Oceanview Mine (MS 6452; MS 6848; Ocean View), Chief Mountain, Pala District, San Diego Co., California, USA

The Oceanview mine is a patented lode mining claim located in the N2SW4SW4 Sec. 13, and a small portion of the N2SE4SE4 Sec. 14, T9S R2W SBM, approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Pala, mostly on the northeast slope of Chief Mountain.

The Oceanview is the most northerly of the three east-trending claims which compose the Pala Chief group of lode mining claims. The property is contiguous with the Goddess claim, which is adjacent to the south.

The principal workings are in the Oceanview pegmatite dike, part of which is exposed just within the western limits of the claim. The dike strikes north and dips about 30 degrees west. These early workings were noted by Richard Jahns and others to have produced beryl and quartz.

A claim to the deposit was first made in 1907 by Frank A. Salmons, and was named the Ocean View. The claim was part of the group of lode mining claims controlled by The Pala Chief Gem Mining Company, although ultimately the Ocean View claim was withdrawn from patent application, and abandoned to the public domain.

The area of the original Ocean View remained open to mineral entry until 1970, when Joseph Zeld staked a mining claim on the deposit, and performed minor work prospecting along several pegmatite exposures. In December of 1973, the was mining claim was sold to Roland Reed of El Cajon.

Initial mining by Reed began in 1974, concentrating on the upper part of the Oceanview pegmatite. These workings produced several thousand pounds of quartz and feldspar crystals. Some of these matrixes weighed over 80 pounds each. Much of the quartz recovered was of near optical clarity. Well formed pink beryls were also found, with some of the larger crystals weighing over a pound each. Many of the gem-quality morganite crystals were faceted into gems, yielding several flawless stones, with one of the largest weighing 100 carats. This stone is now part of the collection of the Houston Natural History Museum. A federal patent was granted to Roland Reed for the Oceanview lode mining claim in December of 1979.

In May of 1982, a pocket was opened that produced what were said to be some of the best morganite matrix specimens ever recovered from the area. Most of the upper portion of the pegmatite was completely removed by Reed, and work has since concentrated on the lower, downdip portion of the pegmatite located on the adjacent Elizabeth R. mine property. Around September of 2000, the Oceanview property was sold to Jeffrey Swanger and Stephen Koonce of Escondido.

The Oceanview property now serves as an equipment storage and staging area for underground mining operations at the Oceanview adit on the Elizabeth R. property, as well as the location for commercial fee-for-dig mineral dump screening operations which are open to the public on weekends by reservation.

Also see the Snipe prospect, which is located on the Oceanview property.

References:
Fisher, J. 2002. Gem and rare-element pegmatites of southern California. Mineralogical Record 33(5): 388-389.

Jahns, R. A., and Wright, L. A., 1951. Gem and Lithium-Bearing Pegmatites of the Pala District, San Diego County, California. California Division of Mines and Geology special report 7A, 72 p.

Merrill 14:699.

Mroch, W. 2008. The History of the Oceanview Gem Mine. Gem and Mineral Exploration Company. Cypress, Orange County, California. May. http://www.digforgems.com/hist.htm]

Osborn, P. 2007. Personal communication between Phil Osborn of Hemet and Scott L. Ritchie; Overview of work including adit development, petrology, lithology, bonanza pocket zone encountered, and gemstones recovered during the Oceanview mining operation. Feb.

Rocks & Min.: 65:349.

Sinkankas, J. 1997. Gemstones of North America. Vol. 3. Beryl; Tucson, Arizona: Geoscience Press Inc.; pages 57-58, 526 pp.

Weber, F. H. 1963. Geology and mineral resources of San Diego County, California. California Division of Mines and Geology, County Report 3: p. 109.