIII, page 595.] 
 The Mirabel, formerly the Bradford, which was opened in 
 1887 and at the time was a great producer, on the western 
 bank of St. Helena Creek, is considered worked out by the pres- 
 ent owners. It was abandoned in 1897, and has filled with 
 water. The total production of this mine was 30,590 flasks; 
 the greatest depth of the workings is 500 feet; 22,500 linear 
 feet of drifts were driven and 750 feet of shaft sunk. The 
 company has as yet not succeeded in developing any workable 
 deposits east of St. Helena Creek. On the west side, a little 
 to the north of Mirabel, in Sec. 23, T. 10 N., R. 7 W.,the com- 
 pany opened up the Bullion mine, nearly on a line running from 
 the Mirabel to the Great Western mine. This mine is located 
 on a ledge having a general strike about north (N. 8° \V.) 
 and dipping to the east. The dip of the ledge, rather steep 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 61 
 
 near the surface, flattens out with depth, and consequently 
 the vertical shaft started in the hanging-wall sandstone 
 cuts the vein and enters the foot-wall serpentine. [See 
 Fig. 13.] The nature of the hanging-wall material, meta- 
 morphic sandstone, was ascertained while sinking the shaft; 
 against the vein lies a very wide belt of gouge, through which 
 no crosscut has been driven below the 450-foot level. The 
 ledge varies sensibly in width, but its average may be placed at 
 35 feet. The ore forms in ^ ,^^- 
 
 fissures running across the 
 vein, starting from the hang- 
 ing wall and feathering out 
 toward the foot wall; some- 
 times these cross fissures 
 occur close together and 
 then . form workable ore 
 bodies. This ore formation 
 would indicate a secondary 
 concentration of the mercury 
 from the sandstone; but 
 then the displacement which 
 caused the very heavy gouge 
 on the hanging wall must 
 have been posterior to the 
 ore concentration in the 
 ledge. Where the ledge is 
 
 barren, the opaline rock forming its filling is very compact. 
 The property is equipped with a 40-ton Hiittner & Scott 
 furnace, provided with a mechanical drawing apparatus, and 
 brick condensers provided with waterbacks. 
 
 Sulphur Bank. — Clear Lake District. Empire Consolidated 
 Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; R. A. Boggess, general 
 manager, Sulphur Creek, Colusa County. In Sees, i, 2, 3, 6, 8, 
 II, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 20, T. 13 N., R. 8 \V.,and Sec. 14, T. 13 N., 
 R. 7 \V. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 254, etc.; American 
 Journal of Science, vol. XXIV, 3d series, page 23, et seq. ; Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., X, page 238; XI, page 63; XII. 
 page 361; XIII, page 597.] The Sulphur Bank mine was opened 
 in 1875 and worked until 1883, during which period the Herman 
 shaft was sunk. Work was resumed in 1887 and continued until 
 
 Fig. 13. Section of Bullion Mine (Standard 
 Quicksilver Company). 
 
62 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 1 897, during which period the Diamond and Babcock shafts were 
 sunk. In 1 899, work was again resumed and has been prosecuted 
 until the present time. The total production of the property has 
 been 92,000 flasks, the greater part being obtained from the sur- 
 face workings. This property has been extensively described and 
 discussed by several geologists, principally because it afforded 
 special occasion to study the relations between solf ataric waters 
 and the genesis of ore deposits. In Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., a 
 very detailed geological map of the property is given. 
 
 PHOTO No. 3. WESTERN CUT— SULPHUR BANK MINE. 
 
 The deposit may be considered from two points of view: 
 the surface developments and the underground developments. 
 
 The surface developments in their present state give the im- 
 pression of an abandoned hydraulic mine, there being exten- 
 sive shallow cuts, more or less filled with bowlders of barren 
 igneous rocks. [See photograph of Western cut, Sulphur Bank 
 mine.] The igneous rock was determined by W. Jackson in 
 18S0 as augite-andesite, mainly because of the absence of 
 olivine; but in Mon. XIII, above cited, it is classified as basalt. 
 
Sulphur Bank Mine. 
 
 -N .-'/p'c^'X-'-' 
 
 
 sp' 
 
 ''vl«>jr 
 
 Stt'S 
 
 
 .<^^ 
 
 ^^' 
 
 I 
 
LAKE COUNTY, 
 
 63 
 
 and the latter determination is generally accepted. These 
 basalt bowlders may be a flow from the craters, yet discernible 
 to the northeast of the bank, or may have been ejected from a 
 vent close to the bank, which has as yet not been uncovered. 
 Up to the present time this basaltic flow has been found every- 
 where overlying the altered sedimentaries. As the cinnabar 
 deposits are not restricted to the territory covered by the lava 
 flow at the Bank [see Fig. 14], and as most careful investiga- 
 tion has failed to disclose any cinnabar or mercury in the 
 undecomposed basalt, this basalt can not be the source of 
 the metal. 
 
 The upper crust of the lava deposit, to a thickness of a few 
 feet, consists of a white silica, the residue of the complete de- 
 composition of the basalt, by the combined action of the highly 
 
 -?a 3<i I fSouldt 
 
 arreL Si'rt.tt.rs 
 
 '3ac/^/< cCJ3^S« //i 
 
 Fig. 15. Sulphur Bank Mine— Elevation of Upper Wagon Spring Cut at (X). 
 
 sulphurous solfataric waters and the atmosphere, forming sul- 
 phuric acid (H.S + 40 = H.SO*), which decomposed all the 
 silicates in the rock and left the pure silica. Immediately 
 below the surface zone, where oxygen was not so abundantly 
 present, free sulphur was formed (H:;S -f O ^ H.O -f S). This 
 took place to such an extent that originally the property was 
 worked for sulphur. About 2000 tons of sulphur have been 
 extracted. 
 
 The basalt occurs in places as masses of bowlders, which 
 near the surface are surrounded by shells of decomposed 
 material of grayish color and very much disintegrated. Below 
 these bowlders and in places reaching very near the surface, 
 as in the bank of the Upper Wagon Spring cut [see Fig. 14 at 
 X and Fig. 15] and in the Apex cut, the basalt has a more or 
 less bedded form. When first uncovered, the basalt bowlders 
 have a rough surface; but when in contact with the atmos- 
 phere for a short time, their outer shell readily decomposes 
 
64 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 and disintegrates, giving them a waterworn appearance. The 
 neighborhood of Sulphur Bank is at present a region of great 
 solfataric action, not so intense, however, as in the past. A 
 number of cuts have been run, covering a territory 2000 feet 
 long and See feet wide, and having a general northwestern 
 direction. These surface works are mostl}' in the territorj- 
 covered by the lava flow, but to the south, and especially to 
 the southeast in the Wagon Spring cut, near the Herman 
 shaft, the sedimentaries come to the surface. Iron, mosth' as 
 oxide, is extensively found in this surface zone; in places the 
 black coloring of the material is due to iron oxides. Sulphur, 
 as already mentioned, is also very prominent, in the forms of 
 free sulphur, metallic sulphides and sulphates, and free sul- 
 phuric acid. Hj'drocarbons, mostly in minute globules, are 
 also present. Mercuric sulphide (cinnabar) is one of these 
 metallic sulphides, and occurs in many places sufficiently con- 
 centrated in seams and pockets to form workable ore bodies. 
 In the bowlder zone it forms in the disintegrated material fill- 
 ing the interstices of the bowlders; in the bedded zone it 
 occurs in seams, which allowed the passage of the ascending 
 solfataric waters, and wherein the latter deposited the cinnabar 
 with a more or less gelatinous opaline silica. 
 
 Underlying the basalt are sedimentaries. It is greatly to be 
 regretted that the management of this property has not taken 
 pains to preser\-e geological descriptions of the underground 
 works, which are all caved in, except the Empire shaft, now in 
 progress of sinking. The latter is so tightly timbered, owing 
 to bad ground, that it ofiers no opportunit}' to study the forma- 
 tions through which it has passed. The following remarks 
 regarding the sedimentary formations are only fragmental and 
 are collected from dift'erent sources: 
 
 The sedimentaries consist of: the Cache Lake beds ( Quater- 
 nary- ) , conglomerates, sand beds, and argillaceous and calcareous 
 deposits, which are generally very friable and at Sulphur Bank 
 thoroughly decomposed by solfataric action. According to 
 Professors Le Conte and Rising these beds appear to be more 
 tilted to the east, near the Herman shaft, and nearer to the 
 volcanic vent or vents than westward near the Babcock and 
 Diamond shafts. Underlying the Cache Lake beds are the 
 Lower Cretaceous, Xeocomian rocks, prominently sandstones, 
 most highly metamorphosed. Professors Le Conte and Rising 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 65 
 
 seem to assume that the Cache Lake beds belong to the same 
 period as these underl^dng sandstones, determined bj^ Becker 
 to be Neocomian. On the contact of the Cache Lake beds and 
 the metamorphosed sandstone is found a brecciated zone, which 
 in the neighborhood of the Herman shaft appears to be tilted 
 at a steep angle, dipping southward. On the line of cross- 
 section A B [see Fig. 14], the contact is also dipping south 
 between the Babcock-Diamond line and the Empire shaft, but 
 only at an angle of about 30°. [See cross-section C D.] 
 
 Taking low water in Clear Lake as datum, the depth of the 
 contact in the shafts is: Empire shaft, 185 feet; Babcock shaft, 
 100 feet; Diamond shaft, 90 feet. 
 
 The Quaternary beds are highly siliceous and interbedded 
 with strata of very loose material, acting as quicksand, disinte- 
 grated by the percolating solfataric waters. In the Wagon 
 Spring cut where they appear at the surface, the brecciated 
 zone, consisting of fragments of shale and sandstone inclosed 
 in a claye}' material, formed a channel for the ascending solfa- 
 taric waters, which deposited therein cinnabar and pyrites. 
 This deposit will be discussed hereafter in this chapter. 
 
 A great number of short tunnels, drifts, and winzes have 
 been run in the banks of the cuts, and shallow shafts have been 
 sunk in their bottoms, to excavate pockets of cinnabar ore. In 
 nearly every bank of the cuts formation of cinnabar is taking 
 place at the present time. Often, when breaking down the 
 cinnabar-carrying surface, no signs of cinnabar are found in 
 the uncovered surface. This formation of cinnabar, which can 
 not be an exudation product, may be explained by the fact 
 mentioned b}- Becker (Mon. XIII, page 260) that the waters 
 at the surface contain small quantities of mercuric sulphide in 
 suspension, but none in solution, caused b}' the presence of 
 ammonia. These suspended particles will be deposited on 
 arriving at the surface. In the Western cut a deposition of 
 cinnabar occurs, which, in the writer's opinion, can not be 
 explained except as a deposition from mercurial vapors. In 
 this cut a small shaft 12 feet deep was sunk, but had to be 
 abandoned on account of the peculiar gas occasionally occur- 
 ring in quicksilver mines, especially attacking the eyes of the 
 men, blinding them temporarily with intense suffering. (Some 
 claim this gas to be methane.) [See also Great Eastern Mine.] 
 5— QR 
 
66 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Near this shaft ver}- hot gases emanate from the floor of the 
 cut and form incrustations on a bowlder of basalt lying in the 
 proximity. These incrustations on the top of the bowlder show 
 signs of cinnabar, which can not come from any other source 
 than from these gases. 
 
 In the same cut not 20 feet interdistant, are two springs, one 
 cold, the other hot, from both of which gases are constantly 
 emanating, which would tend to indicate that the gases and 
 waters are not derived from the same source. The depth of 
 the surface workings has been limited by the water level. Shal- 
 low shafts prove that cinnabar occurs below the floor of the 
 cuts as well as in their banks; but the relation between the 
 cinnabar occurrence at the surface and that underground has 
 as yet not been clearly established. 
 
 The territorj^ developed by the underground workings does 
 not underlie that developed by the surface workings, except 
 for a slight portion near the Herman air shaft, and is much 
 more restricted than the surface workings. [See Fig. 14.] 
 Unfortunately all the old shafts have caved and are inaccessi- 
 ble. The Empire shaft, in process of sinking, has been started 
 with the purpose of reaching, by drifting, ore bodies presumed 
 to exist under the Western cut; these drifts will have to run 
 through the ground underlying the caved-in stopes of the 
 Diamond shaft. [See below.] 
 
 The Herman shaft is geologically the most interesting, as in, 
 these works connection might be traced between surface and 
 underground phenomena. The details available at the mine 
 are very deficient, but a description of the works in this shaft 
 in 1880 and 1881 is found in the above-cited article by Profes- 
 sors Le Conte and Rising, from which the following is quoted: 
 "The upper level, 210 feet, runs (in a course about N. 60*^ W. ) 
 "from 70 to 80 feet in barren sandstone and shale, dipping 
 "about south, the rock being comparatively dry and cool; then 
 "cuts through a breccia, carrj'ing a great amount of hot waters, 
 "containing considerable alkaline sulphides, carbon dioxide, 
 "and hj'drogen sulphide; temperature, 160° F., with ver}' strong 
 "emanations of carbon dioxide. This breccia contained the 
 "ore. The level, of a total length of 232 feet, cut through this 
 "ore body and reached barren ground." 
 
 The plans of the works [see Fig. 16] show a second smaller 
 ore body, not mentioned in above description. Becker, who 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 67 
 
 visited the shaft in 1887, states (Mon. XIII, page 263): "An 
 "important ore body was followed down; * * * the shaft 
 "is 417 feet deep, with seven levels. * * * This body has 
 "been worked out, and only the lowest portion was accessible. 
 "The small amount of ore remaining consisted of partially 
 "metamorphosed sandstones and shales carrying small stringers 
 "of cinnabar, quartz, and pyrite. I was not able to get satis- 
 
 
 f 6^ 
 
 
 ML 
 
 
 ^W 
 
 Fig. 16. Sulphur Bank Mine — Section and plan of Herman shaft. 
 
 "factor}' information as to the depth from the surface of the 
 "contact between the Lake deposits and the brecciated meta- 
 "morphic sandstones and shales." 
 
 The above quoted article of Le Conte and Rising continues: 
 "The lower level, 260 feet, reached the ore body at 136 feet 
 "from the shaft. The varying dips on the different levels show 
 "that the strata are very much broken up. The brecciated 
 "layer, which as in the Wagon Spring cut is composed of frag- 
 
^^V >V^ Shale. 
 
 Cinnabar 
 ore. 
 
 68 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 "ments of shale and sandstone, forms also here the water 
 "channel. Where the ascending water is abundant, the matrix 
 "is hot mud; where the rock is drier, this has changed into a 
 "paste containing disseminated metallic sulphides, or into a 
 "regular indurated deposit from solfataric waters. The spaces 
 "between the fragments are sometimes only partially filled; 
 "the lining of the cavities is generally cinnabar, sometimes 
 "pyrites, or silica, or all of them; the silica grading from chal- 
 "cedonic into gelatinous. [See Fig. 17.] The ore deposit is 
 " not entirely confined to the breccia. Its form is ver}- irregular; 
 
 "sometimes ore bodies 
 "are separated b}- bar- 
 "ren rock, sometimes 
 "they enter the shat- 
 "tered sandstone, leav- 
 "ing the breccia. No 
 "free sulphur is found 
 " in the ore bodies. The 
 " irregularity' of the ore- 
 " bearing fissures shows 
 " that the shattering ef- 
 "fects were not confined to the brecciated strata." 
 
 Comparing this ore occurrence with that at the surface in 
 Wagon Spring cut, near the Herman air shaft, which is found 
 in a soft brecciated stratum several feet wide, consisting of 
 fragments of shale and sandstone with a matrix of blue clay 
 mud, through which hot alkaline waters at 125^ F., highly 
 charged with hydrogen sulphide and carbonic and boracic 
 acids, are ascending, and in which considerable cinnabar and 
 pyrites have been deposited, the conclusion is that both 
 deposits have probably the same genesis, though their relation 
 is not clearly established. 
 
 The following part of the quotation cited above from Mr. 
 Becker's work: "I was not able to get satisfactory information 
 * * * of the contact between the Lake deposits and the meta- 
 morphic sandstone and shale," indicates that in his opinion the 
 formation at the surface in Wagon Spring cut belongs to the 
 lake beds. No underground ore bodies have been found in 
 these beds, possibh^ due to the fact that these beds offered a 
 greater number, but more minute channels to the waters, and 
 
 Fig. 17. Sulphur Bank Mine— Ore 
 formation in Herman shaft. 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 69 
 
 the ore deposition was subsequently less concentrated: for it 
 may be accepted as a fact that the cinnabar deposits at the 
 surface and underground belong to the same system of water 
 circulation. 
 
 From the accompanying section of the Diamond shaft [see 
 Fig. 1 8] it may be concluded that here the lake beds overlie 
 the metamorphic shales and sandstones [see also sections on 
 Fig. 14], rendering the assumption that such is the case in the 
 Herman shaft all the more probable. The material at the sur- 
 face in the Wagon Spring cut is so thoroughly decomposed 
 that it is impossible to decide this question by its study. 
 
 The accompanying sketch of the old works of the Diamond 
 shaft [see Fig. 18] shows the ore body in the metamorphic 
 sandstones underlying 
 the surface formations. 
 Judging from the plans, 
 the ore body was in 
 places 40 feet wide. It 
 is reported that at the 
 time the shaft collapsed 
 the lower level had not 
 reached the limits of 
 the ore body. Includ- 
 ing the results of the 
 workings of the Bab- 
 cock shaft (also col- 
 lapsed), the length of 
 this ore body may be 
 placed at 500 feet; but 
 
 it is doubtful if any of this ground will be available in the 
 future because of the collapse of both shafts, as this treacher- 
 ous ground is saturated clear to the surface with hot acidic 
 waters. Xo data are available to judge whether the ore 
 formed in a brecciated contact zone, or in fractures cutting 
 through strata; in other words, whether the ore bodies resem- 
 bled the upper part of the deposit in the Herman shaft, as 
 described by Le Conte and Rising, or the lower part, as 
 described by Becker. 
 
 The breccia in the Diamond and Empire shafts, judging 
 from dump samples, appears to be a fragmental sandstone 
 recemented by silica, which, being softer, offered more favor- 
 
 A7e/^pt7. ^.S/or^e^ 
 
 Sulphur Bank Mine— Section of 
 Diamond shaft 
 
70 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 able conditions for ore deposition than the more compact meta- 
 morphic sandstone. If, as it appears to do in the Empire shaft, 
 the formation becomes more compact in depth, the ore deposits 
 will probably accordingly decrease in value. 
 
 Summarizing, it may be stated that deposition from solfa- 
 taric waters is the prominent mode of ore formation, but that 
 mercurial vapors are present and probably play their part in 
 this process. The solfataric waters are highly charged with 
 active chemical agents, but the source from whence they derive 
 their mercuric contents is at present unknown; the igneous 
 bodies, however, to which the basalt surface flow belongs, are 
 certainly not the source thereof. 
 
 The increase in heat with depth in the Herman shaft is 
 worthy of note. At the surface, 128° F. ; at 200 feet depth, 
 160" F. ; at about 300 feet, 176° F. Assuming the surface heat 
 of 128° F., those at 200 and 300 feet depth, according to the 
 general rule of increase by static influence, would be respec- 
 tively 132° and 134° F. This shows that in regions of solfa- 
 taric action the increase in heat with depth is extremely rapid, 
 and that conclusions regarding physico-chemical phenomena 
 must take this rapid rate of increase into account, even for 
 zones of shallow depths. 
 
 The great heat, the chemical composition of the underground 
 waters and gases, and the character of the rock, render the 
 underground exploration of this property a ver}' serious under- 
 taking. 
 
 This property is equipped with four furnaces, of which one 
 is a Knox & Osborne 25-ton furnace, the others are Hiittner & 
 Scott furnaces, respectively of 40, 17, and 30 tons, and with a 
 furnace having nine q retorts. 
 
 Thorn Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sec. 36, T. 11 N., 
 R. 8 W. On the north side of Bear Creek, south of Anderson 
 Springs. Owner, D. H. Thorn, Anderson Springs, Lake 
 County. This prospect lies very close to the top of the ridge. 
 Near the surface some pockets of good ore were found, but 
 did not continue in depth. The underground works, 60 feet 
 below the upper works, show as yet no ore at all, and in the 
 upper works the ore bodies pinched out at a ver}- slight depth. 
 
 Utopia Mine.— Clear Lake District. In Sec. 25, T. 13 N., 
 R. 6 W., about opposite Lakeport, near the east shore of Clear 
 
LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 71 
 
 Lake. The Utopia Quicksilver Min- 
 ing Compan)', owner; M. S. Sayre, of 
 Lakeport, president. [See Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., XIII, 
 P^ge 597-] The company is con- 
 templating opening this mine. 
 
 Wall Street Mine, — Mayacmas Dis- 
 trict. In Sec. I, T. lo N., R. 8 \V. 
 Owner, W. H. Parsons; postoflfice, 
 Middletown, Lake County. [See 
 Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 375; 
 Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 XII, page 362.] The former owners 
 spent considerable mone)' in explora- 
 tion works, without satisfactory re- 
 sults. Their old workings are largely 
 caved in, the fur- 
 nace is destroyed 
 and its site prac- 
 tically obliterated. 
 In an old tunnel 
 (2440 feet eleva- 
 tion) [see Fig. 19] 
 there is a ledge 
 of hard siliceous 
 rock, carrying 
 some metal along 
 a seam, and pen- 
 etrating from that 
 seam into the 
 small fractures of 
 the rock, forming 
 a poorly mineral- 
 ized zone about 
 18 inches wide, 
 with a strike 
 northwest, and a 
 southwesterly 
 dip, which shows, 
 however, only 
 over a length of 
 40 feet, and about 
 50 feet along the 
 
72 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 dip. This mineralized zone is apparently cut off to the east bj' 
 a body of hard, compact serpentine, and has not been found 
 past this point. Both walls are serpentine, and there is no 
 gouge on either wall. It appears as if a vein has cut through 
 the point of the hill, and only carried metal in the eroded 
 dome. The eastern branch directs toward the workings of the 
 Jewess, which have proven barren. 
 
 NAPA COUNTY, 
 
 Aetna Consolidated Quicksilver Mines. — Mayacmas District. 
 In Sees. 2, 3, and 4, T. 9 X., R. 6 \V. Owner, The .Etna 
 
 /JETN/l CON. MINES. 
 
 ONB MILE 
 
 Fig. 20. ^tna Consolidated Mines. 
 
 Consolidated Quicksilver Mining Company-, 70 Kilby street, 
 Boston, Mass.; B. M. Newcomb, Oathill, Napa County, Super- 
 intendent. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., pages 354, 371 ; Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, page 72; XII, page 362; 
 XIII, page 597.] This group of mines is situated at the 
 southeast end of the belt as at present developed. [See Fig. 
 20.] It comprises the Phcenix, Silver Bow, Red Hill. Star, 
 Pope, and Washington mines. These mines were formerly 
 
74 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 large producers, but in the last few years have produced no 
 quicksilver. The property can hardlj' be described as lying in 
 
 ^/ 9 oo'J 
 
 t^af-> ^/j/-a^£ , 
 
 I itS'oo'J _ 
 
 Tur- ri a./ A^' /. 
 
 -^/vr 
 
 Fig. 21. .5itna Consolidated Mines — Elevation at mouth of Tunnel Xo. 2. 
 
 James Creek canon [Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 374], but 
 would be more properh' described as located on the northern 
 slope of a ridge running in a northeasterly direction from the 
 Twin Peaks and capped by lava. 
 
 ■^v. 
 
 Ta// 
 
 Fig. 22. .Etna Consolidated Mines— Basalt dike. Silver Bow claim. 
 
 The serpentine in this region appears to be underlaid by 
 sandstone [see Fig. 21], being a break above tunnel No. 2 in 
 the Phoenix claim. Tunnel Xo. 7 runs toward a basalt dike, 
 which breaks through to the surface, and reaches the contact 
 at a depth of from See to 1000 feet. This dike shows at the 
 
NAPA COUNTY, 
 
 75 
 
 surface for a length of about I ooo feet; the underground works 
 which run around the dike show it to be surrounded by sand- 
 stone. [See Fig. 22.] The basalt is cut of^ at the surface by 
 the same serpentine showing in Fig. 21 ; but from the fact that 
 the latter does not go through the sandstone, the surface 
 indications are not convincing that this basalt dike does not 
 connect with the main seat of eruption, having uplifted the 
 serpentine and broken through the sandstone. The tufa sur- 
 rounding the basalt is more siliceous and probably older than 
 the basalt. It overlies the sandstone but not the serpentine, 
 confirming the above supposition. The tufa overlying the 
 serpentine has prob- 
 ably been eroded. 
 For some reason, in 
 this region the tufa 
 is invariably found j 
 overlying the sand- 
 stone but not the 
 serpentine. In the 
 Star claim another 
 short dike of basalt, 
 about 100 feet long, 
 has been followed at 
 its contact with the 
 sandstone to a depth 
 of 600 feet. 
 
 The Washington 
 shaft disclosed a 
 boss of serpentine, 
 
 which carried a good body of ore, while in the sandstone but 
 little ore was found. [See Fig. 23.] In the Phoenix workings, 
 at tunnel No. 9, only sandstone was found underground in 
 the Red Hill claim, while the surface of that claim is almost 
 entirely covered by serpentine and its allied opaline rock; a 
 winze sunk from this tunnel follows a contact between igneous 
 rock and sandstone to a depth of 1000 feet. 
 
 All the sandstone in this neighborhood contains some cinna- 
 bar disseminated through it; but so far workable ore deposits 
 have only been found near the igneous rocks and the serpen- 
 tine, indicating a secondary concentration in connection with 
 the igneous rocks and the serpentine. 
 
 ^^tna Consolidated Mines — Section of 
 Washington shaft. 
 
76 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The company is at present doing prospecting work, in order 
 to determine whether workable ore bodies can be found on the 
 contact with the large dike on the Silver Bow claim above 
 described. [vSee Fig. 22.] 
 
 Bella Union Mining Company. — This property is in Sees. 
 20 and 28, T. 7 X., R. 5 \V., one and a half miles south of 
 Oakville. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 377: Report State 
 Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, pages 364 and 365; XIII, page 
 599] 
 
 Boston Mine (formerly the Redington). — Knoxville District. 
 Boston Qviicksilver Mining Company, owner. B. M. Xewcomb, 
 general superintendent, Oathill, Napa County: J. B. Mason, 
 superintendent, Knoxville, Napa County. In Sees. 6 and 7, 
 T. II N., R. 4 W. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 284; 
 Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, pages 69-72; XII, 
 page 363; XIII, page 599.] The Redington Quicksilver Min- 
 ing Company supposedly worked out the ground in the origi- 
 nal shaft and abandoned the works in 1882. In 1890 Mr. 
 McMillan started on a narrow seam of cinnabar several hundred 
 feet northwest of this shaft in the serpentine formation, which 
 upon development showed so profitable that the northwest 
 shaft was sunk and this territory worked until 1S98. The 
 present owners have reopened and retimbered the old shaft, 
 and by a systematic exploration not only found some good ore 
 bodies in the foot- and hanging-wall veins, but also opened up 
 large ore bodies in the serpentine lying in the inter\-ening 
 territory. This vein has supplied the majority of the ore 
 which the present company has passed through its furnace, 
 and shows at present large ore reserves. The result proves 
 again the great importance of systematic exploration work in 
 a quicksilver mine. 
 
 The ore bodies in this mine form in the same serpentine 
 which runs along the southwestern border of the mineralized 
 zone of the Manhattan mine. This belt extends for several 
 miles to the southwest, but, except at its contact with the Neo- 
 comian at Knoxville, does not contain a single ore body of any 
 consequence. The mineralized zone of the Boston mine has a 
 northwest strike, and dips at about 45° to the northeast. Its 
 cross-section is given in Fig. 24. 
 
 In the Neocomian sandstone, about 1200 feet northeast of 
 
NAPA COUNTY. / / 
 
 the ore zone, some work has been done, confirming the fact 
 that cinnabar forms in the sandstones; tests of the latter taken 
 from various places indicate that cinnabar is disseminated all 
 through this lormation. Combining this fact with the absence 
 of cinnabar in the serpentine, even when in close proximity 
 to the igneous rocks in the Manhattan ground, and with the 
 fact that in the Boston mine the workable ore bodies are in 
 the serpentine, the suggestion offers itself that the genesis of ore 
 
 PHOTO No. 5. BOSTON QUICKSILVER MINK. 
 
 formation in this mine is similar to that in the ^tna mine — 
 secondary concentration of the ore disseminated in the sand- 
 stones connected in some way with the serpentine and igneous 
 rocks. While, as far as known, no igneous rocks are present 
 in this mine, basalt is known to extrude within half a mile 
 from it, and it is very probable that intrusions of igneous rocks 
 or laccolitic bodies may have influenced the concentration in 
 conjunction with the serpentinization process. This supposi- 
 tion finds confirmation in the fact that deposits from solfataric 
 springs can be traced from the Manhattan to the Boston mine. 
 
78 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The intense chemical actions which have undoubtedly taken 
 place in this zone, and the great amount and variety of sulphur 
 compounds found therein, indicate undoubtedly close connec- 
 tion with igneous actions, and can hardly be attributed exclu- 
 sively to the reducing agency of organic matter or ferrous salts 
 on waters carr^-ing sulphites or sulphates in solution. [See 
 Genesis of Ore Deposits, pages 34S-350.] 
 
 The mine is opened by two shafts. The original shaft, in 
 which the works are at present prosecuted, is on the southeast- 
 ern part of the mineral zone near the furnace. This shaft is 
 600 feet deep, but the lowest level at present in operation is at 
 390 feet. Below that level the works are under water. The 
 second shaft is 640 feet northwest of the furnace, and has been 
 sunk to a depth of 400 feet. 
 
 Fig. 24. Boston Miue — Section over the mineralized zone. 
 
 Footwall vein in opaline. 
 Narrow stratum of claj-. 
 Serpentinized breccia (20-40 ft.). 
 Silicified serpentine 100-200 ft. wide, inclosing 
 ore bodies forming the " serpentine vein." 
 
 Decomposed serpentine. 
 
 Hanging-wall vein. 
 
 Clay. 
 
 Shales 100-200 ft. ^de. 
 
 Sandstones carrs-ing some cinnabar. 
 
 The three parallel veins can be said to be inclosed in serpentine, 
 for the clay on the hanging-wall vein shows by its structure to 
 be decomposed serpentine. The gangue in the hanging-wall 
 vein is more or less decomposed opaline. That of the foot- 
 wall vein is also opaline, but much less decomposed. The ser- 
 pentine of the central vein is silicified. The ore forms in the 
 multitudinous seams traversing the serpentine, mainh' in a 
 direction parallel to the general northwest strike of the zone. 
 The ore shoots in the vein are very persistent in depth as far 
 as opened up, and up to 200 feet long. The vein fillings being 
 all siliceous, the cinnabar deposition is probably related to this 
 silicification. The entire mineral zone is, however, also highly 
 permeated with sulphur. In various places in the mine con- 
 siderable exudations of sulpho-salts are found. Iron pyrites 
 are also very prominent in the fissures, especially in or close to 
 
NAPA COUNTY. /y 
 
 the cinnabar deposits. Experience therefore shows that con- 
 siderable contents of iron pyrites indicate the proximit}' of 
 bodies of cinnabar ores. The cinnabar occurs generally in 
 crystal form, often columnar. Occasional!}' acicular crystals 
 are found in the vugs. Some metacinnabarite is found, gen- 
 erally as coating of iron pyrite aggregates. The mine is 
 equipped with a 6o-ton Hlittner & Scott furnace. 
 
 Corona Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sees. 32 and 33, 
 T. 10 N., R. 6 W. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 XIII, page 597.] The Vallejo Quicksilver Mining Company, 
 owner; J. B. McCauley, president and superintendent, Oathill, 
 Napa County. The mine is at the head of James Creek, on the 
 contact of a serpentine belt and the Oathill sandstone for- 
 mation. [See Fig, 25.] The ore occurs in a zone of black 
 chert rock, Ij'ing between a sandstone foot wall and probably 
 
 'c/f f ot^r /^ /y ■i'faC S en-/:>f>-j^ Z^-'-'- e '- — ^ - 
 
 ^ 
 
 in^ 
 
 /S' tT' J'tV/ S ^ 
 
 Fig. 26. Corona Mine — Section showing formation. Dip, S.W. 30*. 
 
 a serpentine hanging wall. [See below.] The general strike 
 of the zone is N. 45° W. Three ore shoots show at the sur- 
 face. The development consists mainly in a level which enters 
 the hill running very nearly west and crosscutting the sand- 
 stone foot wall for about 400 feet. The sandstone is here 
 mixed with some shales. At 400 feet, the tunnel cuts the vein 
 and follows it about 800 feet to the southeast, and 1 300 feet to 
 the northwest. The tunnel cuts the vein at the southeasterly 
 ore shoot, with about 130 feet of backs. The workable ore 
 body is here from 10 to 15 feet wide, the cinnabar forming in 
 fissures running through the opaline rock. Underlying the 
 latter is a white talc, wherein pieces of white and gray rock 
 are found, determined as phthanite, indicating that originally 
 a body of shales overlaid the sandstone and were silicified, 
 
80 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 probably by the same solution which formed the overlying 
 chert beds. [See Fig. 26.] This ore shoot has in the past pro- 
 duced some rich ore, but at present no work is being done upon 
 it; the development work being centralized on the middle ore 
 shoot, which the tunnel cuts at a depth of 350 feet below the 
 surface. A vertical shaft, 100 feet deep, has been sunk from 
 the tunnel level on this shoot. The tunnel is driven northwest 
 to cut the third ore shoot. Part of the tunnel is run in the 
 sandstone foot wall, determining its persistency, but no cross- 
 cut has been run into the hanging wall. A ver}^ soft decom- 
 posed material overh-ing the ore body was crosscut to a width 
 of 35 feet, without finding unaltered material; hence the 
 assumption of a serpertine hanging wall rests on surface indi- 
 cations. The black chert wherein the ore makes is from 40 to 45 
 feet wide; it has a verj' irregular bedding system, which, if 
 any, may be said to be a little more prominent across the vein, 
 but the higher mineralized portions seem to follow the trend 
 of the ledge. The central ore shoot has been opened for a 
 length of 160 feet, and has been persistent in depth from the 
 surface to the present depth of 450 feet. The cinnabar forms 
 occasionally in such hard and compact material that it can 
 scarcely be understood how it found access 10 its place of depo- 
 sition. There is no apparent difference between the barren 
 and the cinnabar-bearing chert; the former may be in its 
 general texture a little more compact. A special feature of 
 this mine is the very great amount of sulphide of iron accom- 
 panying the cinnabar. The furnace, of 50 tons capacity, is 
 ver}' much like an ordinar}- Scott furnace; the ore is so highly 
 pyritous that very little fuel is required. This feature has the 
 objection that the heat in the furnace is ver}- irregular, and 
 generalh- far too high, entailing a great loss of mercurj-. 
 
 La Joya Mines. — The Standard Consolidated Quicksilver Min- 
 ing Company, owner. The property is in Sec. 24, T. 7 N., 
 R. 6 W., three miles southwest of Rutherford. These mines 
 have been idle for several years and the works are caved in. 
 Regarding La Joya mine, Mr. von Leicht reported in March, 
 1S98, three known ore bodies, separated by barren stretches, 
 in an altered serpentine, cropping at the surface as yellow 
 ochery matter, on the contact of sandstone and serpentine to 
 the southwest of the former; strike northwest. The gangue 
 
NAPA COUNTY. 
 
 81 
 
 minerals as reported are: silicates and calcites, no iron pyrites 
 or sulphur. Since this report was made some further explora- 
 tion work had been done. A 20-ton Fitzgerald furnace has 
 been erected, but not used as yet. 
 
 Manhattan Mine.— Knoxville District. Lake Mining Com- 
 pany, owner; R. B. Knox, Knoxville, Napa County. In Sec. 
 6, T. II N., R. 4 W., and Sec. i, T. 11 N., R. 5 W. [See Mon. 
 XIII, U. S. G. S., page 282: Report State Mining Bureau of 
 Cal., XI, pages 70-72; XII, page 363; XIII, page 598.] The 
 
 
 PHOTO No. 0. MAXH.\TTAX Ql'ICKSILVER MINE. 
 
 first work on this mine was performed at Johntown in 1863. 
 [See Fig. 27.] As the ore was reduced at the Redington mine 
 its product was credited to that property. Work was resumed 
 in 1 868 until 1877, then the mine was idle until 1884, but has 
 been in constant operation since that year. Total production, 
 about 1 5,000 flasks. 
 
 The study of this mine is especially interesting in regard to 
 the relation of igneous rock and the ore deposition. The ore 
 deposits are found in a belt having a general northwestern 
 
 6— QR 
 
82 QUICKSILVER KESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 direction, lying between basalt to the northeast and serpentine 
 to the southwest. The basalt does not show at the surface in 
 a continuous line; the full red line on the plan of the mine 
 represents as nearly as possible the line of its vent. The ter- 
 ritory between the basalt and the serpentine is almost entirely 
 covered b}' tufa, except in the following places : 
 
 At Johntown is a small exposure of the "mudrock" in 
 which the original discovery of cinnabar in this mine was 
 made. 
 
 North of the furnace and close to the serpentine lies a large 
 body of chalcedony, formed most probably by mineral springs. 
 
 On the northwestern end of the property is found the hill 
 represented by section 3, showing a body of serpentine almost 
 entirely covered by tufa. 
 
 The underljnng countr}- rock is an altered Neocomian [see 
 Becker, Mon. XIII, page 464], crushed and altered into a 
 material which is found through the entire mine in various 
 conditions of hardness. Near water channels it is a dark- 
 colored clayey material, which grades into a light-gray rock 
 without any discernible cleavage or fissility, generally rather 
 soft, occasionally darker colored, very hard and fine-grained. 
 Its position near the eruptive rocks, and comparisons with the 
 silicified shales of the neighborhood of Mount Konockti, sug- 
 gest that the shaly country rock was crushed and ground by 
 the eruptive actions, and its original stratification destroyed. 
 The harder portions are probably the result of contact meta- 
 morphism, as they are generally found in contact with, or close 
 to, the igneous rock. This material is locally called "mud- 
 rock," and is found also in other mines. It was found in the 
 lower level of the Wide Awake shaft (Sulphur Creek), and in 
 some of the mines in San Luis Obispo County. On the con- 
 tact of the "mudrock" and the basalt occurs a breccia, gener- 
 ally very hard, locally called "niggerhead," probably fragments 
 of country rock recemented, due to the action of the adjoin- 
 ing basaltic extrusions. 
 
 Underground explorations have proven that the surface 
 indications in many instances do not represent underground 
 conditions. Sections i, 2, and 3 show that the presence of 
 basalt at the surface does not indicate an igneous dike per- 
 sistent in depth. The section of shaft No. 3 shows basalt 
 underlying 150 feet of breccia and "mudrock," while levels a 
 
NAPA COUNTY. 83 
 
 and b show basalt near the surface and none in the under- 
 lying territory. The section over pit No. 3 (CC) shows how 
 basalt bowlders and tufa have spread over the country rock. 
 It would require systematic underground exploration to deter- 
 mine the exact location of the fissures through which the basalt 
 extruded. One fact is, hov/ever, beyond doubt: The eruptive 
 actions are intimately connected with the ore deposition. 
 Through the serpentine runs a very prominent cropping of 
 opaline material, near its northeastern boundary, which crop- 
 ping is almost continuous to the Boston mine, where large ore 
 bodies have been found therein. A great amount of explora- 
 tion work has been done on these croppings without disclosing 
 any ore, until recently a seam of fair ore, from 6 to 12 inches 
 wide, has been discovered therein, about 400 feet southeast of 
 the furnace. 
 
 All the territory between the basalt and the serpentine shows 
 the action of mineral springs, which have formed large beds of 
 sinter and other siliceous material. 
 
 Commencing at the southeastern part of the property are the 
 works on Soda Hill. The underground works are at present 
 inaccessible. At water level they encountered gas and water 
 highly charged with sodium, arsenic, etc. — salts. The opaline 
 ledge crops here ver\' plainly in the serpentine, and consider- 
 able work was done to explore it, but the ledge was found to 
 be absolutely barren. This hill is surrounded by knolls formed 
 by mineral springs now dried up. The surface of the hill is 
 covered by tufa, in which several shallow pockets of cinnabar 
 were found, but in the long tunnel (/;/) [see plan] driven 
 under the hill no ore was found. The formation proved to be 
 principally breccia. On the east slope of the hill an incline 
 shaft, 25 feet deep, was sunk on two parallel seams of black ore. 
 
 Northeast of Soda Hill (N. 50° E.) lies pit and shaft No. 3, 
 the most extensive works on the property. The pit is in the 
 form of an L. The north and south leg is 250 feet, the east 
 and west leg 200 feet long. The average depth is about 100 
 feet, and 120 feet at its deepest point. The walls of the 
 pit are partly basalt, more or less leached, partly tuf? and de- 
 composed breccia; in the northwest corner the "mudrock," 
 exposed at Johntown, appears. The bottom of the pit shows 
 the richest in the northern part, but cinnabar ore scams are 
 found all through the formation, generally vertical, but follow- 
 
84 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ing the prominent seams in the rocks in ever}- direction. A 
 number of tunnels have been run from the pit into the adja- 
 cent territory-, especially toward the basalt to the east, but as 
 the pit walls are nearly vertical, their entrances are nearly all 
 inaccessible. A tunnel {a) [see section over pit], in the south- 
 eastern part of the pit, about 25 feet below the surface, which 
 is accessible, shows first decomposed breccia, partly carrying 
 some ore, partly barren. At 100 feet from the mouth solid 
 basalt comes in. On the contact of the breccia and the basalt 
 lies a belt of opaline rock, largely decomposed, but traversed 
 by hard ribs of undecomposed opaline, accompanied by seams 
 of ore. This material carries some lime. The same section 
 shows that at a lower level basalt is absent, verticall}- under 
 its occurrence in tunnel a, and that even were basalt found by 
 driving tunnel l^ further, this could hardly belong to the same 
 body as that found in a. Shaft No. 3 runs into basalt at a depth 
 of 150 feet [see section] and remains in that formation under- 
 h-ing "mudrock" to its bottom at 230 feet. The 150-foot 
 level, from which tunnel ^ is run, is mainly in very hard, dark- 
 colored breccia. At this level metamorphic sandstone replaces 
 the breccia and persists to the 200-foot level. [See sketch of 
 pit Xo. 3.] Below the 150-foot level the ore, which in the 
 breccia is scattered in seams and pockets throughout the forma- 
 tion, is concentrated in a contact between the sandstone and 
 the "mudrock," persisting below the 200-foot level, as far as 
 yet ascertained. The "mudrock" appears to surround the 
 sandstone. With the appearance of the sandstone is intro- 
 duced a change of the gangue from siliceous to calcareous, 
 calcite beginning to appear in the veins, while the waters con- 
 tain carbon dioxide. Here then the replacement of silica by 
 carbon dioxide takes place below a zone where silica predomi- 
 nates. This may be attributed to the influence of basalt on 
 the higher horizon, locally heating the rocks and hence 
 favoring the formation of silicates. 
 
 Adjacent and to the northwest of pit Xo. 3 lies the surface 
 exposure of "mudrock" at Johntown. This exposure does not 
 cover over two acres. The original discovery of cinnabar was 
 made here, but all the works are almost entirely obliterated. 
 Nearly north of Johntown, at a distance of about 600 feet, is 
 the southeastern end of a row of pits lying in a northwesterly 
 direction, pretty close to the ridge which marks probably the 
 
NAPA COUNTY. 85 
 
 vent of the basalt extrusion. These pits are on a fissure called 
 the Bunkhouse vein. The ore occurs in lenses on which the 
 pits are sunk, the intervening spaces being nearly barren. 
 Occasionally large ore chambers are found in the ore lenses. The 
 ore forms in seams in the "mudrock," but prominentl}' in the 
 tufJ and in the breccia, and occasionally in limestone which is, 
 nearly always, only found in connection with the ore, near the 
 surface in nodules. In this connection it must be noted that 
 the Knoxville basalt carries a high percentage (7.72%) of lime 
 (CaO) [see Mon. XIII, page 159], and thus the lime in the 
 ore bodies may readih' be accounted for. Sections i and 2 give 
 details of the formation as exposed in the pits and levels run 
 from them. The development tunnel now being run in a north- 
 easterly direction cuts first through a whitish decomposed tuff, 
 then successively through basalt, breccia, ledge matter, and 
 "mudrock." The ledge matter, which dips away from the 
 basalt, is a fine-grained, hard, slightly silicified "mudrock," the 
 cinnabar forming principalh' on its contact with the breccia. 
 
 West of this deposit, near the serpentine, is a large deposit 
 of siliceous material (r), prominently chalcedony, partly of a 
 sintry nature formed by solfataric springs, the remnants of 
 previous igneous action, which has now ceased entirely. The 
 siliceous material is mostly in somewhat contorted beds, slightly 
 resembling the chert beds of the Cretaceous, dipping southeast- 
 erly and having a varjang thickness, rather inconsiderable. 
 This deposit, locally known as St. Quentin, is about 400 feet 
 long, in a northwesterly direction. Some isolated small knolls 
 of the same formation are, however, found farther to the north- 
 west. There are three pits on this deposit. The two southerly 
 pits are only separated by a wall of a few feet wide at the sur- 
 face. The third, most northerly, is .smaller and shallower. A 
 tunnel {e) has been run under this pit about 30 feet below the 
 surface in a breccia formed of fragments of various rocks 
 cemented by silica. At the breast some chalcedony is found. 
 The cinnabar occurs generally in the seams of the siliceous 
 beds, often mixed with sand, so that it can be removed with 
 scrapers out of the seams. In the eastern part of the deposit 
 the siliceous material is impregnated throughout with the 
 cinnabar in a microcrystalline condition, indicating a contem- 
 poraneous deposition of the cinnabar and the silica. No 
 macroscopical crystals of cinnabar are found anywhere in this 
 
86 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 deposit. The ore has not been found to persist in depth in any 
 of the three pits. 
 
 To the north of the St. Quentin lies the basalt shaft and pit. 
 The vertical shaft lies north of the pit. At a depth of 130 
 feet, the lower level was run from the shaft under the pit, 
 which is about 400 feet long in a north and south direction. 
 Both shaft and pit start in basalt. At 130 feet "mudrock" 
 came in the shaft from the west. The territory under the pit 
 is also reached by a long tunnel (//), with a shaft at the end, 
 20 feet in depth, which communicates with a large chamber 40 
 feet wide, 45 feet high, and 80 feet long in the bottom, situated 
 under the pit, entirely excavated, having contained a large 
 body of good ore. The ledge on which the pit is located has a 
 north and south strike, varying from that of the other deposits. 
 It is entirely inclosed in basalt, and in depth abuts abruptly 
 against a stratum of hard sandstone, dipping slightly east, 
 from 2 to 6 feet thick; the ore only occasionally penetrating 
 slightly into seams of this stratum, which is underlaid by 
 "mudrock." This body of basalt, no feet high, is hence only 
 a surface flow, which is confirmed by {d) and (/). [See 
 below.] The ore bodies in the basalt were so profitable that 
 extensive explorations were made in the "mudrock" to find 
 their continuation in depth, but without result; hence the con- 
 clusion that the ore deposition is intimately connected with 
 the basalt, and that the hard stratum overlying the "mudrock" 
 prevented the solutions from entering therein, acting as an 
 impervdous stratum. The ledge matter is throughout asso- 
 ciated with calcite. [See above, Bunkhouse vein.] The ledge 
 pinched materially about 50 feet from the surface; at this 
 horizon the vein filling is limestone, containing narrow seams 
 of cinnabar. In the lower part it consists of very profitable 
 ore seams interstratified with seams of limestone about a foot 
 wide. In the northern end of the deposit "mudrock" is more 
 prominent. 
 
 A couple of hundred feet northwest of the basalt shaft 
 another north and south vein {b) has been worked in a 
 weathered basalt from i to 4 feet wide, and from 150 to 200 
 feet long. To a depth of 50 feet this vein was in places very 
 rich. At that depth, however, the rock suddenly hardened and 
 simultaneous!}' the vein became poorer, and had to be aban- 
 doned at a depth of 60 feet. 
 
NAPA COUNTY. 
 
 87 
 
 To the southwest of the basalt pit, between this pit and pit 
 No. 3 of St. Quentin, a shaft {d) has been sunk to the under- 
 lying "mudrock" which was also found in a pit (/"i) west of 
 the basalt pit. 
 
 Extensive works (/.,) west of the basalt pit and northwest 
 of St. Quentin, near the serpentine, consist of a large open cut, 
 tunnels, and stopes, showing that large bodies of ore have been 
 taken out of this ground. The formation is leached igneous 
 rocks, chalcedony seams, and brecciated sandstones. Two 
 drifts have been run toward these works. The upper tunnel, 
 75 feet below the surface at the open cut, cuts through silica 
 concretions, then leached basalt, basalt, and on the contact of 
 the basalt with an altered sandstone a vein dipping southwest, 
 which, judging 
 from the old 
 stopes, contain- 
 ed a number of 
 ore bodies of 
 lenticular form. 
 The lower tun- 
 nel, 140 feet be- 
 low the same 
 surface, runs 
 
 mainly in serpentine material; at 300 feet it cuts across a vein 
 having a nearly east and west strike; an understope, 20 feet 
 deep and 70 feet long, shows that the ore body lies in hardened 
 contact "mudrock." A shaft 80 feet deep shows that the 
 basalt lies here north of the "mudrock," while in the upper 
 tunnel it lies south thereof. The stope [see cross-section, 
 Fig. 28] showed good ore, metacinnabarite, and some native 
 mercury in pockets next to the basalt. When the stope 
 reached the understoping in the lower tunnel, it was shown 
 that the lower vein had a cross strike to that on which the 
 vein understoping was done, and the latter was never found 
 below. 
 
 At the northwest end of the property is the knoll of which 
 section 3 gives a cross-section. Several small pockets of ore 
 were found in the tufa overlying the top. The tunnel (/) 
 cuts through the entire knoll, running for the greatest part in 
 serpentine. Ore was only found in the basalt near the 
 northern end. It forms in seams in the basalt. In some of 
 
 Fig. 28. Manhattan Mine— Section over the works at (/,). 
 
88 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 these seams the main filling is formed by bands of iron pyrite, 
 with thin, intercalated seams of cinnabar; in others the filling 
 is opaline silica. The ore in the surface pockets carried also 
 considerable iron pyrite. The hill is mainly serpentine and 
 shale; the absence of basalt in the lower tunnel may be caused 
 by a fault, the upper part of the basalt having slid northeast 
 with the slope of the hill. 
 
 While the mine is not a great producer, it .s of great geologi- 
 cal interest, because the relations between the igneous rocks, 
 the countT}' rock, and the ore deposits can be so well traced. 
 The absence of ore deposits in the serpentine, even where it is 
 contiguous to the igneous rocks, must be noted. In opposition 
 to the ore occurrence in the Oathill mine, the ore deposits are 
 all contiguous to the basalt and do not extend to an}- distance 
 from it, except in the St. Quentin deposit, where the cinnabar 
 has been deposited from solfataric waters, which must have 
 been related to the basalt. Again, in the ^tna mine the pre- 
 vailing conditions indicate that the cinnabar was disseminated 
 through the sandstone, and formed into workable ore bodies by 
 secondary concentration in some way connected with the ser- 
 pentine and basalt, while in this mine all indications tend to 
 the conclusion that the igneous rocks are the direct source 
 of the cinnabar. In the neighboring Boston mine there are 
 reasons to suppose a course of ore formation similar to that in 
 the ^tna mine. Considering that the Boston and Manhattan 
 deposits are only one mile interdistant, and that from the 
 topograph}' it might be inferred that while not appearing at 
 the surface, the vent through which the basalt extruded in the 
 Manhattan persists toward the Boston, the entirely diSerent 
 nature of ore formation in these two mines is very noteworthy. 
 
 It is to be regretted that in no place in the Manhattan mine 
 has the commercial development of the ore deposits caused the 
 underground works to be run in a manner to determine the 
 vent of the basalt extrusion, or whether on or near this vent 
 deposits of greater persistence in depth would be found. The 
 fact that every deposit as yet opened in this mine terminates 
 in depth with the basalt, justifies the expectation that such 
 persistence might be the case. 
 
 The irregular basalt occurrences found in the mine are prob- 
 ably intrusions, which follow pre-existing fissures, joints, bed- 
 ding planes, or contacts, which would account for the lack of 
 
NAPA COUNTY. 
 
 89 
 
 heat effect on the adjoining rocks by these igneous intrusives. 
 [See N. S. Shafer, Bulletin Geological Society of America, 
 vol. X, page 253.] 
 
 South of the furnace in the serpentine is an exposure of 
 breccia covering a couple of acres, which is used as building- 
 stone. 
 
 The mine is equipped with one coarse-ore and one fine-ore 
 Knox & Osborne furnace, both of 24 tons capacity. The 
 coarse-ore furnace is only used for about two months in the 
 year, the great majorit}'^ of the ore as it comes from the mine 
 being proper material for the fine-ore furnace. 
 
 J3 a ■!, o-/ t c 7-e , 
 
 < 
 
 Fig. 29. Xapa Consolidated Miues. [See page 91.] 
 
 Oathill Mine (or Napa Consolidated Quicksilver Mines). — 
 Mayacmas District. In Sees. 27, 28, 33, and 34, T. 10 N., 
 R. 6 W. The Napa Consolidated Mining Company, of Boston, 
 Mass., owner ; B. M. Newcomb, Oathill, Napa County, super- 
 intendent. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 355 ; Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, pages 65-72 ; XII, page 364 ; 
 XIII, page 598.] This property covers a large area of ground 
 between James Creek and Bucksnorter Creek. It has been for 
 years since its opening in 1876, and is still, one of the largest 
 producers in the State. 
 
 The cinnabar deposits in these mines lie entirely in a belt of 
 
NAPA COUNTY. 
 
 91 
 
 sandstones, which abut and surround a core of basalt. The 
 sandstones occur in thin beds, with partings filled with attrition 
 products and clay. The stratification and also the mineralized 
 zone have a general tendency toward parallelism to this core. 
 [See van Hise, i6th Ann. Report, U. S. G. S., Part I, page 637.] 
 Nearing this core the stratification becomes more irregular and 
 contorted. The veins, practically fissure fillings in the sand- 
 stone country rock, are from a few inches to a few feet wide. 
 Their general plan is given in Fig. 29. They are in their strike 
 independent of the bedding planes, and carry generallj^ a clay 
 gouge on the foot wall. In places chambers have been formed 
 in the walls of the fissures, on that side of the vein where the 
 sandstone was not protected by a clay gouge from the action of 
 the percolating solutions. 
 
 A peculiar phenomenon 
 occurs at the crossing of 
 the Humboldt and Osceola 
 veins. In both veins near 
 the crossing shoots of good 
 ore, about 500 feet long, 
 were found. The Hum- 
 boldt vein, which is more 
 of a conglomerate nature 
 than any of the other veins, 
 persists on both sides of 
 the crossing ; but the Os- 
 ceola is hardly discernible 
 
 at the crossing point and makes only at a certain distance on 
 both sides of the crossing point. [See Fig. 30.] 
 
 The secondar}^ concentration of the workable ore bodies in 
 this group of mines must probably be attributed to the contact- 
 metamorphic action of the basalt core. It is, however, a note- 
 worthy fact that here the ore bodies do not persist to the basalt 
 core. The explanation may be that the heat and pressure due 
 to the intrusion of this large body of basalt raised the temper- 
 ature so high in the close neighborhood of its intrusion that 
 the mercury was carried off in vapor form and deposited in a 
 region where the temperature and pressure were lower. The 
 mine is equipped with two 50-ton Scott furnaces, one of which 
 was rebuilt in 1902 after sixteen years of service. 
 
 Fig. 30. 
 
 Xapa Consolidated Mines— Crossing 
 of two veins. 
 
92 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Philadelphia Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sec. 26. T. 10 X., 
 R. 6 \V. Owner. M. Pluth, of Oathill, Napa County. The 
 mine is located in the southeastern end of the divide between 
 James Creek and Pope Valley, running down from the Oathill 
 divide. The belt of serpentine running northwest from ,Stna 
 Springs along the southwest ridge of Pope Valley, crossing 
 James Creek, near its mouth, follows the divide for some 
 distance, and some promising float is found on top of the ridge. 
 A crosscut tunnel 270 feet below the ridge has not yet reached 
 the ledge; its breast is in basalt, indicating an igneous core in 
 this divide. 
 
 Red Elephant and Northern Light Mines. — Knoxville District. I n 
 Sec. 3, T. II N., R. 5 \V. The former mine is owned by \V. G. 
 Tremper, of Lower Lake, Lake County. The latter mine, 
 south of the Red Elephant, is owned by Fr. Josh, of Lower 
 Lake, Lake County. In the Red Elephant, a little surface 
 cinnabar has been found, but none of a number of shallow 
 cuts and pits show any cinnabar ore in place. 
 
 Summit Mine.— In Sec. 19, T. 7 X., R. 5 W. S. W. Keeney, 
 Xo. 563 Parrott Building. San Francisco, owner. 
 
 Twin Peaks Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sec. 4, T. 9 X.. 
 R. 6 W., and Sec. 33. T. 10 X., R. 6 W. Owners, B. A. 
 Wilson, F. Smyth, and H. Herrick, of Middletown, and J. 
 Hayes, of Harbin Springs, Lake Count}*; B. A. Wilson, super- 
 intendent, Oathill, Xapa County. This mine can only as 
 yet be considered as a prospect; it has, however, some good 
 ore, which is reduced in a small retort furnace. The cinnabar 
 ore is formed in the cracks and fissures of the opaline rock, 
 and is accompanied by a sensible amount of iron sulphides. 
 The ore body lies rather flat, and has a strike nearly north 
 and south, dipping about 30° to the west. Above the ore lies 
 a layer of grayish-green talc (probably decomposed serpentine), 
 which shows cinnabar all through it; above which lies a black 
 gouge, which in places shows clearlj' the structural forms of 
 the original opaline rock. The formation in this mine, which 
 lies close to the igneous bodies, is very much distorted; but 
 when found in place, the ore bodies will probablj' be found on 
 the same contact of serpentine and sandstone as the neighbor- 
 ing Corona mine. The property is equipped with a lo-pipe 
 retort, and the ore must have been of a good grade, as the 
 monthly product is reported to be 40 flasks. 
 
SOLANO COUNTY. 
 
 93 
 
 SOLANO COUNTY. 
 
 St. John Mine.— In Sec. 33, T. 4 N., R. 3 W. The St. John's 
 Consolidated Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; Ch. Bone, 
 president; J. H. Sayre, secretary, room 5, No. 405 Montgomery 
 street, San Francisco; A. A. Tregidgo, superintendent, Vallejo, 
 Solano County. This mine was opened in 1873 and was oper- 
 ated until 1880, during which time it produced 11,530 flasks. 
 \\'ork was then abandoned until 1S99, when the present com- 
 pany resumed by reopening some of the old works. 
 
 A1-^\- /, o I 1 1 200 
 
 €fyv,'^";,... 
 
 
 -s^.. 
 
 w. , 
 
 ■•■/■I 
 ■/ 
 
 
 ■^•iW.. ... 
 
 — 6, 
 
 .•- e ■ - 
 
 Fig. 31. St. John Mine— Section east and west over main tunnel shaft. 
 
 The mine is located in a basin between Mount Luffman to 
 the west and Mount St. John to the east. These mountains 
 are characterized by the bold outcrops of two bodies of meta- 
 morphic sandstones. Nearh^ the entire inter\-ening surface is 
 covered by sandstone debris, but all the dumps of the old 
 tunnels show schist, and in some of the larger cuts the contact 
 of the .schists and sandstones can be found. The sandstones 
 especially those of the Mount St. John ridge, show a prominent 
 north and south fracture system. The schists probabh- lie in 
 a trough, having a general northern trend in the sandstone 
 

 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 ^HH 
 
 I^^H 
 
 Hl^^''^ ^^^1 
 
 wSi 
 
 
 
 1^^ 
 
 ^"■""^^= *^^l 
 
 J^M 
 
 i^riH' ^^1 
 
 n 
 
 ^^^^^K.^ 
 
 Hi 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ''".^^^^■1 
 
 ^1 
 
 K' 
 
 
 J • . "' I^^^B 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^^fcigv .'^- .-^.^^icrr ', 
 
 1," ^j'-'.'^. .; "T 
 
 
 PHOTO No. 8. ST. JOHN MINE AND FURNACE. 
 
 
 PHOTO No. 'J. ST. JOHN QUICKSILVER MINE. 
 
SOLAXO COUNTY. 95 
 
 formation ; but whether the latter formation underlies the entire 
 territory has not as yet been determined. Fig. 31 shows that 
 below the level of the main tunnel another body of schists lies 
 in the sandstone. The contact of the sandstones and the 
 schists is ver>' irregular and intricate. The schists appear to 
 carry some magnesia, at least sulphate of magnesia forms 
 in the main tunnel in a couple of places. The ore croppings 
 are found at, or in close proximity to, the ridges of sand- 
 stone. There are a great amount of open cuts, drifts, and 
 shallow shafts on these croppings. The principal work, how- 
 ever, was done in the main tunnel, through which two distinct 
 ore bodies— the main tunnel ore shoot and the San Miguel 
 ore shoot — have been worked. The former was cut by the 
 main tunnel at a depth of 250 feet below the surface, and a 
 shaft sunk on it from that level to a depth of 180 feet. The 
 San Miguel ore shoot was reached by a crosscut about 100 
 feet long, at the end of which a shaft 180 feet deep was sunk, 
 all in sandstones. The latter works are at present inaccessible. 
 The main tunnel, course nearly north, which has been retim- 
 bered, reaches the old stopes at 11 20 feet from the entrance. 
 It runs through schists, near the entrance thinly bedded, con- 
 torted, in places showing slickensides, and becoming more 
 massive in depth. This material resembles very closely the 
 "mudrock" in the Manhattan mine. At 700 feet from the 
 mouth the tunnel intersects a sandstone dike, about 6 feet 
 wide, course N. 60° E. 
 
 The metamorphic sandstone is in places altered to quartzite, 
 and in other places is somewhat porphyritic. It shows zones 
 of fractures, nearly parallel with the contact, not over one to 
 one and a half inches interdistant. These are sometimes cut 
 off by a set of more irregular cross fractures, causing the rock 
 to break very irregularly, sometimes conchoidal. The ore 
 forms principally in the zones of parallel fracturing and adjoin- 
 ing thereto. Where the fissuring allowed it, the cinnabar was 
 deposited with a quartzose gangue. Often it forms face metal 
 on the fissure walls, which show signs of movements after the 
 deposition. Where the rock is more compact, small aggregates 
 of minute cinnabar crystals are disseminated through the rock, 
 generally associated with iron pyrite. The mineralization was 
 contemporaneous with, or anterior to, this metamorphism. 
 
96 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 200 
 
 _J 
 
 /■£■£" r 
 
 Possibl}- the cinnabar was 
 originally diffused through 
 the sandstone and leached 
 //. out and concentrated during 
 ^ the metamorphism of the 
 sandstone. At and below the 
 level of the main tunnel the 
 ore forms exclusivel}' in the 
 sandstone, but nearer the sur- 
 face it is found in the schists. 
 At the point of intersection 
 with the main tunnel ore 
 shoot, the main tunnel makes 
 an offshoot to the west to 
 avoid the old works [see Fig. 
 32], and continues then in a 
 northeasterly direction ( N. 
 20° E.). It passes first through 
 sandstone, and then follows 
 the northeastern contact be- 
 tween the sandstone and the 
 schists. Xo ore has as yet 
 been found in this drift. 
 
 Judging from the old stopes the ore body at the level of the 
 
 main tunnel was |si 
 
 about 70 feet long 
 
 and from 15 to 25 
 
 feet wide. Below 
 
 this level two ore 
 
 bodies were worked ^■^'^ -z-'^ 
 
 from the shaft — 
 
 one west, the other 
 
 east and southeast 
 
 of the shaft — sep- 
 arated by about 60 
 
 feet of barren 
 
 ground. The stope 
 
 on the ore body 
 
 west goes down to 
 
 the 130-foot level, 
 
 where it forms a 
 
 Fig. 32. St. John Mine — Plan showing 
 main luiinel west of shaft. 
 
 ^ Ore /30 /ei^e/ 
 •IllUk " /80' " 
 
 Fig. 33. St. John Mine — Plan of works in main 
 tunnel shaft. 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 97 
 
 bod}- about 60 feet long and from 6 to 8 feet wide, having 
 a course of about N. 10° W., starting about 30 feet from 
 the shaft. [See Fig. 33.] The ore body east of the shaft 
 on this level is larger and more irregular. In the 180- foot 
 level the contact of the sandstone and schists east of the shaft 
 runs about N. 50° W. In the sandstone are found three zones 
 of cinnabar deposition running about parallel to the contact, 
 going from the latter southeast, respectively, one inch or less, 
 ^y^, and 4 feet wide. The sandstone has not been cut through 
 by the crosscut, 54 feet long, from the northeast contact. The 
 stope is about 40 feet long on the strike. The shaft has lately 
 been sunk 50 feet deeper. In the 230-foot level the course of 
 the same contact is about north, but the works have not as yet 
 exposed any ore. The mine is equipped with two coarse-ore 
 shaft furnaces of the John Neat patent. For a detailed descrip- 
 tion of the plant, see the chapter on Metallurgy. 
 
 SONOMA COUNTY, 
 
 Almaden, Incandescent, and Tunnel Site Group. — Mayacmas Dis- 
 trict. C. C. Thomas and E. Grimmer, owners. Pine Flat, 
 Sonoma County. In Sees. 31 and 32, T. 11 N., R. 8 W. 
 Includes the Almaden, Incandescent, and Tunnel Site claims. 
 To the northeast of the Eureka mine. No development. 
 
 Bacon Consolidated Group. — Mayacmas District. Includes the 
 Edith, Maud, St. George, Golden Gate, and Eagle mines, in 
 Sees. II and 12, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. B. Getleson, owner, Mid- 
 dletown, Lake County. Idle. 
 
 Boston Group. — Mayacmas District. Wm. F. OXeary, A. C. 
 Huebner, and J. Conran, owners, Healdsburg, Sonoma County. 
 This group consists of three claims — the Boston, Earlene, and 
 Hope — in Sees. 3, 9, and 10, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. Two short tun- 
 nels are run on this property. The upper tunnel, very close to 
 the crest of the ridge, course N. 63° W., is 100 feet long; at the 
 breast a drift of about 25 feet long, on a course about north, is 
 run on the vein ; a thin seam dipping about 30° to the north runs 
 parallel with this drift and carried some cinnabar. The lower 
 tunnel, 75 feet below the upper, runs on the same course 320 
 feet; it cuts, at 230 feet from the entrance, a vein having a 
 7— yK 
 
98 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 nearly north and south course. The hanging wall is too 
 decomposed to state the character of the rock; the foot wall is 
 sandstone. The vein filling is opaline rock, with a bedding 
 across the vein. In the north crosscut, 25 feet long, the vein 
 narrows at the breast; in the south crosscut, 10 feet long, some 
 ore was found near the main tunnel, but at the breast no 
 cinnabar was found. 
 
 Gnnabar King Group. — Mayacmas District. Cinnabar Mining 
 Company, owner; E.S.Rowland, secretary, Healdsburg, Sonoma 
 County. The group includes the Cinnabar King, Champion, 
 Pa3-master, Goodenough, and Helen claims, and two millsites on 
 the southwestern slope of Pine Mountain, in Sec. 11, T. 10 X., 
 R. 8 W. [See repoirts State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, page 
 461 ; XII, page 371 ; XIII, page 602.] This propertj- is the only 
 one on the west slope of Pine Mountain on which some work 
 has been done lateh-. The general course of the croppings is 
 northwest. Several open cuts show some ore on the dumps. 
 This ore forms in silicified serpentine, in seams parallel to the 
 strike. The dip of the ledge is southwesterly. There is on 
 the propert}' a shaft 55 feet deep, on a ven,- flat incline; a lower 
 tunnel, 660 feet long, at a level 200 feet below the collar of the 
 shaft; and an upper tunnel 87 feet below same collar. These 
 works are inaccessible, 
 
 Cloverdak Mine. — Maj-acmas District. In Sees. 3, 4, 9, and 10, 
 T. 1 1 X., R. 9 W. This includes the Cloverdale, Sunrise, and 
 Mount Vernon groups, the Mercun.- and Manzanita claims, and 
 some inclosing lands, on both sides of Big Sulphur Creek, 
 near the mouth of Squaw Creek. Owners, H. B. and C. A. 
 Lawley, The Geysers, Sonoma County. [See Mon. XIII, U.S. 
 G. S., page 376; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XIII, 
 page 603.] This mine was opened in 1S72, the furnace being 
 constructed in 1S75, and run for twenty-six months, producing 
 about 3200 flasks of mercurj'. The works were closed down 
 in 1878. Work was resumed in 1898 b}- the present owners, 
 who started the furnace in Xovember, 1S99. The latter has 
 run steadily for the last eighteen months, producing about 720 
 flasks. At the end of 1902 it was producing about 50 flasks 
 per month. The mine workings consist, besides several large 
 open cuts, of about 1500 feet of drifts and 150 feet of shafts. 
 On the Mount Vernon group very little development has been 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 99 
 
 done. A body of thinly-bedded cherty rock between sand- 
 stone walls has been opened up in the Mount Vernon claim by 
 a shaft and two tunnels. The latter, which are almost vertically 
 above each other [see Fig. 34] , show some face cinnabar on the 
 fissure planes of the chert. The strike of this body of stratified 
 chert is about northeast, the dip very irregular about southeast. 
 In the upper tunnel the seams between the chert beds carry 
 sulphur, the only similar occurrence seen on the property. 
 
 The property is traversed by several nearly parallel ledges of 
 thinly-stratified chert, inclosed by sandstone. These ledges 
 have generally a northwest strike and northeast dip. The 
 thickness of the chert beds varies from a half to three inches; 
 that of the clay seams from a knife blade to quarter of an inch, 
 except in one place, in the Murphy tunnel or No. 4 ledge, 
 where chert and clay 
 seams are for some dis- 
 tance much thicker. In 
 
 places, both the chert d//9<yo)^^ 
 
 and clay are colored 
 light green by silicate of 
 iron. In the same tun- sf/9/0/^ 
 nel the thick gouge 
 above the chert consists >0£.e''£ , 
 
 e ,. . , Fig. 34. Cloverdale Mine— Section overworks, 
 
 for some distance of de- j^^„„t vemou claim. 
 
 composed sandstone and 
 
 clay interbedded like the chert formation. No serpentine is 
 found on the property — the country rock being all sandstone; 
 but on the ridge of the divide between Squaw Creek and Big 
 Sulphur Creek, above the mine, some porphyritic and dioritic 
 rocks are found, cutting through the sandstone which forms 
 the backbone of the ridge. The chert shows very plainly on the 
 lower part of above-mentioned dividing ridge, which has there 
 a general direction nearly east and west, and is cut at an 
 obtuse angle by those ledges. 
 
 Starting up the ridge from the furnace, the first ledge, No. i , 
 about 25 feet wide, is barren at the ridge, but to the southeast, 
 in the Glory Hole tunnel, shows very good ore. 
 
 On the next ledge. No. 2, the former company twenty years 
 ago mainly concentrated its work, producing 3100 fiasks from 
 it. The ledge was worked both by open cut and in the Cat- 
 sin's tunnel. At present this ledge is worked on the south 
 

SONOMA COUNTY. 
 
 101 
 
 slope of the ridge by three open cuts, forming a nearly continu- 
 ous line of workings [see photograph Fig. 35, Ki, K., and K3J ; 
 the open cut at the top of the ridge (Ki) is 60 feet high and 
 48 feet wide, and furnishes at present, practically without sort- 
 ing, all the ore run during the summer season through the 
 furnace, which has a capacity of 7 tons of ore per day and 
 produces from 45 to 50 flasks per month. The more compact 
 and regularly bedded part of the ledge carries the metal mostly 
 as face metal and incrustations in the fissures; the crushed 
 portions are much richer and carry the metal more in seams 
 and bunches. 
 
 /i//3 
 
 
 S <k tt £/ » f 
 
 Fig. 36. Cloverdale Mine — Plan and section of Murphy tunnel. 
 
 The next ledge. No. 3, is only separated from Xo. 2 b}' a 
 narrow belt of sandstone, and has been extensively worked by 
 open cut in the Old Ray workings on the north slope. It 
 shows onl}'^ slightly on the south slope of the ridge, principally 
 in the mouth of the Murphy tunnel. [6, Fig. 35.] 
 
 Ledge No. 4, or Murphy ledge, shows principally in the 
 Murphy tunnel. It is about 25 feet wide. [See Fig. 36.] The 
 chert beds are mostly from one to three inches wide, the gray 
 clay seams one quarter to one inch ; cinnabar ore making prin- 
 cipally on the faces, richer nearer the hanging wall, which is 
 peculiarly interstratified, as above mentioned, with clay seams 
 like the chert beds. These chert beds, wherein the cinnabar 
 
102 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ore makes, are ven,- similar to the ledge matter of the Great 
 Western. 
 
 The company has a small incline furnace of 7 tons capacity 
 per day, and a lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 Qyde Mine. — Mayacmas District. G. Hemmingwaj- and F. 
 Baumeister, owners, The Geysers, Sonoma County. In Sec. 24, 
 T. 10 X., R. 8 W., on the north fork of Little Sulphur Creek 
 (Devil's Den Canon). This mine is close to and partially 
 surrounded by the Culver- Baer property, and is located on 
 the same ledge of croppings as the Old Oakland (Lost Ledge 
 and Geyser) group of that property. The croppings show 
 very boldly on the northeast bank of the creek, and the latter 
 is full of large ore bowlders. The old works are inaccessible, 
 but on the dumps several tons of ore of a good quality are 
 found. 
 
 Crown Point (Sonoma) Mine.— Mayacmas District. The Crown 
 Point Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; S. S. Bogle, secre- 
 tary', Santa Rosa, Sonoma Count}'. It includes the Sonoma 
 Xos. 3 and 4, Hercules, and Crown Point Xos. 4, 5, and 6, 
 in Sec. 5, T. 10 X., R. 8 W. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., 
 page 376; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XIII, page 
 603.] In former years rich surface pockets were worked to 
 advantage; they were situated adjacent to a serpentine belt, 
 ha\-ing general strike X. 48° W. [See map of Maj-acmas Dis- 
 trict, and Fig. 37.] Two tunnels (A and B), respectiveh- 325 
 and 200 feet long, and a shaft (C) 50 feet deep with a drift 40 
 feet long in the bottom, represent the later development work, 
 which has, however, as ^-et not disclosed any valuable ore 
 bodies. This work has been done in a very unsystematic 
 manner and proves little or nothing as to the future of the 
 property. The company started in the fall of 1902 some sj^s- 
 tematic prospecting work. 
 
 Culver-Baer Mine. — Mayacmas District. This is in Sees. 24, 
 23, and 14, T. II X.. R. 9 \V.. along the headwaters of the 
 north fork of Little Sulphur Creek (Devil's Den Canon). 
 It includes the Fairfax, Sunny Side, Republic, Bush, Colfax, 
 and Culver-Baer Xo. i and Xo. 2 claims, representing the 
 former Oakland and Geyser group; and the L'nion, Hard- 
 scrabble, Ridge, Black Bear, and West End claims, representing 
 
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104 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 the Black Bear and Kentuck group. Owner, the Culver- 
 Baer Mining Company; president, A. V. McNabb, vSanta Rosa, 
 Sonoma Count^^; general manager, G. B. Baer. Cloverdale, 
 Sonoma County; superintendent, F. Baumeister, The Geysers, 
 Sonoma County. 
 
 This property covers the old mines of the Oakland and 
 Black Bear group. This mine was a producer from 1875 to 
 1879, producing about 6900 flasks, but was then shut down, 
 
 ' Sa ^icLsto ^le. 
 
 Fig, 38. Section Culver-Baer Mine. 
 
 work being resumed only in 1901. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., 
 page 376; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, page 371; 
 XIII, page 602.] The ledge is indicated by a persistent and 
 very strong cropping of ledge matter, with a general east and 
 west course, on the north bank of the canon, about 150 feet 
 wide, dipping north into the mountain, winding a little but 
 following rather closely a line parallel to the creek. [See 
 Fig. 38.] These croppings consist mostly of silicified foot- wall 
 sandstone, changed into a blocky material with a great num- 
 ber of quartz seams; sometimes serpentine (hanging wall), 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 105 
 
 also traversed bj^ quartz seams, occurs. This ledge material is 
 rather hard and compact. The ore is not making on the faces, 
 but mosth^ inside the rock; often while not appearing on the 
 surface, the pieces of rock prove rich in cinnabar when broken 
 up. Very little sulphide of iron accompanies the cinnabar. 
 Especialh- in the old Geyser claim, about opposite the new 
 furnace site, the cinnabar occurs in its rarer form of crystalliza- 
 tion in acicular (needle-shaped) prisms. Higher up the canon, 
 in the old Lost Ledge ground, the cinnabar occurs in the 
 ordinary tabular crystal form. 
 
 The old underground works in the Old Oakland and Geyser 
 group are caved in, and a crosscut tunnel driven by the pres- 
 ent company is also inaccessible. This tunnel, 890 feet long, 
 is on the level of the new furnace, reaching the ledge at a 
 depth of 375 feet below the old croppings, where it found ore. 
 The old works on the Lost Ledge ground (upper part of the 
 property) reached the same depth in the ore body. 
 
 The sandstone foot wall along the ledge is greatlj' eroded, 
 forming the creek. On the hanging wall is a narrow belt of 
 serpentine overlaid by a wide belt of sandstone. This belt of 
 serpentine seems to persistently accompany the outcrop. The 
 amount of ore in sight in the croppings, that can be quarried, is 
 so large that the company is erecting a 20-ton Fitzgerald incline 
 furnace, without undertaking for the present anj- further 
 underground development work. 
 
 The western part of the property, the Black Bear group, 
 covering the Old Kentuck ground, has been leased to W. T. 
 Brush and others, of Cloverdale, Sonoma County. 
 
 The croppings so prominent in the eastern part follow Devil's 
 Den Caflon into the Clyde mine, then turn a little northward 
 and re-enter the Black Bear group. In its western part they 
 are abruptly cut off by a body of serpentine, having a nearly 
 east and west course. The present lessees are cleaning out 
 some of the old works. 
 
 Double Star Mine, — Mayacmas District. In Sees. 2, 3, 10, and 
 1 1, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. The property is on the old road from 
 Middletown to Pine Flat, at the headwaters of Little Sulphur 
 Creek, and consists of the Double Star Nos. i, 2, and 3, Her- 
 cules, and Giant. Owners, Wm. Peters, of Healdsburg, 
 Sonoma County, and others. A vertical shaft was sunlc on 
 
106 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 croppings identical with those on Pine Mountain, the Wall 
 Street, etc.; it has been abandoned and a crosscut tunnel run 
 1 70 feet below its collar, in the serpentine, which at 400 feet 
 from its entrance cut the fissure on which the shaft was sunk. 
 Short drifts were run both ways on the fissure, showing the 
 same material as on the surface, but no cinnabar ore. At 650 
 feet the tunnel reached sandstone, mixed with "alta"; drifts 
 were run both waj-s on the supposed contact, without dis- 
 closing any ore. The breast of the tunnel at 670 feet is in 
 mixed sandstone, gouge, and decomposed serpentine. It is, in 
 fact, doubtful if the real sandstone has as yet been reached. 
 
 Eureka Mine. — Mayacmas District, In Sec. 32, T. 11 N., 
 R. 8 W., on the divide between Big Sulphur and Little Sulphur 
 creeks, to the northwest of the Socrates mine. Includes the 
 Eureka No. i and No. 2 (Old Flagstaff), Mate, and Captain 
 claims, and Eureka millsites; and the Electric, Creekside, 
 Trout, and King Arthur claims in Big Sulphur Creek, in Sec. 
 29, T. II N., R. 8 W. Owner, Eureka Quicksilver Mining 
 Company; C. R. Cormack, secretary. No. 215 Sansome street, 
 San Francisco. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 375.] A 
 belt of serpentine passes through the southern part of the 
 Eureka claims near the ridge of the hill, with a general strike 
 about northwest, and a southwesterly dip. [See Fig. 39.] This 
 serpentine forms the hanging wall of a contact, the foot wall 
 being sandstone. In the main tunnel, this arkose sandstone is 
 very much decomposed, the silicates having been largely 
 altered to clay by weathering. On the foot wall lies a heavy 
 gouge, and the ledge matter, which is cut at a depth of 170 
 feet, is very hard. In a higher tunnel verj^ fair ore was found, 
 the material being much softer. Two drifts have been run 
 from the main tunnel along the ledge, but have not as yet reached 
 any pay shoot. The hillside is very steep, and heavy slides 
 have occurred. The two bodies of thinly-bedded material 
 (probably chert) — one in the Captain, with a strike of N. 77° E., 
 the other higher up the hillside on the Eureka No. i, strike 
 N. 23° W. — belonged probably to the ore body. 
 
 Lower down in the Mate is a body of very light- colored, 
 loose-grained sandstone, carrying quicksilver in the form of 
 cinnabar and of incrustations of black sulphide of mercury. 
 Sufficient work has not yet been done on this material to decide 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 
 
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108 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 about the extent and importance of this deposit of quicksilver 
 ore. A thin seam of cinnabar ore, three inches wide at the 
 surface, has been cut by a tunnel at a depth of about 30 feet, 
 showing a width of one foot. The mine is equipped with a 
 20-ton Fitzgerald furnace, built in the latter part of 1902. 
 
 Great Eastern and Mount Jackson Mines.— Near Guerneville. 
 The Great Eastern Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; 
 A. Abbey, superintendent, Mercury, Sonoma County : or No. 44 
 Nevada Block, San Francisco. In Sees. 16 and 17, T. 8 N., 
 
 Fig. 41. Section over the Great Eastern Mine. 
 
 R. 10 W. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 362; Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., VIII, page 633; XI, page 460; 
 XIII, page 602.] These mines are peculiar in so far that they 
 are at a considerable aistance from all other workable deposits 
 and also from any known eruptives. The outcrop is prominent, 
 but only for a relative h' short distance (about 1900 feet), and 
 follows prett}' closely a belt of serpentine [see Fig. 40], cutting 
 through the irregularly metamorphosed rocks of the Coast 
 Range, probably of Neocomian age. The strike is very nearh' 
 east and west — in the Great Eastern, N. 75° \V.; in the Mount 
 Jackson, N. 63° W. The croppings stand almost vertical near 
 the surface, but in depth dip northeasterly. The sandstone 
 
General Plan of 
 GREAT EASTERN MINE. 
 
 c/ierf^ beets 
 
 coar.je 
 
 ■s.s. 
 
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 ^ 40O' 
 
 
 Soo 
 
 FEEr 
 
 I I Serpentine 
 
 1 I Cropjo/rjgs 
 
110 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 foot wall has been considerably eroded, leaving the croppings 
 of the ledge in bold relief. [See Fig. 41.] 
 
 The main shaft is sunk vertically in the sandstone foot wall 
 to a depth of 500 feet, and the cross drifts from the shaft to the 
 vein on the various levels show that no serpentine occurs in 
 the foot wall. The hanging wall is serpentine. The croppings 
 [see Fig. 41] are about 200 feet above the level of the shaft, 
 and were worked through several drifts and cuts. At present 
 all the ore comes from the lower levels. 
 
 On the 500-foot level, a detached ore body has been found, 
 120 feet southwest of the main ore vein, in the foot-wall sand- 
 stone, and has been opened up for about 60 feet, showing 
 good ore. A raise 20 feet high shows that the top of this ore 
 body pitches southeasterly on a strike nearly parallel to that 
 of the main vein. The vein filling is ven," similar to that of 
 the main vein. The country adjacent to the deposit carries 
 a considerable amount of iron pyrites; strong emanations of 
 fire gas render work in this vein ver}- diflScult, as this gas 
 attacks the eyes of the miners. Efforts have been made to 
 collect this gas for analysis, but as yet have not succeeded. 
 On the same level, inten-ening between the main ledge and 
 the serpentine hanging wall, is a ver>' hard crystalline rock of 
 a graj'ish color, showing some slight signs of serpentinization, 
 but having no resemblance to the chalcedonite found in other 
 quicksilver deposits. This hard rock has the advantage of 
 allowing the large stopes to be left without timbering or fill- 
 ing, notwithstanding the mine makes considerable water. On 
 one ore body the stope, from 10 to 35 feet wide, is carried to 
 the surface, being sustained by rock pillars left in the poorer 
 parts of the ledge, Avithout any stulling or filling. The same 
 stope is continued downward about 90 feet below the 500 -foot 
 level. 
 
 A vertical shaft is sunk, starting from the 500-foot level, on 
 the ledge, about 100 feet deep. At the bottom of the shaft in 
 the 5So-foot level the foot wall shows very plainly; the ore 
 makes in places clear to that wall with very little or no 
 gangue. Between the ore-carrying zone and the serpentine 
 hanging wall comes first the hard siliceous rock casing above 
 described, then a much softer zone of somewhat decomposed 
 serpentine, and then the hanging- wall serpentine. [See Fig. 41 .] 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 
 
 Ill 
 
 The ore forms in irregular lenticular bodies, more persistent 
 vertically than horizontall3\ [See Fig. 42.] 
 
 The ledge filling is generally a very hard crystalline rock, 
 fissured and cross-fissured in all directions, and recemented by 
 subsequent depositions. The ore forms principallj' in relativelj^ 
 softer zones in this material. It carries less iron pj-rites in the 
 lower levels than at the surface, and the exudations of sulpho- 
 salts are also much less in the lower levels, rendering the 
 ventilation of the mine a relatively easy matter. In the ledge 
 filling are found bunches of soft, whitish, somewhat unctuous 
 material — a decomposition product. It is impossible, due to 
 the complete decomposition, to determine the character of the 
 original material. The material, locally called "caliche," is 
 sometimes barren, and sometimes carries sensible amounts of 
 
 Fig. 42. Great Eastern Mine— Plau showing the form of the ore bodies. 
 
 cinnabar, but its presence generally indicates the proximity of 
 cinnabar deposits. On the 580-foot level an exposure of the 
 crj'stalline fissured rock carrying cinnabar shows that some of 
 these fissures are rather wide, over an eighth of an inch, and 
 that the rock is recemented by quartz containing no signs of 
 cinnabar. Clearly, then, this recementation took place subse- 
 quent to the cinnabar deposition. 
 
 The absence of gangue, the hard siliceous material on the 
 hanging wall, and the character of the vein filling, all indicate 
 a very strong silicification (cementation) process, but of an 
 entirely different nature from that forming the chalcedonite 
 " quicksilver rock " so often associated with cinnabar deposits. 
 In the levels above the collar of the shaft in the surface crop- 
 pings some opaline rock is found, and the silicification (cemen- 
 
112 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 tationj of the ledge matter is less distinct than in the lower 
 levels. 
 
 The mine is equipped with one 12-ton coarse-ore Maxwell 
 furnace, and one 16-ton fine-ore Hiittner & Scott furnace, using 
 brick and wooden condensers. 
 
 Great Northern Company ♦ — Mayacmas District. W. H. Jordan, 
 president, Xo. 131 1 Claus Spreckels Building, San Francisco. 
 Owns nine claims — Alta, Leota, r^Iinaoka, Little Giant, Colum- 
 bia, Bluejay, Happ}' Hooligan, Wizard, and , in Sec. 2, 
 
 T. 10 N., R. 8 W., and Sec. 33. T. 11 X., R. 8 \V., situated north- 
 east and parallel to the Old Denver. Xo important develop- 
 ment work has as j-et been done on this property. 
 
 Hope Mine. — Mayacmas District. Crown Point Quicksilver 
 Mining Company, owner; S. S. Bogle, secretary-, Santa Rosa, 
 Sonoma County. Includes the Hope Xos. i, 2, and 3 mines, in 
 Sec. 4, T.,io X., R. 8 \V. This group is on the southeastern 
 extension of the Eureka and Socrates belt of croppings. The 
 Hope shaft, very near the northwestern end line, is 80 feet 
 deep, sunk on these croppings, but at present is inaccessible. 
 A tunnel has been run partly on the contact and partly in the 
 serpentine hanging wall. The ledge filling is a siliceous 
 material, with a main Assuring parallel to the strike. At the 
 breast a crosscut shows that this fissure filling is 30 feet wide. 
 At the southeast end of this crosscut a winze 15 feet deep has 
 been sunk, but is at present caved in. There are ver>' few 
 signs of cinnabar in the tunnel or in the material on the dump. 
 
 Hurley Property. — Mayacmas District. Mrs. M. Hurley, 1820 
 Pacific avenue, San Francisco, owner. The property consists 
 of 160 acres in Sees. 4 and 5. T. 10 X., R. 8 W., to the 
 southeast of the old Sonoma mine. In this property is found 
 the continuation of the serpentine belt running through 
 the Sonoma, associated on both sides wnth sandstones. A 
 short surface tunnel near the falls of the creek, close to the 
 west line of the property, shows a ledge having a course nearly 
 X. 45° W., about 30 feet wide, dipping westward. The serpen- 
 tine belt on the property is generally prett}' narrow. Xear the 
 house in the east and west center of the property some crop- 
 pings show on the surface; on these are a shaft 50 feet deep 
 and a caved-in tunnel 150 feet long. It is claimed that some 
 cinnabar ore w^as found in the bottom of the shaft. 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 113 
 
 Lookout Group. — Mayacmas District. Judson Brown, Pine 
 Flat, Sonoma Count}', owner. Includes the Lookout and 
 Diamond claims, in Sec. 32, T. 11 N., R. 8 W.; parallel and 
 adjoining the Eureka Nos. i and 2 to the south. No develop- 
 ment of any importance. 
 
 Lucky Stone Group. — Mayacmas District. C. A. Grimmer, 
 Pine Flat, Sonoma County, owner. Includes the Last Chance, 
 Pay Reef, and Mother Lode claims, in Sec. 4, T. 10 N., R. 8 W., 
 lying parallel and adjoining the Old Denver to the southwest. 
 On the Last Chance, the most northwesterly claim, old work- 
 ings show some cinnabar ore on the contact of serpentine and 
 sandstone. 
 
 Maricoma Mine (Santa Rita). — E. White and others, of Pine 
 Flat, Sonoma County, owners. In Sec. 36, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. 
 Three tunnels have been run on this property; the upper one 
 is 160 feet above the level of the lower tunnel. In the lower 
 tunnel a stope has been raised on an ore body about 6 feet 
 wide, having a serpentine foot wall and a sandstone hanging 
 wall, with a wide gouge on the foot wall, and containing some 
 good cinnabar ore. In the breast of the tunnel the contact 
 carries no cinnabar ore. 
 
 Mercury Mining Company. — Macaymas District. F. A. Hunt- 
 ington, president. No. 330 Montgomery street, San Francisco. 
 Owns the Boulevard, Boulevard Extension, Elizabeth, Espe- 
 ranza, and two other claims northeast of the Socrates mine, 
 and the Prince and Princess southwest thereof. In Sees. 32 
 and 33, T. 11 N., R. 8 W., and Sec. 2, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. No 
 important development work has as yet been done on this 
 property. 
 
 Missouri Mine. — Mayacmas District. L. W. Pittman, The 
 Geysers, Sonoma County, owner. In Sec. 25, T. 1 1 N., R. 9 W. 
 [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 376; Report vState Mining 
 Bureau of Cal., XIII, page 603.] It lies to the northeast 
 of the Culver- Baer propert}'. This mine has been idle for 
 years and all workings are inaccessible. The Culver-Baer 
 Company is cleaning out some of these works to test the value 
 of the property. 
 
 Napa Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sec. 11, T. 10 N., 
 R. s W. Donzel Stoney, 40 Montgomery street, San Fran- 
 cisco, owner. Idle. 
 8— QR 
 
114 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Occidental and Healdsburg Group. — Mayacmas District. In 
 Sec. lo, T. lo N., R. 8 W. J. Stern, No. lo Battery street, 
 San Francisco, owner. Idle. 
 
 Old Chapman Mine. — W. A. Coalson, of Alexander, Sonoma 
 County, owner. It lies in Sees. 25 and 30, T. 10 N., R. 8 W., 
 at the mouth of Sausal Creek canon, on Deer Creek. On the 
 south side of Deer Creek a line of croppings, course about 
 N. 15° W., runs down the slope toward the creek, but the 
 underground works have not disclosed any continuation of 
 ore in depth. 
 
 Pacific Mines (Crystal or Red Cloud). — Mayacmas District. In 
 Sees. 5 and 6, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. This, the northwestern 
 extension of the Sonoma mine, comprises the Crystal, Crystal 
 No. 2, Crystal Extension Nos. i, 2, 3, and 4. Owner, Pacific 
 Mining Company; A. Abbey, 611 Market street, Oakland; 
 A. Anderson, superintendent, Pine Flat, Sonoma County. [See 
 Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 376; Report State Mining Bureau 
 of Cal., XIII, page 603.] The country rock is mostly altered 
 sandstone, through which the same belt of serpentine which is 
 found in the northwestern part of the Sonoma mine runs in 
 about the same strike, N. 48° W. [See Fig. 37.] On the sur- 
 face some croppings show at the southwestern contact of this 
 serpentine belt with the sandstone. A crosscut tunnel (Pacific 
 tunnel), direction nearly north, runs 265 feet below these crop- 
 pings. Starting in the countr}' rock southwest of the serpen- 
 tine, it cuts through another belt of serpentine 40 feet wide, 
 150 feet from the mouth, to the north of which is 60 feet of 
 broken ledge matter (called the Little Vein), upon which, 
 however, no work has been done. At 525 feet the tunnel 
 reaches the foot- wall gouge, then goes through 25 feet of very 
 much broken ledge matter, and at 550 feet reaches the serpen- 
 tine hanging wall, here about 75 feet wide. Short drifts have 
 been run both ways along the hanging wall, but no workable 
 ore bodies have as 3'et been found. The same contact has been 
 found in other workings; the croppings show plainly along the 
 crest of the ridge. A tunnel (A) running along the vein, and 
 starting at the southeast end of the hill, about 66 feet above 
 the level of the Pacific tunnel, has disclosed some promising 
 ore. In this tunnel a shaft 40 feet deep has been sunk, which 
 shows some very good ore. Another tunnel ( A^), about 40 feet 
 
SONOMA COUNTY. 115 
 
 lower, and nearly parallel to tunnel A, has not yet connected 
 with this shaft. 
 
 Pontiac Group. — Mayacmas District. H. S. Beach and E. 
 Warner, of Pine Flat, Sonoma County, and C. Mobley, of 
 Healdsburg, Sonoma County, owners. Consisting of four 
 claims: Pontiac Nos. i, 2, 3, and 4, in Sees. 33 and 34, T. 11 N., 
 R. 8 \V. No important development work has as yet been 
 done on this propert}'. 
 
 Rattlesnake. — Mayacmas District. H. C. Lightner, Parrott 
 Estate, San Francisco, and others, owners. In Sec. 31, T. 11 
 N., R. 8 W. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 376; Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., XIII, page 603.] This mine was 
 worked in 1S74, but is at present abandoned and the workings 
 are inaccessible. In this mine the mercury was nearly exclu- 
 sively found in the native state, as in the Socrates. The country 
 rock, judging from the surface, is altered sedimentaries, with 
 occasional small occurrences of serpentine. 
 
 Socrates Mine. — Mayacmas District. In Sees. 32 and 33, 
 T. II N., R. 8 W., and Sees. 4 and 5, T. 10 N., R. 8 W. It is 
 on the divide between Big Sulphur and Eittle Sulphur creeks, 
 where the road from Calistoga to The Geysers crosses. Owners, 
 W. H. Jordan, No. 131 1 Claus Spreckels Building, San Fran- 
 cisco, F. A. Huntington, and T. W. Nowlin; H. Davey, super- 
 intendent, Guadalupe mine, Santa Clara County. This ledge 
 is on the same contact as the Eureka mine; the croppings show 
 very prominently and can be traced for a considerable distance 
 between the sandstone foot wall and the serpentine hanging 
 wall. The main tunnel [see Fig. 43] is run at a depth of about 
 200 feet below the top of the ridge, starting in the foot wall 
 material, which is decomposed sandstone mixed with shale and 
 clay. The average strike of the ledge is northwest, but the 
 gouge on the foot wall, which in the Eureka mine is very wide, 
 is much thinner; the ledge matter is soft opaline rock, very 
 much fractured and favorable to ore deposition. The quick- 
 .silver occurs mainly as native mercury, the fractures of the 
 opaline rock being filled with native mercury and some cinna- 
 bar, the more compact portion of the rock containing minute 
 globules of native mercury. A "horse" of serpentine about 
 2 feet wide runs through the vein. The ore on the foot-wall 
 gouge is softer and generally richer. In some places bunches 
 
116 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORXIA. 
 
 of native mercurj- are found in the sandstone, especially in the 
 southeast drift. The foot-wall black gouge carries oxides of 
 iron, calcium and magnesium, silica, silicate of magnesium, 
 and some free gases (probably free sulphide of h5'drogen and 
 carbon monoxide), which are ver}- noxious to the miners. The 
 occurrence of the quicksilver almost exclusively in the native 
 state causes unhealthy conditions underground and great loss of 
 mercury in blasting and handling the rock; the recovery of the 
 mercur}' from the ore is also a problem, which has as yet been 
 only partially solved. 
 
 At present the compau}- is passing the ore through a rotarj" 
 roaster, 27 feet long, 5 feet 8 inches in diameter, lined with 
 lo-inch firebrick, having a pitch of 6 inches, using wood as a 
 
 Fig ^3. Socrates Mine. 
 
 fuel. The rotation is very slow, and the draft is so regulated 
 as to control the amount of oxygen permitted to enter the fur- 
 nace. From this roaster the vapors pass through a series of 
 condensers to the stack, where it is claimed that the products 
 of combustion exhaust at 100° F. The results appear to be 
 very satisfactory to the owners. 
 
 Walker Mine. — Near Guerneville, in Sec. 7, T. S N., R. 10 W. 
 L. F. Walker, of Guerneville, Sonoma County, and M. C. 
 Meeker, of Camp Meeker, Sonoma County, owners. Some 
 surface deposits caused a tunnel 560 feet to be driven into the 
 mountain, which at 415 feet from its mouth crosscuts for 60 
 feet a material showing signs of strong silicifacation, and then 
 runs along the supposed center of this material for about 90 
 feet. 
 
YOLO COUNTY. 117 
 
 Wall Springs Mine. - Near Guerneville, in Sec. 30, T. S N., 
 R. 9 W. H. C. Wall, Hilton, Sonoma County, owner; Healds- 
 burg Quicksilver Mining Company, J. C. Hobson, of Hilton, 
 Sonoma County, lessee. A shaft, 70 feet deep, is in process 
 of sinking. It is claimed that the surface material (serpen- 
 tine) carries cinnabar, but in the material excavated from the 
 shaft no signs of cinnabar could be detected. 
 
 YOLO COUNTY. 
 
 New England and Harrison Mines.— Knoxville District. The 
 New England is in Sec. 26, T. 12 N., R. 5 W., and the Har- 
 rison is in Sec. 35, T. 12 N., R. 5 W.; the latter most 
 probably covering the ground of the Grizzly, mentioned by 
 Becker. M. W. Harrison, Knoxville, Napa County, owner. 
 [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, page 363; 
 XIII, page 598.] Both mines lie in serpentine. The minerali- 
 zation is accompanied with silicification, forming a verj' hard 
 opaline material. 
 
 In the New England are abundant signs of decomposition 
 by sulphuric waters. Small blisters with an eggshell envelope, 
 containing oil and sulphur, are found in the rock. Up to the 
 present time, nothing of value has been exposed in this mine. 
 
 The Harrison tunnel was inaccessible. The dump shows 
 the ledge matter to be a very hard opaline, carrying some cr\^s- 
 tals of cinnabar in the seams. 
 
 In the wide serpentine belt to the southwest of the Manhat- 
 tan-Boston line occur croppings of opaline rock which have 
 been prospected for years without any result. 
 
 Reed Mine. — Knoxville District. Including the Royal or 
 Soda Springs mine. Merchants Exchange Bank, San Fran- 
 cisco, owner. In Sees. 23, 25, 26, and 36, T 12 N., R. 5 W, 
 [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 283; Report State Mining 
 Bureau of Cal, XI, page 68.] This property was extensively 
 worked, producing 5650 flasks between 1875 and 1879, but has 
 been idle for a number of years. The works are caved in and 
 inaccessible. The surface geology shows that the deposits in 
 the Reed mine are located close to the line of contact of an 
 area of serpentine with unaltered fossiliferous rocks, the ore 
 bodies being contained in an opaline rock formation. The old 
 works of the Royal mine are located on a dike of the same 
 material, 20 feet wide, cutting through the serpentine. 
 
Cropptngs 
 
 MAP OF THE LITTLE PANOCHE MINING DISTRICT. 
 
DISTRICTS SOUTH OF SAN FRANQSCO. 
 
 FRESNO COUNTY. 
 
 Arambide and Aurecoechea Claims.— These are in Sec. 32, 
 T. 13 S., R. 10 E., and Sec. 5, T. 14 S., R. 10 E. Owner, George 
 Alferitz, care of Dellepiane & Co., 425 Battery street, San 
 Francisco. These claims are situated near the Providential 
 group of mines [see map of Little Panoche Mining District] , 
 in the same formation of metamorphic sandstone, mixed with 
 some shale. In former 3'ears considerable mercury was taken 
 out of this property, but the works are now caved in and inac- 
 cessible, and the furnace is entirely obliterated. 
 
 Mexican Mine. — This comprises three claims (Mexican Mine 
 Xos. I, 2, and 3), in N.E. % of Sec. 22, T. 18 S., R. 13 E. 
 Owner, Manuel Santos, New Idria, San Benito County. The 
 developed part of the property lies in the northwest branch of 
 Cantua Creek, very close to the contact of the metamorphic 
 series and the Chico sandstones to the northeast thereof. 
 While the surface shows almost exclusively serpentine, the 
 underground workings have proven that this rock is in places 
 only a surface covering, the tunnels all passing the serpentine 
 in from 10 to 15 feet and entering into sandstone. 
 
 Tunnel No. i [see Fig. 44] is a short tunnel in sandstone, 
 heavily bedded, with a strike N. 13° W., dip S.W. 80°, through 
 which a seam 6 inches wide cuts on a strike N. 25° W., dip 
 N.E. 40°, carrying cinnabar associated with silica and oxides 
 of iron, oxidation product of iron sulphides. 
 
 Tunnel No. 2, on opposite side of the gulch, after passing 
 through 10 feet of surface serpentine enters into sandstone. 
 This tunnel has a course south, 60 feet long; 20 feet in a side 
 drift runs S. 45° E. about 30 feet, which cuts a narrow seam 
 of ledge matter, course S. 20° W. The breast of the tunnel 
 follows for some feet a fissure from 18 to 24 inches wide, carry- 
 ing cinnabar, the gangue being a dark yellov,' ochery material, 
 indicating that the unaltered ore will be found to carry a great 
 
 (119) 
 
120 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 amount of iron sulphide. About 2 feet from the breast is a 
 shaft 30 feet deep on a narrow seam of ore. 
 
 A little above a line from Xo. i to Xo. 2 in the gulch is an 
 open cut 8 feet deep, showing fissures in the sandstone, dip- 
 ping northeast, filled with silica and seams of cinnabar asso- 
 ciated with iron sulphide. 
 
 FIG 44. 
 FLAN or 
 
 n£X/CAN M/NE 
 
 F/?fSNO CO UN TV 
 
 Below and to the northeast of these works in the gulch are 
 two tunnels: Xo. 4, running N. 10° W., 75 feet; then S. So*^ \\'., 
 50 feet; projected to reach under Xo. i. This tunnel is entirely 
 in slate, but at the breast sandstone is coming in the roof. The 
 lower tunnel, Xo. 5, 300 feet long, course nearly east and 
 west, is entirely in slate. Xeither of these tunnels has reached 
 the ore deposits as yet. 
 
FRESNO COUNTY. 121 
 
 Providential Group* — Owners, Thomas Flint, J. J. Croxon, 
 B. P. Stephenson, N. C. Briggs, A. Johnson, B. Vargas, of Hol- 
 lister, San Benito County. This group consists of seven claims. 
 [See map of Little Panoche Mining District.] The country rock 
 is metamorphic sandstone intermixed with some shale. The 
 strike of the sandstone is prominently north and south; that 
 of the shales east and west. The sandstones and shales have 
 a bluish-gray color. In the sandstone occur narrow, irregular 
 seams of white quartz. A more or less intricate system of 
 leached zones runs through the sandstone, which is apparently 
 leached to a dull white color by the action of some percolating 
 solution. The cinnabar is found in these zones, which is 
 accompanied by nearly continuous seams, from i to 2 feet 
 wide, of quartz colored brown b}- iron and in places forming very 
 large, perfect quartz crystals, indicating a deposition in open 
 places. The zones contain a great amount of oxide of iron, 
 forming yellow ocher and principall}' red oxide. The cinnabar 
 is found intimately associated with the red oxide. The crop- 
 pings are prominently indicated by the quartz seams. The 
 country rock is soft and has been very deeply eroded into ver}' 
 steep and deep gulches, and the course of the ledges is in places 
 obscured by probable slides. Their course is indicated on the 
 accompanying map. The material is ver}- deceptive. Rela- 
 tively very little cinnabar can be seen in the ledge filling, even 
 with a glass; but on washing the material, rich in disinte- 
 grated iron oxide, proves it to contain considerable amounts of 
 cinnabar. 
 
 The principal work has been done on the Providential and 
 Gabilan claims. In the former an incline shaft has been sunk 
 near the bottom of the gulch at a place where the ledge splits 
 in two. This shaft, course N. 74° E., on an incline of about 
 50°, is run along a slip, which stands nearly vertical and shows 
 considerable cinnabar. The bottom of the shaft is almost 
 entirely in a black gouge. A drift has been started S. 74° W'., 
 to undercut the ground vertically under the collar of the shaft. 
 The sandstone is an arkose, nearly unaltered sandstone. The 
 work on the Gabilan, 880 feet higher, is on the top of the main 
 ridge; there is a shaft about 25 feet deep and some shallow 
 cuts, showing the same leached sandstone, wnth the quartz 
 seam running through the center of the mineralized zone; the 
 
122 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 course of the ledge is here X. 54^ E., the dip 60^ southeasterly. 
 Some work has been done on the Buena Vista, southwest of the 
 Providential, showing the ledge to run north, dipping east 60°, 
 about 3 feet wide. The connection of this ledge with that of 
 the Providential can not, however, be traced on the surface. 
 
 KINGS COUNTY. 
 
 The mine (no name) in the X.W. ^ of the S.W. ^( of 
 Sec. 22, T. 22 S., R. 16 E., belonging to F. W. Hunter, C. F. 
 Francis, and G. H. French, of Parkfield, Monterey County, is 
 situated on Avenal Creek, east of Table Mountain, 14 miles from 
 Parkfield. The mine is at the contact of the serpentine and 
 the Chico sandstone. This contact forms a mass of rubble, 
 gravel, and partly cemented material, intermixed with bowl- 
 ders of sandstone and serpentine, and claj-, which it is claimed 
 on washing proves to contain cinnabar. There is a gray 
 sandstone resembling the sandstone carrj-ing cinnabar in the 
 Oceanic mine, which also here shows cinnabar. This material 
 is found underlaid by cemented gravel pebbles. 
 
 The serpentine on the south bank of the creek has all the 
 appearances of being a slide from the side of Table Mountain, 
 and has apparently pushed up the adjoining sandstone beds 
 and been partly projected within those beds. The countrj'^ 
 has no mining timber, but a fair supplj' of fuel timber. 
 
 The mine (no name) in the S.E. J4 of the X.W. }.{ of Sec. 
 28, T. 22 S., R. 16 E., belonging to H. Dawson, of Lemoore, 
 Kings County, is on Table Mountain, 13 miles from Parkfield, 
 Monterey County. There is a shaft about 10 feet deep on 
 some fair croppings, but showing as yet no permanent forma- 
 tion. 
 
 The mine (no name) in the X.W. ^4 and X. }4 of the S.W 
 ^ of Sec. 28, T. 22 S., R. 16 E., belonging to F. \V. Hunter, 
 C. F. Francis, and G. H. French, of Parkfield, Monterey County, 
 and Mrs. A. Smith, of Lemoore, Kings County, is on Table 
 Mountain, 13 miles from Parkfield, Monterey County. There 
 are a number of shallow surface openings on croppings which 
 show some cinnabar, but in no place has any permanent forma- 
 tion been disclosed. 
 
MONTEREY COUNTY. 123 
 
 MONTEREY COUNTY. 
 
 Cholame Parkfield Mine. — In Sec. 35, T. 22 S., R. 14 E., and 
 Sec. 2, T. 23 S., R. 14 E.; 6 miles from Parkfield, and 32 miles 
 from the railroad at San Miguel. Owners, L. S. Patriquin, 
 G. W. Ford, and G. W. B. Anderson, of Parkfield, ^lonterey 
 County. This property consists of three claims, covering 4500 
 feet by 600 feet in width, in a course X. 60° W., following as 
 closely as possible a contact of serpentine and highly meta- 
 morphosed rocks of the Franciscan series. The outcrop of 
 these metamorphics is not ver>^ large. At both ends of the 
 property the surface is entirely in serpentine, which formation 
 forms the prominent surface rock of the vicinity abutting 
 against the Chico sandstone. It is highly silicified, and in 
 many cases only a surface flow; fiequently small areas of 
 Franciscan sandstone crop through the serpentine, while in 
 the gulches evidence can be found that shales underlie the 
 serpentine. The contact crosses a side ridge of the main 
 mountain range and the outcrop of the metamorphic rocks 
 covers the apex of this ridge. The contact has been reached 
 by two tunnels starting respectively from the southwest and 
 the northeast side of the ridge, both at about the same level, 
 350 feet below the highest point. The tunnel from the south- 
 west has just reached the contact at a distance of 964 feet from 
 its mouth, showing some cinnabar at the contact. The tunnel 
 from the northeast reaches the same contact 330 feet from the 
 mouth, and has been driven about 500 feet northwesterly along 
 the contact, showing some ore in several places. The line of 
 contact is very irregular, generally without any gouge, but 
 where there is any gouge, the slickensides show movements in 
 various directions, vertical and horizontal. The sandstone is 
 verj' much fractured and has been recemented by quartz, calcite, 
 and gypsum. Part of the serpentine has been highly silicified, 
 altered into a chalcedonic material. The cinnabar forms 
 principally in the fractured sandstone, but also occasionally in 
 the serpentine close to the contact. The tunnel from the south- 
 west side demonstrates that the cinnabar deposition in the 
 altered Franciscan sandstones is by no means restricted to the 
 contact. Several large ore pockets have been found in this 
 tunnel over 400 feet from the contact, and about 100 feet there- 
 from a peculiar deposit carr>-ing a very high percentage of free 
 
121 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 sulphur, through which cinnabar is disseminated, -was cut and 
 followed for a few feet. The metamorphic rocks are very- 
 much shattered; large crevices, probably resulting from earth- 
 quakes, are frequently found. The entire formation has an 
 ochery character from oxidized iron sulphides, and in several 
 places can be seen the effects of the high heat resulting from 
 the oxidation of these sulphides. There are several surface 
 cuts wherein good ore has been found on the contact. The 
 richest surface deposit, carrying exceedingly rich ore in altered 
 sandstone, is cut off by a body of serpentine. A tunnel run 50 
 feet below this deposit shows a most irregular formation — flint, 
 serpentine, then a broken mass of bowlders of flint and meta- 
 morphosed sandstone mixed with clay, then again serpentine, 
 but no signs of ore. This rich surface deposit, showing seams 
 of nearly pure cinnabar and metacinnabarite in fracture planes 
 of flinty rock, is clearly not in place, but from where it has 
 moved to its present position is as yet an open question. The 
 neighborhood is very sparsely timbered, both in regard to 
 mining timber and for fuel purposes. 
 
 Dutro Mine. — This is in the San Carpojo district, in the south- 
 west corner of Monterey County, two miles in an air line from 
 the ocean, at the head of the west fork of San Carpojo Creek, 
 in the S.W. % of the S.E. % of Sec. 28, T. 24 S., R. 6 E. 
 Owner, Frank Dutro Martinez, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara 
 County; G. E. Van Gordon, of Cambria, San Luis Obispo 
 County, lessee. This property is situated on a line of croppings 
 running nearly east and west, in silicified Franciscan sand- 
 stone. As far as can be judged the ledge has a southern dip. 
 On the property is a shaft which is claimed to be 100 feet deep 
 and a drift about 40 feet on the ledge. These works are caved 
 in. Judging from the material on the dump the ledge matter 
 is of a flinty character, carrjdng sensible amounts of cinnabar. 
 The vicinity is well watered and timbered. 
 
 Table Mountain Quicksilver Mine. — This property is 12 miles 
 from Parkfield, and 38 miles from the railroad at San Miguel; 
 in Sec. 30, T. 23 S., R. 15 E. Owner, G. W. White, of Park- 
 field, Monterey County. This mine is located on top of Table 
 Mountain. The surface is nearly exclusivel}- serpentine. The 
 works are located nearly in the center of the claim; the lowest 
 tunnel at about 100 feet below the top of the mountain. At 
 present only one tunnel, 50 feet long, in decomposed serpentine, 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 125 
 
 course X. 60" E., is accessible. On the left side it shows, over a 
 distance of 30 feet, a seam carrying cinnabar, slightly dipping to 
 the northwest. In the decomposed serpentine are found bowl- 
 ders of flinty quartz carrying some cinnabar, but no permanent 
 formation has as yet been reached. At the southeast end of the 
 claim a shaft 10 feet deep has been sunk on a chalcedonic 
 material showing some cinnabar. Between these two work- 
 ings a tunnel has been started, course N. 40° E., in shale, 130 
 feet long, the breast being in decomposed serpentine. Below 
 the entrance of this tunnel the Chico sandstone is found abut- 
 ting against the serpentine. No ore has as yet been found in 
 this tunnel. 
 
 SAN BENITO COUNTY. 
 
 San Benito Count}' is traversed by two parallel mountain 
 ranges, the Gabilan and the Mount Diablo, which unite south of 
 the county in Monterey County. Only in the latter — the eastern 
 range — have quicksilver deposits of any consequence as yet 
 been developed. The^- may be segregated into three districts: 
 The New Idria district, in the southeastern part of the county ; 
 the Stayton district, in the extreme northeastern corner, taking 
 in small portions of Merced and Santa Clara counties; and a 
 third district, situated nearly in the center of the county in 
 the mountain cluster between San Benito creek on the west 
 and Tres Pinos and Panoche creeks on the east, which might 
 properly be called the Central San Benito district. The 
 geology of the districts will be treated separately. [See, also. 
 Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XI, page 370.] They 
 are not referred to in geographical sequence, owing to the 
 alphabetical arrangement of the respective mines in this 
 bulletin. 
 
 Central San Benito District. — This district contains only a few 
 scattered mines on which development work has been per- 
 formed. It is located in the Mount Diablo range, which con- 
 sists mainly of rocks of the Franciscan series, in places 
 covered by or adjacent to younger formations. Its geological 
 features are mentioned in the descriptions of the Bradford and 
 Cerro Bonito mines, the two principal mines of the district. The 
 country- is well timbered, both for mining and fuel purposes. 
 The railroad outlet is at Tres Pinos. 
 
 New Idria District. — The New Idria, San Carlos, Sulphur 
 Spring, and Molina mines in this district were discovered in the 
 
126 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 early 5o"s by miners who had worked near the present site of 
 the Aurora mine on what was at first supposed to be a silver 
 mine, but which proved to be a deposit of chrome iron. 
 
 The geological map of the quicksilver district in the southern 
 portion of San Benito County shows that this district contains 
 a belt of metamorphic rocks having a general northwest strike, 
 bounded on both sides by Chico formations, and consisting of 
 a belt of serpentine in the center, having to the northeast a 
 rather narrow belt of metamorphic rocks, mainly sandstone, 
 and to the southeast a much wider belt of metamorphic rocks, 
 containing, however, much more slate. The main deposits of 
 quicksilver ores are located very close to the contact of the 
 serpentine with these sandstones and shales. They form tw^o 
 parallel lines, one comprising the San Carlos, Aurora, and New 
 Idria mines, and the other the Picachos, Andy Johnson, and 
 Clear Creek mines. The Don Juan and Don Miguel mines are 
 outside of this contact belt, entirely in the metamorphic shales 
 and sandstones. 
 
 The mineralized deposits at New Idria are situated on a line 
 having a general northwestern trend. Between the New Idria 
 and San Carlos deposits, which are extensively developed, are 
 the Sulphur Spring and Molina mines, the former being the 
 only one found immediately in contact with the serpentine on 
 this line. The country' rock of the New Idria and the San 
 Carlos is ver>' similar; the rocks found in the lower tunnel of 
 the San Carlos are strikingly similar to those found in the New 
 Idria mine. The geological map of this section indicates that 
 the high peaks of the New Idria and San Carlos are formed of 
 sandstones and shales, while surrounded by serpentine. This 
 serpentine is generally a hard, light-colored variety, only occa- 
 sionally changed by silicification into black opaline rock. West 
 of San Carlos Peak is the Aurora mine, entirely surrounded by 
 serpentine. 
 
 Close to the metamorphic series the Chico is sensibly dis- 
 turbed, but only for a belt not over looo feet wide, past which 
 the Chico beds of drab-colored sandstone can be seen outcrop- 
 ping very regularl}' at the surface. 
 
 The serpentine is by far the prevailing rock of the meta- 
 morphic series. There are indications that in places the ser- 
 pentine appearing at the surface is only a surface occurrence 
 and does not persist in depth, as will be seen later herein, and 
 also in the description of the Mexican mine, Fresno County, 
 
/A^tHH Si ^ 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 
 
 127 
 
 situated on the northeastern contact of the same belt of the 
 metamorphic series. The serpentinization of the rock is very 
 irregular, and sometimes very light, while in other places the 
 rock is a talcose, bluish-green serpentine, with a more or less 
 conchoidal fracture. Inclusions of bodies of sandstone and 
 shale are found in the serpentine. On a ridge over a mile long, 
 having a course about S. 30° W., running from the divide south 
 of the San Carlos, along the headwaters of Clear Creek toward 
 the Picachos, and at the surface entirely formed of serpentine, 
 all gradations from sandstone to serpentine are found. In one 
 inclusion of a yellow sandstone, at least 100 feet by 50 feet at 
 the surface, seams of serpentine over a fourth of an inch wide 
 cutting through 
 the sandstone can 
 be seen. The ac- 
 companying pho- 
 tograph (No. 11) 
 of a thin section 
 (enlarged) con- 
 clusively proves 
 the serpentiniza- 
 tion of the sand- 
 stone. In the belt 
 between the ser- 
 pentine and the 
 Chico, a great part 
 of the sandstone 
 is so thoroughly 
 recrystallized by 
 metamorphic ac- 
 tion that it is very 
 difficult to decide in the field whether the material is meta- 
 morphic sedimentary^ or eruptive. 
 
 In the lower part of Clear Creek near its entrance into the 
 San Benito, a conglomerate is found on the hills, containing 
 pebbles of all kinds of rocks, including serpentine. This 
 region must have been a lake of large dimensions, as conglom- 
 erate is found 1 100 feet above the level of Hernandez. Another 
 appearance of conglomerate is found overlying metamorphic 
 sandstones and shales, at an elevation of 4700 feet (2150 feet 
 above Hernandez), forming the highest point of the mountain 
 cluster, which forms the big bend of San Benito Creek, south 
 of the Picachos (Dominic Peak). 
 
 PHOTO No. n. Thin Section of Sandstone and 
 
 Serpentine from Xew Idria District. 
 
 41 Diameters. 
 
*i>llciili .ilcyivJijy 
 
 t: ^A/. 
 
 n 
 
 t ' ■ 
 
 I 
 
 r jh cr o af "y 
 
 T 
 1 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 
 
 127 
 
 situated on the northeastern contact of the same belt of the 
 metamorphic series. The serpentinization of the rock is very 
 irregular, and sometimes very light, ^vhile in other places the 
 rock is a talcose, bluish-green serpentine, with a more or less 
 conchoidal fracture. Inclusions of bodies of sandstone and 
 shale are found in the serpentine. On a ridge over a mile long, 
 having a course about S. 30° W., running from the divide south 
 of the San Carlos, along the headwaters of Clear Creek toward 
 the Picachos, and at the surface entirely formed of serpentine, 
 all gradations from sandstone to serpentine are found. In one 
 inclusion of a yellow sandstone, at least 100 feet b}' 50 feet at 
 the surface, seams of serpentine over a fourth of an inch wide 
 cutting through 
 the sandstone can 
 be seen. The ac- 
 companj'ing pho- 
 tograph (Xo. 11) 
 of a thin section 
 (enlarged) con- 
 clusively proves 
 the serpentiniza- 
 tion of the sand- 
 stone. In the belt 
 between the ser- 
 pentine and the 
 Chico, a great part 
 of the sandstone 
 is so thoroughly 
 recrystallized by 
 metamorphic ac- 
 tion that it is very 
 difficult to decide in the field whether the material is meta- 
 morphic sedimentary or eruptive. 
 
 In the lower part of Clear Creek near its entrance into the 
 San Benito, a conglomerate is found on the hills, containing 
 pebbles of all kinds of rocks, including serpentine. This 
 region must have been a lake of large dimensions, as conglom- 
 erate is found 1 100 feet above the level of Hernandez. Another 
 appearance of conglomerate is found overlying metamorphic 
 sandstones and shales, at an elevation of 4700 feet (2150 feet 
 above Hernandez), forming the highest point of the mountain 
 cluster, which forms the big bend of San Benito Creek, south 
 of the Picachos (Dominic Peak). 
 
 PHOTO No. 11. Thin Section of Sandstone and 
 
 Serpentine from New Idria District. 
 
 41 Diameters. 
 
12S QUICKSILVER RESOUKCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Along the lower course of Clear Creek and its drainage 
 serpentine and metamorphic sandstones are very intricately 
 mixed. For a considerable distance the creek and its tributa- 
 ries have cut their beds in the serpentine, while above on the 
 ridges sandstone is extensively represented, indicating that 
 the serpentine underlies the sandstone, which latter is generally 
 strongly silicified. The serpentine itself is generally silicified 
 to a certain extent, and the entire formation, at the surface 
 where the serpentine shows, looks as though the sandstone 
 has been eroded. Part of the serpentine is denuded of vege- 
 tation, and the material has deteriorated into a granular 
 mass ; but a great portion of the serpentine territory is covered 
 with brush. In some places in the region between Clear Creek 
 and San Benito Creek, the barren serpentine is capped by a few 
 feet of ferruginous chert, containing so much iron that the 
 entire rock has a brownish-red color. These patches are 
 covered with brush, and as the soil in the part of the serpentine 
 belt covered with brush has a much darker appearance than 
 that of the barren ground, which is light yellow to white, it 
 must be supposed that the iron contents of the serpentine have 
 a certain influence on the growth of brush. Whether the iron 
 content is due to the character of the rock which has been 
 serpentinized is as yet an open question. 
 
 The schists of the older series are found in a few places — in 
 the bottom of Clear Creek Caiion just above and below the 
 Clear Creek mine, and in San Benito Creek, near the south- 
 east corner of Sec. 22, T. i8 S., R. II E. In Clear Creek Canon 
 the schists underlie the serpentine, and are partly ver3^ much 
 distorted, but their strike is about N. 45° E., dip nearly verti- 
 cal southeast. In San Benito Cafion they are exposed on the 
 east side of the creek, the opposite side being formed of thinly 
 bedded shales, probabh- belonging to the Chico, having a south- 
 east strike and a southwest dip. The schists are not very 
 wide, and are inclosed in sandstones. Another small cropping 
 of schist is found a little higher up the creek at the New York 
 mine. 
 
 In San Benito Canon, near the Don Juan mine, the non- 
 conformity of the metamorphic series, with a strike nearly east 
 and west and a dip south, and the Chico on the other side of 
 the creek, with a strike S. 45°-6o° E., dip southwest, is strik- 
 ingly illustrated. Going up the canon above the old retort of 
 the Don Juan mine the metamorphic shales can be seen under- 
 
I I Serpenlirg 
 
 I I /ie/omorp/>. 
 
 \ I Aoi^ Igneous 
 
 t i Bos/c /gneous 
 
 Geolojo' l>y Wi". Korstiier, E.M. 
 
 Geological Map of Stayton Mining District. 
 
 Issued by the California State Mining Bureau— Lewis E. Aubury. State Mineralogist, 1903. 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 129 
 
 lying the sandstones, which form nearly the entire surface of 
 Dominic Peak, the mountain between the elbow of San Benito 
 and Picachos creeks, except at its highest point (4720 feet), 
 1900 feet above the creek, which is covered by a conglomerate, 
 traces of which can be found nowhere on the mountain side. 
 Part of the sandstone is only slightly silicified, principally by 
 quartz seams in the fractures; but on the southern part of the 
 top of this hill, jasper is found in sensible quantity, while this 
 formation is rare on the hillsides. The sandstones are non- 
 conformable with the underlying shales. The chert beds are 
 almost entirely absent in this region. Only one very small 
 exposure in the lower part of Clear Creek has been observed, 
 which contains a great amount of iron oxide. Jasper is also 
 but slightly represented. In fact the silicification process has 
 not been so intense in this region as in other parts of the 
 quicksilver belt. The question might arise whether this 
 phenomenon has any connection with the small representation 
 of igneous rocks and the absence of mineral springs in this 
 region. The small extent of the later opalizing silicification is 
 also to be noted, no belts of opaline rock being found in close 
 proximity to the ore deposits, while such rocks are found to 
 some extent in the mass of serpentine. 
 
 The district is from 60 to 70 miles distant from the railroad 
 at Tres Pinos, San Benito County, with which it is connected 
 by two good roads from New Idria via Vallecitos Canon, and 
 from Hernandez down San Benito Creek. 
 
 The supply of timber is rather scarce. The price of cord- 
 wood is from $5 to $6.50 per cord; round mining timber, 11 
 inches at the small end, costs 12 cents and over per linear foot; 
 square timber, including freight from railroad ($12 to ^18 per 
 ton), costs $40 and over per 1000 feet (B. M.). 
 
 Stayton District. — This district is situated in the corner of 
 San Benito, Merced, and Santa Clara counties, and comprises 
 parts of these three counties, but being principally in San 
 Benito County is included within the latter. [See geological 
 map of the Stayton District.] 
 
 The surface rock of this district is prominently of igneous 
 origin and except in the northwestern part the underlying 
 sedimentaries are almost exclusively found in the bottoms of 
 the deeply -eroded gulches. The post-Tertiary igneous rocks 
 vary greatly in character; from very fine-grained, dark-colored 
 basic, basaltic rocks, to very fine-grained, hard, nearly white 
 
 9— QR 
 
130 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 acidic rocks. The great majority is, however, a light grayish- 
 colored porphj^ritic rock, which Whitney [see Geology of Cali- 
 fornia, page 46] classified as trachyte, but which closely 
 answers the asperites described by Becker. [See Mon. XIII, 
 page 151.] There is no doubt that this district has been the 
 locus of repeated igneous eruptions, and that these different 
 igneous rocks represent various stages of magmatic differentia- 
 tion. [See Prof. \V. Brogger, Q. J. of the Geol. Society, 
 vol. L, page 29, and vol. LII, page 607 and following; J. P. Idd- 
 ings, ibid., page 609, and Bull. Phil. Soc. of Wash., vol. XII, 
 page 151.] 
 
 The sedimentar\' rocks belong to the metamorphic series, 
 prominently sandstones. At one place at the northwest foot 
 of Mariposa Peak, a small exposure of chert was found. 
 Some shales are also exposed, and at one place in I,os Banos 
 Creek, at the foot of the grade of the road from Staj'ton to 
 lyOS Banos, a fine compact conglomerate is found which may 
 probabl}' represent the conglomerate forming the basal mem- 
 ber of the metamorphic series, as described by Fairbanks. 
 [See Bull. Geol. Soc. of America, vol. VI.] This conglomer- 
 ate must not be confounded with the coarse conglomerate 
 forming at present in the beds of some creeks. Only at one 
 place in the northwest corner of the district, in the old Com- 
 stock property, is an exposure of serpentine noted, and this 
 not over 1000 feet wide, abutting to the w^est against schist 
 and to the east against a flow of basalt. 
 
 There are no hot springs in the district, but in the western 
 belt, sulphur emanations, principally carrying antimonious ores, 
 are very prominent, and the ledge matter and part of the wall 
 rocks in all the metalliferous deposits have been so thoroughh- 
 leached by sulphurous waters that the determination of their 
 original composition is extremel}^ difficult, if not impossible. 
 
 The ore deposition is undoubtedly posterior to the eruption 
 and consolidation of the volcanic rocks. At one place in the 
 Staj-ton mine, cinnabar can be found replacing some leached 
 minerals in the igneous rocks. 
 
 The district is about 16 miles from the railroad at Hollister, 
 San Benito County. The vicinity is practically void of mining 
 timber, but there is ample fuel timber at $3 per cord. 
 
 The following claims as nvimbered on the map are in this 
 district: i. Santa Cruz; 2. Mariposa; 3. Green Valley; 4. F, 
 Smith; 5. Cold Spring; 6. McLeod; 7. Badger; 8. Fairplay; 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 131 
 
 9. Santa Clara; 10. Pacific; 11. Last Chance; 12. North Star; 
 13. Stayton. 
 
 Andy Johnson Mine. — New Idria District, in Sec. 13, T. 18 S., 
 R. 11 E., and Sec. 18, T. 18 S., R. 12 E. Thomas Flint, owner, 
 Hollister. This mine is located on the line of croppings men 
 tioned in the general description of the district, running from 
 the Picachos to the Clear Creek mine. All the old works are 
 inaccessible. 
 
 Aurora Mine ( formerly Morning Star ) . — New Idria District. In 
 Sec. 5, T. 18 S., R. 12 E. Owners, A. Leonard, San Benito; 
 Thomas Flint, Hollister; Estate of Ig. Ceseiio; S. E. Sadler, 
 No. 34 Steuart street, San Francisco; bonded to the Aurora 
 Quicksilver Mining Company, B. J. Potter, president. No. 165 
 East Twelfth street, Oakland. Contains eight claims, the 
 Aurora, Leonard, Molly O, Morgan, Aurora Extension, Morn- 
 ing Star, Sadler, and Traction. This property was discovered 
 in 1853 and efforts have been made at different times to pros- 
 pect it. The property is located on a line of croppings having 
 a course S. 15° E., situated south of San Carlos Creek at the 
 foot of San Carlos Peak, and running up about half wa)^ to 
 the top of the divide between San Carlos and Clear creeks. 
 These croppings are about 600 feet long and from 50 to 100 
 feet wide. Their course prolonged to the northwest would 
 come very close to the New Idria mine. They are entirely 
 surrounded by serpentine, and no other rock is found at the 
 surface; neither do the short tunnels and shallow open cuts on 
 the mine show any other material. The upper tunnel, 10 feet 
 long, is 275 feet above the furnace. Another tunnel, 25 feet 
 long, near the bed of the creek, is 25 feet above the same level. 
 Both show only serpentine. There is a large open cut on the 
 hillside in the croppings, from which some ore has been taken. 
 Above the latter is an open cut, 200 feet above the furnace 
 level, which is about 100 feet long and 30 feet high. The 
 course of its face is about northeast. In the northeastern half, 
 a horizontal stratum of opalized serpentine 3 feet wide and 
 carrying seams of cinnabar is found. This property is equipped 
 with a two-chamber Fitzgerald furnace. 
 
 Bradford Mine (formerly Cerro Gordo). — Central San Benito 
 District. In Sees. 3, 4, and 9, T. 15 S., R. 8 E. Owner, H. R. 
 Bradford, No. 7 North Market street, San Jose. This mine lies 
 on Tres Pinos Creek. The drainage of this creek is, up to 
 about one mile below the mine, in gravel beds lying nearly 
 
132 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 horizontal. At Johnson's place, sandstone appears on the 
 south side of the creek, in narrow beds standing nearly vertical. 
 The sandstone belt runs along the west side of the propert}-; to 
 the east lies a wide belt of serpentine. Both the sandstone and 
 the serpentine have a northwesterly strike. The serpentine 
 as found in the mine workings dips northeast. [See Fig. 45.] 
 
 Elev.of collar 2280 
 
 Section 
 
 Tunnel 
 
 jnclmedShoH 
 
 plan 
 
 
 Fig. 45. Workings. Bradford Mine. 
 
 The western part of the serpentine consists of a highh- silicified 
 belt of varying width, in part opaline rock, carn.-ing some 
 cinnabar. Between this belt and the sandstone is a wide belt 
 of black gouge, and at least one other belt of black gouge has 
 been found in tunnel No. 2 in the silicified serpentine. The 
 width of the contact gouge between the sandstone and the 
 overlying serpentine is not known, but from surface indications 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 133 
 
 it must be rather wide. Where crosscut at the bottom of the 
 shaft [see Fig. 45] , the opalized serpentine between the gouges 
 is only 16 feet wide. The next gouge is at that place 160 feet 
 wide. This opalized serpentine crops out in a northwestern 
 direction past the boundar}' of the property, and north of the 
 creek. It carries some cinnabar, but as yet no body of work- 
 able ore has been found. 
 
 The incline shaft, following the contact of the opalized ser- 
 pentine with the underlying gouge, has been sunk 200 feet on 
 the incline. A tunnel has been run 160 feet vertically below 
 the collar of this shaft; it is 535 feet long, and reaches under 
 the shaft, but follows the contact of the opalized serpentine 
 and the overlying gouge. No ore bodies have been disclosed 
 by this work; however, the serpentine carries some cinnabar 
 throughout. 
 
 The surrounding country is well timbered. The mine is 18 
 miles from Tres Pinos railroad station, connected by a good 
 wagon road. The existence of cinnabar in the locality was 
 discovered in 1859 as an incident of the work of constructing 
 a wagon road by the New Idria Mining Company, and much 
 effort by various parties has since been expended in the pros- 
 pecting and development of the early find. 
 
 Butts Mine. — Central San Benito District. In Sec. 4, T. 16 S., 
 R. 8 E. Wm. Butts, of Pine Rock, San Benito County, owner. 
 The country rock is a coarse sandstone, through which cuts a 
 ledge having a course nearly southwest, dipping north about 
 50°, wherein some sandstone occurs; seams of silica fill the 
 fractures of the sandstone, and carry a great amount of iron 
 oxides. The formation in the neighborhood of this ledge is 
 very irregular; shales, chert, and some serpentine are found all 
 intricatel}' mixed up. Except near the croppings of the ledge 
 no workable ores have as yet been found. A tunnel 300 feet 
 long has been run, and a shallow shaft about 20 feet deep has been 
 sunk. The property is equipped with a 2 Q retort furnace. 
 The neighborhood of the property contains some fuel timber, 
 but little mining timber. The distance from Tres Pinos rail- 
 road station is 21 miles by a good wagon road. 
 
 Cannon Mine. — Central San Benito District. In Sec. 4, T. 15 S., 
 R. 8 W. A. C. Cannon, of Emmett, San Benito County, 
 owner. This property lies adjacent to and north of the Bradford, 
 
184 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 on the same croppings. A drift 130 feet long has been run, 
 with a winze 30 feet deep in the silicified serpentine. At the 
 bottom of the winze is a drift 90 feet long, showing that the 
 serpentine carries some cinnabar, but without disclosing a pay 
 shoot. 
 
 T15S. EWE. 
 
 CERRO BENITO MINE 
 
 Cerro Bonito Mine. — Central San Benito District. In Sec. 31, 
 T. 15 S., R. 10 E., and Sec. 6, T. 16 S., R. 10 E. Cerro Bonito 
 Quicksilver Company, owner; H. R. Bradford, No. 7 North 
 Market street, San Jose, general manager; James Tread- 
 well, San Francisco, president; S. T. Kennedy, Llanada, San 
 Benito County, superintendent. This mine was opened about 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 135 
 
 1874 and worked by the old Cerro Bonito Company until 1876. 
 It is stated that the mine has produced about 800 flasks. 
 
 The present company, organized September, 1902, has been 
 working this property since then, and is at present reopening 
 the main tunnel. This work has proceeded to a length of 
 650 feet, the entire length of the tunnel being 930 feet. This 
 tunnel, as far as opened, is in the black gouge mixed with 
 some sandstone; from a shoot connecting with the old upper 
 works, some jaspery material has come down, showing some 
 cinnabar. The companj^ is also refitting the old 25-ton coarse- 
 ore furnace. The old workings consist of a great amount of 
 surface work and numerous underground works, which are 
 largely inaccessible; but those which can be entered show 
 development to have been very extensive. Up to the present 
 time the company has not reopened any large ore bodies. 
 
 The entire geology of the neighborhood is verj^ complicated, 
 and from what is disclosed in the works that can be entered, 
 no sufficient data can be collected to give a satisfactory^ and 
 clear description of the geology. Between the property and 
 Panoche Valley is a flow of basalt — probably a surface flow. 
 This appears, judged from surface indications, to be the only 
 igneous rock in the vicinity. The top of Cerro Bonito Hill, 
 which rises steeply, is surrounded by two lines of bluffs [see 
 map of the Cerro Bonito mine] , one forming the top itself, the 
 other from 200 to 300 feet lower and much more prominent, 
 especially on the north and northwest sides, where in places the 
 bluffs are 100 feet high. These bluffs are formed of a hard silice- 
 ous material, most probably a metamorphic breccia recemented 
 by silicification. Some black opaline rock is found through this 
 rock, and occasionally some sandstone. The true relation 
 between this breccia and the bedded sandstone can not be 
 traced from the present accessible development works. In 
 three places the breccia overlies the regularly bedded sand- 
 stone. Going northwest from the southern part of the prop- 
 erty these places are: 
 
 First — Sandstone tunnel (^) [see map], an extensive and 
 intricate network of underground drifts, winzes, and shafts, in 
 sandstone. At their western end a gouge is found dipping 
 from 10° to 15° in a westerly direction and carrying some ser- 
 pentine coming in from the roof and overlying the sandstone 
 which lies in nearly horizontal regular beds, especially in the 
 
136 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 western part of the works; near the mouth of the works some 
 nearly vertical narrow seams of quartz cut through the sand- 
 stone. 
 
 Second — Farther northwest is an open cut (/), from which 
 extensive works run into the hill. In one of these the breccia 
 is found overlying the sandstone, dipping about 30*^ N., 40^^ E. 
 This breccia is found continuous to the old open cut works and 
 carries cinnabar all through, overl3dng a stratum of serpentine. 
 Third — Northeast of this work is a long tunnel {h) running 
 in a southwesterl}' direction. In this tunnel sandstone is found 
 underlying the breccia, which is for long distances replaced by 
 black gouge. Near the end of the opened part of the tunnel, 
 which is 815 feet long, the cross-section is in horizontally 
 bedded sandstone, with narrow seams of black clay and quartz, 
 which underlies the black gouge. On the hillside above this 
 tunnel are prominent croppings of the breccia. 
 
 The ore bodies in these works have never been connected 
 
 with those in the underground 
 works in the main tunnel, and 
 appear to be a separate deposit. 
 From the fact that in the sand- 
 stone tunnel cinnabar is found 
 in the sandstone, it must be 
 concluded that the ore deposi- 
 tion took place through water 
 
 Fig. 46. Elevation open cut ( ^ ), Cerro i i .,• .■, ■% .i • 
 
 Bonito Mine. chanuds cutting through this 
 
 sandstone; but the occurrence 
 of the recemented breccia so extensively overhing unaltered 
 and undisturbed sandstone is as yet unexplained. The large 
 bodies of black gouge (attrition products), showing very impor- 
 tant movements in the strata resting upon these same sand- 
 stone beds, render the explanation all the more difficult. It is 
 hardly conceivable that all this metamorphic material has been 
 moved into its present position by dynamic action finding its 
 center in Cerro Bonito Hill. The surface workings show a 
 stratum of serpentine, or may be serpentinized material, under- 
 Ij'ing the breccia forming the croppings and lying unconforma- 
 bly on the sandstones and shales. [See Fig. 46.] The croppings 
 southwest of the discovery point, wherein a short tunnel and 
 a shallow shaft are located, are much more serpentinized and 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 137 
 
 show some cinnabar all through in a softer, more weathered 
 material than in the other croppings. 
 
 The cinnabar forms generally in the hard, siliceous brecciated 
 material, which may be considered the gangue rock. It is 
 claimed that verj^ rich ore was found in the surface openings, 
 though none is at present visible; it was probably in the softer 
 and more open parts of the rock. 
 
 The vicinity of this mine is supplied with timber for both 
 mining and fuel purposes. The mine is 3 miles from Llanada, 
 a stage station 31 miles from Tres Pinos. 
 
 Clear Creek Mine and adjacent Boston Mine, also called the 
 Monterey Mine. New Idria District. In Sees. 2, 11, and 12, 
 T. 18 S., R. II E. Thomas Flint, of Hollister. owner. These 
 mines lie on a line of croppings which run from the northern 
 end of the Clear Creek mine in a direction about S. 30° E. to 
 the Los Picachos mine, in Sees. 19 and 20, T. 18 S., R. 12 E.; 
 passing through the Andy Johnson mine. They are not con- 
 tinuous, but show suflSciently to trace their line. These crop- 
 pings are of a light yellow ochery material, traversed by a 
 network of quartz veins and some serpentine seams. In places 
 the rock contains a great amount of iron oxide, becoming 
 brownish-red in color. The cinnabar appears to be scattered 
 all through the rock in those places where it is mineralized. 
 
 The upper croppings of the Clear Creek mine, 590 feet above 
 the level of the creek, have been extensively worked and a 
 road has been built from there to the furnace in the creek. 
 The lower croppings, 305 feet above the same level, also show 
 extensive operations, and some good ore can yet be found on 
 the dump. The cinnabar is scattered through the rock in 
 crystalline aggregates and along the fracture seams. While no 
 pyritic ore is found on the dump, it is more than probable that 
 it will prove to be the same mass of silica, highly permeated 
 with iron sulphide, found in the Los Picachos mine. Between 
 the croppings and the creek level some remnants of an almost 
 entirely covered-up tunnel can be seen, and a long tunnel has 
 been run on the line of the croppings about N. 30*^ \V. at the 
 level of the creek, but is at present inaccessible. About one 
 mile below this mine is a dismantled furnace. 
 
 Don Juan and Don Miguel Mines. — This group, also called the 
 San Benito, and sometimes the Cody mine. New Idria District, 
 
138 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 is in Sec. 36, T. 18 S., R. 11 E., and Sec. 31, T. iS S., R. 12 E. 
 Estate of E. J. Breen, San Francisco, owner. The works are 
 inaccessible, but judging from the dumps the ore forms in a 
 shale interstratified with thin layers of sandstone, which in the 
 rock exposed to the air is colored brown by oxide of iron. The 
 cinnabar forms in the cross joints of the undisturbed rocks, and 
 in crushed pieces along the fracture planes. The main tunnel 
 is 45 feet above the level of the creek. The ore was followed 
 down with a shaft until the water came in too freely to be 
 handled. The strike of the croppings is northwesterly. To 
 the southeast they abut against a body of sandstone, which 
 can be seen, in the canon running into the San Benito above the 
 mine, to be overh'ing the metamorphic shales. The latter have 
 an east and west strike, dipping southerlj' 70°. 
 
 Fourth of July Mine,— New Idria District. In Sec. 18, T. 18 S., 
 R. 12 E. Thomas Flint, of Hollister, owner. This property 
 is located on a line of croppings running about parallel to the 
 northeast and lower down the ridge than those of the Andy 
 Johnson. None of the old workings are accessible. 
 
 Mariposa Mine. — Stayton District. [See Santa Cruz Mine.] 
 
 New Idria Mine. — This property is situated in Sees. 29 and 32, 
 and parts of 28, 33, 34, and 35, T. 17 S., R. 12 E., and Sees. 
 3 and 4, T. 18 S., R. 12 E. The New Idria Quicksilver Mining 
 Companj-, owner; B. M. Newcomb, general superintendent. Oat- 
 hill, Napa County; J. G. Finch, superintendent. New Idria, San 
 Benito County. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 291 ; Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., VIII, page 483; XI, page 373; 
 XIII, page 599.] 
 
 Several mines are embraced under this heading: as the 
 Washington, New Idria, Sulphur Spring, Molina, and San 
 Carlos mines. The mines were discovered and located in 1853, 
 and several of them have been operated to a greater or less 
 extent since that time almost continuously. The company 
 operating the property at present acquired it by purchase in 
 1895, and has since made manj- and extensive changes in the 
 earlier mining and reduction methods, so that the works of 
 to-day present a different aspect from those described b}- Dr. 
 Becker. 
 
 The New Idria mine is the principal and the largest profit- 
 producer of all the mines of the group. Several miles of 
 
140 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 underground work have been developed in this mine, of which 
 over two miles are at present open. 
 
 The Xew Hope vein has not been w^orked for years, and 
 what Dr. Becker called the stockwercks forms at present the 
 
 N 
 
 X\:s 'Sha/es one/ 
 
 Co 
 
 •some 
 
 sondsfone 
 
 New Id 
 
 ria 
 
 Shale 
 
 >■ 
 
 L. 
 
 'Ivan 6frea/f/n /he A/e^ /dna /^/ne 
 
 StbLEl/ri 
 
 Fig 47. Xew Idria Mine. 
 
 main worked ore deposit, called the Xew Idria. [See Figs. 47 
 and 48.] This deposit has been followed downward to the 
 700-foot level. Its hanging w^all is the cla}- wall of Dr. Becker; 
 the foot wall is a shale. The Elvan vein has been extensivelv 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 
 
 141 
 
 worked, and is at present worked between the 500 and 700-foot 
 levels. The Bell tunnel is at present inaccessible. 
 
 The accompanying sketch [Fig. 48] shows that the deposit 
 has a southerly dip. The stratification of the rock in the ore 
 bod}' is, however, to the north. 
 
 /^ -longing tTa// 
 ^ -foor Wa// 
 
 Fig 48. 
 
 The ore makes as a rule in a more or less metamorphic 
 sandstone, but occasionally in metamorphic shale. This deposit 
 is strongly marked at the surface by a line of very bold crop- 
 pings, in places standing out over 100 feet above the hillside. 
 The general course of these croppings is about S. 80° W. 
 The material of these croppings is a highly metamorphosed 
 sandstone, wherein some less altered sandstone occurs and 
 
142 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 mixed with some indurated shale, in places containing a 
 great amount of pj^rites and their oxidation products. The 
 rock, especially the softer parts, is impregnated with cinnabar, 
 and small aggregates of cinnabar crystals are found dissemi- 
 nated through very hard rock. The fissures and cracks are 
 often found filled with cinnabar, accompanied with calcite and 
 some quartz. The ledge matter contains sensible amounts of 
 sulphur. 
 
 Near the western edge of the croppings a very good expo- 
 sure of the formation is found, showing the clay wall about 
 ID feet thick, course N. 50° E., dipping S.W. 65°, overlaid by 
 shales, and in its turn overlying sandstone. 
 
 The serpentine is a few hundred feet from the New Idria 
 vein at the surface, but does not form either wall permanently 
 
 as far as at present developed. In 
 the 500-foot level it occurs at the 
 western end overlying the clay wall. 
 [See Fig. 49.] In the 700-foot level 
 a gouge seam containing serpentine 
 is found in the ore body, which 
 would lead one to expect that at 
 greater depth the serpentine may be- 
 come the hanging wall. 
 '5 Referring to Figure 47, it can be 
 
 Fig 49. Section west end fifth sccu that the orc body lies on an arc 
 
 level. New Idria Mine. ^f ^ Circlc, the Walls ClOsing iu at 
 
 both ends. The Elvan vein is closely connected with the New 
 Idria ore body, but the New Hope seems to be independent 
 and, as Dr. Becker obsen-ed, does not appear to pass the clay 
 wall to the northwest. 
 
 The New Idria vein is very persistent in depth; in fact, shows 
 on the lowest level as good, if not better ore than in the upper 
 part of the mine. The width of the workable ore bodies is 
 very irregular. In places they are 100 feet wide; in other 
 parts of the mine the entire body between walls is either 
 barren or so low grade as to be unworkable. The average dip 
 may be placed at 50^-55°. The cinnabar content of the differ- 
 ent portions of the mine depends partly on the physical char- 
 acter of the rock. Where the latter is strongly crushed it 
 contains more cinnabar, yet in places very hard rock is so 
 thoroughl}' impregnated with cinnabar that it becomes good 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 143 
 
 workable ore. The presence of the cinnabar in this hard rock 
 can only be explained by deposition from solutions by circulat- 
 ing in sub-capillar>' channels, hence in the deep zone of rock 
 fiowage. 
 
 The ore is accompanied by sensible amounts of gypsum, due 
 probabh' to the great amount of sulphur already mentioned. 
 The clay wall is probably a gouge resulting from a movement 
 lietween the strata, which faulted the formation, and at the 
 place of faulting crushed the rock, thereby causing a zone emi- 
 nently predisposed for ore deposition. The clay wall has as 
 yet not been prospected any distance on either side of the Xew 
 Idria ore body. It is probable that other ore bodies will be 
 found on this line of fracturing. The ground in the mine is 
 rather heavy, requiring square-set timbering and filling in the 
 stopes. 
 
 Through a very well-conceived plan of chutes throughout the 
 mine and b)' the use of an old incline shaft connecting the 500 
 and the 700-foot levels, all ore broken in the mine can be sent 
 down to the latter level, from which point it is carried by 
 tramway to ore bins located on the hillside above the reduction 
 works, where, after passing over grizzlies, it is distributed by two 
 gravity tramways to the fine and coarse ore furnaces respec- 
 tively. A considerable portion of the ore treated is obtained 
 from the surface, part of it being from the croppings before 
 described, and part from the old dumps, the resultants of earl 5' 
 years' working. Much of this material finds its way to the 
 reduction works through the same channel as above described. 
 [See Fig. 47.] Thus the cost of its transportation from the 
 mine to the reduction works is minimized. 
 
 The timbers in the 700-foot level are coated with whitewash. 
 By this very simple method these mining timbers, which were 
 formerly covered by fungi and destroyed by the acids in the mine 
 water within a few months, now remain entirely sound after 
 having been in the mine over eighteen months. 
 
 The mine is equipped with a Scott fine-ore furnace handling 
 60 tons per twenty-four hours, and a coarse-ore furnace han- 
 dling nearly 100 tons per twenty-four hours. [See chapter on 
 Aretallurgy. page 197.] 
 
 San Carlos Mine. — Xew Idria District. This is in Sec. 4, 
 T. 18 S., R. 12 E., and forms one of the group of mines of the 
 
144 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 New Idria Company. This mine was discovered in 1858 and 
 was worked to a very limited extent — more in the nature of 
 surface prospecting than as legitimate mining work; but in 
 later years discoveries of ver^- rich superficial ore bodies were 
 made, and were worked over quite an extent of surface, with 
 great profit to the owners. Late workings have so far failed 
 to discover any deep deposits of value. As will be seen from 
 the map of the district no serpentine appears at the surface in 
 the ground covered b}' this mine. The country rock is princi- 
 pally metamorphic shales and sandstone. Some of the rock 
 has the appearance of a probable igneous origin. 
 
 Plan 
 
 ^ N70'L-I50 
 
 % oandsrone 
 
 % ° / i I 
 
 "S/ia/es I 1 
 
 Shty/e &^y^^^^^^^=::r-~~....^ front Elevaf/on 
 Serpent^ 
 
 Fig. 50. Open cut, San Carlos Mine. 
 
 {a) Drift in altered shale. 
 
 (b) Sandstone carrj-ing some cinnabar. 
 
 ( (/) Decomposed serpentine dipping a little north of east. 
 
 {/) Very hard silicified serpentine carrying cinnabar. 
 
 In the face of one of the open cuts [see Fig. 50] serpentine 
 is found containing sensible amounts of cinnabar. This ser- 
 pentine overlies the shales, and from the appearance of the cuts 
 both the shales and the sandstone carried cinnabar; but this 
 ore did not persist to any considerable depth. The ore formed 
 in all formations, but the channels through which it reached 
 the surface are as 3'et unproven. 
 
 Two tunnels have been run in a northeasterh- direction from 
 the northwest side of the peak under the open cuts, about 100 
 feet below their bottom. These tunnels run principalh- through 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 145 
 
 metamorphic shale. Some ore was found in them, but not in 
 such quantity or position as to justify the assumption that the 
 channel through which these extensive deposits at the surface 
 were fed has been intersected. 
 
 A crosscut tunnel, 260 feet below the latter tunnels and 
 started from the south side of the peak, is now iioo feet in, 
 running on a course nearly X. 60° W., but has not reached the 
 territory under the open cuts. This tunnel runs through meta- 
 morphic shales and sandstones. For the first 500 feet the strata 
 are much distorted and crushed, but after passing through 
 about 50 feet of indurated black cla^^ stratified in nearly verti- 
 cal beds and having a strike of about X. 70° W., the formation 
 becomes more regular, both the shales and sandstones having 
 conformable strata. Xearer the breast sandstones prevail, 
 while in the first part of the tunnel shales are the prevailing 
 material. In a gouge seam, standing nearly vertical and cut- 
 ting through sandstone, are found several quartz seams, some 
 having large quartz crystals. Gypsum and calcite are found 
 in the seams of the shales. Xear the breast the sandstone has 
 inclusions of fine-textured rock, and in some of the seams 
 carries chalcopyrite. 
 
 Philadelphia and New York Mines, — Xew Idria District. In 
 Sees. 23, 25, and 26, T. iS S., R. 11 E. Estate of E. J. Breen, 
 San Francisco, owner. They are located on a stratified shale, 
 colored deeply red with oxide of iron. These shales have a 
 strike about southeast, dip southwesterly, which strike brings 
 them about in the direction of the Don Juan mine, higher up 
 San Benito Creek. In the northwestern part of the property, 
 in the Philadelphia claim, considerable work has been done, 
 consisting of a tunnel 100 feet long, course northeast, a large 
 open cut in the steep hillside, and a smaller cut with a short 
 tunnel, 125 feet above the tunnel. There are no signs of cin- 
 nabar ore in the works or on the dump. In the New York 
 mine little or no work has been done. 
 
 Ramirez Consolidated Mine (formerly Los Picachos Mine).— 
 New Idria District. In Sees. 19 and 20, T. 18 S., R. 12 E. 
 \V. A. Stuart, and others, owners, Xo. 606 Montgomery street, 
 San Francisco. This mine derived its name of Los Picachos 
 from a series of bluffs cropping boldly above the hillside to au 
 
146 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 elevation of from loo to 250 feet. These bluflEs belong to the sys- 
 tem of croppings showing at the surface in a line, having a 
 course X. 30^ W., from this mine across the Andy Johnson to the 
 north end of the Clear Creek mine, a distance of over four 
 miles. The croppings on this mine are not onh- bolder, but 
 also delineate both sides of a bod}- of siliceous rock cutting 
 through the serpentine countn,', having a width of from 300 
 to 600 feet. To the southeast thev can not be found further 
 
 PHOTO No. 13. LOS PICACHOS MINE (RAMIREZ CONSOLIDATED) 
 
 than the southeastern Picachos Peak. Beyond the creek cours- 
 ing around that knoll is only the barren serpentine, without 
 any trace of mineralization. At the surface the croppings are 
 highly colored by the oxidation of the iron pyrites, in places 
 mixed with chalcopj'rite. which is found in great amount in 
 the unaltered rock. In the weathered rock cinnabar is found 
 in the fracture planes in seams of more or less thickness; also 
 in bedding planes and in places in crushed zones of the rock. 
 In the unaltered rock, cinnabar occurs mainly as a coating of 
 vugs. After this cinnabar was deposited a posterior deposition 
 
SAN BENITO COUNTY. 147 
 
 of silica took place, covering the cinnabar. The rock itself is 
 not impregnated with cinnabar, probably due to its compact- 
 ness. The face of the bluffs shows a stratification in the rock 
 forming the croppings; in the southeastern part of the property 
 the strata have a strike S. 40° E., dipping N.E. 60*^. The cin- 
 nabar is found in the bedding planes; in other places cinnabar 
 is found in the joint planes. In the northwestern part of the 
 mine these strata have a strike N. 30° E., and dip southeast. 
 The line of the croppings is not quite straight, while in the 
 southeast portion the strike is parallel with that of the crop- 
 pings; it is across that of the croppings in the northwestern 
 portion. 
 
 There are a great number of old workings, which at present 
 are inaccessible, and the remnants of an old furnace. The 
 present owners are doing some surface development, having 
 some good ore at the surface. The mine is equipped with a 
 i2-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 Santa Cruz and Mariposa Mines. — Stayton Mining District. In 
 Sees. 20, 21, 28, and 29, T. 11 S., R. 7 E.. at the western foot 
 of Mariposa Peak. H. French, of Lone Tree, San Benito 
 County, owner. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, 
 pages 365 and 366.] These mines are in a verj' thoroughly 
 decomposed igneous rock. The old works give out verj- strong 
 sulphur emanations. In former years they yielded some quick- 
 silver by retorting, but are at present virtually abandoned. 
 
 Stayton Mines, including the Gypsy, are located in Sees. 5 and 
 8, T. 12 S., R. 7 E., partly in San Benito and partly in Merced 
 counties. The Staj'ton Mining Company, owner; S. H. Smith, 
 secretary and general manager, Gilroy, Santa Clara County. 
 [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., VIII, page 350; X, 
 page 515; XI. page 371; XII, page 365; XIII, page 599.] 
 These mines were discovered early in the 70's and worked for 
 some years up to 1877. Considerable ore was taken out and 
 worked in one Q retort. The Gypsy mine, which now forms 
 part of this property, was worked in former years by several 
 parties. The last separate owner, the San Benito Mining 
 Company, erected a lo-ton fine-ore Scott furnace, which, how- 
 ever, was never put in practical operation. It is stated that 
 this property has produced between 800 and 1000 flasks by the 
 retorting process. 
 
 10 — QR 
 
148 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The mines are located on both slopes of the main ridge of 
 the Mount Diablo range. The principal cinnabar deposits are 
 to the east of the range, mostly accompanied by some stibnite; 
 but some cinnabar-carr\-ing veins are found west thereof, in 
 which territory, however, the principal ore deposits are exclu- 
 sively stibnite. 
 
 The workings on the cinnabar deposits are very shallow; 
 the deepest workings in the Excelsior mine are not over 140 
 feet on the dip of the vein. [See g, map of Stayton Mining 
 District.] A tunnel (/) over 1200 feet long, in a direction 
 nearlj' perpendicular to the general strike of the mineralized 
 zone, cuts the formation at the deepest point at a vertical 
 depth of about 300 feet. It is inaccessible, but judging from 
 
 the dump the material is princi- 
 palh*, if not exclusively, igne- 
 ous. The strike of the mineral- 
 ized zones east of the main 
 ridge is nearly north and south, 
 and from south of the cabin to 
 g, a distance of over three 
 fourths of a mile, the cinnabar- 
 canying ledge matter is exposed 
 in several places, dipping west 
 at an angle of about 45*^. To 
 the east of this zone lies in its 
 southern part a belt of basalt. The ledge matter is an altered 
 rhyolite, containing besides cinnabar, iron sulphides, gypsum, 
 and occasionally some stibnite. In the southern part, North 
 Star {b) and Graybuck {a) workings [see Fig. 51], this ledge 
 matter is associated with a belt of chalcedonic quartz, and in 
 places the cinnabar has formed as cavit}- filling associated with 
 quartz cr^'stallization. This ledge matter contains bunches of 
 iron pyrites, in places rich in copper. In the northern part at 
 g the cinnabar forms in a material which to the naked eye has 
 the appearance of a breccia, but under the glass is shown to 
 consist of a dark-colored, close-grained quartz, the darker 
 coloring being due to iron and antimony minerals, with inclu- 
 sions of much lighter-colored quartz. The ledge filling then 
 shows strong sulphurization and silicification actions, both 
 contemporaneous with the ore deposition. The main ledge is 
 accompanied by a number of small fissures striking a little 
 
 Fig. 51. 
 
 Section at Graybuck shaft, 
 Stavton Mine. 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 149 
 
 ■ 1 /,i 
 
 // ^ 
 
 
 QVi 
 
 Drawr 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 >.rthyoi\y 
 
 i^ A-^^ 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, 149 
 
 east of south and dipping nearly vertical, running from the 
 west to the main ledge both in strike and dip, a number of 
 which contained some very rich ore, especially near the sur- 
 face, but none has as yet been followed to its contact with the 
 main ledge; hence the question whether or not they belong to 
 the same fracture system is as yet unanswered. 
 
 As above stated, antimony forms the principal metallic ore 
 west of the ridge, yet two cinnabar deposits are found there, 
 close to the top of the main ridge. One, the Pacific (//), is 
 situated on a belt of sandstone running north and south, dip- 
 ping east 75°, having a seam of cinnabar ore i8 inches wide. 
 In close vicinity are found stibnite croppings, striking north- 
 west and dipping northeast. The other cinnabar deposit (/), 
 near the road on the divide, is associated with a prominent belt 
 of leached siliceous rocks, showing very peculiar cavities. 
 
 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 General Geology. — The Santa Lucia range and its spurs cover 
 the northwestern part of San Luis Obispo County, in which 
 section are located nearly all the quicksilver deposits of the 
 county. They are located in zones separated by large sections 
 of country, which sections, as far as yet ascertained, are barren. 
 In the northwestern part of this territory near Pine Mountain 
 there is a line of cones formed of rhyolite, having a general 
 northwestern direction. The cones, while close together, are 
 not connected at the surface. Near Pine Mountain, among the 
 debris of the rhyolite covering the slopes of the cones, are 
 found bowlders of diorite, indicating prior igneous eruptions. 
 
 In the Adelaide and Oceanic districts some scattered 
 exposures of rhyolite are found, which have no apparent rela- 
 tion to each other; hence nothing can be inferred relative to 
 the dislocations which caused these eruptions. The serpen- 
 tine lies principally on the west slope of the main ridge, where 
 it has caused enormous slides, due to its deterioration by 
 atmospheric influences. Its principal exposure is at Cypress 
 Mountain, where, at several places, its contact can be seen 
 with the underlying partly altered sandstones. The entire 
 appearance of the serpentine mass tends to the supposition 
 that it is an altered peridotite. In one place on the northwest 
 slope of the mountain some signs of induration by contact met- 
 
148 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 —•J — „f 
 
 - ri 
 
 A 
 
 Y8 030621 
 
 UAjf^Oa OMIHIM 3TATe^ 
 
 YflUSUA.a 3IW3J j 
 
 - !>ff)0JAR3V«»« 3TAtT3 / 
 
 eoet 
 
 jiMi ^-iDnir 
 
 
 I /lAr 
 
 ^.^v■o.^"t\•^? 
 
 \\',A<'<C,0\A>."\ .V 
 
 •■'•. d > o\ .rr<NN -^^^ -^j^ ^\ t^^*^ 
 
 • lOrrfiifiH.O \A n-Hi 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 149 
 
 east of south and dipping nearly vertical, running from the 
 west to the main ledge both in strike and dip, a number of 
 which contained some very rich ore, especially near the sur- 
 face, but none has as yet been followed to its contact with the 
 main ledge; hence the question whether or not they belong to 
 the same fracture system is as yet unanswered. 
 
 As above stated, antimony forms the principal metallic ore 
 west of the ridge, yet two cinnabar deposits are found there, 
 close to the top of the main ridge. One, the Pacific (//), is 
 situated on a belt of sandstone running north and south, dip- 
 ping east 75°, having a seam of cinnabar ore i8 inches wide. 
 In close vicinity are found stibnite croppings, striking north- 
 west and dipping northeast. The other cinnabar deposit (/), 
 near the road on the divide, is associated with a prominent belt 
 of leached siliceous rocks, showing verj' peculiar cavities. 
 
 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 General Geology. — The Santa Ivucia range and its spurs cover 
 the northwestern part of San Luis Obispo County, in which 
 section are located nearly all the quicksilver deposits of the 
 county. They are located in zones separated by large sections 
 of countr}-, which sections, as far as j-et ascertained, are barren. 
 In the northwestern part of this territory near Pine Mountain 
 there is a line of cones formed of rhj'olite, having a general 
 northwestern direction. The cones, while close together, are 
 not connected at the surface. Near Pine Mountain, among the 
 debris of the rhyolite covering the slopes of the cones, are 
 found bowlders of diorite, indicating prior igneous eruptions. 
 
 In the Adelaide and Oceanic districts some scattered 
 exposures of rhyolite are found, which have no apparent rela- 
 tion to each other; hence nothing can be inferred relative to 
 the dislocations which caused these eruptions. The serpen- 
 tine lies principally on the west slope of the main ridge, where 
 it has caused enormous slides, due to its deterioration by 
 atmospheric influences. Its principal exposure is at Cypress 
 Mountain, where, at several places, its contact can be seen 
 with the underlying partly altered sandstones. The entire 
 appearance of the serpentine mass tends to the supposition 
 that it is an altered peridotite. In one place on the northwest 
 slope of the mountain some signs of induration by contact met- 
 
150 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 amorphism of the adjoining sandstone can be found. The Fran- 
 ciscan series are prominently represented b\- sandstones, which 
 are ^"ery irregular in texture, grading from entirelj^ unaltered 
 arkose sandstones into completely' metamorphosed sandstones, 
 nearly, if not entirelj- quartzite. and these various phases are 
 intimately mixed, without any traceable S3-stem of gradation. 
 
 Adelaide District. — This district comprises the main range from 
 Cypress Mountain, in Sec. i, T. 27 S.. R. 9 E., to the Madrone, 
 in Sec. 22, T. 27 S., R. 10 E., with the territory on the north- 
 east slope, covering the headwaters of Las Tablas and El Paso 
 Robles creeks. The rocks of this district belong prominently 
 to the Franciscan or metamorphic series, principally sandstones, 
 with occasionally some shales, and in a few places exposures of 
 chert beds. One wide body of serpentine is found at Cypress 
 Mountain, extending southward past the headwaters of Santa 
 Rosa Creek. The whole belt has a northwest trend, and a nar- 
 rower and shorter belt of serpentine lies west thereof. In the 
 northern part of the district, on the main ridge, north of 
 Cypress Mountain, is an exposure of rhyolite, belonging to the 
 scattered exposures above mentioned; it has a northern trend, 
 but is of relatively small dimensions. 
 
 The territory comprising this district must at one time have 
 been covered by the Chico series. It is bounded on the east 
 and northeast by the Chico sandstone, and in places larger and 
 smaller patches of the same are found on the top of the ridges, 
 the Franciscan rocks being exposed lower down the hillside or 
 in the canons. At the contact, the Chico sandstones are so 
 much broken up and contorted that it is impossible to give any 
 data as to the strike and dip of the beds. 
 
 A line of croppings which can readily be followed runs in 
 a northwesterly direction through this district; though more 
 or less parallel to the direction of the main ridge of the Santa 
 Lucia range, this line is clearly independent thereof. These 
 croppings, starting from the southern part of the district in the 
 Madrone property, run continuously through the La Libertad, 
 Josephine, Alice, Modoc, and Elizabeth mines. Then the^' 
 become much less prominent and only show occasionally in 
 the ridge between Johnson and Carmine creeks and farther 
 north toward the Cypress Mountain group. The Karl and 
 Mahoney mines are situated on a belt entirely disconnected 
 from these croppings. 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 151 
 
 The ore in this district is generally a whitish quartzose 
 material, containing small inclusions of serpentine, the cinnabar 
 forming principally in the seams, which show signs of later 
 silicification. The cinnabar is often accompanied by sensible 
 amounts of iron sulphides, which by their oxidation near the 
 surface give an ochery yellow color to the ore. As a rule, the 
 ore carries more iron sulphides as the cinnabar contents 
 increase. The ore bodies are contiguous to more or less exten- 
 sive strata of dark-gray to black-colored clays, mixed with 
 bowlders of lighter gray-colored sandstones. They are of the 
 same nature as that of the black clays, generalh^ associated 
 with quicksilver deposits — "alta," only here they are almost 
 invariably indurated. Their outcrops frequently accompany 
 those of the ore bodies; the}- are of a light gray color, having 
 the appearance of a disintegrated sandstone, traversed by a 
 network of narrow seams of an ochreous yellow color; in places 
 small inclusions of serpentine are found. This material, while 
 contiguous to the ore deposits, is always barren of cinnabar. 
 
 A great amount of work has been done in this district, espe- 
 cially between 1S67 and 1872; but in no mine, except the Karl, 
 has sufficient development work been done to enable one to 
 judge as to the behavior of the ore bodies in depth. In several 
 properties the surface disclosures would fully justify systematic 
 development work. The policy, however, seems generally' to 
 be to hunt for pockets of rich ore, which is treated in retort 
 furnaces, instead of opening large bodies of furnace material. 
 
 Oceanic District* — This district is situated on the west slope of 
 the main Santa Lucia ridge, and covers the headwaters of the 
 north fork of Santa Rosa Creek, Cooper Creek, and Oceanic 
 Creek (the three northern forks of Santa Rosa Creek) and the 
 divide between Santa Rosa and San Simeon creeks to the south 
 fork of San Simeon Creek, including Sees. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 
 14, 15, 16, 17, and 24, T. 27 S., R. 9 E., and Sees. 18 and 19, 
 T. 27 S., R. 10 E. The geology of this district is very com- 
 plicated. The rocks belong almost exclusively to the Fran- 
 ciscan series, except in the southeastern corner, where the 
 younger formations overlie this series. 
 
 There are several scattered exposures of rhyolite in this 
 district, which apparently, however, have no relation to the 
 location of the ore deposits. There are very clearh- defined 
 lines of croppings. having a northwestern direction; one. start- 
 
152 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ing in the Vulture mine, crosses the divide and runs through 
 a part of Cooper Creek basin; another, starting southwest 
 thereof, crosses the divide between Cooper and Oceanic creeks, 
 on the ground of the Oceanic No. 2 mine, and runs through 
 the Oceanic mine. A third line of croppings lies northeast of 
 the latter, and may be those of a second or back ledge found 
 formerly in the old works of tunnel No. 4 and below in the 
 upper shaft levels of the Oceanic mine. These croppings go 
 some distance farther northwest, but do not reach the divide 
 between Santa Rosa and San Simeon creeks. On this divide a 
 ver}^ bold line of croppings starts northward, forming a con- 
 tiguous line of bluffs about a quarter of a mile long, flanked 
 on both sides by serpentine, which, however, appear not to 
 carry any cinnabar. The principal material of the croppings 
 is a rather light gray, flinty quartz. 
 
 The principal rocks exposed at the surface are, besides the 
 rhyolite above mentioned, sandstone, shales, some chert, and 
 occasionally some serpentine. The sandstone is generally 
 much decomposed, with a brownish or greenish gray color, but 
 not nearly as much silicified as in the Adelaide district. The 
 deep erosions and the fact that the country is continually slid- 
 ing, lead to the supposition that a large part of the underlying 
 rock is more or less serpentinized, which is confirmed by the fact 
 that in most of the gulches the hard sandstone is found under- 
 laid b}" shales or serpentine. 
 
 In the Lehman property the younger sandstones are found 
 impregnated with cinnabar in close vicinity to the rocks of the 
 Franciscan series, which would tend to show that the period of 
 ore format on was posterior to that of the deposition of those 
 Upper Cretaceous or Eocene rocks. As this deposition was 
 contemporaneous with, or closely following, a strong process of 
 silicification, the highly siliceous character of the ledge matter 
 of most of the mines is readily explained, the Franciscan series 
 having already undergone a prior process of silicification. 
 
 Pine Mountain District. — This district is characterized by the 
 great amount of exposures of rhj'olite. These rocks are lying 
 in a series of prominent knolls, the debris covering such wide 
 territory that it is impossible to give any estimate of the width 
 of the belt, which, however, is certainly from 100 to 400 yards 
 wide. The outcrops are not continuous, but are separated by 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 153 
 
 short exposures of the Franciscan series. To the west lies 
 a wide belt of serpentine, which rock only shows to the east 
 in the territory of the Pine Mountain group. The entire 
 western slope of the main ridge and that part of the eastern 
 where the serpentine occurs, show extensive slides. Near 
 Rocky Butte, the Chico sandstone lies quite close to the igneous 
 rocks. The enormous amount of debris prevents the obser\-a- 
 tion of any contact metamorphic phenomena. Some bowlders 
 of diorite are found, but none in place. The location of these 
 bowlders would sviggest that the vents through which the 
 rhyolite was ejected were old lines of fracturing. The ore 
 deposits are all very close and more or less parallel, but not, 
 as far as yet developed, in direct contact with the igneous rocks. 
 
 San Carpoio District. — This district, in the extreme north- 
 western corner of the county, includes part of Monterey 
 Count}'. This countrj^ is very deeply eroded and the sidehills 
 are ver}^ steep. The country between San Carpojo Creek and 
 the ocean is prominently a highly silicified Franciscan sand- 
 stone. To the east of the creek and forming the backbone of 
 the main ridge is a wide belt of serpentine, along which, on 
 its western line, runs a belt of croppings, which, it is claimed, 
 can be traced from Pine Mountain to the northern watershed 
 of Salmon Creek, where cinnabar has been found in these 
 croppings. In the basin forming the headwaters of the west 
 fork of San Carpojo Creek runs a minor, more local, parallel 
 belt of serpentine, west of which are the croppings on which 
 the Dutro mine is found, and on the ocean slope detached 
 patches of serpentine can be found. There are through this 
 country, besides the cinnabar outcrops, several outcrops of gold 
 ore, on some of which prospecting is being done. 
 
 The Adelaide and Oceanic districts are not very well tim- 
 bered. On Cypress Mountain some durable cypress mine- 
 timber can be found, and to the north thereof there is some 
 good pine timber. The amount of available fuel is also 
 restricted. The Pine Mountain district is better provided with 
 timber. The Pine Mountain mine is equipped with a small 
 sawmill, and there is considerable fuel timber in this district. 
 The cost of timber in the Adelaide district is : round timber, 
 7 cents per linear foot ; lagging, 6 cents apiece ; cordwood, 
 $3.25 per cord. In the Oceanic district, round timber, 3^ 
 
154 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 cents per linear foot, to which must be added $8 per load for 
 hauling; lagging, ^j4 cents apiece; sawed timber, $15 per 
 1000 feet (B. M.); cordwood (pine), $4 per cord. 
 
 The Adelaide district connects with the railroad at Paso 
 Robles, distant from 1 6 to 20 miles. For the southern part of the 
 district steamship connection is made at Ca3'UCOs, distant about 
 12 miles. The Oceanic district is from 16 to 19 miles from San 
 Simeon, another steamship shipping point. The Pine Moun- 
 tain district is about 10 miles distant from San Simeon. 
 
 Alice and Modoc Group. — This lies in Adelaide District, in Sec. 
 17, T. 27 S., R. 10 E. California Consolidated Mining Com- 
 pany, owner; Wm. A. Stuart, No. 606 Montgomer}- street, San 
 Francisco. There are most probabh- two separate ore deposits 
 in this property. [See Fig. 52.] One, having a course X. 50° 
 E., and a southeasterly dip, is worked from the surface down 
 to a drift (n) 75 feet deeper (vertical), and showing there over 
 a length of 40 feet on the strike, the ore bod\' going farther at 
 both ends. The width of the ore body is certainly S feet, but 
 the roof is still in ore. From this level an understope 35 feet 
 deep on an incline of about 45° is in progress. Another ore 
 body, having a course N. 70"^ E., and a southeasterly dip, lies 
 about 200 feet south of the former. It is opened from the sur- 
 face to a level (/?) 30 feet (vertical) lower, where it is worked 
 out to a length of at least 60 feet on the strike, and a width of 
 from 6 to 7 feet. Below this level it has been partially worked, 
 and a chute connects this work with the lowest tunnel (c), 
 which is on a level with the retort, and 215 feet vertical below 
 the upper works. At the point where the chute connects with 
 this tunnel, 583 feet from mouth, the course of the ore body is 
 nearly east and west, dip south. The same ore body is cut by 
 the tunnel 460 feet from mouth, showing a width of 10 feet, 
 and standing nearly vertical. The propertj' is equipped with 
 two i2-pipe retort furnaces. 
 
 Bank Mine. — Pine Mountain District. In Sec. 36, T. 26 S., 
 R. 8 E. E. S. Rigdon, of Cambria, owner. The country rock 
 of this property is entirely serpentine; the ledge matter is a 
 highly silicified serpentine, carrying cinnabar, which latter is 
 also sparingly disseminated through the adjacent serpentine 
 wall material. The tunnel was caved and inaccessible. The 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 155 
 
156 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OP CALIFORNIA. 
 
 croppings indicate a very flat ledge, strike nearly east, dip north, 
 which is well charged with cinnabar. 
 
 Cypress Mountain Group. — Adelaide District. In Sees, i and 2, 
 T. 27 S., R. 9 E. J. H. Follis, of San Francisco, and E. Smith 
 and W. S. Forrington, of Paso Robles, owners. This group of 
 mines is located near the only exposure of igneous rocks 
 appearing in this district, and near the prominent serpentine 
 exposure of Cypress Mountain. The dike of rhyolite, about 
 three quarters of a mile long and 800 feet wide, runs about 
 N. 30° W. On the west side lies a readily traceable line of 
 croppings, which has, however, onl}^ been superficially opened 
 at one point, in the northwest corner of section i, by the 
 Columbia tunnel; the material taken out of this tunnel pros- 
 pects ver\' fairly in cinnabar. Most of the work has been done 
 on the northeast side of the rhj'olite dike; on this side the 
 croppings are not very plain, and scattered. In one tunnel an 
 ore body has been cut about 10 feet wide, in a black claj- gouge 
 with sandstone bowlders; whether a ledge or a lens of ore can 
 not be stated. On the hanging wall, but apparently belonging 
 to the ledge filling, is a stratum of chert}^ quartz about 12 
 inches thick. 
 
 Doty Mines. — Pine Mountain District. This property com- 
 prises five claims lying adjacent to the northwest of the Quien 
 Sabe mines, in Sec. 14, T. 26 S., R. 8 E. Doty Brothers, of 
 Cambria, owners. The lower tunnel, about 75 feet above the 
 creek level, is inaccessible. Judging from the dump the ore 
 deposit is formed in highh' silicified serpentine. Some of the 
 quartz seams have in their center a verj^ narrow seam of cin- 
 nabar; in other samples the cinnabar forms in the center of 
 quartz bunches, indicating that the cinnabar deposition is con- 
 nected with the silica formation, but posterior to the latter. 
 A short tunnel, 25 feet above the lower tunnel cuts very near 
 the entrance, a ledge having a course nearly east and west, 
 about 20 feet between walls. The hanging wall is a very 
 coarse sandstone. The gouge is very solid, the dip nearly ver- 
 tical. The foot wall, while too near the surface to be abso- 
 lutel)' determined, is probably shale, the foot-wall gouge 
 being much softer; its dip is verj^ flat, nearing the hanging 
 wall on the dip. 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 157 
 
 Elizabeth Mine.— Adelaide District. In Sec. 17, T. 27 S., 
 R. 10 E. H. Eppinger, of San Francisco, owner. This 
 property lies adjacent to the Alice and Modoc, on a line 
 of croppings running N. 30° W. Some surface openings 
 show that bunches of ore have been taken out. The rocks 
 show some signs of cinnabar. A crosscut tunnel, running 
 east toward these croppings, was inaccessible. The dump 
 showed nothing except cla3'ey material. Another tunnel, run- 
 ning from the road in a southeasterly direction, about east of 
 the retort, was also inaccessible. The property is equipped 
 with a lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 Eureka Group. — Adelaide District. In Sees. 6 and 7, T. 27 S., 
 R. 10 E., and Sees, i and 12, T. 27 S., R. 9 E. Mr. R. Wear, 
 of Paso Robles, owner. 
 
 George and Josephine Group. — Adelaide District. In Sees. i8 
 and 20, T. 27 S., R. 10 E. L. G. Sinnard, of Paso Robles, and 
 J. Tartaglia, of Klau, owners. [See Report State Mining Bu- 
 reau of Cal., X, page 580.] This group lies between the Alice 
 and Modoc and the Ea Eibertad mines, and shows some surface 
 croppings and some shallow tunnels. When formerly worked 
 a small furnace was erected on the property. The old works 
 are inaccessible. 
 
 Karl Mine.— Adelaide District. In Sec. 33, T. 26 S., R. 10 E. 
 The Karl Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; J. Bagbj-, of 
 Klau, San Euis Obispo County, superintendent. A line of 
 croppings runs through this property, entering it in the south- 
 western part on an east and west course, but turning very 
 shortl}' after entering the propert}' to a southeastern direction. 
 The character of the croppings also changes a little, in so far 
 as they get a little less ochery than at their point of entrance. 
 The workable ore bodies have been exclusively developed in 
 the southeastern part of the propert}-. A great amount of 
 open cuts and extensive underground works have been made. 
 The company has developed two principal ledges, running 
 nearly parallel N. 50^ W., dipping northeast, but approaching 
 each other on the dip. The most southwestern ledge is localh- 
 called the serpentine ledge. Its foot wall is a belt of serpen- 
 tine from 20 to 40 feet wide, rather siliceous in places, as in 
 the tunnel wherein the shaft is located, taking a chalcedonic 
 
158 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 character; this serpentine, however, does not appear at the 
 surface, but is capped to a depth of from 20 to 30 feet by the 
 croppings of the gouge accompanying the ore deposit. The 
 ledge matter of the serpentine ledge is a loose, coarsely-granu- 
 lated quartz, carrying iron and mercury sulphides. The entire 
 mass has a grayish-green color. Under the glass scarcely a 
 trace of serpentine can be found among the granules. The 
 color is given by the accompanying clay, which must be derived 
 from the serpentine. In this loosely-granulated quartz are 
 found bowlders of a very hard chalcedonic quartz and of a 
 laminated, somewhat calcareous material. Some of the bowl- 
 ders carry sensible amounts of cinnabar and pyrite; others are 
 entirely barren, and their relation to the surrounding country 
 rock is not clear. The hanging-wall material of this ledge, 
 which forms also the foot wall of the second ledge above men- 
 tioned, is a slightly metamorphosed sandstone. Immediatel}^ 
 on the ledge lies a heavy claj-, colored green probably by sul- 
 phate of iron. The parallel ledge forms in a zone of what 
 appears to be a crushed country rock, probably of a quartzose 
 character, but having some clay in it, probably as a result of 
 the attrition. The ore contains considerable iron pyrite and 
 some free sulphur. 
 
 Both these ledges are well developed in the incline shaft 
 sunk from tunnel No. i, at an angle of 60°, to a depth of 155 
 feet from the level of the tunnel. The collar of the shaft is 
 125 feet below the surface. There are wide stopes in the ser- 
 pentine ledge above the lower level, and the parallel ledge is 
 also opened, showing clearl}- the difference in character of the 
 two ore bodies, which, however, in this level are much closer 
 together than at the surface.. The strike of the ledges in the 
 lower, or No. 3, level is N. 45° W.; the average dip is N.E. 45". 
 Crosscutting in the same level in a direction N. 35"^ E. 
 from shaft about 100 feet, the parallel ledge above mentioned 
 is cut, showing also important ore bodies. The foot wall of 
 the ore zone is a chalcedonic material, probably serpentine 
 altered by silicification, and colored green by sulphate of iron. 
 This is underlaid bj' a dark-gray indurated clay mixed with a 
 lighter, grayish-colored sandstone. 
 
 A great part of the product of this mine has been derived 
 from large open cuts. At present, however, the main ore sup- 
 
SAX LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 159 
 
 ply comes from the works in tunnel No. i. The furnace is an 
 8-tile Scott fine-ore furnace, with fourteen brick condensers 
 and ten stave barrel condensers. 
 
 Kismet Group. — Adelaide District. In Sec. 7, T. 27 S., 
 R. ID E. F. D. Frost and E. Smith, of Paso Robles, owners. 
 The group comprises the Kismet, Margaret, and Alice C. 
 claims. A short tunnel on the Alice C. claim shows some 
 cinnabar-carrying rock near the mouth. 
 
 PHOTO No. U. I-.\ LII!ERT.\D MINE. 
 
 La Libertad Mine. — Adelaide District. In Sec. 21, T. 27 S., 
 R. 10 E. Libertad Quicksilver Mining Company (G. A. 
 Trafton, of Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, president), lessee ; 
 owner, D. McEwen, Cambria, San Luis Obispo County. This 
 mine is located on the contact of a prominent belt of serpen- 
 tine and a sandstone belonging to the metamorphic series. 
 The general trend of the croppings is northwest. While the 
 croppings would indicate a regular strike of the ledge, the 
 underground works have as yet only developed ore bodies hav- 
 
160 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ing difierent strikes and dips, which latter are, however, all 
 eastward or in the hill, as the accompanying sketch of tunnel 
 No. 2 will indicate. [See Fig. 53.] These ore bodies lie in a 
 dark- gray indurated clay, intermingled with a great number 
 of sandstone bowlders carrying some serpentine. This material 
 appears to be the contact zone of the sandstone and serpentine. 
 The ore bodies are formed by rather hard quartzose bodies of 
 a whitish color, having small serpentine inclusions, the cinna- 
 
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 LIBERTAD 
 
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 bar forming principally in the seams, sometimes one fourth of 
 an inch wide, in a crystalline form. 
 
 Following about the same southeasterly strike, the croppings 
 can be traced, until about a quarter of a mile below the retort 
 the ledge crosses the creek, where the exposure shows the 
 ledge with a width of from 8 to 10 feet, having a very rich 
 streak from 6 to 8 inches wide, carrying metacinnabarite asso- 
 ciated with the cinnabar; course N. 50° \V., dip northeast; the 
 ledge matter being prominently of a flinty character, and with 
 a sandstone foot wall. The ledge in its southeasterly strike 
 diverges from the serpentine and is entirely in the sandstone. 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 161 
 
 This exposure is loo feet below the bottom of the shaft in 
 tunnel No. 2, the lowest ore exposure in the northwestern part 
 of the property, and distant therefrom about 1500 feet in an 
 air line. 
 
 Southwest of the creek, the ledge crops out again. Panning 
 from the dirt showed here free mercury, which does not show 
 on the northeast side of the creek. The mine is equipped with 
 a lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 Lehman Mine. — Oceanic District. In Sec. 13, T. 27 S., R. 9 E. 
 F. Lehman, of Cambria, owner. This is in the Upper Cre- 
 taceous or Eocene sandst6ne; this sandstone is a white, fine- 
 grained material, with conchoidal fracture; when broken the 
 fracture planes have a black color and emit a bituminous odor. 
 Strike nearly east and west, dip S. 30°. In the seams of this 
 rock is a dolomitic gangue, carrj'ing some cinnabar. The 
 developments consist of a tunnel 40 feet long, about 200 feet 
 below top of ridge, and a couple of shallow open cuts. 
 
 Madrone Mine. — Adelaide District. In Sec. 22, T. 27 S.,R. loE. 
 Madrone Quicksilver Mining Company, owner, 233 S.Broadway, 
 Los Angeles. The development on this property consists 
 entirely of surface work; the deepest accessible point is not 
 over 25 feet below the surface. These surface works show 
 very good ore, and in one place a well-defined vein, running 
 nearly east and west and dipping very steep northward. The 
 hanging-wall material could not be determined. It carries in 
 places sensible amounts of bitumen. Next to the hanging 
 wall occurs a hard flinty material carr\'ing some cinnabar; then 
 comes softer ochreous rock, in places ver>' rich in cinnabar; 
 and then a breccia on the foot wall, carrs-ing some cinnabar. 
 The foot wall is the indurated grayish clay and sandstone 
 bowlders found in all the mines in the vicinity. The property 
 is equipped with a lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 Mahoney (Buena Vista or Gould) Mine.— Adelaide District. In 
 Sec. 33, T. 26 S., R. 10 E. J. J. O'Toole, Parrott Building, San 
 Francisco, owner; A. Gould and G. Bell, of Klau, San Luis 
 Obispo County, lessees. This mine lies east of and adjacent 
 to the Karl, and very close to the Chico sandstone, which east 
 and southeast of it apparently overlies the Franciscan series. 
 Considerable work has been done in former times, and also by 
 
162 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 the present lessees, but no regular formation, either of ore 
 deposition or of country rock, has as j'et been developed. The 
 ore is scattered in bunches through a partially indurated clay 
 material mixed with sandstone bowlders, verj' similar in char- 
 acter to the foot wall of the ore zone in the Karl. Some of 
 these ore bodies are of considerable size (one 400 feet in from 
 tunnel No. i was from 10 to 15 feet wide and about 30 feet 
 high), but they are without an}- regularity of arrangement. 
 This property is equipped with a lo-pipe retort furnace. 
 
 North Star Mine (formerly Santa Maria). — San Carpojo Dis- 
 trict. In Sec. 13, T. 25 S., R. 6 E. William Gillespie and 
 J. H. Ailing, of San Simeon, owners. It lies to the southeast 
 of the Polar Star. 
 
 Oceanic Mine. — Oceanic District. In Sees. 15 and 21, T. 27 S., 
 R. 9 E. Oceanic Quicksilver Company, owner, No. 2 Baker 
 Block, Los Angeles; A. B. Thomas, president; E. W. Carson, 
 of Cambria, superintendent. [See Report State Mining Bureau 
 of Cal., VIII, page 531; X, page 5S0; XII, page 366.] 
 
 This mine was actively operated from 1876 to 1879, and pro- 
 duced 7400 flasks of quicksilver in that period. The mine was 
 onl}' sporadically worked from that time until the present com- 
 pany came into possession. The latter has reopened the mine 
 and just completed a Scott fine-ore furnace with a minimum 
 daily capacity of 60 tons. 
 
 The development of this mine has been done partly by open 
 cuts and partly by underground work. From the surface work- 
 ings large bodies of ore have been worked out, their general 
 strike being N. 55° W., dipping southwest. The ore bodies 
 show considerable width, and their faces show that consider- 
 able ore is yet available for surface work, carn'ing sufficient 
 cinnabar to be considered satisfactory furnace material. The 
 underground works consist of several tunnels; the lowest tun- 
 nel. No. 4, cuts the vein at a depth of 250 feet below the sur- 
 face. From this level a shaft has been sunk on the vein. The 
 lowest level at present in operation in this shaft is 185 feet 
 below the level of tunnel No. 4. The vein changes its dip to 
 the northeast about 100 feet below the level of the tunnel. The 
 dip, how-ever, is nearly vertical. The strike of the vein is 
 N. 60° W. The southern, or foot wall is a shale "mudrock," 
 which material is rather prominent in the neighborhood of this 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 163 
 
 mine and is very similar to the "mudrock" in the Manhattan 
 and other mines. The real hanging, or northern, wall has not 
 been reached in the underground works. On the ledge matter 
 lies a belt of black clay, with inclusions of harder material very 
 similar to that composing the foot wall. A crosscut lOO feet 
 in length in the 185-foot drift has not cut through this clay 
 selvage. The ledge matter proper (or the matrix wherein the 
 ore makes) is a coarse grayish sandstone, rather compact, 
 through which aggregates of cinnabar crystals and iron sul- 
 phide crystals are disseminated, the cinnabar not being con- 
 fined to seams in the sandstone. The sandstone slakes very 
 sensibh^ when exposed to the air, and carries some lime. These 
 bodies of sandstone are rather close to the hanging wall. They 
 are inclosed in the black clay, are not continuous, and lie with- 
 out any regularity in the fissure, nor is the sandstone persist- 
 ently ore-bearing. As far as observed, they are not connected, 
 although it is not improbable that such is the case, as the clay 
 can hardl}' have been the channel for the mineral-carrying 
 solutions; they must have found their channel in the less 
 imper\-ious sandstone. 
 
 Oceanic No. 2. — Oceanic District. In Sec. ii, T. 27 S., 
 R. 9 E. F. Lehman, of Cambria, owner. This property is 
 located on the ridge between Cooper and Oceanic creeks, on a 
 line of croppings running toward the Oceanic ground. There 
 are some old tunnels, which are caved in. 
 
 Pine Mountain Group. — Pine Mountain District. Consists of a 
 group of twenty-two mining claims and several tracts of tim- 
 ber land situated on and around Pine Mountain, mostly on the 
 east slope of the mountain, in Sees. 3, 10, and 11, T. 26 S., 
 R. 8 E. The American Exploration and Development Com- 
 pany, owner; M. Hoytema, care Jabish Clement, No. 212 San- 
 some street, San Francisco, and San Simeon, San Luis Obispo 
 County, general manager. [See Report State Mining Bureau 
 of Cal., \'III, page 531; X, page 580; X, page 581 — Ocean 
 View.] 
 
 The principal workings are situated on the east side of the 
 body of rhyolite forming Pine Mountain, which is the most 
 southern of three eruptive cones, verj' close together, but not 
 connected and of slightly varying material, lying along the 
 backbone of the main ridge. The igneous rock has covered a 
 
 II— (2R 
 
164 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 large territory on both sides with debris. The country rock 
 belongs to the Franciscan series — shale, sandstone, and ser- 
 pentine, the latter principally on the coast slope and in the 
 southern part of the property from the Pine Mountain tunnel 
 to the Little Almaden. East of the rh3'olite of Pine Mountain, 
 
 a line of croppings can 
 be traced along the foot 
 ^ of the main eruptive 
 
 <*? body, but has, in many 
 
 '' ^^ places, slid down the hill- 
 side. Most of the work- 
 ^ '^ ings in the Bucke^-e, Little 
 
 Almaden, and possibly 
 the Pine Mountain, are 
 located on such slides, but 
 the Ocean View tunnel probabh- cuts 
 the ledge in place. 
 
 The main workings are : The Ocean 
 View lower tunnel, just below the 
 camp, 1300 feet long, still in progress 
 of drifting. The course of the tunnel 
 is S. 25° W. [see Fig. 54] ; the first 
 400 feet are in shale and a black clay 
 gouge, then come 10 feet of rhyolite. 
 An upraise leads here to a short drift 
 15 feet above the tunnel level, show- 
 ing some ore in a serpentine quartzose 
 material. The main tunnel con- 
 tinues in this latter material to 610 
 feet from entrance, then to 7S6 feet 
 in black cla}^ gouge, where it cross- 
 cuts the main ledge on a very obtuse 
 angle. The course of the ledge is 
 nearly south, dipping east. The material is a flinty quartz, 
 stained in places grayish-green by silicate of iron. The cin- 
 nabar occurs principally as paint, especialh" in bunches. Past 
 this ledge to the breast the tunnel is in black gouge. Above 
 the level of this tunnel considerable work has been done. A 
 winze runs up 65 feet and two levels have been run above the 
 tunnel level. There are also two old upper tunnels. Out of 
 
 '2815 
 
 Fig. 54. Lower Ocean View 
 tunnel, Pine Moun- 
 tain Mine. 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 165 
 
 these works ore has been taken and treated in the pipe retort 
 furnace. 
 
 On the Buckej-e a shaft has been sunk on verj' good crop- 
 pings, and a drift 350 feet long, S. 76° W., has been run, which 
 connects with the bottom of the shaft at a depth of 78 feet, 300 
 feet from the entrance. The ore at the lower level is a flinty 
 quartz. The surface is covered with rh3'olite bowlders. The 
 tunnel shows that the country is shale, and for the last 200 feet 
 serpentine. This work is, however, most probably in a slide 
 from the main body. 
 
 On the Pine Mountain a tunnel running nearly west is 300 
 feet long. The countrj^ rock is serpentine. The tunnel is 
 inaccessible. Judging from the dump, the tunnel has cut 
 serpentine and in the face shale. 
 
 The lyittle Almaden is an open cut. Work has been done on 
 a large body of croppings in a body of serpentine, which shows 
 clearly evidence of sliding. 
 
 Polar Star Mine (also called Santa Clara, or Black Hawk). — 
 San Carpojo District. In Sec. 13, T. 25 S., R. 6 E. Owners, 
 Public Administrator, G. E. Van Gordon, E. S. Rigdon, M. W. 
 Minor, and R. A. Minor, of Cambria; S. N. Hitchcock, C. D. 
 Hitchcock, F. H. Little, and W. Eittle, of San Simeon; H. H. 
 Carpenter, of San Luis Obispo; P. A. H. Arate, of San Luis 
 Obispo. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., X, page 
 581; XII, page 366 — Black Hawk.] This is an old mine; it 
 has been worked sporadically since 1870 by different owners. 
 There is a great amount of surface ore on the south side- 
 hill of San Carpojo Creek, covering near the creek a distance 
 of 250 feet, running 750 feet up the hillside and narrowing to 
 about 40 feet at an altitude of 310 feet vertically above the 
 creek; this surface zone is from 6 to 20 feet deep. \^ery rich 
 ore has been found in this territorj^ but as yet the vein has 
 not been exposed. Some exposures of what is probably the 
 southern wall would indicate that the vein had an east and 
 west trend. The country rock is almost exclusively highly 
 silicified Franciscan sandstone. The property is equipped with 
 a two Q retort furnace in good order. 
 
 Quien Sabe Mine. — Pine Mountain District. Contains three 
 claims; Ouien Sabe Nos. i, 2, and 3, in Sec. 14, T. 26 S., 
 R. 8 E. G. E. Van Gordon and M. W. Minor, of Cambria, 
 
166 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 owners. The line of these claims is in a northwestern direction. 
 All the work has been done on the northeastern claim, which 
 abuts with its north end line against one of the branches of 
 the Arroyo del Pinal. The igneous rocks of Rock}- Butte lie 
 very close and parallel to the east side line. The intervening 
 space is in Franciscan sandstone. The two eastern claims are 
 located so as to cover a ridge of serpentine, having sandstone 
 on both sides. On both contacts are lines of croppings, charged 
 with cinnabar. Those on the west contact of the serpentine 
 are, however, the more prominent. An open cut on the west- 
 ern croppings shows good ore. The ledge matter is flinty 
 material. Some garnets can be found in this rock. Both cin- 
 nabar and metacinnabarite occur in the vein matter. On the 
 eastern croppings a shaft loo feet deep has been sunk. The 
 character of the ore is very similar to that of the western 
 croppings. From the creek level a tunnel has been started 
 nearly on the center line of the northeastern claim. This tun- 
 nel, 240 feet long, has not yet reached the ore deposit. Its face 
 is in black gouge, with inclusions of gra3'ish sandstone and 
 igneous rock. At a distance of 750 feet it will be under the 
 w^orks above described, at a depth of 230 feet. 
 
 Rinconada Mine. — In Sees. 21 and 28, T. 30 S., R. 14 E. Mrs. 
 Theresa Bell, of San Luis Obispo, owner. [See Report State 
 Mining Bureau of Cal., X, page 581; XII, page 366.] This 
 propert}' consists of two claims and two millsites, located about 
 12 miles southeast from Santa Margarita, a station on the 
 Southern Pacific Railroad, and 20 miles from San Luis Obispo. 
 The property was worked from 1875 to 1883, and equipped 
 with two furnaces — one of 20 tons, the other of 60 tons capacity. 
 It was shut down in the latter j-ear and practicall}'- abandoned. 
 It was relocated in 1897. In 1898 a lo-pipe retort furnace was 
 erected, but in 1901 the then owner, Mr. Petreida, died, and 
 since that time no work of any consequence has been done on 
 the property. 
 
 The country- rock is almost exclusively serpentine. Some 
 shale exposures are found in the bed of a creek about a quarter 
 of a mile west of the main workings. The mine is located in a 
 basin formed by a bend of the mountain ridge, and apparently 
 filled by material broken ofi the ridge. Through this basin 
 runs a line of croppings showing very boldly in the northwest- 
 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 167 
 
 ern part of the Tenderfoot claim and in a cliff about a quarter of 
 a mile northwest thereof, the entire interv-ening surface being 
 covered b}^ large bowlders of croppings. Due west of the first 
 named place, topographicallj- above this line of croppings in a 
 gulch, croppings are also found. The main works consist of 
 extensive open cuts, principally worked in the 70's, with short 
 drifts and inclines — all in the croppings; a j^ellow ochery mate- 
 rial held together by a network of chalcedonic quartz seams. 
 A gulch, course N. 45"^ E., runs at the northeastern foot of the 
 ridge on which the croppings are located, and three tunnels 
 have been run under these croppings. The upper tunnel near 
 the head of the gulch, 115 feet below the top of the ridge, is 
 caved in. Judging from the dump this tunnel was run in ser- 
 pentine and shale. Lower down the gulch is another short 
 tunnel, about 50 feet long, entirely in serpentine. About 500 
 feet lower down in the gulch and about under the northeast 
 edge of the croppings, 50 feet lower verticallj^ than the first 
 tunnel, is the third tunnel, running south about 200 feet, then 
 S. 35° E., 200 feet. This tunnel is in serpentine. The breast 
 is at the contact of the serpentine and the sandstone. About 
 30 feet from the breast, short crosscuts have been run on a 
 fissure, having on the southeast wall a black clay gouge; a 
 shaft or winze has been sunk in the northeast crosscut, but is 
 covered up and is inaccessible. The country in the neighbor- 
 hood is well supplied with oak timber for fuel purposes, but 
 mining timber is rather scarce. 
 
 Sunset View Quicksilver Company. — San Carpojo District. Con- 
 sists of a cluster of mines in Sees. 13 and 18, T. 25 S., R. 6 E. 
 Jose Mariano, of San Simeon, owner. This is southeast of the 
 North Star. 
 
 Vulture Mine. — Oceanic District. In Sec. 24, T. 27 S., R. 9 E. 
 F. Eehman, G. E. Van Gordon, and E. S. Rigdon, of Cambria, 
 San Luis Obispo County; A. F. Benton, of San Miguel, San 
 Euis Obispo County; and G. W. Harris, of Pleyto, Monterey 
 County, owners. This property is located on croppings of 
 black, flinty, siliceous rock, more or less charged with cinna- 
 bar, in a belt of serpentine. Only very shallow surface work 
 has been done, so that nothing which determines the persistence 
 in depth or the form of the deposit has been disclosed. In one 
 
168 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 open cut a stratum of clay from 2 to 3 feet wide is exposed, 
 which on panning shows to carry sensible amounts of cinnabar. 
 
 William Tell Mine,— Adelaide District. In Sec. 32, T. 26 S., R. 
 10 E. A. J. Brunoni, of Cambria, owner. This lies to the west 
 of the Karl mine, on the same ledge of croppings. A tunnel 
 60 feet long has been run, but no pay ore has been found as yet. 
 
 Wittenberg Mine. — Oceanic District. In Sec. 8, T. 27 S., R. 9 E. 
 D. F. Wittenberg, of Cambria, owner. This mine lies against 
 a wide belt of "mudrock," but judging from the surface indi- 
 cations, is underlaid by serpentine. All works are inaccessible 
 at present. The owner is at work reopening them. 
 
 SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 
 
 The New Almaden district lies southeast of San Jose, and 
 covers part of the northeasterlj^ foothills of the Gabilan range, 
 and a portion of the Santa Clara Valle5^ [See map of the 
 New Almaden Mining District.] Through the latter run two 
 spurs of low hills having a general northwestern direction, 
 both diminishing in elevation in this direction and disappear- 
 ing a couple of miles southeast of San Jose, where the valley 
 covers the entire territory between the Gabilan and Mount 
 Diablo ranges. One of these spurs, the Santa Teresa hills, 
 runs between the Arroyo Seco and Coyote Creek, and the other 
 between Coyote and Silver creeks. The New Almaden and 
 Guadalupe mines are situated on a ridge which forms the 
 southeastern boundary of that part of the Santa Clara Valley 
 having a general direction N. 45° \\ ., and connected at one 
 point with the main body of foothills of the Gabilan range. 
 This ridge is cut through at the southeast by the Las Animas 
 cafion, a very deep incision, in which are located the hacienda 
 and furnaces of the New Almaden mine. It deer-eases gradu- 
 ally in elevation going to the northwest, and is cut ofi north- 
 west of the Guadalupe mine by the caiion of Capitancillos 
 Creek. 
 
 These three ridges are to a great extent formed by serpen- 
 tine, especially the two first named. The serpentine is asso- 
 ciated with metamorphic sandstone and j aspilites. Large bodies 
 of croppings can be found in each of these ridges, having also 
 a general northwestern trend, but not coinciding with the back- 
 bone of the ridges. 
 
tola'J/IoM A' 
 
 TDIMT. 
 
fEVERGREEN/ 
 
 ■'>■ ' 7 f • <. >. ir. 
 
 ILLSDALE 
 
 STATION :. 
 
 Mo EOENVALE 
 
 ^'^s-.^ STATION 
 
 
 ^.o^ 
 
 Orat^n by CNararrtore. 
 
 Green = Str[>enline, Vellou ^Melamorphk Seri-s BUit = Miocent 
 
 MAP OF THK NEW ALMADEK MINING DIvSTRICT. 
 
 Issued l>y the Califoniia State Mining Bureau - Lewis E. Aubury, State Mineralogist, 1903. 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 169 
 
 In the New Almaden ridge the most extensive ore bodies 
 have been found in and close to Mine Hill, the highest peak of 
 the ridge, lying in its southeastern part. From this point going 
 northwestward the croppings, while not continuous, can be 
 traced along the ridge into the territorj^ of the Guadalupe mine, 
 a distance of about 3)^ miles. At the surface the serpentine 
 shows in large detached bodies surrounded by the sandstones 
 and shales of the Franciscan series and having a general north- 
 western trend. This general direction of the serpentine 
 exposures is important in connection with its occurrence 
 underground, proven in the New Almaden mine. The line of 
 ore croppings runs from Mine Hill to the America shaft, pass- 
 ing about 600 feet southwest of the Randol shaft. The under- 
 ground workings in this territory have shown that the fissures 
 wherein the ore bodies have formed have invariably a serpen- 
 tine foot wall; hence the serpentine must be considered to 
 occur underground in a continuous bod}^ through this entire 
 territory and to be in places covered by overlying sandstones 
 and shales. Southwest of Capitancillos Creek lies another 
 parallel exposure of serpentine, contiguous to which the out- 
 crops of the Costello mines are found. The Santa Teresa and 
 Bernal mines are located in the serpentine of the Santa Teresa 
 hills, and the North Almaden or Silver Creek mine close to 
 those of the most northern ridge. In the latter a great part of 
 the serpentine is very highly altered by silicification, as also 
 the sandstones, a great portion of the rocks being jaspilites. 
 The western slope of the adjoining Mount Diablo range is 
 nearly exclusively formed of shales. 
 
 In this district the occurrence of cinnabar-carr>4ng ore 
 bodies is clearly closely allied to that of serpentine, and as the 
 New Almaden was the first extensively worked quicksilver 
 mine in California, this association explains the reason why, 
 for a considerable lapse of time, cinnabar ores were, in the 
 opinion of most quicksilver miners, considered related to this 
 rock formation. The croppings consist of a more or less 
 weathered material having usualh' an ochreous color from the 
 oxidation products of the iron sulphides, and traversed by a 
 network of quartz seams, from a knife blade to quarter of an 
 inch wide. Overlying the ore bodies is almost invariably found 
 a body of clay, generally black, and containing more or less 
 inclusions of a dark-gray sandstone. As this clay overlies the 
 
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 J a 
 
 *y^ 
 
 ..*=<^ 
 
 .e^ W < 
 
 :>j 
 
 >.ftr«\*>«.>A ."S ^^ tv•«x>•^t 
 
 
 :c ;:\M - \r-zH 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 169 
 
 In the New Almaden ridge the most extensive ore bodies 
 have been found in and close to Mine Hill, the highest peak of 
 the ridge, lying in its southeastern part. From this point going 
 northwestward the croppings, while not continuous, can be 
 traced along the ridge into the territory' of the Guadalupe mine, 
 a distance of about 3^ miles. At the surface the serpentine 
 shows in large detached bodies surrounded by the sandstones 
 and shales of the Franciscan series and having a general north- 
 western trend. This general direction of the serpentine 
 exposures is important in connection with its occurrence 
 underground, proven in the New Almaden mine. The line of 
 ore croppings runs from Mine Hill to the America shaft, pass- 
 ing about 600 feet southwest of the Randol shaft. The under- 
 ground workings in this territory have shown that the fissures 
 wherein the ore bodies have formed have invariabl}' a serpen- 
 tine foot wall; hence the serpentine must be considered to 
 occur underground in a continuous bodj- through this entire 
 territor\- and to be in places covered by overlying sandstones 
 and shales. Southwest of Capitancillos Creek lies another 
 parallel exposure of serpentine, contiguous to which the out- 
 crops of the Costello mines are found. The Santa Teresa and 
 Bernal mines are located in the serpentine of the Santa Teresa 
 hills, and the North Almaden or Silver Creek mine close to 
 those of the most northern ridge. In the latter a great part of 
 the serpentine is xery highly altered by silicification, as also 
 the sandstones, a great portion of the rocks being jaspilites. 
 The western slope of the adjoining Mount Diablo range is 
 nearly exclusively formed of shales. 
 
 In this district the occurrence of cinnabar-carrj-ing ore 
 bodies is clearly closely allied to that of serpentine, and as the 
 New Almaden was the first extensively worked quicksilver 
 mine in California, this association explains the reason why, 
 for a considerable lapse of time, cinnabar ores were, in the 
 opinion of most quicksilver miners, considered related to this 
 rock formation. The croppings consist of a more or less 
 weathered material having usually an ochreous color from the 
 oxidation products of the iron sulphides, and traversed by a 
 network of quartz seams, from a knife blade to quarter of an 
 inch wide. Overlying the ore bodies is almost invariably found 
 a body of clay, generally black, and containing more or less 
 inclusions of a dark-gray sandstone. As this clay overlies the 
 
170 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 ore bodies it has received the name of "alta " (Spanish — " over," 
 "above"). At the surface this "alta" crops as a light-gray 
 material, resembling disintegrated sandstone, traversed by a 
 network of ver\- thin, yellowish-brown seams, often very much 
 like a bunch of very fine roots. In places the same material 
 can be found in the Xew Almaden mine several hundred feet 
 below the surface, forming part of the "alta." The same surface 
 
 Shale I Croppin gs ^jSerpentine 
 
 ~e/o ~% /20' 
 
 Fig. 55. Section near R. R. B. shaft, Xew Almaden property. 
 
 cropping of "alta " can be seen in San L,uis Obispo County. [See 
 general description of Adelaide district.] 
 
 In a few places a good section of the formation has been 
 exposed at the surface, as for instance, the R. R. B. shaft of 
 the Enriquita mine, northwestern part of the Xew Almaden 
 mine, and near the Randol shaft of same mine. [See Figs. 55 
 and 56.] Both these sections indicate that the hanging wall 
 
 Serpentine\ 4l_\^j^f\ il v\— — 
 
 FiG. 56. Section on road above Randol shaft, Xew Almaden Mine. 
 
 proper may be a shale, which, however, is so decomposed at 
 the surface that nothing can be said as to its actual character. 
 About 300 feet below the collar of the R. R. B. shaft, in the 
 Eldridge tunnel, the same formation can be seen underground, 
 that is, the serpentine foot w^all, the vein and the overhing 
 "alta"; but as no crosscut has been driven through the latter, 
 no further information as to the character of the hanging wall 
 proper is available. The clay "alta" is but an attrition prod- 
 uct of the movement of the walls of the fissure, and hence to 
 call the "alta" a wall of the vein, as is frequenth' done, is 
 a misuse of geological terms. The rocks of the Franciscan 
 series in this region show a great amount of silicification. The 
 chert beds are, however, almost entirely unrepresented. 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 171 
 
 To the west of the New Almaden ridge a belt of bedded 
 sandstone is exposed. The beds are from. 3 to 5 feet thick and 
 interbedded with thinner beds of shale. The sandstone is 
 rather coarse, and has been classified by Dr. Becker as Miocene. 
 [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 312.] The strike is about 
 east and west, dip northerly, not over 20°. The country- west 
 of the New Almaden ridge and south of Capitancillos Creek, 
 belonging to the Gabilan mountain system, consists almost 
 exclusively of the sandstones and shales of the Franciscan 
 series, with occasionally some jaspilites. A small exposure of 
 serpentine was found about two miles west of the New Alma- 
 den ridge, close to the main ridge. West of the serpentine 
 belt which lies west of the New Almaden ridge, south of Cos- 
 tello's house, a small exposure of glaucophane schist was 
 found. A body of rhyolite lies in the northern part of the 
 New Almaden ridge, having a nearly east and west strike and 
 being about two miles long. To the east smaller bodies of 
 rhj'olite are found, probably the continuation of the same bod}-, 
 which must be covered up in the inten'ening space. This 
 eruptive body apparentlv has no relation with the ore deposi- 
 tion in this district. 
 
 The general character of the ore tends more to the conclusion 
 that the ore deposition was a feature of an intense silicification 
 of the fractured parts of the serpentine; that the fractured zone 
 was a favorable channel for the percolating solutions, which 
 dissolved the ferro-magnesian silicates and other salts of the 
 rock, and replaced them by silica, calcite, dolomite and allied 
 minerals, sulphides of iron and occasionally of mercury ; these 
 channels being limited on one side by the impermeable stratum 
 of clay, the "alta"; on the other side, by the limit of fracturing 
 of the serpentine. 
 
 There are some small areas of limestone in this district. The 
 most prominent are along the south bank of Capitancillos 
 Creek, where near the Guadalupe mine a limekiln was in 
 operation at one time. It appears, however, that the product 
 was not quite satisfactory, which was due to the presence of 
 bitumen in the rock. 
 
 Bernal Mine. — This is situated on the east slope of the Santa 
 Teresa hills, about 8 miles southeast of San Jose and near 
 Edenvale station, on the Southern Pacific main line. Ygnacio 
 
172 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Bernal, No. 207 Balbach street, San Jose, owner. This prop- 
 erty is traversed by a ravine having a northeasterly course, 
 draining into Coyote Creek; on both sides of this ravine, but 
 especially on the northwest side, where the workings are 
 located, are found some ver^^ prominent croppings. The lat- 
 ter are entirely surrounded by serpentine, but as far as ascer- 
 tained do not connect with those on the southeast slope of the 
 ravine. The direction of these croppings is about northwest. 
 A tunnel, course nearly west, about 215 feet long, is run on the 
 contact of the "alta" and the serpentine; about 30 feet from 
 the breast a good exposure of the formation shows the vein to 
 dip slightly northeast, with a clay gouge on both sides. A 
 short crosscut to the left shows that the overlying gouge is at 
 least 15 feet wide. The gangue is of a ver>- calcareous nature. 
 Nearly 200 feet above this tunnel, on the top of the ridge, a 
 shaft 65 feet deep has been sunk on the croppings, showing 
 some good ore on the dump. About 20 feet southeast of this 
 shaft a shallower shaft, not over 20 feet deep, on the same 
 croppings, shows a more ochreous vein material. 
 
 Comstock Mine. — This lies in the extreme southeastern corner 
 of Santa Clara Count}', in Sec. 19, T. 11 S., R. 7 E., really 
 belonging to the Sta3-ton Mining District. H. French, of Lone 
 Tree, San Benito County, owner. [Report State Mining Bureau 
 of Cal., XII, page 367.] The property is at present abandoned. 
 Some old surface workings and remnants of an old furnace can 
 5-et be seen. The mine is located on the only surface exposure 
 of serpentine found in the Stayton Mining District. The ore 
 found is a black chalcedonic quartz. 
 
 Costello Mine. — This lies on the southwest side of Capitancillos 
 Creek, about 1^2 miles southeast of the Guadalupe mine, and 
 opposite the Enriquita mine of the New Almaden propert}'. 
 M. Costello, of New Almaden, Santa Clara County, owner. 
 The principal workings in this propert}' are located on the 
 sidehill, about 400 feet above the level of Capitancillos Creek; 
 below these, considerable limestone is found in the debris 
 covering the sidehill, and also some croppings of the same rock, 
 but at the level of the works this rock does not occur. The 
 works consist of several shallow cuts and drifts in the debris 
 covering the hillside. One tunnel reaches through the latter 
 into the serpentine. In a crosscut from this tunnel a sand- 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 173 
 
 Stone was found having on the fracture planes a thin black 
 coating of iron and carrying some cinnabar. All through the 
 debris pieces of ore are disseminated, composed of fragments of 
 a flinty material, generally in a matrix of quartz; occasionally 
 the matrix resembles the tuffoid of the Abbott mine. Lake 
 County. The character of the ore is entirely different from 
 that in the New Almaden ore bodies. No ore deposits in place 
 have yet been found. 
 
 Guadalupe Mine. — This mine is on Capitancillos Creek, lo 
 miles south of San Jose. The Century Mining Company, 
 owner; H. C. Davey, president, F. A. Lueddeman, secretar}^ 
 San Jose, Santa Clara County; San Francisco office, room 131 2, 
 Claus Spreckels Building. [See Report State Mining Bureau 
 of Cal., Vm, page 542; XIII, page 600; Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., 
 page 326.] This mine was discovered in the early 50's, being 
 acquired soon after its discovery by the Santa Clara Mining 
 Association of Baltimore, Md., and was operated by that com- 
 pany until the mine was bought by the Guadalupe Mining 
 Company of California in 1875, when large surface improve- 
 ments in the way of reduction works and mining machinery 
 were installed and extensive mine development work was 
 prosecuted. Up to 1886 the mine produced 55,910 flasks of 
 quicksilver [see Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 11], and then 
 remained idle until 1900, when H. C. Davey organized the 
 Century Mining Company-, which has remodeled the reduction 
 plant, started to unwater the mine, and is at present passing 
 through the furnace a great part of the old dumps and some 
 fillings of the upper parts of the old works. The unwatering 
 of the mine has proven a very difiicult undertaking, as the 
 works are at a shallow depth under Capitancillos Creek, which 
 drains a large section of the country. 
 
 From the plan of the old works it can be seen that the ore 
 body developed b}' the main vertical shaft, located on the 
 south side of the creek, had a northwest strike and southwest 
 dip. The second level, 300 feet below the collar of the shaft, 
 connects with an incline shaft started on the opposite bank 
 of the creek and following the vein on its dip. The main 
 shaft was only sunk to the sixth level (625 feet). From this 
 level an incline shaft was sunk, from which the seventh, 
 eighth, and ninth levels were driven. Ore was only developed 
 
174 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 in the seventh and eighth levels. Besides these works several 
 other shallower shafts and drifts were run, all practically inac- 
 cessible. 
 
 The property is equipped with two 20-ton coarse-ore fur- 
 naces and two 40-ton fine-ore furnaces, modeled according to 
 the Davey patent. 
 
 Hillsdale Mine, or old Chapman mine, formerly known as the 
 Chaboya mine, about two miles from San Jose, near Hillsdale 
 station, lies on the east slope of the northwestern end of the 
 Santa Teresa hills. Oscar Promis, No. 246 South Third 
 street, San Jose, owner. There are a great number of excava- 
 tions in the hillside, which, however, reach scarceh' any depth, 
 as the crest of the hill is not over 100 feet above the level of 
 the valley. At present these workings show ver^^ little ore. 
 They must at one time have produced quicksilver ore, as the 
 remnants of an old furnace are still on the premises. 
 
 New Almaden Mine. — This property lies 1 3 miles south of San 
 Jose, and covers a territory of 8580 acres. The Quicksilver 
 Mining Company, owner; A. I^. Baile}^ 20 Nassau street, New 
 York, president; Thomas Derby, New Almaden, Santa Clara 
 Count}^ superintendent. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 310 
 and following; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., VIII, page 
 541; X, page 604; XII, page 370; XIII, page 600.] 
 
 This property is the oldest known quicksilver mine in the 
 United States. It was first worked in 1824 b}^ Antonio Sunol, 
 lyuis Chaboya, and Robles, and was known as the Chaboya 
 mine. In 1845, Andreas Castillero, a Mexican army officer, 
 "denounced" the mine under the name of Santa Clara mine. 
 After the admission of California into the United States, Castil- 
 lero and his associates leased the mine for sixteen years to the 
 banking firm of Barron, Forbes & Co. The name of the mine 
 was at the same time changed to that of New Almaden. Ir 
 1864 the property came into the hands of the present owner. 
 
 This mine produced in the earlier years comparativelj- rich 
 ore, but in later years the richness of the ore has very much 
 decreased and that now worked is of about the general average 
 grade of that in the other large quicksilver mines of the State. 
 The table on pages 176 and 177 gives its production up to the 
 year 1896. 
 
Bueno yisfa Shaft 
 
 /fandol Tunnel 
 
 Sec f ion A A 
 
 
 ^ MoinShaft' J \ i, '-^, 
 
 A 
 
 '. fforr/ S/!aft 
 
 
 Washingfon %1 
 Shaff •<' 
 
 ^S> 
 
 ffatf Turfte/ 
 
 SCALCIN nCT 
 
 I . I Ore bodies y/ren /n Map of Or. Beefier ftSS. 
 \' I Ore bocfies cfefe/ofiecf /afer 
 
 Ore Uoilies in the New Almaden Mijic. 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, 
 
 175 
 
 The mine workings cover a ter- 
 ritory of about 2'^ square miles, ex- 
 clusive of those in the northwestern 
 part of the property. The greatest 
 depth of these workings is 2450 feet 
 below the top of Mine Hill, which is 
 used as the datum point for all under- 
 ground workings. In this territor)^ 
 eighteen shafts have been sunk, and 
 the underground excavations would 
 be about 84 miles long. The greater 
 part of these extensive workings are 
 at present inaccessible; the Mctoria 
 shaft, a short distance to the south- 
 west of the Randol shaft, and the 
 Harr}' shaft, on the southeast slope 
 of Mine Hill [see map, Fig. 57], are 
 the only two shafts at present in 
 operation. The deepest workings at 
 present followed are 1000 feet below 
 the datum point; and below 1300 feet 
 the mine is filled with water. 
 
 The ground in that part of the 
 mine now in operation is remarkably 
 good. A majorit}' of the large stopes 
 are held up with scarcely any timber- 
 ing, and onl}^ in some parts of the 
 mine is square-set timbering required. 
 Most of the gangways require only 
 occasional timbering for short dis- 
 tances. The ground in the Randol 
 shaft formerly worked was, however, 
 much heavier. 
 
 The gangways are driven on the 
 contact of the clay gouge, locall}- 
 called "alta," which overlies the ore 
 bodies, and where the ore bodies are 
 absent, on the contact of the "alta" 
 with the serpentine foot wall, locally 
 called "greenstone." 
 
 The ore forms principally in "stock- 
 wercks" (that is, in large zones of 
 
176 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
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 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OP CALIFORNIA. 
 
 fracturing), and in reading the following description it must 
 be borne in mind that when speaking of veins in the New 
 Almaden mine, this term does not indicate a well-defined 
 fissure, but that the ore deposition has taken place along zones 
 of fracturing. Judging from the great width of the "alta," 
 the result of attrition caused b}' the movements of the rock 
 
 niNE HILL 
 
 Fig. 58. Section of Mine Hill, New Almaden. 
 
 Strata, from the wave-like form of ore deposits, from the fact 
 that parallel zones of ore deposition are found, and finally from 
 the character of the vein filling, which shows repeated fissuring 
 and refilling, resulting in a ribbon formation in the seams, the 
 conclusion must be drawn that this fracturing was persistent 
 during a long period of time. 
 
 The ore deposits are limited on their hanging-wall side 
 
 by the "alta," an 
 'Gi'onfpZv^^^ impermeable stra- 
 tum through which 
 no water circula- 
 tion could pass. 
 The foot-wall side 
 is persistently ser- 
 pentine, hence it 
 must be concluded 
 that in this mine 
 the serpentine is associated with the cause of fracturing of the 
 other rock strata, and this would lead to the conclusion that 
 here the serpentine must be considered as an alteration prod- 
 uct of intrusive peridotites, not as an alteration of strata of 
 the Franciscan series. This conclusion finds confirmation by 
 a section of the country from Mine Hill toward the Washing- 
 ton shaft. [See Fig. 58.] The fracturing has taken place on 
 
 
 Fig. 
 
 59. Section over Santa Rita West, Giant Powder 
 slopes, New Almaden. 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 
 
 179 
 
 both sides of the serpentine, which apparently can not be con- 
 sidered otherwise than as an intrusive body having uplifted the 
 rocks of the Franciscan series. 
 
 The ore bodies form principallj^ in those parts of the zones 
 where the dip of the " alta " is very flat, as indicated in Fig. 59 — 
 an ideal section over two connected stopes, which have both 
 produced considerable amounts of ore. The contact of the 
 
 PHOTO No. 16. DL'.MP OF NEW ALMADEN MINE WORKS. 
 
 " alta" with the underlying vein filling, and where this is miss- 
 ing with the serpentine, is very tortuous in both directions, 
 vertically and horizontally, so that in the gangways, which, 
 as above mentioned, follow this contact, it is an exception to 
 find a straight line of any length. The stopes are locally 
 called "labores." The material which fills the zones of frac- 
 turing and wherein in places cinnabar forms, is generally 
 rather hard and siliceous, traversed by a network of seams 
 
 12— QR 
 
180 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 of quartz and dolomite, showing repeated Assuring and filling 
 containing some inclusions of serpentine, the cinnabar forming 
 principally in connection with the seams. In places the vein 
 filling has more of an ochreous character, the matrix being 
 more or less leached out, leaving only the network of seams 
 intact. 
 
 The San Francisco vein is mainly composed of this ochreous 
 
 PHOTO Xo. 17. DUMP OF GREY SHAFT AND MINE HILL, 
 XEW ALMADEN. 
 
 ore, wherein are found bodies of ven,- hard rock, resembling 
 diorite, verj' irregularly fractured. In this vein, the ochreous 
 material lies on the serpentine, no gradual change taking place 
 from the former into the latter, which for from 8 to lo feet from 
 the vein is changed into a clayey material, gradually changing 
 into hard serpentine. 
 
 The general character of the vein filling indicates that, as in 
 most of the other quicksilver deposits in the State, the deposi- 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 
 
 181 
 
 tion of cinnabar has been associated with the process of silici- 
 fication, which characterizes the alteration of the rocks of the 
 Franciscan series. 
 
 The general direction of the seams in the vein filling is not 
 parallel to the line of contact with the "alta." The "alta" 
 is often indurated near the vein, and is then locally called 
 "cab." This is especialh' the case in the upper workings. In 
 
 PHOTO No. is. VICTOKl.\ SHAFT, NEW ALM.\DEN. 
 
 the lower levels, it has more the character of a moist clay ; the 
 inclusions of gray sandstone, so frequent in the mines of San 
 Luis Obispo and San Benito counties, while not absent, are 
 much less prominent. Possibly associated with this change in 
 the character of the "alta" is a difference in the distribution 
 of the cinnabar in the pay shoots. In the upper workings the 
 part nearest to the "alta" is seldom the richest, the cinnabar 
 forming more plentiful at from 5 to 8 feet below the "alta," 
 
182 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 while in the lower workings the richest ore is invariably close 
 to the "alta." 
 
 The contact between the "alta" and the vein filling is very 
 sharplj' marked, but there is a gradual change of the above 
 described vein filling into the material of the serpentine foot 
 wall, the vein material gradually carrying more serpentine, 
 until its has entirely changed into the latter. The hanging 
 
 PHOTO No. 19. SANTA ISABEL SHAFT, NEW ALMADEN 
 
 wall is a shale, judging from surface exposures. Underground, 
 no crosscut through the "alta" to the hanging wall was seen. 
 [See Figs. 55 and 56.] 
 
 In some parts of the mine, especially in the lower workings 
 (as/, i), in the drift from the Santa Isabel shaft, southwest to 
 the American shaft [see plan, Fig. 57], heavy flows of gas were 
 encountered, principall}^ if not exclusively, consisting of car- 
 bon dioxide, which in that drift were so strong as to force the 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 
 
 183 
 
 company to abandon the work. It is generally supposed that 
 this gas is generated by the decomposition of the calcite and 
 dolomite, which are abundant in those parts of the mine, both 
 in the vein filling and in the " alta." 
 
 In order to give an intelligible description of the formation 
 of the ore bodies in the New Almaden mine, the old works, at 
 present inaccessible, must be taken into account. The magnifi- 
 
 PHOTO No. 20. RANDOL SHAFT, NEW ALMADEN. 
 
 cent map of the underground works in the office of the com- 
 pany gives ample opportunity to do this. A reduced copy of 
 this map, up to the date of its publication, 1887, is found in 
 sheet IX of the atlas of Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S. The accom- 
 panying plan [Fig. 57] gives an outline of the ore bodies 
 opened up in the mine. The later works are located princi- 
 pally in the upper levels. 
 
 One nearly continuous series of ore bodies {a) lies on a line 
 
184 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Starting near the main shaft and going in a northwesterly 
 direction to about 400 feet northwest of the Santa Rita shaft, 
 a distance of about one fourth of a mile. These ore bodies are 
 worked to a depth of not over 700 feet below datum level (top 
 of Mine Hill). In the southern part, near the main shaft, the 
 ore bodies are intricately overlying each other. [See Fig. 57, 
 crosscut AA, a west-east section over this part of the mine.] 
 This may be due to the intrusive serpentine body in Mine Hill 
 before mentioned. 
 
 A second series of ore bodies {b) lies to the east, and runs 
 nearly parallel to the former. It begins a little southwest of 
 the Harr3' shaft, and runs to about the Day tunnel, where 
 it connects, by a series of stopes about 400 feet long, with 
 the first mentioned series. These workings go from 400 feet 
 below datum in their southeastern part to 650 feet at the 
 northwestern end. 
 
 Running a line from the Giant Powder stope to the Santa 
 Maria shaft, the general direction of the veins south of this 
 line, judging from that of the gangwaj^s, which as stated 
 above are run along their hanging contact, is about north 
 with an east dip. North of this line the ore bodies appear to 
 change their course and to lie on a nearly southwest strike 
 with a northwest dip. In this latter part of the mine there 
 are two distinct zones of mineralization — the western zone 
 {c), which connects directly with the first above-mentioned 
 series, and the eastern zone {</), which appears to be separated 
 from the second series {b) by a nearly barren zone, in which, 
 however, not only does the vein persist, but the two zones 
 mentioned by Dr. Becker (Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 320 
 et seq. ) make their appearance, there being two levels run 
 on the 900-foot and looo-foot levels on their hanging-wall 
 contact. From the 700 to the 1 700-foot level, there is a barren 
 zone between these two mineralized zones {c and d). On 
 the latter level a body of ore was worked between them, 
 but judging from the map of the underground workings of the 
 company, *below this level, no ore bodies were found in the 
 intervening space. [See plan. Figs. 57 and 60, which give a 
 general idea of this system of ore deposit.] 
 
 In the 1400-foot level, Santa Isabel South, running toward 
 the Washington shaft, about 700 feet south of the Santa 
 
dol Shaft 
 jT Col/<"' 
 
 SCAL£ W r££T 
 
 O so /OO 200 300 
 
 Fig. 60. 
 
 Plan of the Clay Walls, New Almaden Mine. 
 From Atlas, Monograph XIII, V. S. G. S. 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 185 
 
 Isabel shaft, and near the breast of the 1400-foot level south- 
 west running from the same shaft toward the America shaft, 
 some ore was found. If these ore bodies could be proven to 
 be connected, they would be found to lie in the prolongation 
 of the strike of c and d, and there would appear to be a line of 
 cross-fissuring, a very possible occurrence in a country as 
 disturbed as the vicinity of the New Almaden mine. 
 
 In the knoll southeast of Mine Hill are the Cora Blanca 
 workings, which in former times yielded quite good ore. At 
 present a tunnel is run between the Cora Blanca and Grey 
 shafts in this hill, which has cut a small ore body; the latter 
 has, however, an entirely different appearance from that in the 
 other workings, the gangue consisting of fragments of jaspery 
 material recemented by silica, calcite, and dolomite. The cin- 
 nabar is here associated with some iron pyrite. 
 
 The most northwestern works on the property, known as the 
 Enriquita mine, are located about i % miles northwest of Mine 
 
 Fig. 61. Section in Enriquita Mine, New Almaden. 
 
 Hill. The lowest working is a tunnel starting on a very promi- 
 nent body of croppings, which in the tunnel forms a sandstone 
 traversed by a very close network of seams refilled by quartz 
 and calcite. At 840 feet from the entrance the tunnel enters 
 the serpentine and splits. The left-hand drift runs to the 
 bottom of the R. R. B. shaft, and then follows the contact of 
 "alta" and vein material, which at the breast disappears, 
 leaving the "alta" directly overlying the serpentine. The 
 right-hand drift also reaches a similar contact and stops at the 
 contact of the "alta" and the serpentine, showing that there 
 is here also a repetition of strata. [See Fig. 61.] Above this 
 level, about 150 feet below the surface, a body of very good 
 ore was worked in former years, from which about 10,000 
 flasks were obtained. 
 
 The mine is equipped with two coarse-ore furnaces of 12 
 tons capacity each; two medium-sized ore (granitza) furnaces, 
 one of 36 tons, the other of 18 tons capacity; and two fine-ore 
 (tierra) furnaces, one of 36 tons, the other of 24 tons capacity. 
 
 There is very little or no mining timber available in the 
 
186 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 vicinity. The company uses exclusively Oregon pine, costing 
 $i8 per I coo feet (B. M.). Cordwood is not very abundant, 
 and costs $5. 85 per cord. The company uses oil as fuel under 
 the steam boilers in both hoists. 
 
 Santa Teresa Mine* — This is situated on the east slope of the 
 Santa Teresa hills, about 8 miles southeast of San Jose, near 
 Edenvale station, on the Southern Pacific main line. The 
 Santa Teresa Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; R. B. Har- 
 per, of San Jose, superintendent. Three tunnels have been run 
 in the mountain. [See Fig. 62.] The lowest tunnel, 700 feet 
 
 ^Mt'f, Surface 
 
 Tunr) el 
 
 ^e/n 
 
 '£___^' Top of Ridge (835) 
 
 Fig. 62. Sketch of works in the Sauta Teresa Mine. Scale, i":=2oo'. 
 
 long, reached the vein at 550 feet from the mouth; its course 
 is nearly south. It turns to the left on the vein and is driven 
 in toward the territory under the two upper tunnels in order 
 to reach the pay shoot in the vein, which apparently dips east- 
 ward. The middle tunnel, no feet above the former, course 
 S. 8° \V., 325 feet long, is in serpentine. It cuts the ledge 228 
 feet from the mouth. There is no selvage or gouge between 
 the ledge and the serpentine. The ledge stands nearly vertical; 
 the tunnel has not yet passed through the ledge into the oppo- 
 site wall. The upper tunnel is 85 feet above the middle tunnel, 
 course S. 22^ W. It cuts the contact of the serpentine and the 
 ledge at 220 feet from the mouth, and a few feet farther turns 
 to the right in the ledge and runs 187 feet in this direction. 
 
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 187 
 
 About 50 feet from its turning point is a vertical shaft, which 
 connects with the middle tunnel about 90 feet from the point 
 where the latter cuts into the ledge, showing that the ledge 
 dips north. Between these two tunnels, farther on, a raise goes 
 from the upper level to the surface no feet, all in ledge matter. 
 On the level of the upper turtnel several drifts and crosscuts 
 have been run in the ledge matter, showing the latter to be 
 ver}^ extensive. 
 
 The country rock is all serpentine. The ledge matter varies 
 greatly in character. It is apparently an alteration product of 
 serpentine through silicification, subsequent to a fracturing of 
 the material. The fissures have been filled by quartz and cal- 
 cite, the silicification varj'ing in difierent zones of the ledge, 
 probably due to a varying degree of fracturing. In places 
 inclusions of nearly unaltered serpentine are found. In others, 
 as for instance, in an intermediate short level run from the shaft 
 37 feet above the middle tunnel, the rocks contain a great 
 amount of cavities. Considerable ochreous material is found, 
 probably due to the oxidation of iron pyrite. A 50-ton Scott 
 furnace is in course of construction. 
 
 Silver Creek Mines. — This was formerly the North Almaden 
 mine, on the east side of Silver Creek, near Evergreen, about 
 8 miles from San Jose. Silver Creek Quicksilver Mining Com- 
 pan}', owner; H. R. Bradford, president. No. 7 North Market 
 street, San Jose. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 XII, page 367; XIII, page 600.] 
 
 Access to mine refused to Field Assistant. 
 
 Wright Mines. — These lie on Llagas Creek, about 3 miles 
 south of the hacienda of New Almaden, 25 miles from San 
 Jose. Mrs. A. Rodgers, owner. No. 1801 Leavenworth street, 
 San Francisco. [See Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 XII, page 370; XIII, page 601.] This property was worked 
 to some extent in former years, producing some good ore; but 
 sufficient work has not been done in later times to judge of the 
 possibilities of the property. 
 
188 QUICKSILVER RESOURCKS OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 STANISLAUS COUNTY. 
 
 Summit Group of Mines. — These consist of the South Summit, 
 North Summit, Grayson, Martin, Hayward, White Oak, and 
 Hopkins claims, and four millsites, in Sees. 20 and 29, T. 6 S., 
 R. 5 E., principally in Stanislaus Count}', but partly in Santa 
 Clara County, on Red Mountain, about 50 miles from San Jose 
 and 40 miles from Livermore. The Phoenix Quicksilver Min- 
 ing Company, owner; H. G. Stevenson, Hobart Building, San 
 Francisco, president; E. P. Xewhall, Deforest, Santa Clara 
 Count}-, superintendent. [See R.eport State Mining Bureau of 
 Cal., XIII, page 603.] This property was discovered in the 
 70's by Mr. Waterford, who turned it over to the Martin 
 Brothers, of Pleasanton. The Messrs. Martin worked it on a 
 small scale and erected a 5-ton furnace and afterward sold it to 
 Mr. A. Hayward and associates, who recently formed the com- 
 pany which is the present owner. It is opened by several tunnels 
 and shafts, which show that there are three distinct zones of 
 mineralization: The Summit vein, having a strike N. 15° E., 
 and a southeasterly dip; a belt of sandstone, having a north- 
 westerly strike, crossing the Summit vein (if it continues past 
 the latter is, however, not yet determined); and the Gray- 
 son vein, having also a northwesterh- strike, with a north- 
 easterly dip. 
 
 The Summit vein is developed by four tunnels and a shaft 
 40 feet deep on the top of the ridge. The vein is well exposed 
 in tunnels Xos. i and 2, which are connected by an incline 
 shaft. Considerable understoping has been done in Xo. i, and 
 from Xo. 2 a shaft has been sunk first verticalh- until it reaches 
 the ioot wall and then along the foot wall at an angle of 54°. 
 The vein is overlaid by "alta." The foot wall is in sandstone 
 altered by silicification. The understopes of Xo. i on the foot 
 wall show a large ore body ; one crosscut, 40 feet long, has not 
 reached the overlying "alta." The ledge matter is a serpen- 
 tine, altered into an opaline rock. The cinnabar is remarkabl}^ 
 disseminated through the silica in fine aggregates of cr3'Stals. 
 Especially in the upper tunnel a great portion of the ore is 
 weathered into a soft ochreous material, due to the oxidation 
 of the iron sulphides. There is considerable lime in the 
 gangue. The Gravson ledge is more of a sandstone character. 
 
STANISLAUS COUNTY. 189 
 
 with cinnabar coating the fracture planes; the ledge carries 
 also considerable ochreous material. The erection of a 50-ton 
 furnace is contemplated. The manufacture of the brick for 
 this has been started. 
 
 Adobe Valley Mine.— In Sec. 24, T. 6 S., R. 5 E. The Stanis- 
 laus Quicksilver Mining Company, owner; H. G. Stevenson, 
 Hobart Building, San Francisco, president; E. P. Newhall, 
 Deforest, Santa Clara County, superintendent. This property is 
 at present idle. A vertical shaft, about 180 feet deep, has been 
 sunk, but is filled with water to just below the 100-foot drift. 
 The country rock is apparently a bedded sandstone. The pres- 
 ence of considerable black clay gouge indicates that strong 
 movements have taken place. The rock and the ledge matter 
 carr}' a great amount of sulphur, occurring as iron and mag- 
 nesia sulphides, and where these have been decomposed, as 
 sulphates and free sulphur. The sandstone in places is impreg- 
 nated with cinnabar, associated with iron sulphide, but the 
 works are not enough advanced to admit of judging about the 
 value of the deposit. 
 
 Orestimba Mine. — This is on Orestimba Creek, in Sees. 25 and 
 36, T. 6 S., R. 5 E. The Hazard Quicksilver Mining Company, 
 owner; H. G. Stevenson, Hobart Building, San Francisco, presi- 
 dent; E. P. Newhall, Deforest, Santa Clara County, superin- 
 tendent. The property is at present idle. A short tunnel with 
 several crosscuts, about 200 feet above the creek level, shows 
 that the country rock is a silicified shale. 
 
OUTLYING COUNTIES. 
 
 EL DORADO COUNTY. 
 
 Bernard Mine.— This is in Sec. 4, T. 8 N., R. lo E. The Ber- 
 nard Quicksilver Company, owner. ly. C. Osteyee, 212 San- 
 some street, room 11, San Francisco. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. 
 G. S., page 384; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, 
 page 359.] This property was first developed in the 6o's, 
 by G. Folger, of Jackson, Amador County, under the name of 
 the Amador Quicksilver mine. The present owners have re- 
 opened the old works, which consist of a vertical shaft about 
 75 feet deep, connecting with a tunnel about 65 feet lower 
 than the collar of the shaft, starting on a southerh' course, 
 about in the same direction as the strike of the slate, and turn- 
 ing nearl}^ at right angles to the right about 1 80 feet from its 
 mouth. Both the shaft and the tunnel are entireh* in the gray 
 slates of the Mother Lode region, which show some cinnabar 
 on panning. After passing the bend, the tunnel crosscuts the 
 the slates, and for about 25 or 30 feet the walls are coated with 
 vermilion. This coating appears, however, to be only super- 
 ficial, as when breaking down the rock no signs of it are found 
 on the new fractures. This tunnel being very old, this ver- 
 milion may be a recent deposition. About a quarter of a 
 mile west of these works a belt of serpentine runs through 
 the countrj'. 
 
 TRINITY COUNTY. 
 
 Surface indications of quicksilver ores are found in several 
 places throughout Trinity County, but active mining for this 
 metal has only been done in the northeastern part of the county, 
 between Crow Creek, a tributar}^ of the east fork of Trinity 
 River, and the north fork of the east fork of Trinity River. 
 The surface country rock of this section is principally serpen- 
 tine, which is generally very hard; on the east and west 
 ridge forming the northern boundary of the basin wherein the 
 
TRINITY COUNTY. 
 
 191 
 
 quicksilver ore bodies occur, a great amount of the chr3-sotile 
 variety of serpentine is found, which, however, is entirely 
 absent nearer the mineralized section. The Emerald tunnel 
 cuts through the formation in a part of the territory, showing 
 little or no signs of mineralization, hence afiording opportunity 
 
 to judge about the rock formation of the country in general. 
 It starts in serpentine, but at the breast, about 250 feet in, the 
 material is a diabase altered into greenstone. The material 
 wherein the ore bodies form, being also altered igneous rock, 
 it is ver}- probable that the serpentine is in this territory- an 
 alteration product of igneous rocks. The exposures of metamor- 
 phics, prominently sandstones, are principally located west of 
 the mineralized zone, on the slope toward the North Fork. One 
 
192 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 small exposure of igneous rock (quartz porph5-r\^) was found 
 near Crow Creek. 
 
 The material wherein the ore bodies form has been very 
 much altered; it is probably a feldspar porphyr}-. Occasion- 
 ally small detached exposures of croppings are found in the 
 serpentine. Thej- have an ochreous appearance, and their rela- 
 tion to the ore bodies developed underground is as yet unde- 
 fined. The works of the Altoona mine being at present 
 inaccessible, the obser^^ation of the underground ore appearance 
 was limited to a depth of 120 feet, the greatest depth at which 
 ore bodies are developed in the Integral mine. 
 
 Altoona Mine. — This lies in Sec. 22, T. 38 N., R. 6 \V., and 
 comprises the Trinity, Altoona, and part of the Blockade 
 mining claims. The Altoona Quicksilver Mining Company, 
 owner, 206 Sansome street, San Francisco. [See Mon. XIII, 
 U. S. G. S., page 366; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 VIII, page 643; X, page 716; XII, page 371 ; XIII, page 603.] 
 The Altoona Quicksilver Mining Company acquired this prop- 
 erty in 1875, but prior to that time some surface work had 
 been done and relatively considerable quicksilver extracted. 
 In 1879 the mine was closed down by litigation, and so 
 remained until 1894, when work was resumed, a Knox & 
 Osborne fine-ore furnace erected, and the underground develop- 
 ment work energetically pushed. A vertical shaft was sunk 
 to a depth of 450 feet, from which five levels were driven; in 
 the lowest level another vertical shaft was sunk 152 feet deep, 
 from which two levels were driven. In all there are seven 
 levels, covering a territor>^ of 1600 feet in a northwesterly 
 and II 20 feet in a northeasterly direction; within which four 
 different veins were worked to a depth of about 600 feet. 
 Three of these veins come together at the lowest level, forming 
 a mineralized zone about 400 feet long and from 4 to 50 feet 
 wide. The fourth vein has no connection with the other, and 
 lies about 400 feet southwest; it has been worked from the 
 third (350 feet) to the first (140 feet) level. The mine makes 
 a very large amount of water, requiring several large pumps 
 and a boiler capacity of 140 H. P. to keep it unwatered, causing 
 a high cost of operation per ton of ore worked; and when, in 
 1902, part of the reduction plant was destroyed by fire, the 
 mine was shut down, and the water stands now about 18 
 
TRINITY COUNTY. 
 
 193 
 
 inches above the floor of the upper level. The furnace has 
 lately been repaired, and the material of the dumps is run 
 through with satisfactory result. 
 
 The production of the mine has been: prior to 1S75, 1500 
 flasks; from 1875 to 1879 (retorts), 8010 flasks; from 1894 to 
 1902 (furnace, 70 months), 19,671 flasks; total 29,181 flasks. 
 
 Carr Mine* — This is in Sec. 22, T. 38 N., R. 6 \V., and consists 
 of one mining claim. G. Carr, of Carr\'ille, Trinity County, 
 owner. Some surface work of no consequence has been done. 
 
 PHOTO No. 21. ENTRANCE— CASTELT-A DEVELOPMENT TUNNEL, INTEGRAL MINE. 
 
 An exposure of croppings is found on this mining claim in the 
 road between the Altoona and Integral mines. 
 
 Integral Mine. — This is in Sees. 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 27, and 28, 
 T. 38 N., R. 6 \V., and consists of forty-six mining claims and 
 several timber sections. The Integral Mining Company, 
 owner; E. W. McGraw, 324 Pine street, San Francisco; Frank 
 A. Mahon, superintendent, Integral, Trinity County. The 
 geology of this property is treated previously in the general 
 description of this district. Some croppings are found between 
 
194 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 the mouth of the Castella tunnel and the sawmill, but no ore 
 bodies have been cut by this tunnel. Serpentine is also under- 
 ground the principal country rock. In this serpentine lies 
 a body of highly altered rock, probably an altered feldspar- 
 
 Verr/ca/W/nze b^ 
 fween 40' a 80'/e/eL 
 
 Probab/e /imifs of porphyry on SO'/ei/el. 
 " •• '• ••/20' •• 
 Serpentine. 
 
 „, , freo) 
 Blacksmifh 
 shop 
 
 Fig. 62a. Underground workings of Integral Mine. 
 
 porphyr>% as far as ascertained in the form of an irregular 
 lens, with a northwesterly dip. In the parts of the lens which 
 carry ores the material is thoroughly decomposed by the action 
 of the mineral-bearing waters, which deposited there in iron 
 and mercury sulphides, the former being largely, if not entirely 
 
TRINITY AND OTHER COUNTIES. 195 
 
 weathered into iron oxides, decomposing the gangue rock and 
 giving it a yellow and black color. 
 
 The principal system of underground works consist of a 
 shaft, from which four levels, respectively 40, 80, 120, and 180 
 feet below its collar have been driven, and an intermediate 
 level at lOO feet. [See Fig. 62a.] The 180- foot level connects 
 through a vertical winze with the Castella development tunnel, 
 which is 120 feet vertical lower; and from this winze a drift 
 and side drift have been run 25 feet below the 180- foot level. 
 By connecting the points where the serpentine has been cut 
 in the different drifts an approximate representation of the 
 form of the above-mentioned lens of porphyry containing the 
 ore bodies has been given. A great amount of surface work 
 (assessment work) on a number of the claims has been done, 
 without, however, disclosing anything of importance. The 
 property is equipped with a 24-ton fine-ore Knox & Osborne 
 furnace. 
 
 Trinity Mine. — This consists of three claims, Trinitj' Nos. i, 
 2, and 3, in Sees. 21 and 22, T. 38 N., R. 6 \V. Messrs. Riesch- 
 ling, owners. 
 
 OTHER COUNTIES. 
 
 Besides the above described mines, there are a number of scat- 
 tered cinnabar deposits, none of which have been developed 
 to any great extent, in various sections of the State. 
 
 In Contra Costa County, near Mount Diablo, some cinnabar 
 has been found. [See Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 378.] 
 
 In Del Norte County [see above cited, page 366, and Report 
 State Mining Bureau of Cal., XII, page 198] some prospect- 
 ing for cinnabar has been done near the northern border of 
 the county on Diamond Creek, an eastern tributary of the 
 north fork of Smith River. The Mercury- group, near the 
 mouth of Diamond Creek, is owned by Israel Dietrick and 
 others. The Diamond Creek group lies near the head of the 
 same creek, close to the State line. 
 
 In Mariposa County a cinnabar occurrence is mentioned by 
 Professor Whitney. [See Geological Survey of California, 
 vol. I, page 230.] 
 
 13— QR 
 
196 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 In Santa Barbara County [see Mon. XIII, U. S. G. S., page 
 382; Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., VIII, page 537; 
 X, page 596; XII, page 366] are the Los Prietos mines in the 
 Santa Ynez range. These produced in former years some 
 quicksilver, but have been idle for a number of years. Another 
 occurrence of cinnabar has been mentioned near the Cuch- 
 amma River (the Eagle Quicksilver mine). 
 
 In Shasta County a cinnabar deposit has been to some extent 
 developed; it is 30 miles northeast of Redding, in Sees. 4 and 5, 
 T. 32 N., R. I W. The Clover Creek Cinnabar Company, 
 owner. F. P. Primm, president. Redding. 
 
 In Siskiyou County [see Report State Mining Bureau of Cal., 
 XII, page 370; XIII, page 602], near Oak Bar, on the head- 
 waters of the west fork of Beaver Creek, in the northern part 
 of the county, some cinnabar deposits have been worked to a 
 slight extent by the Siskij'ou Quicksilver Mining Company 
 (G. V. Snow, president), of Oak Bar; the company has also 
 erected a small furnace. 
 
 The Barton-Lange is another property; H. J. Barton, owner, 
 Oak Bar. Both properties are non-producers. 
 
 Some cinnabar was found in the sluice-boxes of the hydraulic 
 mines in Horse Creek, in this county. 
 
METALLURGY* 
 
 The subject has been extensively treated by Crookes and 
 Rohrig in "Practical Treatise on Metallurgy," vol. I (1868); 
 by Kgleston in "The Metallurgy of Silver, Gold, and Mercury 
 in the United States," vol. II (1890); also by Prof. S. B. 
 Christy, in vols. XIII and XIV (i 884-1 886), "Transactions 
 of the American Institute of Mining Engineers," and in "The 
 Imperial Quicksilver Works at Idria" (1884), by the same 
 writer; also in many technical papers, among which the "Min- 
 ing and Scientific Press" of 1878 and 1879, giving a transla- 
 tion of Mr. Kuss's description of the Almaden mine in Spain; 
 and further, in many European technical publications. 
 
 The scope of this paper is a statement of the present condi- 
 tion of the quicksilver industry of California, and hence the 
 older methods, no longer in use in this State, and those used 
 in Europe and elsewhere, will only be alluded to where neces- 
 sary for a thorough understanding of the subject. 
 
 The extraction of mercury from ores containing sulphide of 
 mercury and occasionally native mercury (the only forms 
 wherein mercurial ores of commercial importance are found) 
 can be classified as the metallurgical process of distillation. 
 It is accomplished by subjecting the ores to a certain degree of 
 heat, applied by one or the other of two methods: in tightl}"- 
 sealed retorts, wherein the ores are heated without coming in 
 direct contact with the products of combustion of the fuel; or 
 in large furnaces, where the heat and products of combustion 
 of the fuel pass direct into the ore mass and are carried off 
 with the heated mercuric vapors, to be subsequently condensed 
 in large cooling chambers. The retorts are generally of cast- 
 iron. The Fitzgerald furnace may, however, be classified as a 
 continuous brick retort furnace. 
 
 The essential difference in the two methods lies in the fact 
 that the vapors given off by the ores in the retort furnaces are 
 separated from those resulting from the combustion of the fuel. 
 
 (197) 
 
19S QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Professor Christy, in his exhaustive study on Quicksilver Con- 
 densation [Transactions American Institute of Mining Engi- 
 neers, vol. XIV. page 237], found that in the products of 
 combustion of an average furnace-day at New Almaden, run- 
 ning on 3 per cent ore, those of the fuel amount to nearly 80 
 per cent of the total; hence the fumes from a retort furnace out 
 of which the mercun,- must be separated, are much smaller in 
 quantity and moreover less complicated in composition, so that 
 the liquefaction of the mercury is rendered much easier and 
 less costly. The theoretical advantage is, however, entirely 
 obliterated by practical disadvantages which restrict the use of 
 retort furnaces to a few exceptional cases. Their capacity is 
 small, and the relative labor and fuel expense consequently 
 ven,- high, so that even for rich ores they ofier a ver}- unprofit- 
 able method of treatment. Unless the ores are ver>' free from 
 iron sulphide, quicklime must be added, to prevent the recombi- 
 nation of the mercury and sulphur in vapor form at the mouth 
 of the exit pipe, where sudden cooling takes place. The use 
 of retort furnaces, except for the treatment of soot and of con- 
 centrates, maj' as a rule be considered bad practice. It must 
 be acknowledged that their erection in the case of prospects 
 and new mines has often been favored, because the cost of con- 
 struction is low, and the}' oSer the mine owner, who has only 
 a limited capital at his disposal, the chance of getting some 
 immediate returns out of his mine. This, however, is done at 
 the cost of the future of his property, for in order to get any 
 results he is forced to extract onl)- the ver>- rich ore. thereby 
 very materially reducing the average of the bulk of his ore 
 bodies. Besides, it may be stated that, with a few exceptions, 
 the products of those retort furnaces have scarcely ever paid 
 for the work of extraction, let alone that of the development 
 of the property. 
 
 It was stated previously that these furnaces might be prop- 
 erly employed for the treatment of concentrates. In the text- 
 books treating on this subject, it is generally claimed that: 
 "The attempts of mechanical concentration of quicksilver ores 
 " have usually not been successful, because the cinnabar is so 
 " friable that a greater portion floats ofi with the water." 
 [Egleston, above cited, page 804.] Air. G. V. Xorthey, at the 
 Manzanita mine, in Colusa County, has, however, been \ery 
 successful in concentrating the ore of that mine. The ore is 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 199 
 
 first crushed rather fine, and then passed through a 5-foot 
 Huntington mill. [See Fig. 63.] The pulp passes through a 
 concentrating plant, having a capacity of from i to 2 tons per 
 hour, depending upon the gangue. The plant consists of five 
 bumping-tables, the pulp going first to one table and from this 
 is divided over the four other bumping-tables. The tailings 
 are elevated and sized. The heavier pass over a Bartlett con- 
 
 Plan and e/eyat/on of Concentrating System. 
 
 Manzanita Mine . 
 a= Crusher 
 
 b'-Huntington /»//// (^Ty^ 
 
 c,ci= Bumpirfg Tables 
 
 e= Tailings Concentrators 1 f^*' ^^^^s^^\s^ '^ 
 
 / = Eievator 
 
 r I 
 
 r=t 
 
 3\ ■!:: 
 
 C 
 
 ' " 
 
 e_ 
 
 D 
 
 centrator, and the lighter over a belt vaimcr without side shake. 
 This plant is driven by a 25-horsepower Harding distillate 
 engine, using 15 gallons of distillate per twelve hours, laid 
 down (including 28 miles teaming from Williams) at 20 cents 
 per gallon, or $3 per twelve hours. The plant requires one 
 concentrator and two helpers. 
 
 The concentration varies according to t'.ie amount o: iron 
 
200 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 pyrites in the ore. When the latter are scarce it may reach a 
 high figure, but generally the concentration will be about 20 
 to I. When high in iron pyrites the concentration ratio will 
 be too low to produce a material which can be profitably handled 
 in a retort furnace. 
 
 The concentrates are dried and retorted in a lo-pipe retort 
 
 PHOTO Xo. 22. PIPE RETORT FURNACE. M.A.NZAXIT.\ MINE, COLUS.A^ COUNTY 
 
 furnace, which has some features worth noting, [See Fig. 64.] 
 B}' using arches around the pipe spaces, each retort can be 
 taken out separately without interfering with the working of 
 the others. Each retort has a separate mercury outlet, allow- 
 ing opportunity to judge about its workings, and the water 
 circulation through each water jacket can be regulated sepa- 
 rately. The firebox is placed to the side of the first retort, 
 instead of under it, enabling the easy discharging and charging 
 
METALLURGY, 
 
 201 
 
 of this retort. B}' placing the door of the retort inside the 
 wall, cooling of the space against the door and consequent 
 accumulation of mercury at that point are prevented. The 
 
 charge is from 75 to 80 pounds of concentrates per shift, with 
 the necessary lime, against 150 pounds of raw ore. Two fur- 
 nace men are required — one per shift. 
 
 The expenses of this plant are about $25 per day for labor, 
 
202 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 fuel, repairs, etc. The lo-pipe retort, with suitable ore, can 
 handle the total product of the concentrating mill, running day 
 and night, concentrating from 20 to 24 tons. The total cost 
 of the plant, not including the mill building, is approximatel3': 
 
 25 H. P. engine $1,000.00 
 
 Rock-crusher 250.00 
 
 5-foot Huntington mill 1,500.00 
 
 5 bumping-tables 1,000.00 
 
 Concentrating table 500.00 
 
 I elevator 100.00 
 
 Fittings, pipes, etc 150.00 
 
 Contingent expenses 500.00 
 
 I pipe retort, with building and drier 
 
 $5,000.00 
 . 2,000.00 
 
 $7,000.00 
 
 j7,uou.uu 
 
 This plant in three months turned out 330 flasks of mercurj-; 
 ^ / / 1. i 
 
 4 I ron pipe from re/ort 
 
 Fig. 65. Condensing plant soot retort, Boston Mine. 
 
 and since the visit of the writer, has continued to be operated 
 with about the same results. 
 
 This pipe retort furnace may be considered as an example of 
 the best practice for such an installation • the condensing prac- 
 tice is especially very well conceived. 
 
 At the Boston mine (Knoxville), the soot is treated in a 
 retort furnace using a condenser formed b}' a wooden box, 
 surrounded by water, which is constant!}^ renewed, the exit 
 pipe from the condenser being partly immersed in the water 
 covering the top of the condensing box. [See Fig. 65.] 
 
 Another arrangement of flues under the pipe retorts, by 
 which the parts of the pipes nearest the front and back walls 
 receive the greatest heat, has been patented by Messrs. Johnson 
 and McKay. [See Fig. 66.] The exit pipes of these furnaces 
 are only 6 feet long, without any attempt at cooling; under 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 203 
 
 their lower end runs a wooden trough wherein the mercury is 
 collected, and a loose burlap sheet is thrown over the end of 
 the pipes and the trough. Whether this installation suffices 
 to condense all the mercury vapors is very doubtful. 
 
 Two different forms of cast-iron retorts are used. The pipe 
 retorts vary from lo to 12 inches in diameter, and from 7 to 9 
 feet in length, those of 12 inches diameter being generally the 
 shortest. Their capacity is then from 5.22 to 5.9 cubic feet. 
 There must be left sufficient space in the retort so that during 
 the roasting process a sufficient amount of free oxygen will be 
 present to carry off the other vaporized products outside of the 
 mercury. Professor Christy [above cited, vol. XIV, page 236] 
 calculates that i kilogram of ore, containing 0.75 kilogram of 
 faxed material and carrying 3 per cent of quicksilver, requires 
 0.067 cubic meter of air at 0° C. and 760 mm. pressure in 
 
 JOHNSON a M^ KAY 
 FURNACE 
 
 ltl///llllri}l,},l,,,,,Tr7r, 
 
 
 order to carry the sulphur off as sulphur dioxide, or at the heat 
 in the retorts, which can be placed at 100" C. when charging, 
 v^=v^ (i+cz /); 7' = o.o67 (1+^^^)^0.091 cubic meter, which 
 reduced to pounds and feet gives for i pound of ore, 1.46 cubic 
 feet of air. In most cases the ores carry sufficient iron sul- 
 phides to make the addition of some quicklime very advisable, 
 which will absorb the freed sulphur, according to the equation, 
 4 HgS + 4CaO = 4Hg+3CaS + CaO, vSOa. The sulphur freed 
 from the reduction of the iron sulphides to ferrous sulphide 
 (FeS.= FeS-f-S) will also be absorbed by the quicklime. The 
 preceding indicates that the practice of filling the retorts 
 almost completely with ore is wrong; a charge of about 150 
 pounds of ore, filling about one third of the retort, is the most 
 preferable. The retorts must be kept at a relatively low heat, 
 not exceeding that required for the volatilization of the mer- 
 cury, from 375° to 400*^ C. ( = 750'^ Fahr. ). The distillation 
 of cinnabar (HgS4-20 = HgH-SO,) takes place at about 360° C. 
 [Crookes and Rohrig, above cited, page 505.] 
 
204 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The charge generalh- remains twelve hours in the retort, 
 but at the Helen mine, Mr. Rocca has found that with his 
 
 highh- pyritiferous and rich ore he obtained better results by 
 leaving the charge twenty-four hours in the retort and keeping 
 the heat at its lowest limit. 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 205 
 
 The Ch retorts are generally i8 inches wide and 12 inches 
 high in the center, giving them an area of i square foot, and 
 from 7 to 9 feet long. Their charge capacity is consequently 
 larger. Their cost is also much higher — $200 apiece, against 
 $25 for a pipe retort. 
 
 The opinions of quicksilver operators differ very much on 
 the relative merits of pipe retorts and q retorts, both having 
 their adherents; but for soot furnaces those of the q retorts 
 are probably in the majority. 
 
 Mr. C. Fitzgerald has applied the principle of heating the 
 ore without bringing it into direct contact with the products 
 of combustion of the fuel to a continuous retort furnace. [See 
 Fig. 67.] This furnace con.sists of an inclined, arched channel 
 of firebrick (angle 35°) with a tile floor. It has a charging 
 hopper at the upper end and a discharge chamber with door at 
 the lower end. The flames from the fire chamber pass under 
 this ore chamber along two center flues, return along two out- 
 side flues, pass to the top of the arch at the lower end, and go 
 from the upper end to the smokestack. The vapors from the 
 ore chamber are conducted through an iron exit pipe, which 
 is placed near the upper end of the ore chamber and is water- 
 jacketed outside of the furnace, to two condensers. In the sec- 
 ond condenser an air current for exhaust is created by a water 
 spray under 100 feet pressure, working on limestone to catch 
 the flour mercury. The capacity of each chamber is rated at 
 10 tons per twenty-four hours, using one cord of pine wood. In 
 practice the capacity is less. Three of these furnaces have been 
 lately erected — one at the Culver-Baer mine, one at the Uncle 
 Sam mine, both in Sonoma County, and one at the Aurora 
 mine, San Benito County. 
 
 The reduction of quicksilver ores on a large scale is con- 
 ducted in California in shaft furnaces. The evolution of these 
 furnaces from the primitive forms can be found in detail in the 
 above-mentioned metallurgical works. Suffice to say that at 
 present continuous furnaces are exclusively used. They may 
 be subdivided into coarse-ore and tile furnaces, the former only 
 treating lump ore; the latter medium-sized and fine ores. 
 
 A reduction plant may be divided into two parts: the fur- 
 nace and the condensing plant. The latter is just as impor- 
 tant as the former. The requirements of a good furnace are: 
 that it burns the rock, that is, that all the quicksilver is elim- 
 
206 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 inated from the ore when said ore is discharged and thrown 
 over the dump; that the charging be done in such a manner as 
 not to allow the escape of any considerable portion of the 
 fumes, thus preventing loss in mercury, and especially danger 
 to the health of the employes; and finally, that the furnace does 
 its work with a reasonable consumption of fuel. 
 
 The main portion of the masonry of a quicksilver furnace 
 is built of ordinary brick. The furnace of the Corona mine 
 in Napa County is an exception, being built of tufa instead of 
 common brick. Only those parts which are exposed to the 
 action of the fire and the products of combustion are lined with 
 firebrick. The common bricks are generally burned on the 
 spot, and very often the operators accept and build their fur- 
 naces with very inferior material, the result being that even 
 when dried and heated with the greatest care, large cracks 
 appear in the furnace, which are not only detrimental to the 
 regular march of the furnace, but cause a great decrease in its 
 quicksilver production, which, it is true, is not a complete loss, 
 as the metal forms in the furnace bricks as native metal and 
 cinnabar and can be recovered after tearing down the furnace, 
 but which still is a very unprofitable metallurgical treatment. 
 Another cause of rapid deterioration of furnaces is found in too 
 rapid driving, which can only be obtained by raising the 
 temperature in the furnace, generally to a degree which will 
 destroy in a relatively short time the refractory material used 
 in the furnace construction in those parts most exposed to the 
 high heat of the flame. From the data given subsequently on 
 furnace practice, it will be seen what a great difference there 
 is between the time the ore remains in the furnace in different 
 reduction works. 
 
 As in all other metallurgical processes, the end to be obtained 
 is not perfection from a metallurgical standpoint, but from a 
 commercial standpoint. As in a gold mill it is often good 
 practice to neglect the extraction of a small percentage of gold 
 out of the ore, so in furnace practice the amount of ore passing 
 through the furnace and the amount of fuel used must be 
 governed bj^ the condition of obtaining the largest results at 
 the lowest cost per unit of produced metal. This depends to a 
 great measure on the special conditions existing in different 
 plants. 
 
 It may be here stated that the superintendence of a quick- 
 
PHOTO No. L'3. CORONA FURNACE. 
 
 PHOTO No. 24. TUFA FURNACE IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION, CORONA 
 QUICKSILVER MINE. 
 
208 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 silver reduction plant requires a great amount of technical 
 knowledge, both practical and theoretical, and a constant 
 personal super\-ision ; to put such a plant in the hands of any- 
 bod}' who is not thoroughly competent will invariably lead to 
 disappointment and financial loss. 
 
 The coarse-ore furnace is simplj- a shaft in which the ore is 
 dumped from the top, extracted at the bottom and heated 
 directly by the flame from the fireplace, the products of com- 
 bustion passing through the ore column. The lumps vary in 
 diameter from 3/^ to 9 inches. Various types of these furnaces 
 are at present in operation. 
 
 Exeli Continuous Furnace. — This furnace was first introduced 
 in 1 87 1 at Idria, Austria, b}- Bergrath A. Exeli. Two of these 
 furnaces are in use at Xew Almaden — furnaces Xos. 7 and 9. 
 Fig. 68 represents this type of furnace, of which a ver}- complete 
 description is given by Egleston [above cited, page 85 7] and 
 S. B. Christy [above cited, vol. XIII, page 561]. These iron- 
 clad furnaces, built in 1874 and 1875, are still in operation, 
 treating 1 2 tons of ore ever}' twent3'-four hours; the ore remains 
 forty-eight hours in the furnace. While it is generally taken 
 for granted that ores carrjdng a great amount of metallic 
 mercury can not well be handled in shaft furnaces, these two 
 furnaces in former j-ears gave verj' satisfactory results when 
 burning the ore from the 1500-foot level, Randol shaft, which 
 contained large quantities of native mercur5\ The charge con- 
 sists of about 1600 pounds of ore. These two furnaces require 
 two men per shift, and burn each 0.605 cord of wood per twenty- 
 four hours. The cost of treatment per ton is : 
 
 Labor $0.4166 (') 
 
 Fuel 0.3025 (^) 
 
 Total J0.7191 
 
 / \ 4Xt2.so » ti/L I \ o.6o5X$6.oo . 
 
 (i) :lrl£—5_. =$0.4166 (2) ^^^^ = K).3025 
 
 24 12 
 
IRON CLAD SHAFT FURNACE 
 
 (CONTINUOUS) 
 
 SECTION A B 
 
 ELEVATION 
 
 HORIZONTAL SECTIONS. 
 
 Fig. 68. Exeli Furnace. Scale \i"=i'. 
 
210 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Knox-Osborne Coarse-Ore Furnace. — This furnace was patented 
 in 1872. [See Fig. 69. J Formerl}- a number of these furnaces 
 were in use, but in later years their number has been greatly 
 reduced. One furnace is in use at the Manhattan mine (Knox- 
 ville), and the old furnace at the Cerro Bonito mine, San Benito 
 County, has been renovated. [For description, see Egleston, 
 above cited, page 841.] 
 
 Some fine ore can be charged with the lump ore, but only 
 sparingly, other^'ise it will choke up the passages between the 
 lumps, through which the products of combustion of the fuel 
 must freely circulate. The inventor ob\dated this by adding 
 some pieces of wood to the fine ore when much of this material 
 was contained in the charge, but this did not fully obviate the 
 trouble ; and besides, the addition of fine ores materially reduces 
 the daily capacity of the furnaces. Consequenth', since the 
 general introduction of the tiled furnaces, only coarse ore is 
 charged into the various coarse-ore types of shaft furnaces. 
 The cubic content of the furnaces is about 75 tons, and as it 
 handles about 24 tons per da}-, the ore remains about three da3's 
 in the furnace. The wood consumption on coarse ore is from 
 one to one and a half cords of oak per twenty-four hours. 
 Three men per shift are required. 
 
 Luckhardt Continuous Coarse- Ore Furnace. — This furnace was 
 used in former years at several mines, but at present none are 
 working in California. [See Egleston, above cited, page 838.] 
 
 Neat*s Coarse-Ore Furnace. — Patented by John Neat. [See 
 Fig. 70.] Two of these furnaces are at the St. John mine, Solano 
 County. This furnace has no fireplace. The ore is charged with 
 coke in alternate layers, using from 3^^ to 4 per cent of coke, 
 depending on the draft in the furnace. The drawing space in 
 the bottom of the furnace is open, leaving access to the air 
 and furnishing the draft. The top of the furnace consists of 
 a hopper, with doors at the bottom, moved by levers from the 
 charging floor. At this floor there is besides a cover with a water 
 seal, and provided with a glass panel to judge of the condition 
 of the charge. When the latter is at red heat a charge is with- 
 drawn from the bottom. This is done bj^ withdrawing the 
 fork (c), resting on the bar {d). The drawing is done at inter- 
 vals varying from i^ to 2}( hours, according to the draft, 
 
-D 
 
 I ' 
 
 Hat=ii 
 
 Lk 
 
 'M il l I I 
 
 i ffiT i tTTiTn i- nT iirniii-nifTTiirftTT^ '.; 
 
 im n 11 111111 1 
 
 14— QR 
 
212 
 
 OUICKSILVER KESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 which is dependent upon atmospheric conditions. The ore 
 must be in pieces of i}^ inches or over. Judging from the 
 
 Charging Hopper 
 
 ^^. 
 
 >^ 
 
 ^c/ 
 
 
 /ran p/afe f/oor 
 
 Discharging Fork and 
 Door. 
 
 COARSE ORE FURNACE. 
 
 JOHN NEA TS' RAT. 
 
 furnace dump, a certain amount of clinkering takes place in 
 the furnace. 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 213 
 
 New Idria Coarse-Ore Furnace* — [See Fig. 71.] This furnace 
 has been designed by Mr. B. M. Newcomb, the general superin- 
 tendent of several of the principal quicksilver mines in the State. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 >' 
 
 
 
 *^o 
 
 
 ^Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J ' 
 
 /• 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -) 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 -^ 
 
 J 
 
 
 Su/ptjffff - 
 
 .\ 
 
 
 T 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J ^ '■ 
 
 V 
 
 
 Cc: 
 
 
 
 V^'l 
 
 
 ~) 
 
 ^j'^:. 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 7---' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 As will be seen from the sketch, the fire is applied on both 
 sides of the charge, which is only 4 feet through, and 6 feet 
 long in each compartment at the level of the top of the fire 
 chambers, and is heated at three sides, while besides, as it 
 
214 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 comes .nto the fire 
 chambers, the charge 
 spreads, thus causing 
 its speedy heating to 
 the highest tempera- 
 ture in the furnace. 
 The depth of the dis- 
 charge doors below 
 the level of the fire 
 chamber gives the ore 
 a chance to cool off, 
 and to give off the 
 mercury vapors not 
 volatilized during its 
 passage in front of the 
 fire chamber. This 
 furnace is 17 feet 
 wide, 24 feet through 
 at the level of the fire 
 chamber, and has a 
 total height of 42^^ 
 feet from drawing 
 floor to charging 
 track. It handles from 
 90 to 100 tons per 
 twenty-four hours; its 
 cubic capacity is 2400 
 feet, hence the ore 
 remains a little above 
 twenty-four hours in 
 the furnace. It is 
 run by two shifts of 
 five men each — one 
 furnace man, two 
 chargers, and two 
 drawers — and requires 
 not quite 2 ' - cords of 
 wood per day. The 
 excessively low fuel 
 consumption is parth' 
 due to the high per- 
 centage of iron sul- 
 phide in the ore. 
 
METAIJ.rRGV. 
 
 215 
 
 The fine-ore furnaces belong nearly all to the tile furnace 
 type, with the exception of: 
 
 Livermore Furnace. — [See Fig. 72.] Only two of these fur- 
 naces are at present in operation — one at the Cloverdale mine, 
 the other at the Culver-Baer mine, both in vSonoma County. 
 The latter is a reconstructed Fitzgerald furnace. For more 
 detailed description of this furnace, see Egleston, above cited, 
 page 887. 
 
 The tile furnaces generally adopted in California are the 
 
 Fig. 72. Longitudinal section. Modified I.iverinore quicksilver furnace. 
 
 Litchfield, the Knox & Osborne fine-ore; and the Hiittner 
 Scott. 
 
 Litchfield Furnace has been in operation at the Great Western 
 mine, Lake County, for a number of years, and has given 
 good satisfaction, although admittedly consuming more fuel 
 than the Hlittner-Scott furnace. It resembles closely the lat- 
 ter, except that the heat ascends in the ore chambers between 
 the walls and the tiles, instead of being forced to pass over the 
 tiles. 
 
 Knox-Osborne Furnace» for fine ore, is used in the Manhattan, 
 Altoona, and Integral mines. This furnace has a capacity of 
 24 tons per day. It consists [see Fig. 73] of two ore chambers, 
 across which the inclined tiles are placed in a checkerboard 
 manner; the two upper rows of tiles are of cast-iron, the others 
 of fire clay. The ore glides down along the channels formed 
 by the inclined places. The double fire chamber is at one side 
 
^.F- 
 
 H-f 
 
 .9 €/ 
 
PHOTO No. 26. CLOVERDALE REDUCTION PLANT. 
 
 PHOTO Xo. JT. GRK:A r WKSTEKX (jriCKSILVER MINING CO REUl'CTION PLANT. 
 
218 
 
 QUICKSILVEU RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 of the ore chamber. The partition walls between the fire 
 chamber and the first ore chamber, between the ore chambers, 
 and between the second ore chamber and the first dust cham- 
 ber, are pierced with pigeon holes, through which the flames 
 pass, heating the tiles and the ore. The partition wall between 
 the first and second dust chamber, both of which form an 
 integral part of the furnace, has five openings 3 feet high on 
 the level of the floor of the fireplace, creating a down draft 
 
 PHOTO No. 28. MANHATTAN FURNACK. 
 
 in the furnace. The second dust chamber is provided in its 
 outer wall with a large opening near the top, through which 
 the fumes pass into the first condenser, which is built at the 
 Integral mine contiguous to the furnace. The top of the fur- 
 nace is open ; the charge is placed directl}^ on the upper rows 
 of tiles; the down draft above mentioned being deemed suffi- 
 cient to prevent the escape of gases from the furnace. 
 
 Huttner-Scott Furnace,— [See Fig. 74.] This furnace repre- 
 sents the latest evolution of quicksilver furnaces in California. 
 Originally only used for fine ores, it has been modified to burn 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 221 
 
 Fig. 75. Tiling of Furnace Xo 3. New Alniaden. 
 
 also medium-sized ore, up to 3 '2 inches. It is extensively 
 described and discussed by Egleston [above cited, page 864] 
 and Christy [above cited, vol. XIII, pages 553 and 566]. The 
 tiles form a zig- 
 zag plane, along 
 which the ore 
 fed from the top 
 slides down 
 through the fur- 
 nace until finally 
 discharged at its 
 bottom through 
 the drawing pit, 
 being gradually 
 heated on its de- 
 scending course. 
 The size of the 
 ore lumps which 
 can be treated in 
 this furnace is governed by the distance between the edge of 
 one shelf to the face of the next below it, called the shelf-slit. 
 This distance was 3 inches in the first furnaces. Since then 
 it has been increased; the general dimensions now used is 
 5 or 6 inches, allowing medium-sized ore to be charged. In 
 furnace No. i, New Almaden, built in 1880, the shelf-slit is 
 
 8 inches, the largest 
 '^ used in any furnace 
 ^ of this type. 
 '^ Generall)- the tiles 
 'Z are flat; their largest 
 ^ commercial dimen- 
 '^ sions are 3 inches 
 by 15 inches by 36 
 ^ inches. They are im- 
 ported, and cost, laid 
 down in San Fran- 
 cisco, $3.50 apiece. 
 Larger tiles, or those of special form, cost more. The detail 
 sketch shows the manner in which the tiles are secured in the 
 ore chamber. 
 
 Furnace No. 3, New Almaden, has a different form of tiles. 
 [See Fig. 75, and \ol. XIII. above cited, page 575.] These 
 
 Tiling oT Cerniak-Spirek furnace. 
 
222 
 
 ouicksilvp:r kesoukces of California. 
 
 tiles have not proven as satisfactory as the flat ones. In Europe, 
 however, a similar form of tile is commonly used in the Cermak- 
 Spirek furnace. [See Fig. 76.] 
 
 All the Hiittner-Scott furnaces have the lire chambers on 
 one side of the ore chambers, and a vapor chamber on the other 
 side, except the Wide Awake furnace at Sulphur Creek. Colusa 
 County, where a fire chamber is placed on lioth sides of the ore 
 
 PHOTO Xo 3,1. FURXACK PLANT. IXTEGKAL MIXE. TKINirV COUXTY. 
 
 chamber. Mr. Gibson claims that thereby the capacity of the 
 furnace is materially increased without increasing the fuel 
 consumption. Mr. Robert Scott is of the opinion that one set 
 of fire chambers is sufficient to heat the ore which can be put 
 through the furnace to the required temperature. 
 
 The Hiittner-Scott furnaces are made of various capacities, 
 which are governed by the number of ore chambers in the 
 furnace, and by the height of each ore chamber. Following is 
 a table giving the dimensions of some furnaces: 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 223 
 
 
 s-inoH 
 
 -2 ° '. 
 
 >!? is? 
 
 ■jaqtunx 
 
 Hex- a 
 
 
 ^ . 
 
 c 
 
 S 
 
 1§§ 1 
 
 ^K< 
 
 a 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 u c 
 
 
 Sx 
 
 nt 
 
 til SlIIBUIdH 
 
 aSJBij^ ajiiij. 
 
 ■XjpBflB^ 
 
 •jndino XjiBa 
 
 'j:^ r:c tr, r^ fr. ^ 
 
 S. f^ rO Tf ■* ro 
 
 ■s::^ is? 
 
 .V ir, -r ■* t» o 
 
 ■t;:^; :s ;se <: S2 
 
 .J> t^ M o 0> CO >0 
 
 <, - - " •- - 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 to W \0 to M ^2 
 
 2 5 a s, 
 
 .:^ j^ j^ ^ ^ 
 — — _ ^ u 
 
 x. /. y. y. £ ~ p. 
 
 r •: - 3. a ai; 
 - /^ r. -x «; O 
 
224 
 
 QUICKSILVER RliSOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 At the New Almauen, some furnaces, viz., Xos. 3 and S, are 
 entirely surrounded by iron plates, and are called "ironclad 
 furnaces." This method of inclosing a furnace gives very good 
 satisfaction, but is very expensive. Generally furnaces are 
 inclosed in a wooden framework strengthened by iron tie rods. 
 In order to prevent this wooden framework from catching fire, 
 especially near the cracks in the furnace, which are almost 
 inevitable, it is advisable to surround them with asbestos, 2 
 
 t " 
 
 PHOTO No. 31. K.-VRL FrR.\.\Cl.. r-AX LUIS OBISPO COUNTY 
 
 inches thick. [See Fig. 84.] The later furnaces are commonly 
 of a daily capacity of 10, 20, 30, and 50 tons. The principal 
 materials entering in these furnaces are: 
 
 lo-Toii. i)o-Toii. so-Tou. 
 
 Common brick No. 150,000 300,000 400,000 
 
 Firebrick " 12,000 20.000 30,000 
 
 Tiles " iSS 360 42S 
 
 Cement bbls. 25 40 50 
 
 Fire clay. 
 
 Timber for frame. 
 
 Iron for frame, grates, hopper ^ etc. 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 225 
 
 The price of the firebrick is $32.50 per 1000 at San Francisco. 
 The price of tiles 3 inches by 15 inches bv 36 inches is S3. 50 
 apiece. 
 
 When the ore is charged moist in the furnace a great amount 
 of water vapor will be formed, which not only increases the 
 already excessive amount of fumes out of which the mercury 
 must be condensed, but also the formation of a great amount 
 of sulphuric acid and of sulphates, both of which are very 
 injurious to the condensers. The opinion of operators as to 
 
 }-"lG 77. Ore Drier, Utilizing exhaust Ml uiii 
 
 the desirable degree of dryness of the ore before charging dif- 
 fers. Some claim that for good practice absolutely dry ore 
 would be preferable, while others consider a relatively super- 
 ficial drying sufficient. In dry climates sun dr>ing ma}- in 
 cases then suffice. In many furnace plants the ore is dried by 
 spreading over iron plates on the top of the first condensers. 
 
 In other plants, for instance at the Oathill. Great Eastern, etc., 
 a special drier is used. [See Fig. 77.] The exhaust steam 
 
Fig. 78. Ore drier. Special furnace at Abbott Mine. 
 
 15— QR 
 
228 
 
 OUICKSILVliR RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 from the engine driving the fan is passed through coils under 
 the platform on which the ore is spread. At the same time, 
 at Oathill, exhaust steam is brought into the first condenser. 
 At the Abbott mine, a special furnace is used to heat the plat- 
 form of the ore-drier. [See Fig. 78.] Sixty tons of ore can 
 be dried in twenty-four hours, using two cords of oak wood. 
 The ore charged in furnace No. 3, at New Almaden, passes 
 through a brick shell surrounding a condenser, and provided 
 with a series of tiles placed at an angle of 45°, thereby obtain- 
 ing the double result of drj'ing the damp ore and materially 
 increasing the condensation in the condenser. 
 
 Again in other furnaces the ore is only dried while in the 
 
 charging hopper and 
 partly in the upper part 
 of the furnace. At the 
 Manhattan furnace a 
 special flue conducts the 
 fumes from the upper 
 three rows of tiles to the 
 first brick condenser. 
 These fumes are prin- 
 cipally water vapor, but 
 yet contain some mer- 
 cur}' vapors. At the 
 New Idria furnace, 
 where the fumes ema- 
 nating from the upper 
 part of the charge are highly sulphuric, due to a great amount 
 of iron pyrites in the ore, the device indicated in Fig. 79 has 
 been adopted, which has proven ver}' effective. The pipe (e) 
 goes to a special blower, from which the fumes are conveyed 
 to the smokestack. Mr. Robert Scott proposed to dry the ore 
 in the top of the furnace and to csLvry off the fumes there 
 formed by making the tiles of the upper three rows of cast- 
 iron and hollow, and passing the fumes through these hollow 
 tiles, instead of over the charge. [See Fig. So.] In order to 
 prevent the clogging at the top of the furnace, rakes worked 
 by levers from the charging floor are used. [See Fig. Si.] 
 
 Mr. H. C. Davey divides the furnace into two vertically super- 
 imposed compartments. In the lower part the roasting takes 
 place as in the Hiittner-Scott furnace. The upper part is 
 
 ^y/J///h'//3y////^ 
 
 — <- 
 
 Fig. 79. New Idria fine-ore furnace. Method of 
 conveying fumes from top. 
 
 4 — Counterweight, chained. B — Furnace hopper. 
 C — Iron door D — Track for side dumping car. 
 E — Cast iron pipe (12'" to blower and smokestack. 
 
Fig. So. Top of the modified Scott furnace. Scale %"-^i' 
 
232 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOUKCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 heated, by a separate furnace, only to the temperature required 
 to dry the ore. The ore falls through a narrow vertical throat 
 from the upper into the lower compartment of the furnace. In 
 
 the modified plan of Mr. Scott, above mentioned, this end is 
 attained bj' bars and rakes. [See Fig. So.] To cause the ore to 
 move down gradualh' while charging, the throat below the 
 hopper must have the same width as the shelf- slit. 
 
234 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The discharging of the furnace is also done in various ways. 
 [See the detailed plans in Egleston and Christy, and plans in 
 Figs. 73, 74, and 82.] Generally the hood of the flue carr^'ing 
 off the fumes emanating while discharging is close to the tim- 
 ber ib), causing danger of hot dust accumulating against the 
 frame timbers, and rendering it difficult to remove the dust. 
 This is obviated by the construction shown in Fig. 83. 
 
 The general arrangements of 
 furnace plants are shown in 
 Fig. 84 (Oathill furnace), Fig. 
 85 (Abbott furnace), and Fig. 86 
 (St. John furnace), and several 
 photographs. The plan of the 
 New Almaden is given on a 
 large scale in the works of 
 Egleston and Christy, above 
 cited. Most of the furnace 
 plants have been gradually en- 
 larged, and as their site is nearly 
 alwa^-s in a mountainous region, 
 this gradual enlargement has 
 often forced, by lack of proper 
 room, the condensing plant to 
 be built in a ver\- irregular 
 manner. 
 
 The condensing of the fumes 
 emanating from the furnace and the recovery of the mercury 
 offer a very complicated problem. The distillation heat of 
 cinnabar is 360° C, or 680° F., hence the fumes must leave the 
 furnace at a temperature higher, but as near as possible to it; 
 the theoretical product being mercur}- in vapor form and 
 sulphur dioxide (HgS^20 = Hg+S0,). 
 
 In good practice the temperatures of the fumes as they leave 
 the furnace appear to come very near to this limit. [See 
 Christy, vol. XIV, above cited, page 226.] 
 
 Fig. S3. New Idria fine-ore furnace. 
 Details of drawing door. 
 
 A — Sheet iron hood carrying away 
 fumes. B — Bracing rod and hood 
 (asbestos covering). C — Iron door in 
 iron-lined chute. D — Ore car. 
 
-xk ^^0 
 
 v^Nfj.! i i 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 ^-^A. 
 
 i>-^' 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 
 ■ 1^- 
 
 
 i 
 
 T 
 
 
 I 
 
 ;Fi' 
 
 i< iiitiihjil :ai-»nl .' '•.'sstnu) bnr. ?no9tti»baoo io noU'i-v 
 
Fig. 84. 
 
 General plan of reduction works. (Mineral Industry.) 
 
 Vertical section ol condensers and furnace on A B. (Mineral Industry.) 
 
 furnace and elevation showing condensers. (Mineral Industry.) 
 
^^JK »»»»'>\ ■^%»iWo'^ 
 
 >^v>l4**') 
 
 •-rf- 
 
 IS 
 
 ♦.%M*VT 
 
 A^- »\\vA->'\«>6 
 
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 ^ 
 
 
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 wpyfc^w^*-^ 
 
 J L__ JinjJ. 
 
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 '1 
 
 
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 j »»<VAU"\ 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 5. 
 
 a 
 
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 i^ 
 
 (.-{i)Hnbu( iBwniM) .a^iow noiioubsi to ujslq IbtousO 
 
236 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Temperature Determinations as Taken by Mr. J. R. Smedberg, 
 February, iSSo, with Furnace No. 9, New Almaden. 
 
 Degrees 
 Celsius. 
 
 1. Lowest peep-hole (above fireplace) 823^ 
 
 2. Next higher 946 
 
 3. Next higher 878 
 
 4. Topmost peep-hole (near furnace throat) . . . 372 
 
 5. Entrance to first brick condenser* 190.6 
 
 6. End of second brick condenser 37.8 
 
 7. End of first glass and wood condenser 25.6 
 
 S. End of second glass and wood condenser. . ; 17.8 
 9. End of third glass and wood condenser .... 15.6 
 
 10. End of fourth glass and wood condenser. . . 14.4 
 
 11. End of fifth glass and wood condenser 14.4 
 
 12. End of sixth glass and wood condenser ... . 13.9 
 
 13. End of wooden flue, entrance to sidehill 
 
 flue 
 
 Degrees 
 Fahren- 
 heit. 
 
 1612 
 701 
 
 375 
 100 
 78 
 64 
 60 
 5S 
 58 
 57 
 
 Fall in 
 Degrees 
 Celsius. 
 
 iSi.r 
 
 I52.S 
 12.2 
 7.8 
 2.2 
 1.2 
 0.0 
 
 O.: 
 
 Fi&. 55. sketch showing method of handling ore at Abbott Mine, Lake County. 
 
 According to this table, the cooling takes place principally 
 in the down-take and in the two brick condensers, the fumes 
 being cooled to a temperature of 37.S- C, and moisture begins 
 already to appear. It is to be regretted that the results of 
 similar temperature determinations on a modern Hiittner- Scott 
 plant are not available. 
 
 ".After passing through the iron down-take, see description of furnace. 
 
«^ — 
 
 Co 
 
 I 
 
 
 u- 
 
 - — i: 
 
 — «» 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 239 
 
 The fumes as they leave the furnace are far from resembling 
 the theoretical product of distillation of mercuric sulphide. 
 These are mixed with the roasting products of the ore, to wit: 
 water vapor, carbon dioxide, and mechanicalh' entrained ore 
 dust; and the products of combustion of the fuel, to wit: water 
 vapor, carbon dioxide, and mechanically entrained ash. In 
 Volume XIV (above cited), page 234 and following, Professor 
 Christy gives a detailed study of these fumes and their 
 
 PHOTO Xo. 36. GRE.A.T EASTERX FURNACES. 
 
 behavior, and the conditions for a well-constructed condensa- 
 tion plant. When coming in contact with cool surfaces, the 
 fumes deposit a solid material known as "soot," consisting of 
 the ore dust, ash, some tarry hydrocarbons, and the products of 
 the decomposition of the CO^ into CO and O. The most 
 important condensed constituents are water, sulphates of 
 iron, alkali mercury, and sulphuric acid. The water absorbs 
 from the condensed vapors, sulphurous acid, chloride of 
 ammonia, hydrocarbons, etc. The sulphuric acid, especially 
 when present in large quantities, as in the case when roasting 
 
240 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 highl)^ pyritiferous ores, is a most troublesome product, as it 
 attacks every material out of which condensers are constructed. 
 The soot is an intermediate product, which is only detrimental 
 when it forms in excessive quantities. It has the advantage 
 of retaining the minute globules of mercurj^ which form at the 
 moment of sublimation and would otherwise be carried ofi by 
 the gases. [Mist loss, see vol. XIV, above cited, page 233.] 
 Spirek [ly'Industria del Mercuria in Italia, page 14] mentions 
 the fact that the soot causes the mercury contents of the 
 fumes to be below the saturation point. 
 
 The products of the condensers are: for the hot condensers 
 near the furnace, mainly dry quicksilver and soot mixed with 
 ore dust; farther on, quicksilver, acid water (containing mainly 
 sulphuric acid), and damp soot; for the last condensers, acid 
 waters, holding various sulphates in solution, colored black by 
 the soot, and carrying some very finely divided quicksilver; 
 
 ,(r 
 
 ' Side£/er 
 
 
 •lecond Col/echha 
 ^U3^| i aunder 
 
 Fig. SS. Installation to save flour mercury, Xew Almaden. 
 
 finally, for the flues to the smokestack, nearly dry soot with 
 very little quicksilver, rarely visible to the naked eye. 
 
 The quicksilver is collected in inclined troughs running 
 along the outside of the condensers. [See Fig. 87.] The 
 water vapors contain some very finely divided mercury, which 
 floats on the water brought down by their condensation. At 
 New Almaden, a special installation has been constructed to 
 save this quicksilver [see Fig. 88, which explains itself], and 
 considerable quicksilver is thus secured. Even repeated passage 
 through such settling boxes will not save all the minute 
 quicksilver globules. 
 
 The draft in the fire chamber of the furnace and the passage 
 of the fumes through the furnace and the condensing plant to 
 the smokestack are caused and regulated by the introduction 
 of a blower in the course of this travel. Sometimes a fire draft 
 at or near the stack is added, and at the Xew Idria furnace an 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 243 
 
 auxiliary blower is used. At the Abbott furnace the blower 
 is placed between the first and second condensers — a verj- 
 unusual location. 
 
 The condensing plant, as above stated, must answer the 
 double purpose of cooling the fumes and causing the deposition 
 of the liquefied quicksilver. Professor Christ}' [above cited, 
 vol. KIV, page 207] concisely states the various difiiculties 
 
 PHOTO No. JJ. OCEANIC QUICKSILVER REDUCTIOX PL.^NT, SAN LUIS 
 OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 encountered in this operation, as follows: "The quicksilver 
 "fumes furnish often less than one per cent by volume of the 
 "products of combustion with which they are mixed." 
 
 When Professor Christy wrote this (1885), the mines were 
 running on much higher grade ore than at present; 0.5 per 
 cent is a fair average (even probably a little too high) of the 
 ore now passing through the various furnaces in the State. 
 The volume of the fumes produced is [see above cited, page 
 236], per kilogram of ore, 0.185 cubic meter, at o" C. and 760 
 mm. Hg: that of the vaporized quicksilver 
 
244 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 I cu.m. >; o.oos 
 
 :^ — ^ = 0.00058 cu. m., 
 
 8.96 ^ 
 
 or 0.31 per cent of the total fumes. 
 
 "Even the weight of the quicksilver is inconsiderable com- 
 " pared with that of the gases which pass through the con- 
 " denser." 
 
 Under the present conditions as above mentioned their per- 
 centage would be: 
 
 Hg =0.005 kilogram. 
 CO2 = 0.100 •' 
 SO. = 0.040 
 N =0.132 " 
 Water vapor = o. 100 " 
 
 Total weight of dr}- gases 
 
 at 0° C. and 760 mm. Hg = o.377 " 
 Weight of quicksilver vapor 
 
 at 0° C. and 760 mm. Hg = 0.005 " or 1.3 per cent of total weight. 
 
 Professor Christy continues: "These facts add greatly to the 
 "difl5culties of condensation. For in the first place, the heat 
 "must be extracted from the fumes in order that the quick- 
 " silver may be liquefied. Next, the whole volume of the gases 
 "must pass through the condensers at a certain velocity, in 
 "order to maintain the draft of the furnace. The minute 
 "condensed globules of liquefied quicksilver are likeh' to be 
 "carried oflf in the form of 'mist.' The gases which escape from 
 "the condensing S3'stem are necessaril}- saturated with quick- 
 "silver vapor at the temperature of escape." (This loss is, 
 however, very small. Assuming, as Professor Christy does 
 [page 245], an average escape temperature of 20° C, the cal- 
 culated loss would be 0.83 per cent of the total yield [see 
 Table XIII, page 243] ; while according to Mr. Spirek [see 
 above, page i S] the soot prevents the fumes from being satu- 
 rated with mercury vapors.) " Then there is the ever-present 
 "mercurial soot, which requires separate treatment. The 
 "quicksilver itself is read}- to escape from any crack or crevice 
 "of the condensers, either as a liquid or a vapor. Finally, as 
 "soon as the condensers become cool enough to act effectively, 
 "they are attacked by the dilute sulphuric acid formed from 
 "the oxidation of the sulphurous acid in the fumes. This 
 "agent slowly attacks and destroys almost ever\- material out 
 "of which the condensers can be made." 
 
 To combine the effects of cooling and deposition of the quick- 
 silver in the most preferable manner, three factors must be 
 
PHOTO No. -JS. INTERIOR VIEW OF REDUCTION WORKS, 
 NEW ALMADEN— HACIENDA. 
 
 PHOT(J No. -1-1. NEW IDRIA, SHOWING ROUND WOODEN FLUE: AND WOODEN 
 TANKS USED FOR CONDENSERS. 
 
246 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 considered: the length of the path of the vapors in the con- 
 densing system, the interior volume of the system, and the area 
 of the cooling surface. It is to be regretted that very little data 
 regarding these conditions in the diflferent furnace plants are 
 available. 
 
 Mr. Robert Scott considers the condensing room required for 
 a 40-ton furnace 17,000 cubic feet, and for a 50-ton furnace, 
 20,000 cubic feet, which must be increased as the ore diminished 
 
 PHOTO No. 45. RETORTING SOOT, GREAT EASTERN MINE. 
 
 in grade. Professor Christ}- [above cited, page 224] gives this 
 data for furnace No. i at New Almaden. The totals are: Path 
 of vapors from furnace to top of chimney, about 1000 feet; 
 interior volume, 26,667 cubic feet; cooling area, 18,653 square 
 feet; ratio of cooling area to interior volume is 0.69. It must 
 be remarked that the brick condensers give onl}- a ratio of 0.5. 
 In the brick condensers at present built by Robert Scott, the 
 interior volume is about 1927 cubic feet; the cooling area, 
 922.5 square feet; giving about the same ratio. 
 
 Following is a table furnished by Mr. E. W. Carson, super- 
 intendent of the Oceanic Quicksilver Compam-: 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 247 
 
 
 
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METALLURGY. 
 
 249 
 
 The ratio of the cooling area and interior volume is here for 
 the total plant H^ ol = 0-39) mainly due to the unscientific 
 construction of the brick condensers (built before Mr. Carson 
 arrived on the property), which show a ratio of I'VrW ^^^ 
 f ^ff» respectively about 0.28 and 0.27. Mr. Carson has tried 
 to remedy this to some extent b}- cooling the top of the first 
 two chambers by water. In fact, this plant as constructed a 
 few years ago was a striking example of the result when met- 
 allurgical work is placed in ignorant hands. 
 
 -z'C 
 
 Fig. 90. Knox Ironclad Condenser. 
 
 A great number of different condensers, built on varying 
 plans and with varjdng material, have been devised. Their 
 details can be found in the works above cited. At present the 
 following are in use in California: 
 
 Brick condensers are constructed in different dimensions, 
 from 9 by 5 feet, 5 feet high (the small brick condensers at the 
 Great Western mine in Lake County), to 8 by 16 feet, 29 feet 
 high, at the Oceanic. The condensers at present built by Mr. 
 Robert Scott are 14^4 by 8 '2 feet inside, 22 feet high from 
 
Fig. 9! . Water Tank Condenser. 
 
METALLURGY. 
 
 251 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 i f 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1, 
 
 ! 
 
 y y 
 
 lower part of floor to top of building, with a central partition 
 wall to deflect the fumes on their passage, an inclined bottom 
 with a spring of 15 inches, and earthenware exit pipes. The 
 side walls are 9 inches thick. They are generally arch-topped, 
 sometimes covered by iron plates. [See Fig. 89.] Each con- 
 denser is separated from the one adjoining and connected by 
 earthenware pipes; the first and second by iron flues. 
 
 To hasten the cooling of the fumes, narrow iron tanks con- 
 nected by cast-iron pipes have been placed in some plants, 
 mainly in the first condenser at the end walls, water circulat- 
 ing through the installa- 
 tion, called "waterbacks." 
 [See vol. XIV, page 216.] 
 At the Karl mine, San 
 Luis Obispo County, 
 8-inch tile pipes, through 
 which water circulates, 
 have been placed in the 
 first four condensers. 
 
 At the New Idria mine, 
 stone is' used for the 
 construction of some con- 
 densers. 
 
 The iron condensers at 
 present used are generally 
 of the Knox type. [See 
 Fig. 90, and Egleston, 
 above cited, page 846.] 
 Where the ore does not 
 carry too much iron 
 
 sulphide, they stand very well. At the Manhattan mine, on 
 the coarse-ore furnace, seven iron condensers were installed 
 behind two brick-dust chambers. These have been used from 
 1874 to 1877 and from 1885 to 1887 continuously, and from 
 1889 to the present date about two months every year. All 
 joints are luted with Portland cement. 
 
 Another iron condenser, the "water tank condenser" [see 
 Fig. 91], is used at New Almaden for furnaces Nos. 7, 8, and 9. 
 [See Egleston, page 860.] These condensers give very good 
 satisfaction. 
 
 ^Jte 
 
 The Baker Flue. 
 
252 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 The farther the parts of the condensing plant are from the 
 furnace, the more they are exposed to the deteriorating effects 
 of waters carr^dng sulphuric acid, and experience has taught 
 that wood is the onlj- material which will resist the eSects to a 
 great extent, especially pitch pine, hence the use of wooden 
 constructions in those parts of the plants which are not exposed 
 to too high temperature. At New Almaden the wooden Baker 
 & 
 
 
 a" Tile P/pa 
 
 Q"TJIe Pipe 
 
 t /// / /// / / //// /7Z 
 
 £:jei/a t/'on , ^sech'on . 
 
 Fig. 93. Wooden Condenser Box. Corona Mine. 
 
 flue [see Fig. 92] has been used for years. Stave pipe flues are 
 now frequently'' used also for connections between brick con- 
 densers and for smokestacks. Wooden condensers are fre- 
 quenth'' constructed, especiall}- in the form of barrels. Those 
 at the New Idria coarse-ore furnace have a diameter of 8 feet 
 and are 14 feet long. Similar wooden barrel condensers are 
 also used at the Karl mine, Oceanic mine, etc. The great 
 difficulty with these stave constructions lies in the iron bands, 
 which are corroded, especially in the lower half of the circle, 
 
METAIXURGY, 
 
 253 
 
 which at the New Idria have been replaced, as an experiment 
 by wooden bands made of wheel felloes. 
 
 At the Corona mine a wooden box has been erected between 
 the fifth brick condenser and the flue to smokestack. This 
 box is IOC feet long and traversed by 8-inch tile pipes for air 
 
 Fig. 94. Soot-Cleaning Machine. 
 
 circulation, in order to cool the fumes. [See Fig. 93.] The 
 blower is between the fifth condenser and this box. 
 
 In the smaller mines the soot is still worked by hand as de- 
 scribed by Egleston [above cited, page 810, and vol. XIV, page 
 230], but in the larger mines, soot machines are used. [See 
 Fig. 94.] Generally the residue is treated in retort furnaces, 
 but at New Almaden the residue is re-charged in the fine-ore 
 furnace. 
 
ELEVATIONS. 
 
 Elevations for which no authorities are given are from barometrical observations 
 during field work for the Quicksilver Bulletin, by Wm. Forstner, Field Assistant. 
 
 COLUSA COUNTY. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Central mine — Main tunnel 1675 
 
 Divide between Colusa and Lake counties, at crossing of road 
 
 from Sulphur Creek to Abbott mine 2125 
 
 Elgin mine — Main tunnel 2275 
 
 Empire mine — Tunnel at southeast end 1715 
 
 Tunnel in Sulphur Creek 1475 
 
 Manzanita mine — Shaft 1950 
 
 Sulphur Creek — Blank Springs Hotel 1575 
 
 Schoolhouse 1525 
 
 Wide Awake mine — Office 1600 
 
 EL DORADO COUNTY. 
 
 Bernard Quicksilver mine — Tunnel 925 
 
 Canon — Store 900 
 
 Placer^-ille *i830 
 
 FRESNO COUNTY. 
 
 Arambide mine — Tunnel 1440 
 
 Corner of Fresno, Kings, and Monterey counties 3145 
 
 Little Panoche Pass 1800 
 
 Mexican mine — Cabin 3640 
 
 Providential mine — Tunnel 1600 
 
 Ridge on Gabilan claim 2480 
 
 KINGS COUNTY. 
 
 Avenal Creek at mouth of Bull Pen Gulch 1530 
 
 LAKE COUNTY. 
 
 Abbott mine — Office 2000 
 
 Shafthouse 2050 
 
 Adams Springs 2725 
 
 Anderson Springs 1475 
 
 Baker mine — Retort furnace 1375 
 
 Brown's mill on Kelsey Creek 1650 
 
 *s P. R. R. Co. 
 
 (254) 
 
ELEVATIONS. 255 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Bullion mine — Collar of shaft 1540 
 
 Chicago mine — Cabin 2700 
 
 Clear Lake 1340, + 1400, i 1310 
 
 Divide between Adobe and Kelsej' creeks near Kelseyville 1725 
 
 Divide between Lake and Sonoma counties — 
 
 Crossing Great Western tollroad 2675 
 
 Crossing road from Helen to Bacon mine 3210 
 
 Pine Mountain 3475 
 
 Crossing old road from Middletown to Pine Flat 3300 
 
 Crossing road from Middletown to Dewey's mill 3200 
 
 Mount Cobb, eastern rim 4500 
 
 Mount Cobb, northwest point 4050 
 
 Geyser Rock, northwest of Mount Cobb 3660 
 
 Glenbrook 2300 
 
 Gordon Springs 2500 
 
 Great Western mine — Store 2080 
 
 Helen mine — Furnace 2760 
 
 Howard Springs 2180 
 
 Jewess mine — Cabin 2525 
 
 Kelseyville 1435 
 
 King of All mine — Lower tunnel 1875 
 
 Lakeport 1400 
 
 Lower Lake 1400 
 
 Lucitta mine — Retort furnace I975 
 
 Middletown 1200 
 
 Middletown mine — Upper works 2400 
 
 Mirabel — Office Standard Quicksilver Co. 1460 
 
 Mount McGuire 2750 
 
 Red Elephant mine — Cabin 1S25 
 
 Road from Lower Lake to Abbott mine- 
 Forks of Bartlett Springs and Abbott roads 1415 
 
 Divide at head of Phipps Creek 1570 
 
 Crossing Cache Creek 1050 
 
 Road from Lower Lake to Knoxville — 
 
 Crossing branch of Soda Creek at Baker mine 1315 
 
 Morgan Valley schoolhouse 2475 
 
 Road from Middletown to Glenbrook — 
 
 Divide between Putah and Keisey creeks 2650 
 
 Road from Middletown to Oathili — 
 
 Bridge over Bucksnorter Creek 1190 
 
 Sulphur Bank mine — Office 1450 
 
 Collar of Diamond shaft 1345 
 
 Collar of Empire shaft 1345 
 
 Collar of Herman shaft 1365 
 
 Wagon Spring cut, bottom 1390 
 
 Western cut, bottom 1325 
 
 Thorn mine — Tunnel 2040 
 
 t Treadwell. J Clear Lake Water Co. 
 
256 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 MERCED COUNTY. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Cathedral Peak 3450 
 
 Saddle between Cathedral Peak and Mariposa Peak 2850 
 
 Stayton mine — Cabin 2880 
 
 Old furnace (Gj^psy) 2400 
 
 MONTEREY COUNTY. 
 
 Cholame and Parkfield mine — Top of ridge 3460 
 
 Dutro mine, at head of west fork of San Carpojo Creek 1630 
 
 Parkfield 1540 
 
 Table Mountain — Top of ridge 3300 
 
 Table Mountain Quicksilver mine — Cabin 3190 
 
 NAPA COUNTY. 
 
 ^tna mine — Basalt ridge, Silver Bow claim 2050 
 
 Office and Tunnel No. 7 1240 
 
 Tunnel No. 5 1400 
 
 Tunnel No. 2 1600 
 
 ^tna Springs 800 
 
 Boston mine (Knoxville) — Office 1275 
 
 Calistoga *363 
 
 Corona mine — Boiler house and tunnel i960 
 
 Manhattan mine (Knoxville) — Office 1925 
 
 Oathill mine — Office 2025 
 
 Philadelphia mine — Works on ridge 2040 
 
 Road from Calistoga to ^ijtna Springs — 
 
 Summit of Howell Mountain 2250 
 
 Flat between Twin Peaks 2440 
 
 Forks of road to Oathill 2160 
 
 Road from Middletown to Calistoga — 
 
 Toll house at Mount St. Helena 2300 
 
 SAN BENITO COUNTY. 
 
 Antimony Peak, Stayton District 3150 
 
 Aurora mine — Furnace 3S25 
 
 Bradford mine (Cerro Gordol — Office 1820 
 
 Cannon mine — Tunnel 1560 
 
 Cerro Bouito mine — Main tunnel 2775 
 
 Office 2440 
 
 Top of Cerro Bonito hill 3250 
 
 Clear Creek mine — Old Monterey furnace 2800 
 
 Lower workings 311° 
 
 Upper workings 3660 
 
 Divide between San Carlos and Clear Creek, crossing of road from 
 
 New Idria to Hernandez 44J^o 
 
 *S. P. R. R. Co. 
 
ELEVATIONS. 257 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Dominic Peak 4720 
 
 Don Juan mine — Old furnace 2785 
 
 Elkhorn 1 100 
 
 Emmett schoolhouse 1140 
 
 Henrietta Peak, Stayton District 3480 
 
 Hernandez P. 2540 
 
 Hollister *286 
 
 Llanada P. O., Panoche Valley 1540 
 
 Los Picaclios mine (Ramirez Cons.) — Retort furnace 4600 
 
 Mariposa mine, Staj-ton District — Old works 2700 
 
 Mariposa Peak 334o 
 
 Mount Venado 4660 
 
 New Idria mine — Croppings on top of hill 375o 
 
 Furnaces 2720 
 
 Mine boarding-house 334o 
 
 North Idria Peak, knoll above furnaces 3640 
 
 North San Carlos Peak 4660 
 
 Office 2590 
 
 San Carlos mine tunnel 4500 
 
 San Carlos Peak 4980 
 
 Upper fall, San Carlos creek 3720 
 
 Panoche divide 2240 
 
 Panoche P. 1250 
 
 Park Mills 1440 
 
 San Benito 1540 
 
 Shiver mine, Stayton District 2460 
 
 Tres Pinos *5 1 2 
 
 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY. 
 
 Alice and Modoc mine — Retort furnace 1900 
 
 Bank mine — Main tunnel 345 
 
 Cambria 60 
 
 Cholame P. O 670 
 
 Cypress Mountain mine — Cabin 2425 
 
 Cypress Mountain — Plateau 2900 
 
 Divide between Hughes and Santa Rosa Creek on road to Cambria . 2350 
 Divide between San Luis Obispo and Santa Margarita, on wagon 
 
 road 1550 
 
 Doty mine — Lower tunnel 2000 
 
 Elizabeth mine — Retort furnace 1950 
 
 El Paso de Robles * 722 
 
 Exline mine — Tunnel loio 
 
 Karl mine — Furnace 1080 
 
 La Libertad mine — Retort furnace iSoo 
 
 Lehman mine 1975 
 
 Madrone mine — Retort furnace 1950 
 
 *s. P. R. R. Co. 
 
258 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Mahoney mine — Retort furnace 1140 
 
 Oceanic mine — Furnace 400 
 
 Main tunnel 770 
 
 Oceanic mine No. 2 1575 
 
 Pine Mountain — North end of ridge 3125 
 
 Top of ridge + 3560 
 
 Pine Mountain mine — Ocean View tunnel 2815 
 
 Office 2940 
 
 Sawmill 3010 
 
 Polar Star mine — Cabin 200 
 
 Rinconada mine — Croppings 2040 
 
 Furnace 1750 
 
 Rocky Buttes -j- 3444 
 
 Ouien Sabe mine — Lower tunnel 1945 
 
 San Luis Obispo * 23S 
 
 Santa Margarita * 996 
 
 Vulture mine 1460 
 
 SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 
 
 Bernal mine — Works on ridge 650 
 
 Comstock mine, Stayton District — Furnace 1400 
 
 Costello mine — Main tunnel 1000 
 
 Guadalupe mine — Furnace 340 
 
 Guadalupe schoolhouse 290 
 
 Hillsdale mine — Old furnace 120 
 
 New Almaden mine — America shaft 1560 
 
 Mine Hill top . 1600 
 
 Randol shaft 1220 
 
 Office 1335 
 
 R. R. B. shaft, Enriquita 950 
 
 San Jose 60 
 
 Santa Teresa mine — Office 26c 
 
 STANISLAUS COUNTY. 
 
 Adobe mine — Collar of shaft 1900 
 
 Orestimba mine 2250 
 
 Summit mine — Office 2250 
 
 SONOMA COUNTY. 
 
 Bacon Consolidated mine iPine Mountain) — Old furnace site 2900 
 
 Boston mine (Pine Flat) — Cabin 2525 
 
 Cinnabar King mine — Cabin 2900 
 
 *s. P R. R.Co. 
 
 t U. S. Coast aud Geodetic Survej-. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 17— QR 
 
CALIFORNIA STATE MINING BUREAU. 
 
 This institution aims to be the chief source of reliable 
 information about the mineral resources and mining indus- 
 tries of California. 
 
 It is encouraged in its work by the fact that its publications 
 have been in such demand that large editions are soon ex- 
 hausted. In fact, copies of them now command high prices in 
 the market. 
 
 The publications, as soon as issued, find their way to the 
 scientific, public, and private libraries of all countries. 
 
 STATE MINERALOGIST. 
 
 The California State Mining Bureau is under the supervision 
 of Hon. Lewis E. Aubury, State Mineralogist. 
 
 It is supported by legislative appropriations, and in some 
 degree performs work similar to that of the geological surveys 
 of other states; but its purposes and functions are mainly 
 practical, the scientific work being clearly subordinate to the 
 economic phases of the mineral field, as shown by the organic 
 law governing the Bureau, which is as follows: 
 
 Sec 4. It shall be the duty of said State Mineralogist to make, 
 facilitate, and encourage special studies of the mineral resources and 
 mineral industries of the State. It shall be his duty: To collect statistics 
 concerning the occurrence of the economically important minerals and 
 the methods pursued in making their valuable constituents available for 
 commercial use; to make a collection of typical geological and miner- 
 alogical specimens, especially those of economic or commercial impor- 
 tance, such collection constituting the Museum of the State Mining 
 Bureau; to provide a library of books, reports, drawings, bearing upon 
 the mineral industries, the sciences of mineralogy and geology and the 
 arts of mining and metallurgy, such library constituting the Library 
 of the State Mining Bureau; to make a collection of models, drawings, 
 and descriptions of the mechanical appliances used in mining and 
 metallurgical processes; to preserve and so maintain such collections and 
 library as to make them available for reference and examination, and 
 open to public ihspection at reasonable hours; to maintain, in effect, a 
 bureau of information concerning the mineral industries of this State, to 
 consist of such collections and library, and to arrange, classify, catalogue, 
 and index the data therein contained, in a manner to make the informa- 
 tion available to those desiring it, and to provide a custodian specially 
 
APPENDIX. 263 
 
 qualified to promote this purpose; to make a biennial report to the 
 Board of Trustees of the Mining Bureau, setting forth the important 
 results of his work, and to issue from time to time such bulletins as he 
 may deem advisable concerning the statistics and technology of the 
 mineral industries of this State. 
 
 THE BULLETINS. 
 
 The field covered by the books issued under this title is 
 
 shown in the list of publications. Each bulletin deals with 
 
 only one phase of mining. Many of them are elaborately 
 
 illustrated with engravings and maps. Only a nominal price 
 
 is asked, in order that those who need them most may obtain 
 
 a copv. 
 
 THE REGISTERS OF MINES. 
 
 The Registers of Mines form practically both a State and 
 County directory of the mines of California, each county being 
 represented in a separate pamphlet. Those who wish to learn 
 the essential facts about any particular mine are referred to 
 them. The facts and figures are given in tabular form, and 
 are accompanied b}' a topographical map of the county on a 
 large scale, showing location of each mineral deposit, towns, 
 railroads, roads, power lines, ditches, etc. 
 
 HOME OF THE BUREAU. 
 
 The Mining Bureau occupies the north half of the third floor 
 of the Ferry Building, in San Francisco. All visitors and resi- 
 dents are invited to inspect the Museum Librar}', and other 
 rooms of the Bureau and gain a personal knowledge of its 
 
 operations. 
 
 THE MUSEUM. 
 
 The Museum now contains over 16,000 specimens, carefully 
 labeled and attractively arranged in showcases in a great, well- 
 lighted hall, where they can be easily studied. The collection 
 of ores from California mines is of course very extensive, and 
 is supplemented by many cases of characteristic ores from the 
 principal mining districts of the world. The educational value 
 of the exhibit is constantly increased by substituting the best 
 specimens obtainable for those of less value. 
 
 These mineral collections are not only interesting, beautiful, 
 and in every way attractive to the sightseers of all classes, but 
 are also educational. They show to manufacturers, miners, 
 capitalists, and others the character and quality of .the economic 
 
264 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 minerals of the State, and where the}' are found. Plans have 
 been formulated to extend the usefulness of the exhibit by 
 special collections, such as one showing the chemical com- 
 position of minerals; another showing the mineralogical 
 composition of the sedimentar}-, metamorphic, and igneous 
 rocks of the State: the petroleum-bearing formations, ore 
 bodies, and their country rocks, etc. 
 
 Besides the mineral specimens, there are many models, maps, 
 photographs, and diagrams illustrating the modern practice of 
 mining, milling, and concentrating, and the technology of the 
 mineral industries. An educational series of specimens for 
 high schools has been inaugurated, and new plans are being 
 formulated that will make the Museum even more useful in the 
 future than in the past. Its popularity is shown by the fact 
 that over 100,000 visitors registered last year, while many 
 failed to leave any record of their visit. 
 
 THE LIBRARY. 
 
 This is the mining reference library of the State, constantly' 
 consulted by mining men. and contains between 4,000 and 
 5.000 volumes of selected works, in addition to the numerous 
 publications of the Bureau itself. On its shelves will be found 
 reports on geology, mineralogy, mining, etc., published by 
 states, governments, and individuals; the reports of scientific 
 societies at home and abroad; encyclopaedias, scientific papers, 
 and magazines; mining publications; and the current litera- 
 ture of mining ever needed in a reference libran,'. 
 
 Manufacturers' catalogues of mining and milling machinery 
 by California firms are kept on file. The Registers of Mines 
 form an up-to-date director}' for investor and manufacturer. 
 
 The librarian's desk is the general bureau of information, 
 w^here visitors from all parts of the world are ever seeking 
 information about all parts of California. 
 
 READING-ROOM. 
 
 This is a part of the Library Department and is supplied 
 with over one hundred current publications. A'isitors will find 
 here various California papers and leading mining journals 
 from all over the world. 
 
 The Library and Reading-Room are open to the public from 
 9 A. M. to 5 p. M. daih', except Sundays and holidays, and from 
 9 A. M. to 12 M. on Saturday's. 
 
APPENDIX. 265 
 
 THE LABORATORY. 
 
 This department identifies for the prospector the minerals he 
 finds, and tells him the nature of the wall rocks or dykes he 
 may encounter in his workings; but this department does not 
 do assaying nor compete with private assa3'ers. The presence 
 of minerals is determined, but not the percentage present. Xo 
 charges for this service are made to any resident of the State. 
 Many of the inquiries made of this department have brought 
 capital to the development of new districts. Many technical 
 questions have been asked and answered as to the best chemi- 
 cal and mechanical processes of handling ores and raw mate- 
 rial. The laboratory is well equipped. 
 
 THE DRAUGHTING-ROOM. 
 
 In this room are prepared scores of maps, from the small 
 ones filling only a part of a page, to the largest County and 
 State maps; and the numerous illustrations, other than photo- 
 graphs, that are constantly being required for the Bulletins 
 and Registers of Mines. In this room, also, will be found a 
 ver}- complete collection of maps of all kinds relating to the 
 industries of the State, and one of the important duties of the 
 department is to make such additions and corrections as wijl 
 keep the maps up to date. The seeker after information 
 inquires here if he wishes to know about the geology or topog- 
 raphy of an}' district; about the locations of the new camps, 
 or positions of old or abandoned ones; about railroads, stage 
 roads, and trails; or about the working drawings of anything 
 connected with mining. 
 
 MINERAL STATISTICS. 
 
 One of the features of this institution is its mineral statis- 
 tics. Their annual compilation by the State Mining Bureau 
 began in 1893. Xo other State in the Union attempts so elab- 
 orate a record, expends so much labor and monej- on its com- 
 pilation, or secures so accurate a one. 
 
 The State Mining Bureau keeps a careful, up-to-date, and 
 reliable but confidential register of every producing mine, 
 mine-owner, and mineral industry in the State. From them 
 are secured, under pledge of secrec)', reports of output, etc., 
 
266 
 
 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 and all other available sources of information are used in 
 checking, verifying, and supplementing the information so 
 gained. This information is published in an annual tabulated, 
 statistical, single-sheet bulletin, showing the mineral produc- 
 tion by both substances and counties. 
 
 TOTAL GOLD PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA— 1848 1906. 
 
 1S48 $245,301 
 
 1849 . 10,151,360 
 
 1850 41,273,106 
 
 1851 75-938.232 
 
 1852 81,294,700 
 
 1853 67,613,487 
 
 1854 - 69,433,931 
 
 1855- 55485.395 
 
 1856 _ 57,509,411 
 
 1857 43,628,172 
 
 1858 46.591.140 
 
 1859 -- 45.846.599 
 
 i860 44,095,163 
 
 1861 41,884.995 
 
 1862 38,854,668 
 
 1863 23,501,736 
 
 864 $24,071,423 
 
 865 17.930.858 
 
 866 17,123,867 
 
 867 18,265,452 
 
 868 17.555.867 
 
 869 18,229.044 
 
 870 17.458,133 
 
 871 17.477.885 
 
 872 15,482,194 
 
 873 15.019,210 
 
 874 17,264,836 
 
 16,876,009 
 
 876 15,610,723 
 
 877 16,501,268 
 
 878 18,839.141 
 
 879 19,626,654 , 
 
 880 _ $20,030,761 
 
 881 19,223,155 
 
 882 17,146,416 
 
 883 24,316,873 
 
 884 13,600,000 
 
 885 12,661,044 
 
 886 14,716,506 
 
 887 13,588,614 
 
 888 12,750,000 
 
 889 11,212,913 
 
 890 12,309,793 
 
 891 12.728,869 
 
 892 ... 12,571,900 
 
 893 12,422,811 
 
 894 13,923,281 
 
 895 - 15.334.317 
 
 1896 _ $17,181,562 
 
 1897.. - . 15,871,401 
 
 1898 15,906,478 
 
 1899 - 15.336.031 
 
 1900 15.863,355 
 
 1901 16,989.044 
 
 1902 16.910.320 
 
 1903 16,471,264 
 
 1904.. 19.109,600 
 
 1905.. 19.197.043 
 
 1906 18,732,452 
 
 Total.. _ 1,452,785,763 
 
 TOTAL QUICKSILVER PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA— 1887-1906. 
 
 Flasks. 
 
 1887 33,760 
 
 1888 33.250 
 
 1889 26,464 
 
 1890 22,926 
 
 1891 22,904 
 
 1892 27,993 
 
 1893 30,164 
 
 1S94 30,416 
 
 1895 36,104 
 
 1896 30,765 
 
 1897 26,648 
 
 1898 31,092 
 
 Value. 
 51,425,000 
 1,413.125 
 1,190,500 
 1,203.615 
 1,036,386 
 1,139,600 
 1,108,527 
 
 934,000 
 1,337,131 
 I. .075, 449 
 
 993,445 
 1,188,626 
 
 Flasks. 
 
 1899 29,454 
 
 1900 26,317 
 
 190I 26,720 
 
 1902 29,552 
 
 1903 32,094 
 
 1904 28,876 
 
 1905 24,655 
 
 1906 19,516 
 
 Total for 20 
 
 years ... 569,670 
 
 51,405,045 
 1,182,786 
 1,285,014 
 1.276,524 
 1,3.^5,954 
 1,086,323 
 886, 08 1 
 712,334 
 
 523,215,465 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 267 
 
 MINERAL PRODUCTS OF CALIFORNIA FOR 1906. 
 
 The yield and value of the mineral substances of California 
 for 1906 was as follows, as per returns received at the State 
 Mining Bureau, San Francisco, in answer to inquiries sent to 
 producers: 
 
 Asbestos Tons 
 
 Asphalt Tons 
 
 Bituminous Rock . .Tons 
 
 Borax (Crude) .... Tons 
 
 Cement Bbls 
 
 Chrome Tons 
 
 Clays (Brick) M 
 
 Clays (Pottery) . . . .Tons 
 
 Coal ; Tons 
 
 Copper Lbs 
 
 Fullers' Earth Tons 
 
 Gems 
 
 Glass Sand Tons 
 
 Gold 
 
 Granite Cu. ft 
 
 Infusorial Earth . . . Tons 
 
 Gypsum Tons 
 
 Lead Lbs 
 
 Lime Bbls 
 
 Limestone Tons 
 
 Macadam . . Tons 
 
 Manganese Tons 
 
 Magnesite (Crude) Tons 
 
 Marble Cu. ft 
 
 Mineral Paint Tons 
 
 Mineral Water Gals 
 
 Natural Gas M. Cu. ft 
 
 Paving Blocks M 
 
 Petroleum Bbls 
 
 Platinum Ounces 
 
 Pyrites Tons . 
 
 Quicksilver P'lasks 
 
 Rubble Tons 
 
 Salt Tons 
 
 Sandstone Cu. ft 
 
 Serpentine Cu. ft 
 
 Soda Tons 
 
 Silver (Commercial Value) 
 
 Slate Squares 
 
 Tungsten 
 
 Zinc Lbs 
 
 70 
 
 77,756 
 
 16,077 
 
 58,173 I 
 
 1,286,000 I 
 
 317 
 
 277,762 2 
 
 167,267 
 
 24,850 
 
 28,726,448 5 
 
 440 
 
 9,750. 
 
 329,810. 
 
 2,430- 
 
 21,000. 
 
 338,718. 
 
 689,268 
 
 80,262 
 
 1,066,164. 
 
 I 
 
 4,032 
 
 31,400. 
 
 250. 
 
 1,585,690. 
 
 168,175. 
 
 4,203. 
 
 32,624,000. 
 
 91.46. 
 
 46,689 
 
 19,516 
 
 489, 208 . 
 
 101,650. 
 
 182,076. 
 
 847. 
 12,000. 
 
 10,000. 
 206,000. 
 
 $3,500 
 777,560 
 
 45,204 
 182,410 
 .941,250 
 2.859 
 538,848 
 162,283 
 
 6r,6oo 
 522,712 
 
 10,500 
 497,090 
 
 13,375 
 .732,452 
 344,083 
 
 14,400 
 
 69,000 
 
 19,307 
 
 763,060 
 
 162,827 
 
 870,887 
 
 30 
 
 40,320 
 
 75,800 
 
 1,720 
 
 478,186 
 
 109,489 
 
 173,432 
 238,020 
 1,647 
 145,895 
 712,334 
 547,519 
 213,228 
 164,068 
 1,694 
 
 18,000 
 817,830 
 100,000 
 189,100 
 
 12,566 
 
 Totals $46, 776,085 
 
 Quicksilver was produced in Lake, Napa, San Benito, San Luis 
 Obispo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and Trinity counties. 
 
268 OnCKSILVER resources of CALIFORNIA. 
 
 MINING BUREAU PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Publications of this Bureau will be sent on receipt of the 
 requisite amount and postage. Only stajnps, coin or money 
 orders will be accepted in payment. Do not send personal 
 checks. 
 
 Address all communications regarding publications to 
 Librarian. 
 
 (All publications not mentioned are exhausted.) 
 
 SALE OF MINING BUREAU PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Under Section 8, amendment to the Mining Bureau Act, 
 approved March lo, 1903, your attention is respectfully called 
 to that portion of the amendment which states: 
 
 "The Board (Board of Trustees) is hereby empowered to fix 
 a price upon, and to dispose of to the public, at such prices, 
 any and all publications of the Bureau, including reports, 
 bulletins, maps, registers, etc. The sum derived from such 
 disposition must be accounted for and used as a revolving 
 printing and publishing fund for other reports, bulletins, maps, 
 registers, etc. The prices fixed must approximate the actual 
 cost of printing and issuing the respective reports, bulletins, 
 maps, registers, etc., without reference to the cost of obtaining 
 and preparing the information embraced therein." 
 
 Report XI — 1S92, First Biennial - .- — $i.oo 
 
 Report XIII— 1S95, Third Biennial.-' . .- 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 6 — '•Gold Mill Practices in California" (3d edition) 
 
 Bulletin No. 9 — •Mine Drainage. Pumps. Etc " Bound -. 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 15— "Map of Oil City Oil Fields, Fresno County, California" 
 
 Bulletin No. 23 — 'Copper Resources of California" _ _-. 
 
 Bulletin No 24— "Saline Deposits of California" _ 50 
 
 Bulletin No. 27— "Quicksilver Resources of California"- . .75 
 
 Bulletin No. 30— 'Bibliography- Relating to the Geolog>-, Palaeontology 
 
 and Mineral Resources of California," including list of maps .50 
 
 Bulletin No. 31 — "Chemical Analysis of California Petroleum" - 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 32— "Production and Use of California Petroleum" - 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 36 — "Gold Dredging in California " (2d edition) 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 37- "Gems and Jewelers' Materials of California." (2d ed.) 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 3S— "Structural and Industrial Materials of California" 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 42 — "Mineral Production of California" — 1905 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 43— "Mineral Production of California for Xineteen Vears"- 
 
 BuUetin Xo 45 — ".Auriferous Black Sands of California" ... 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 46 — ''Index of Mining Bureau Publications ' .- ... 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 47— "Mineral Production of California"— 1906 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 4S— "Mineral Production of California for Twenty Years"-.. 
 
 Bulletin Xo. 49— "Mines and Minerals of California" - 
 
 California Mine Bell Signals (Cardboard) - 
 
 California Mine Bell Signals (Paper) 
 
 Gold Production in California from 184S to 1906 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, .\mador County 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Butte County -.. 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map. El Dorado County 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map. Inyo County - -. 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Kern County 25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Lake County 
 
 
 Post- 
 
 rice. 
 
 Il.OO 
 
 1. 00 
 
 age. 
 
 $0.15 
 .20 
 
 •50 
 .60 
 
 .04 
 .oS 
 
 ■05 
 •50 
 
 .02 
 
 .12 
 
 ■75 
 
 .08 
 
 ■50 
 
 .oS 
 
 ■50 
 
 .oS 
 
 •75 
 
 .20 
 
 
 .02 
 
 
 .02 
 
 .10 
 
 .02 
 
 •30 
 
 .06 
 
 
 02 
 
 ... 
 
 .02 
 
 •05 
 
 .02 
 
 •03 
 
 .02 
 
 
 .02 
 
 •25 
 
 .oS 
 
 ■25 
 
 .oS 
 
 ■25 
 
 .oS 
 
 ■25 
 
 .oS 
 
 •25 
 
 .08 
 
 •25 
 
 .OS 
 
APPENDIX. 269 
 
 Post- 
 Price, age. 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Mariposa Couuty $0.25 $0.08 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Nevada County ... .25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Placer County .25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, San Bernardino Countj' .25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, San Diego County 1 25 .08 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map. Santa Barbara County 25 
 
 Register ot Mines, with Map. Shasta County 25 .08 
 
 Register of Mines, with JIap. Sierra County _ 25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Siskiyou County .25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Trinity County 25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map, Tuolumne Countj- . 25 
 
 Register of Mines, with Map. Yuba County ..... __. .25 
 
 Register of Oil Wells, with Map, t,os Angeles City .35 
 
 Map of Mother Lode . . .05 
 
 Jlap of Desert Region of California _ • 10 
 
 !Map Showing Copper Deposits in California ._ 05 
 
 Map of Calaveras County .._ .25 .03 
 
 Map of Plumas County .25 .03 
 
 Mineral and Relief Map of California .25 .05 
 
 Map of Forest Reserves in California (Mounted). 50 
 
 Map of Forest Reserves in California (Unmounted) .30 
 
 In Preparation — 
 Map and Register of Madera County. 
 Report on Minaret District. 
 Bulletin — "Revised Edition Copper Resources of California." 
 
 Samples (limited to three at one time) of any mineral found 
 in the State ma}- be sent to the Bureau for identification, and 
 the same will be classified free of charge. /Vo samples will be 
 determined if received from points outside the State. It must 
 be understood that no Assays or Quantitative Determinations 
 zvill be made. Samples should be in a lump form if possible, 
 and tnarked plainly with name of sender outside of package, 
 postoffice address., etc. No sajnples will be received unless 
 charges are prepaid. A letter should accompanj- sample and 
 a stamp should be enclosed for repl)-. 
 
 Address all samples and communications regarding samples 
 to Laboratory. 
 
 LAW RELATING TO MISREPRESENTATION OF MINES BY ANY 
 OFFICER OF A CORPORATION TRANSACTING BUSINESS IN 
 CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Section i. Anj^superintendent, director, secretary, manager, 
 agent, or other officer, of any corporation formed or existing 
 under the laws of this State, or transacting business in the 
 same, and any person pretending or holding him.self out as 
 such superintendent, director, secretary, manager, agent or 
 other officer, who shall willfully subscribe, sign, endorse, verify, 
 or otherwise assent to the publication, either generally or 
 privately, to the stockholders or other persons dealing with 
 such corporation or its stock, any untrue or willfully and 
 fraudulently exaggerated report, prospectus, account, statement 
 
270 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 of operations, values, business, profits, expenditures or pros- 
 pects, or other paper or document intended to produce or give, 
 or having a tendency to produce or give, to the shares of stock 
 in such corporation a greater value or less apparent or market 
 value than they really possess, or with the intention of defraud- 
 ing any particular person or persons, or the public, or persons 
 generally, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and on conviction 
 thereof shall be punished b}- imprisonment in State prison, or 
 a county jail, not exceeding two years, or by fine not exceeding 
 five thousand dollars, or by both. 
 
 Sec. 2. All Acts and parts of Acts in conflict with this Act 
 are hereby repealed. 
 
 Approved March 22, 1905. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 Abbott mine 46 
 
 Adelaide district 150 
 
 Alice and Modoc mine 154 
 
 vEtna Consolidated mines _ 7J 
 
 Alta .- no 
 
 Alloona mine 192 
 
 Baker mine 49 
 
 Bitujneu in cinnabar ore deposits 
 
 25, 41,47, 161 
 
 Boston mine "6 
 
 Central San Benito mining district _. 125 
 
 Cerro Bonito mine 134 
 
 Chertbeds - 17 
 
 Chert beds and ore deposits 54, 99 
 
 Clear Lake district - 39 
 
 Cloverdale mine 98 
 
 Colusa County, Mines in : 
 
 Central .. . 43 
 
 Elgin 43 
 
 Empire - 43 
 
 Manzanita 44 
 
 Wide Awake 45 
 
 Concentration of quicksilver ores 198 
 
 Concentration plant, Cost of 202 
 
 Condensation of the furnace fumes... 234 
 
 Condensers, Brick __ 249 
 
 Products ._ 239 
 
 Waterbacks.. 251 
 
 Watertank 251 
 
 Wooden _ 252 
 
 Condensing-box, Boston mine 202 
 
 Condensing, Principles of.. 243 
 
 Contra Costa County, Cinnabar in 195 
 
 Corona mine 7'J 
 
 Cost of mining and reduction 
 
 34,201,208,214 
 
 Cost of timber and wood 
 
 3><, 39, 42, 129, 130, 153, 186 
 
 Cretaceous formations 16 
 
 Culver-Bacr mine 102 
 
 Del Norte County, Mines in . . 195 
 
 Draft in furnace plant. (See " Fur- 
 naces.") 
 
 Dry-bone 37 
 
 Elevations 254 
 
 El Dorado County, Mine in 190 
 
 Eureka mine . .. 106 
 
 Franciscan series . 12 
 
 Fresno County, Mines in : 
 
 Arrambide and Aurecoechea 119 
 
 Mexican 119 
 
 Providential group 121 
 
 Furnaces : Page. 
 
 Data regarding tile furnaces 223 
 
 Discharging methods 235 
 
 Exeli, continuous 208 
 
 Fitzgerald. 205 
 
 General arrangement of plant.... 234 
 
 Hiittner-Scott 218 
 
 Knox & Osborne coarse-ore 210 
 
 Knox & Orborne fine-ore 215 
 
 Litchfield .- 215 
 
 Livermore 215 
 
 Luckhardt _ 210 
 
 Ore-drying systems 225 
 
 Material for 206, 224 
 
 Neat's 210 
 
 New Idria coarse-ore 213 
 
 Products of combustion of 198 
 
 Requirements of 205 
 
 Retort. (See "Retort Furnace.") 
 
 Temperature in... 234 
 
 Tiles 221 
 
 Furnace fumes. Composition of_ 239 
 
 Furnace plant, Draft in 240 
 
 Gas in the mines 65. 110 
 
 Geological table of the Cretaceous 
 
 period __ 16 
 
 Geology of the quicksilver belt in Cali- 
 fornia.. _. 12 
 
 Granite, Description of 14 
 
 Granite, Its occurrences in the Coast 
 
 Ranges . _ 12 
 
 Great Eastern and Mount Jackson 
 
 mines ._ 108 
 
 Great Western mine 52 
 
 Guadalupe mine 173 
 
 Heat, Increase with depth under- 
 ground - --- 70 
 
 Helen (American) mine 55 
 
 Igneous rocks. 21, 39, 129, 149, 152, 163 
 
 Igneous rocks and ore deposition. ..21, 28, 
 
 36. .58, 62, 71, 77, 81, 91, 130, 148, 156, 191, 194 
 
 Integral mine 193 
 
 Karl mine 157 
 
 Kings County, Mines in 122 
 
 Knoxville district.. 42 
 
 Lake County, Mines in : 
 
 Abbott 46 
 
 .Anderson 48 
 
 Baker 49 
 
 Big Injun (New Phoenix Mining 
 
 Co.) 50 
 
 Chicago (Ural) 51 
 
979 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Lake County. Mines in : Page. 
 
 Digger Injun (Congress Mining 
 
 Co) 50 
 
 Great Western _ 52 
 
 Helen (American) o.i 
 
 Jewess 57 
 
 Kingof All 57 
 
 Lucitta 5S 
 
 Middletown .59 
 
 Shamrock ._ 60 
 
 Standard Quicksilver Company 
 
 (Mirabeland Bullion) 60 
 
 Sulphur Bank 61 
 
 Thorn 70 
 
 Utopia 70 
 
 Wall Street 71 
 
 La Libertad mine 159 
 
 Little Panoche mining district 119 
 
 Lucitta mine 58 
 
 Madrone mine.. 161 
 
 Mahoney (Buena Vista or Gould) mine 161 
 
 Manhattan mine 81 
 
 Manzanita mine 44 
 
 Mariposa County, Cinnabar ore in 195 
 
 Mayacmas district 35 
 
 Metacinnabarite 25, 31 
 
 Metacinnabarite, its occurrence 
 
 ..47,49,79, 124,160,166 
 
 Mercury and heat 29 
 
 Mercury, Occurrence of native 31 
 
 (See, also, ''Native Mercury.") 
 
 Metallurgy- 197 
 
 Metamorphic series. Age of . 12 
 
 Xon-conformitj' with theChico... 128 
 Metamorphism of the older series in 
 
 the Coast Range 19 
 
 Mining timbers, Protection of 143 
 
 Mist-loss.. 239,244 
 
 Monterey County. Mines in : 
 
 Cholame-Parkfield.. 123 
 
 Dutro 12-1 
 
 Table Mountain 124 
 
 Mudrock... 82 
 
 Xapa Countj", Mines in : 
 
 -Etna Consolidated 72 
 
 Bella Union.. 76 
 
 Boston 76 
 
 Corona. — 79 
 
 Lajoya 80 
 
 Manhattan 
 
 Northern Light 9 
 
 Oathill... - SO 
 
 Philadelphia 92 
 
 Red Elephant 92 
 
 Summit _ 92 
 
 Twin Peaks 92 
 
 Xati ve mercurj- 32, 115, 110 
 
 Xeocomian series 12 
 
 Xew.Almaden mine 174 
 
 New Idria district _ 125 
 
 Xevi- Idria mine — 138 
 
 Page. 
 
 Oathill (Xapa Consolidated) mine 89 
 
 Oceanic district 151 
 
 Oceanic mine 162 
 
 Pine Mountain district 152 
 
 Pine Mountain mine 163 
 
 Polar Star mine 165 
 
 Pre-Cretaceous series 12 
 
 Price of quicksilver (annual since 1S50) 10 
 Production of quicksilver (Annual 
 
 since ia50) .. 30 
 
 Production of quicksilver at Xew Al- 
 
 raaden . 176 
 
 Quicksilver ores and antimony ores... 148 
 
 .\ud chalcedony 85 
 
 .^nd cherts 54, 99 
 
 -■ind copper 14S 
 
 .■\nd gold ores 44 
 
 And Igneous Rocks. (See "Igne- 
 ous Rocks") 
 And Sandstone. 'See "Sand- 
 stone.") 
 And Serpentine. (See "Serpen- 
 tine ") 
 
 Description 24 
 
 Genesis of 26 
 
 Formed by solution and precipita- 
 tion 30,65,171 
 
 Formed by sublimation 30 
 
 Forming at the present time 45, 65 
 
 Quicksilver rock 20 
 
 Ramirez Consolidated (Las Picachos) 
 
 inines 145 
 
 Retort furnaces 197. 203 
 
 Cost of._ 202,205 
 
 Johnson & McKay 202 
 
 G. V. Xorthey 200 
 
 San Benito County, Geologj- of 125 
 
 San Benito Countj-, Mines in : 
 
 .\ndj- Johnson 131 
 
 Aurora 131 
 
 Bradford 131 
 
 Boston. (See " Clear Creek.") 
 
 Butts 133 
 
 Cannon 133 
 
 Cerro Bonito 134 
 
 Clear Creek 137 
 
 Don Juan and Don Miguel 137 
 
 Fourth of July 138 
 
 Mariposa — 138 
 
 Xew Idria l'>8 
 
 Philadelphia and Xew York 145 
 
 Ramirez Consolidated (Los Pica- 
 chos) 145 
 
 San Carlos _ U3 
 
 Santa Cruz 147 
 
 Stayton 147 
 
 San Carpojo district 15! 
 
 Sandstones 17, 93, r21, 1'2C, 13.5 
 
 Sandstones and ore deposits 
 
 91,95, 104, 119,121, 138. 141, 161,163 
 
INDEX. 
 
 273 
 
 Page. 
 San Luis Obispo County, Geology of.. 149 
 San Luis Obispo County, Mines in: 
 
 Alice and Modoc 154 
 
 Bank mine 154 
 
 Cypress Mountain 156 
 
 Doty 156 
 
 Elizabeth 157 
 
 Eureka 157 
 
 George and Josephine. 157 
 
 Karl . 157 
 
 Kismet 159 
 
 La Libertad 159 
 
 Lehman. 101 
 
 Madrone _ . 161 
 
 Mahoney (Buena Vista or Gouldj.. 161 
 
 North Star _ 162 
 
 Oceanic 162 
 
 Oceanic No. 2 163 
 
 Pine Mountain .. 163 
 
 Polar Star 165 
 
 Quien Sabe 165 
 
 Rincouada 166 
 
 Sunset View . 167 
 
 Vulture .- 167 
 
 William Tell 168 
 
 Wittenberg _ 168 
 
 Santa Barbara County, Mines in. 196 
 
 Santa Clara County, Geology of. 168 
 
 Santa Clara County, Mines in : 
 
 Bernal 171 
 
 Comstock 172 
 
 Costello 172 
 
 Guadalupe 173 
 
 Hillsdale 174 
 
 New Almaden 174 
 
 Santa Teresa.. 186 
 
 Silver Creek 187 
 
 Wright- - 1S7 
 
 Santa Teresa mine.. 186 
 
 Serpentine, Its derivation 13, 33, 127 
 
 Serpentine, Relation to cinnabar de- 
 posits 36,46, 
 
 75, 76, 88, 104, 106, 108, 114, 132, 142, 
 144, 149, 154, 157, 160, 166, 168, 178, 190 
 
 Serpentine, Surface occurrences 
 
 74, 119,123,187 
 
 Silicification and cinnabar deposits... 33 
 
 Silicifications process 19, 180 
 
 SiU-er Creek mine 187 
 
 Siskiyou County, Mines in 196 
 
 Socrates mine 115 
 
 Solano County, Mine in— St. John ... 93 
 Sonoma County, Mines in : 
 
 Almaden, etc. 97 
 
 Bacon Consolidated 97 
 
 Boston 97 
 
 Cinnabar King 98 
 
 Sonoma County, Mines in : Page. 
 
 Cloverdale 98 
 
 Clyde _ 102 
 
 Crown Point. 102 
 
 Crystal. (See " Pacific") 
 
 Culver-Baer 102 
 
 Double Star 105 
 
 Eureka 106 
 
 Great Eastern 108 
 
 Great Northern 112 
 
 Hope 112 
 
 Hurley 112 
 
 Lookout 113 
 
 Lucky Stone '. 113 
 
 Maricoma 113 
 
 Mercury Mining Co 113 
 
 Missouri _ 113 
 
 Mount Jackson. (See "Great 
 Eastern.") 
 
 Napa 113 
 
 Oakland. (See "Culver-Baer.) 
 
 Occidental and Healdsburg 114 
 
 Old Chapman.- 114 
 
 Pacific 114 
 
 Pontiac 115 
 
 Rattlesnake .... . 115 
 
 Socrates 115 
 
 Sonoma. (See "Crown Point.") 
 
 Walker 116 
 
 Wall Springs .. 117 
 
 Soot 239,214,253 
 
 Standard Quicksilver Co. (Mirabel)... 60 
 Stanislaus County, Mines in : 
 
 .\dobe Valley 189 
 
 Orestemba 189 
 
 Summit 188 
 
 Stayton district.. 129 
 
 Stay ton mine 147 
 
 St. John mine... 93 
 
 Sulphur Bank mine 61 
 
 Sulphur Creek district. 40 
 
 Summit group 188 
 
 Trinity County, Geology of 190 
 
 Trinity County, Mines in : 
 
 Altoona 192 
 
 Carr 193 
 
 Integral 193 
 
 Trinity 195 
 
 Tuffoid 41 
 
 Twin Peaks mine.. 92 
 
 Water, Underground circulation 28 
 
 Waters. Composition of underground. 66 
 Yolo County. Mines in : 
 
 New England and Harrison 117 
 
 Reed : 117 
 
 Royal 117 
 
 Zones of the earth crust 26 
 
s ^^6 3 
 
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