Oceanview Mine (Oceanview Adit), Elizabeth R. Mine, Chief Mountain, Pala District, San Diego Co., California, USA

The Oceanview mine is the metonymical name given to the most recent adit and associated underground workings located on the western downhill portion of the Elizabeth R. mine, at an elevation of approximately 1287 feet AMSL. Work began in 2000 developing the adit that now serves as the main underground haulageway for mechanized mining, which runs east for approximately 60 feet, then follows the Oceanview pegmatite[1] laterally along strike, as it meanders south to southwestward for a distance of over 400 feet.

One large pocket was discovered September 22, 2007, located up-dip about mid way along the haulage drift. Over several months, this zone of mineralization has produced several notable specimens of fine pastel pink, blue and bicolor beryl crystals; primarily occurring as tea-cup sized singles and smaller clusters, in association with darkly colored tourmaline, and some attractively arranged on matrices of cleavelandite. This pocket is referred to by the miners as the "49'er pocket", in homage of the mine foreman's coinciding 49th birthday.

The beryl so far recovered are typical in form and color as those recovered further up-dip in the same pegmatite. Other minerals found in the workings include small amounts of dark purple to black tourmalines or schorl, spodumene, microcline, muscovite, montmorillonite and quartz. Some large gem-quality smoky citrine quartz crystal points and clusters have been produced, many weighing up to several hundred pounds each.

A crew of 5 or so miners continue to work intermittently, slowly extending the underground workings while developing an inclined stope along the paystreak. These workings will ultimately connect with the lowest underground workings made by Roland Reed, located approximately 100 feet up-dip.

Footnote:

1. The Oceanview pegmatite dike outcrops along the western endline of the patented Oceanview lode mining claim, and along the eastern endline of the Elizabeth R. lode mining claim, and dips down beneath the surface towards the west, and slightly southwards. The continuity of the deposit has proven remarkably homogeneous along strike and dip, with most of the minerals recovered consistently similar in character and formation.

References:
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.

Stephenson, J. 2007. Pala District Opens Wide: Oceanview Mine Strikes It Big. Mineral News: Pala International, Fallbrook, CA. December. http://www.palagems.com/mineral_news_2007_v2.htm#pala_oceanview]

Stephenson, J. 2008. Pala District Opens Wider: Oceanview Mine Strikes It Big. Gem News: Pala International, Fallbrook, CA. January 16th. http://www.palagems.com/gem_news_2008_v1.htm#pegmatite]