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Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District), East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District)Mining District
East Belt- not defined -
Calaveras CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° North , 120° West (est.)
Estimate based on other nearby localities or region boundaries.
Margin of Error:
~54km
GRN:
N26W68
Type:
Mining District
KΓΆppen climate type:
Csa : Hot-summer Mediterranean climate
Mindat Locality ID:
209194
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:209194:8
GUID (UUID V4):
7e9562be-2701-4e73-ae1d-f0a6e5bda934


A mining area located 10 miles SE of San Andreas.

Location: The Murphys district is in south-central Calaveras County about seven miles northeast of Angels Camp. It extends west to include the Esmeralda and Fricot Ranch areas.

History: The streams were first mined during the gold rush. Murphys was established in 1848 or 1849 and named for John M. Murphy, a member of Captain Weber's Stockton Mining Company. Lode mining probably began shortly afterward and continued almost steadily until around World War I. Some of the mines have been prospected in recent years. The old town of Murphys, one of the best-preserved mining towns in the Sierra Nevada, is a popular tourist attraction.

Geology: The eastern part of the district is underlain by graphite schist, slate, and a large limestone lens of the Calaveras Formation (Carboniferous to Permian). The western part is underlain by slate, schist,
green schist and numerous lenses of talcose rock derived from serpentine. A number of patches of auriferous Tertiary gravels overlie the bedrock.

Ore Deposits: Quartz, occurring in a great many west-trending veins β€” mostly in schist and slate β€” is glassy and white, rose, or occasionally black. Rose-colored quartz is characteristic of this district. The ore bodies usually are small and shallow, but often they are rich. The ore contains free gold and often abundant sulfides. Although there are no large mines, the district was quite productive because of the large number of mines.

Mines: Basco, Beatrice, Bence ($200,000), Bonehard, Buckeye, Buckhorn, Crown Point, Cowbell, Dora Consolidated, Dragone, Economic, Esmeralda ($300,000), Eureka, Fairplay, Falcon, Fricot Group, Great Divide, Gumboot, Hidden Treasure, K and J, Last Chance, Alalteson, Manhatten, Miralda, Oro y Plata, Piety Hill, Rocky Bar, and the Total Wreck.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.


Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

33 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

β“˜ Antigorite
Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Description: Interlayered with magnetite.
β“˜ Antimony
Formula: Sb
β“˜ Aragonite
Formula: CaCO3
β“˜ Aragonite var. Flos Ferri
Formula: CaCO3
β“˜ Arsenopyrite
Formula: FeAsS
β“˜ Arsenopyrite var. Danaite
Formula: (Fe0.90Co0.10)AsS - (Fe0.65Co0.35)AsS
Description: Occurs as fine-grained material.
β“˜ Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
β“˜ Baryte
Formula: BaSO4
β“˜ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
β“˜ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
Description: Occurs as fine stalactites.
β“˜ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
β“˜ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
β“˜ Chromite
Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2O4
β“˜ Cinnabar
Formula: HgS
β“˜ Dolomite
Formula: CaMg(CO3)2
β“˜ Epidote
Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Description: Occurs as good crystals with quartz.
β“˜ Erythrite
Formula: Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Description: Forms as coatings on cobaltoan arsenopyrite upon exposure of the latter.
β“˜ Galena
Formula: PbS
Localities:
Collier Mine (Blood Mine; Sandwich Mine), Murphys, Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District), East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
McQuig Mine (Dodson & McQuig), Soapstone Hill, Murphys, Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District), East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
Total Wreck Mine, Murphys, Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District), East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
Oro Y Plata Mine (Oro-Plata Extension Mine; Red Wing Willard Mine; Pay Rock Mine; Silver Star Mine; Blue Wing Mine), Murphys, Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District), East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
Jumper Mine, Murphys, Murphys Mining District (Esmeralda Mining District; Sperry Mining District), East Belt, Calaveras County, California, USA
β“˜ Glaucophane
Formula: ◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
β“˜ Gold
Formula: Au
Localities: Reported from at least 94 localities in this region.
β“˜ Graphite
Formula: C
Description: Occurs in graphitic slate in country rock.
β“˜ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
β“˜ Hessite
Formula: Ag2Te
β“˜ 'Limonite'
β“˜ Magnesiochromite
Formula: MgCr2O4
β“˜ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
Description: Interlayered with antigorite.
β“˜ 'Manganese Oxides'
β“˜ Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Description: Occurs as a sericite schist surrounding the chert enclosing the ore body.
β“˜ Muscovite var. Sericite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Description: Occurs as a sericite schist surrounding the chert enclosing the ore body.
β“˜ Petzite
Formula: Ag3AuTe2
β“˜ 'Psilomelane'
β“˜ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
β“˜ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Localities: Reported from at least 79 localities in this region.
β“˜ Quartz var. Rock Crystal
Formula: SiO2
β“˜ Rhodonite
Formula: CaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
β“˜ Spessartine
Formula: Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
β“˜ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
β“˜ Stibnite
Formula: Sb2S3
β“˜ Talc
Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
Description: Occurs as numerous bodies of talcose schist in the country rock.
β“˜ Tetradymite
Formula: Bi2Te2S
β“˜ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
β“˜Gold1.AA.05Au
β“˜Antimony1.CA.05Sb
β“˜Graphite1.CB.05aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
β“˜Chalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
β“˜Bornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
β“˜Hessite2.BA.60Ag2Te
β“˜Petzite2.BA.75Ag3AuTe2
β“˜Sphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
β“˜Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
β“˜Galena2.CD.10PbS
β“˜Cinnabar2.CD.15aHgS
β“˜Stibnite2.DB.05Sb2S3
β“˜Tetradymite2.DC.05Bi2Te2S
β“˜Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
β“˜Arsenopyrite
var. Danaite		2.EB.20(Fe0.90Co0.10)AsS - (Fe0.65Co0.35)AsS
β“˜2.EB.20FeAsS
β“˜'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
β“˜Magnesiochromite4.BB.05MgCr2O4
β“˜Chromite4.BB.05Fe2+Cr3+2O4
β“˜Magnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
β“˜Hematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
β“˜Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
β“˜var. Rock Crystal4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
β“˜Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
β“˜Dolomite5.AB.10CaMg(CO3)2
β“˜Aragonite
var. Flos Ferri		5.AB.15CaCO3
β“˜5.AB.15CaCO3
β“˜Azurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
β“˜Baryte7.AD.35BaSO4
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
β“˜Erythrite8.CE.40Co3(AsO4)2 Β· 8H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
β“˜Spessartine9.AD.25Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3
β“˜Epidote9.BG.05a(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
β“˜Glaucophane9.DE.25β—»[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
β“˜Rhodonite9.DK.05CaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
β“˜Talc9.EC.05Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
β“˜Muscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
β“˜var. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
β“˜Antigorite9.ED.15Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Unclassified
β“˜'Psilomelane'-
β“˜'Limonite'-
β“˜'Manganese Oxides'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hβ“˜ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hβ“˜ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Hβ“˜ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Hβ“˜ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Hβ“˜ Glaucophane◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
Hβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hβ“˜ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Hβ“˜ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CCarbon
Cβ“˜ AragoniteCaCO3
Cβ“˜ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cβ“˜ CalciteCaCO3
Cβ“˜ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Cβ“˜ GraphiteC
Cβ“˜ Aragonite var. Flos FerriCaCO3
OOxygen
Oβ“˜ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oβ“˜ AragoniteCaCO3
Oβ“˜ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Oβ“˜ BaryteBaSO4
Oβ“˜ CalciteCaCO3
Oβ“˜ ChromiteFe2+Cr23+O4
Oβ“˜ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Oβ“˜ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Oβ“˜ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Oβ“˜ Glaucophane◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
Oβ“˜ HematiteFe2O3
Oβ“˜ MagnesiochromiteMgCr2O4
Oβ“˜ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Oβ“˜ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Oβ“˜ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Oβ“˜ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Oβ“˜ Quartz var. Rock CrystalSiO2
Oβ“˜ Aragonite var. Flos FerriCaCO3
Oβ“˜ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
NaSodium
Naβ“˜ Glaucophane◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
MgMagnesium
Mgβ“˜ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Mgβ“˜ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Mgβ“˜ Glaucophane◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
Mgβ“˜ MagnesiochromiteMgCr2O4
Mgβ“˜ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alβ“˜ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Alβ“˜ Glaucophane◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
Alβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alβ“˜ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Alβ“˜ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siβ“˜ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siβ“˜ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Siβ“˜ Glaucophane◻[Na2][Mg3Al2]Si8O22(OH)2
Siβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Siβ“˜ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Siβ“˜ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
Siβ“˜ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Siβ“˜ Quartz var. Rock CrystalSiO2
Siβ“˜ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SSulfur
Sβ“˜ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Sβ“˜ BaryteBaSO4
Sβ“˜ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sβ“˜ ChalcociteCu2S
Sβ“˜ CinnabarHgS
Sβ“˜ GalenaPbS
Sβ“˜ PyriteFeS2
Sβ“˜ SphaleriteZnS
Sβ“˜ StibniteSb2S3
Sβ“˜ TetradymiteBi2Te2S
Sβ“˜ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
Sβ“˜ Arsenopyrite var. Danaite(Fe0.90Co0.10)AsS - (Fe0.65Co0.35)AsS
KPotassium
Kβ“˜ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kβ“˜ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caβ“˜ AragoniteCaCO3
Caβ“˜ CalciteCaCO3
Caβ“˜ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Caβ“˜ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Caβ“˜ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Caβ“˜ Aragonite var. Flos FerriCaCO3
CrChromium
Crβ“˜ ChromiteFe2+Cr23+O4
Crβ“˜ MagnesiochromiteMgCr2O4
MnManganese
Mnβ“˜ RhodoniteCaMn3Mn[Si5O15]
Mnβ“˜ SpessartineMn32+Al2(SiO4)3
FeIron
Feβ“˜ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Feβ“˜ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feβ“˜ ChromiteFe2+Cr23+O4
Feβ“˜ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Feβ“˜ HematiteFe2O3
Feβ“˜ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feβ“˜ PyriteFeS2
Feβ“˜ Arsenopyrite var. Danaite(Fe0.90Co0.10)AsS - (Fe0.65Co0.35)AsS
CoCobalt
Coβ“˜ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Coβ“˜ Arsenopyrite var. Danaite(Fe0.90Co0.10)AsS - (Fe0.65Co0.35)AsS
CuCopper
Cuβ“˜ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cuβ“˜ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuβ“˜ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuβ“˜ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
ZnZinc
Znβ“˜ SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
Asβ“˜ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Asβ“˜ ErythriteCo3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O
Asβ“˜ Arsenopyrite var. Danaite(Fe0.90Co0.10)AsS - (Fe0.65Co0.35)AsS
AgSilver
Agβ“˜ HessiteAg2Te
Agβ“˜ PetziteAg3AuTe2
SbAntimony
Sbβ“˜ AntimonySb
Sbβ“˜ StibniteSb2S3
Sbβ“˜ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
TeTellurium
Teβ“˜ HessiteAg2Te
Teβ“˜ PetziteAg3AuTe2
Teβ“˜ TetradymiteBi2Te2S
BaBarium
Baβ“˜ BaryteBaSO4
AuGold
Auβ“˜ GoldAu
Auβ“˜ PetziteAg3AuTe2
HgMercury
Hgβ“˜ CinnabarHgS
PbLead
Pbβ“˜ GalenaPbS
BiBismuth
Biβ“˜ TetradymiteBi2Te2S

Localities in this Region

USA
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North America PlateTectonic Plate
USA

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Turner, Henry Ward (1894a), Description of the gold belt; description of the Jackson sheet: USGS, Geol. Atlas Jackson folio (Folio No. 11), 6pp. (reprinted 1914).
Turner, Henry Ward & F.L. Ransome (1898), Description of the gold belt; description of the Big Trees sheet, California: USGS Geologic Atlas, Big Trees folio (Folio No. 51), 8 pp.
Tucker, W. Burling (1916), Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne Counties: California Journal of Mines and Geology, California Mining Bureau. (Report 14): 14: 1-172; […(abstract): Geol. Zentralbl., Band 27: 396 (1922)]: 66-114.
Logan, Clarence August and Franke, H. (1936), Mines and Mineral Resources of Calaveras Co.: California Division of Mines, California Journal of Mines & Geology, California Division of Mines (Report 32): 32(3): 235-323.
Clark, Lorin D. (1954) Geology and mineral deposits of the Calaveritas quadrangle, Calaveras County, California. Special Report 40. California Division of Mines
Clark, William B., Lydon, Philip A. (1963) Mines and Mineral Resources of Calaveras County, California. County Report 2. California Division of Mines and Geology
Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 544.
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