Great Divide Mine, Argus Peak, Argus Mts (Argus Range), Inyo County, California, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Great Divide Mine | Mine |
| Argus Peak | Peak |
| Argus Mts (Argus Range) | Mountain Range |
| Inyo County | County |
| California | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
35° 53' 27'' North , 117° 27' 45'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Searles Valley | 1,739 (2011) | 14.7km |
| Ridgecrest | 28,780 (2017) | 35.3km |
| China Lake Acres | 1,876 (2011) | 38.9km |
| Inyokern | 1,099 (2018) | 41.6km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Searles Lake Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. | Trona, California | 16km |
| Indian Wells Valley Gem & Mineral Society | Ridgecrest, California | 35km |
Mindat Locality ID:
78877
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:78877:6
GUID (UUID V4):
12c1fb67-8c8a-4d3c-9dc0-df4af5331e77
A former Au-Fe-Cu mine located in sec. 12, T23S, R42E, MDM, 4.5 km (2.8 miles) NNW of Argus Peak (coordinates of record) (approximately 1.7 miles SW of Quail Spring; approximately 2.8 miles SW of the Ruth Mine; and approximately 2.5 miles SE of Birchum Springs), on military reservation land (China Lake Naval Ordnance Test Station). Discovered in 1940 by Mr. John B. Hovis. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 250 meters. NOTE: MRDS file #10095285 places this locality in sec. 33. This claim was bought by the Naval base (NOTS 466) as part of the Great Divide owned by Earle C. Washmuth.
Site is accessed from the intersection of Mountain Springs Canyon, unction Ranch, and Birchum Springs Roads. Head S along Birchum Springs Road, keeping right, for approximately 4 miles, then head SE along Moscow Springs Road approximately 1 mile and then NE approximately 5 miles (0.5 mile ??) to the Ruby Lode Mine Road. The shaft is at the end of the road, approximately 0.5 mile. The road leading to the Little Star prospect can be seen from this road as a trail heading across a saddle inn the ridge to the E.
Mineralization is a vein deposit hosted in quartz diorite. The ore body strikes N39W and dips 64SW at a width of 1.22 meters and a length of 15.24 meters. Controls for ore emplacement included a shear zone.
No quartz is visible on the far side of the draw. This implies that the vein is cut off to the N by a NW-trending fault. The quartz outcrop is not traceable NE across the draw. It parallels an aplite dike outcropping along the ridge to the immediate W.
The deposit is massive quartz with iron staining and occasional blebs of specular hematite. The vein outcrops along a ridge, treading N32E and is paralleled by a ridge to the W with aplite outcroppings. The area is difficult to reach. Sampling of the high-grade pile revealed quartz containing minor amounts of limonite, chalcopyrite (?) and chrysocolla. Local rocks include Mesozoic granitic rocks, unit 3 (Sierra Nevada, Death Valley area, Northern Mojave Desert and Transverse Ranges).
Workings include underground openings with an overall depth of 3.66 meters. The shaft is inclined at approximately 75W and looks as though it opens up approximately 10 feet into the shaft. Possibly a second level as indicated by a change in dip of a 3 inch galvanized air line. Workings are unsafe. A wooden platform with a hoist above the shaft is badly decayed. The sets are in fair shape. It appears as if there has been a small cave-in approximately 12 feet into the shaft (Β½ cubic yard of material). The dump contains approximately 20 cubic yards of material. 2 small test its were dug along the blocky quartz outcropping.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| β Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
| β Chrysocolla Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| β Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 |
| β Hematite var. Specularite Formula: Fe2O3 |
| β 'Limonite' |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| β | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| β | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| β | var. Specularite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| β | Chrysocolla | 9.ED.20 | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 Β· nH2O, x < 1 |
| Unclassified | |||
| β | 'Limonite' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| O | β Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| O | β Hematite var. Specularite | Fe2O3 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | β Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| Fe | β Hematite var. Specularite | Fe2O3 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Cu | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10036258 |
|---|
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mojave DomainDomain
USA
- Sierra NevadaMountain Range
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References
