Fairbanks mine, Ruona group, Darwin, Darwin District, Inyo Co., California, USA

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A former small Pb-Zn mine in SW quarter of sec 1, T19S, R40E, MDM, 3.0 miles N 8°W of Darwin and 1460 feet N 60°W of the Lucky Jim mine, at an elevation of 5610 feet.

The mine (8 Claims) was owned by Alex Ruona (1938) and later by Mrs. Marie Wilson-Ruona (1958).
The correct spelling of the name is Ruona, since Alex. R. was of Finland where this is a common name (Ruona = Creek in Finland). Rouna is a misspelling.

The workings consisted of a shaft about 150 feet deep, several shallow shafts and open cuts.

The host rock is thinly bedded bluish-gray limestone and calc-hornfels (tactite). The ore is galena with lead carbonate. The fissure strikes NW and is 2 to 4 feet wide.

The mine has both, lead-silver and tungsten minerals, but was worked for lead and zinc only.

The USGS list a second Fairbanks mine under MRDS ID 10033975, but there is no second mine in the Darwin District with this name. The USGS position for this second Fairbanks mine is N 36.29997 W 117.60951 and there one can see some traces of mining activities, but it is not the Fairbanks mine. All references state that the Fairbanks mine is NW of the Lucky Jim mine and not SW.

The mine is part of the Ruona Group which includes the following mines:

- Fairbanks mine
- Ruona mine
- Santa Ana mine
- Standard group

Updated description and position N36.31107 W117.59900 by Richard Muster based on observations in 2007.

Mineral List

Baryte Calcite Cerussite

Fluorite Galena Limonite

Pyrite Quartz var: Jasper Sphalerite

9 entries listed. 7 valid minerals.

References