Soldiers, settlers, and laborers, part of two mission colonies under the administration of Francisco Garces, mined placer gold in the southeastern Chocolate Mountains in 1780 and 1781. Their mining methods were simple. Placer gold was recovered by winnowing (tossing the lighter materials away by gently shaking a blanket in the wind). Dry washers may also have been used. Their mining endeavors, almost recreational in nature (as they were not mining gold for a living) ended abruptly when the Yuma Indians attacked the two missions on July 17, 1781, killing at least 50 men and taking 67 women and children captive. Mining activity was resumed in this area only after the establishment of the Mexican Republic in 1823.

An early image of Spanish Miners

Also worked in the 1780’s were the placer grounds of Jackson Gulch and the oxided ores of Padre Madre Valley in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. The Padre y Madre Mine, located 13 miles northwest of Yuma and 3 miles northwest of Ogilby, was one of the most extensively developed early mines. The mine enjoyed a modest production from the 1780’s until 1894 with few interruptions.

Even the name of the mountain range speaks of the early interest in mining in the area. Reportedly in the early 1800s two young lads playing at prospecting in imitation of their fathers came into camp with their shirts loaded with gold ore. Their antics resulted in the name of Cargo Muchacho, for the mountains where they had made their find. Although it is difficult to estimate the area’s gold production during the Spanish and Mexican eras (1780-1848) it was probably not more than half a million dollars.

William P. Blake, a geologist with Lt. Williamson’s Pacific Railroad exploration party, was the first Anglo- American to visit the southern portion of the Cargo Muchacho Mountains with an eye toward mining. In 1853 he reported seeing several quartz veins from three inches to a foot or two in thickness. His observations were recorded in official government reports, but no one acted upon this evidence of possible mineralization until the Southern Pacific Railroad between Yuma and the coast was completed.

NATURAL OCCURRENCES

The concentration of gold ore, and the market value of gold determine whether a deposit is a mineable ore-body. The highest grade deposits are associated with quartz veins. Gold also occurs as disseminated particles incorporated during magmatic rock formation or during subsequent chemical alteration of the host rock. Primary gold occurrences are termed lode deposits. Mineralized rock and gold-bearing veins release gold particles during the weathering process. Because of its high specific gravity and resistance to weathering, these sedimentary gold particles are easily concentrated by streams and rivers to form placer gold deposits.

MINING METHODS

There are three types of gold mining today: underground mining of high-grade lode and placer deposits, dredging of surface placer deposits, and open-pit mining. A technique called heap leaching is commonly used to remove finely disseminated gold from low-grade ore. In this process, mounds of crushed ore are placed on an impermeable pad and sprayed with a dilute cyanide solution. The cyanide solution percolates through the ore and dissolves fine gold particles. The gold is then electrolytically recovered from solution and poured into ingots. Gold is also a byproduct of sand and gravel production and base metal (copper, lead and zinc) mining.

GOLD DEPOSITS IN CALIFORNIA

California’s most important gold deposits have been found in the Sierra Nevada, Klamath Mountains and Mojave Desert. Significant deposits have also been developed in the Peninsular and Transverse Ranges and the northern Great Valley. Unmined low-grade deposits occur statewide. In the Coast Ranges, low-grade gold deposits are associated with low-temperature mercury mineralization.

GOLD PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA-2001

In 2001, California ranked fourth in the United States in gold production. Approximately 449,200 troy ounces were produced worth about $122.3 million.

PROPERTIES AND USES

Gold is one of the earliest metals known and used by humans. It resists corrosion and chemical interaction. It will not disintegrate when exposed to oxygen, water, salt, or any other naturally-occurring material. Gold’s durability accounts for the almost perfect condition of coins and artifacts fashioned from it thousands of years ago.

Gold’s most important use is in computers, weaponry and aerospace. It is used where consistent, reliable performance under all conditions is essential. The electronics industry has tried to find substitute metals and alloys, but gold’s exceptional resistance to corrosion and tarnish is still unequaled.

California has been known for the gold rush which started in 1848 when John Sutter found gold at his timber mill on the American River. The gold rush resulted to massive growth of the mining industry around California and as it became more prominent, the exploration expanded across counties using methods like hydraulic and drift mining. One of the most prominent counties is the El Dorado County were several gold mining companies were created.  Below is the list of some of them:

The Alpine Mine, a large lode gold mine, was located two miles southeast of Georgetown. It operated in the 1860’s until 1938.

The Black Gold Mine was a placer gold, drift mine in Pleasant Valley. It was active in 1930-31 and 1936.

Just east of the town of Kelsey was the Dalmatia (Kelly) Mine, a large lode gold mine. It was operated in the 1880’s, 1890-94 and again in 1935.

The Eagle King mine was a lode gold mine located one-half further north of Grizzly Flat. The mine was active from 1894-1896.

Beautiful bright gold can be found in El Dorado County

Fort Yuma was the name of a lode gold mine on Big Canyon Creek, two miles northeast of Brandon Corner (east of Latrobe). It was active from 1890-1902 and again in 1938.

The Frog Pond and Marigold Consolidated Mine was a lode gold mine one-half mile northwest of Garden Valley. The mine was active from 1914 – 27.

The Funny Bug (Pendelco) Mine was a lode gold mine located one mile southwest of GoldHill, on the north bank of Weber Creek. It was active from 1928 to 1942.

The Gambling (also known as Gamblin) Mine was a lode gold mine located two miles southwest of Fair Play. It was active in 1915-18 and 1933-34.

One of the larger lode gold mines was the Griffith Consolidated it was composed of eight claims and located one-half mile south of Diamond Springs. Originally worked in the 1850’s, it was actively worked from 1888-90, in 1896 and 1903.

One of the large lode gold mines which just recently closed was the Hazel Creek Mine, located fifteen miles east of Placerville and two miles southeast of Pacific House on Hazel Creek. Mining started in 1948 till around 1956.

The Hoosier Gulch Dredge was a placer gold mining operation by the Hoosier Gulch Placers Company, using a dragline dredge in Logtown Ravine (south of the town site of El Dorado) in 1939 and near Shingle Springs in 1945 and 1947.

The Idlewild or Taylor Mine was a large, lode gold mine on the Mother Lode two miles northwest of Garden Valley. Originally worked in 1865, it was active again from the late 1880’s to about 1902. Some additional work was done at the mine during the years 1939-41.

The Jones (Good Luck) Mine was a lode gold mine two miles south of Diamond Springs. It was active in 1915 and during 1922-23.

The Joseph Skinner (Fisk, Porphyry) Mine was a seam gold mine on the Mother Lode, one mile north of Placerville. It was active 1896-98, 1901-03 and around 1932.

The Kumfa or Kum Fa Mine was a placer gold drift mine at Smith’s Flat (Smithflat). It was active from 1911-13 and also in 1928 and 1936.

Five miles south of Shingle Springs was a lode gold mine known as the Log Cabin (Darrow) Mine. It was active in 1894-96.

The Lookout Mine was a lode gold mine on the Mother Lode, some three miles southwest of El Dorado. It was intermittently active from 1860 through the 1930’s.

The Maple Leaf (Blakely) Mine was a placer gold mine located two miles west of Camino near Five Mile House. Originally active in the 1880’s, it was reopened from 1932 to 1935.

One mile east of Greenwood was the Ohio (Eagle) Mine, a lode gold mine it was active in 1894-96.

The One Spot (Sailor Jack) Mine was a placer gold, drift mine one mile south of Camino. It was active in the “early days of gold rush”, and reactivated in 1934-38.

Three miles south of the town site of El Dorado was another lode gold mine, the Red Wing (Red Top) Mine. It was first active from 1914 to 1922 and again in 1926.

Three miles southeast of Placerville, at Texas Hill, was a placer gold, drift mine known as the Rising Hope Mine. It was active from 1910 to 1920 and again in 1929.

One mile north of Georgetown, in the Georgia Slide area, was a placer gold mine known as the Sailor Slide Mine. It was active from 1919 to 1922.

One mile north of Greenwood was a seam gold mine known as the Sam Martin Mine. It was active in 1894-96.

The Santa Rosa Mine was a placer gold; drift mine on Hopkins Creek, one mile east of Volcanoville. It was operating during the years 1894 through 1896.

One mile north of Placerville was the Sherman Mine, a lode gold mine. It was active in 1905 and 1908-11.

Three miles northwest of Slate Mountain (southeast of Georgetown) was the Slate Mountain Mine, a lode gold mine. It was active from 1921 to 1941 and again in 1951.

The St. Lawrence Mine was a lode gold mine on the Mother Lode, one and one-half miles southeast of Garden Valley. It operated from 1867 to 1878

The Starlight Mine was a lode gold mine on Logtown Ridge, two and one-half miles south of the town site of El Dorado. It was active from 1890 to 1894.

Two miles southeast of Placerville, between Chili Ravine and Weber Creek, was a placer gold, drift mine known as the Stewart Mine. It was active in the 1880’s and early 1890’s.

The Taylor Mine, also known as the Idlewild Mine, was a large, lode gold mine on two miles northwest of Garden Valley (one publication says four miles). Originally worked in 1865, it was active again from the late 1880’s to about 1902. Some additional work was done at the mine during the years 1939-41.

One mile south of Rattlesnake Bridge, immediately east of the Zantgraf Mine, was the Threlkel (Winton) Mine, a lode gold mine. It was active in 1924-26 and again in 1937.

At Smith’s Flat, east of Placerville, was a placer gold, drift mine known both as the Toll House and Hook and Ladder Mine. It was originally active prior to 1890, in the 1890’s and from 1918 until 1932.

The Victoria Mine was a lode gold mine four miles northwest of the town of Rescue, near the Boulder Mine. It was active in 1924-26.

The Welch Mine was a lode gold mine one-half mile northeast of the town of Greenwood. It was active from 1894 through 1896.

The Wiedebush Mine was a lode gold mine located two miles south of Volcanoville. It was active during the years 1920 through 1926.

The Zantgraf (Montauk Consolidated, Zentgraf) Mine was a lode gold mine located one mile south of Rattlesnake Bridge on the east side of the American River, six miles southwest of Pilot Hill. This mine was first worked in 1880 and by the year 1888, it was in full operation and since 1938, the mine has effectively been idle.

In this video you will see Discovery Channels Gold Rush Alaska ’s Jimmy Dorsey at the Northwest Explosives Academy. In case you have not heard Jimmy Dorsey is learning as much as he can about mining. He has/is attending a Mining school in Nevada. It looks like Jimmy Dorsey might be a player after all. He is now armed with knowledge and know-how. Should be interesting.

Northwest Explosives Academy

It is where it all began in 1848. The gold strike at John Sutter’s timber mill on the American River brought thousands of Americans out west and many Chinese from the orient for adventure and for riches. See my article on California’s first Gold Discovery for more depth on that subject. Three years after the initial gold strike Placer County was formed from parts of Sutter and Yuma Counties. So much gold was taken from this county that there is no way it can be measured. Many of the gold districts in Placer County can be accessed by Highway 80.

Near the city of Auburn you will find the Auburn district also known as the Ophir district, depending on who you ask. There are placer deposits all along the stretches of the American River. Hard-rock mines in the area produced an overwhelming amount of gold in this district, producing over a million and a half ounces of gold.

Iowa Hill District

East of Auburn on HWY 80, is Colfax where you will find the Iowa Hill district. For thirty five years, the area of extensively mined. Hydraulic mining operations ran day and night in the search for California Gold. The operations were brought to a halt, because of the environmental impact it was having. Modern day operations are much more responsible than in those older days. Many places were scared by hydraulic operations throughout the west. The Morning Star mine was a major producer.

It is images like this one of the Dutch Flat District that give modern gold mining a bad rep, even though modern practices are much more environmentally sound.

The Dutch Flat district and Gold Run district is along the northern boundary lines of Placer County on the system of Tertiary channel deposits that extends south from Nevada County.

Placer mining began in 1849, and by 1857 hydraulic and drift mines were producing on a fairly large scale. Though early records are almost nonexistent, it was estimated that the district produced about 479,000 ounces of gold to 1935. In recent years, because of high costs and restrictive legislation, production has decreased to less than 1,000 ounces per year. Total production through 1959 was about 492,000 ounces. Dutch Flat is one the better preserved mining areas and can be accessed by HWY 80.

Emigrant Gap
The Emigrant Gap district, includes the area of  Blue Canyon. The gold is found in quartz veins, occurring  in slate and schist. Emigrant Gap can also be accessed by HWY 80.

Duncan Peak

You can find some very coarse gold in the Duncan Peak District. Check the south side of Duncan Peak in the gravels to find rich diggings. There are deposits that can be found in Duncan Canyon.

Damascus

Placer gold can be found in streams and channels in the Damascus District. This district is located south of Monte Vista just off of HWY 80.

Foresthill District

The Foresthill district is in south-central Placer County. Foresthill Divide is a complex system of Tertiary channels capped by lavas. The gravels have been extensively worked by drift mines which reached their peak of productivity in the 1860’s . Before 1868 the Independence, New Jersey, and Jenny Lind mines produced $2,400,000 in gold. Estimates of production of individual mines given give a minimum total for the district of about 338,000 ounces of gold. In recent years, the district has been virtually dormant. Total gold production through 1959 was about 344,000 ounces.

Michigan Bluff District
The Michigan Bluff district is in southern Placer County, about 5 miles east of Foresthill.

From 1853 to 1880 considerable hydraulic and drift mining was done in the Tertiary channel gravels that underlie the eastern part of Foresthill Divide at Michigan Bluff.  An area of 40 acres yielded $5 million in gold. The Big Gun mine with an output of about $1 million to 1882 was the largest individual producer of the hydraulic mines, and the Hidden Treasure mine was the most productive of all the drift mines in the Tertiary gravels in the State, with a total of about $4 million in gold. Several lode mines were important gold producers, such as the Pioneer, with $900,000 in gold, and the Rawhide, with $300,000, were the most productive.

The total gold production of the district through 1959 was about 300,000 ounces. In recent years activity has slackened, and during 1942-59 less than 100 ounces per year was reported.

Amador County was the most productive of “The Mother Lode” counties. This county produced approximately 6,500,000 ounces of placer gold and 7,700,000 ounces of lode gold. Mining continues today. The richest area in this county is about 1 mile wide across the west central part of the county from the south to the north. The Old Eureka Mine had the deepest shaft in America at 1,3500 feet deep and it was the largest producer in the mother lode in the early days. The Kennedy Mine, Argonaut Mine and Keystone Mines were also large gold mines in the same area. Nowadays, Amador County is famous for it winery’s.

BIG INDIAN CREEK: Sizable dredging and drift operations between 1850 – 1950 produced about 100,000 ounces of placer gold near Fiddletown along Indian Gulch which goes into Big Indian Creek. Big Indian Creek is said to contain placer gold in large quantities. Around the Plymouth area is said to be rich.

DRY CREEK: Off of the beaten path is Dry Creek. It might be worth the hike in. Dry Creek is known for pickers and chunky sized gold.

COSUMNES RIVER :Close to the town of Plymouth, in the west central part of the county there were many placer operations that produced tens of thousands of ounces of placer gold. The Loafer Hill mine, near Oleta, had several small gravel deposits that produced well.

JACKSON CREEK: Near the town of Jackson, you will find the Gwin Mine, it produced lode gold in masses of crystallized arsenopyrite. These are great specimens. Jackson Creek reportedly contains placer gold.

MIDDLE FORK OF THE MOKELUMNE RIVER: Hydraulic operations were located on this river that produced considerable placer gold.

NORTH FORK OF THE MOKELUMNE RIVER: Hydraulic operations were located on this river that produced considerable placer gold. Near Volcano in the west central part of the county around Jackson Gulch and Ranchero Gulch there were some very rich placer deposits.

SOUTH FORK OF THE MOKELUMNE RIVER: Hydraulic operations were located on this river that produced considerable placer gold.

Plumas County Mining History

Over the years a lot of gold has been recovered in Plumas County California. At the time of the gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill, Plumas County was largely a unexplored area by most white men, but Peter Lassen (whom Lassen County is named after ) had pioneered the Lassen Trail across northern Plumas in 1847.

In 1849, immigrant Thomas Stoddard arrived at a mining camp injured, exhausted, and starving. Thomas Stoddard caught everybody’s attention when he showed the men what he had. He had gold. He had gone out a year earlier with a group that used the Lassen Trail to explore the wilderness like many early explorers, beginning in west-central Nevada and ranging northwest toward Good Lake, Oregon until reaching the Pit River.

They followed the Pit River’s southwestern course toward Mt. Lassen and the Feather River region to Lassen’s Rancho near present-day Red Bluff. While in Big Meadows (Chester/Lake Almanor area), Stoddard and a partner left their party to hunt for deer. While they were hunting, their party moved on and Stoddard and his partner were unable to locate it. For several days, Stoddard and his companion wandered lost somewhere between Sierra Valley and Downieville. At some point, the pair stumbled upon a lake with large gold nuggets gleaming in the moss at the water’s edge. After gathering as much gold as their pockets could hold, the two exhausted men fell asleep.

The next morning, Native Americans attacked the two men. Stoddard was injured, and his companion was never heard from again. Stoddard worked his way through the mountains until he at last reached the North Fork of the Yuba River and the gold camps in the Downieville-Nevada City region. Stoddard told his tale to the miners and the search was on for Gold Lake. A multitude of anxious miners swarmed into the mountains seeking Gold Lake, in what would become Plumas and Sierra Counties.

The Plumas County gold rush of 1850 was a direct result of Tom Stoddard’s Gold Lake story. However, Stoddard would never again locate the lake and neither would the thousands of other hopeful prospectors that went in search of it. For the majority of miners who searched for Gold Lake, disappointment dominated. For others, their perseverance paid off with discoveries at Nelson Creek, Poorman’s Creek, Hopkins Creek, Onion Valley, Rich Bar, and Butte Bar. All provided rich diggings. Equally rewarding was a series of five mining bars on the East Branch of the North Fork of the Feather River: Rich Bar, Indian Bar, Smith Bar, French Bar, and Junction Bar. A group known as the Wisconsin Company was among those seeking paydirt on Nelson Creek. Calling their site Meeker Flat after one of their members, they took out 93-pounds of precious metal in one period of three weeks.

Discoveries of rich gold deposits continued in Plumas County through at least 1852. Gold mining now is carried on as a recreational pursuit, but gold was the original Plumas County cornerstone. Most geologists concur that there is twice as much gold still remaining in the Plumas County area than was ever taken out of it.

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, Plumas County was Number One in state copper production. Engle Mine on Lights Creek in northern Indian Valley produced $25 million over its lifetime. Walker Mine, 15-miles south, produced $23 million. Jack and James Ford discovered copper outcroppings above the North Arm of Indian Valley during the Civil War, while others found similar deposits along Genesee Valley’s Ward Creek. The Chapman brothers, at their primitive smelter in Genesee Valley, further processed the rich, naturally concentrated metal. During more than 15 years of operation, Engle Mine yielded 117 million pounds of copper, along with substantial amounts in gold and silver.

In Plumas County during the 1900’s, gold was the lure for miners and copper was the bread and butter of the mineral industry. Now, little is left to be seen of these massive efforts. Secluded rock piles and overgrown hillside scars are pretty much all that remains. This goes to show that mother nature has a way of healing herself of any scars or traces from people and their activities.

Early Hydraulic Mines in Plumas County

From 1855 to approximately 1859 there was extensive hydraulic mining activity in Plumas County. About four and a half millions ounces of California Gold was recovered using this method. Some of the sites worth mentioning are Nelson Point, Sawpit Flat, Gopher Hill, and the Upper Spanish Creek mines.

Copper Mining

Plumas County is also known for extensive copper mining. The Engles Copper mine and Superior Copper Mines produced gold as a by-product.

Crescent Mills District

The Crescent Mills District, located in township 26N, and Range 9E, at last report has about 40,000 ounces taken from that area. In area streams, in Quaternary gravels you will find placer gold.

Johnsville District & La Porte District

At the Green Mountain Mine they produced of 100,000 ounces of lode gold by 1890. In the Johnsville district, in the south-central part of county, in east l/2 of township 22N. range 11E, they had a total production, 393,000 gold ounces. All regional stream and bench gravels contain placer gold. The Plumas-Eureka Mine, was a major producer of lode gold. At the La Porte district, in southwest part of the county, in township 21N and range 9E, was the hydraulic mining center since 1850s, with total production, 1855-1959, of 2,910,000 gold ounces. At Mumfords Mill the area copper mines had a by product of gold. At Spring Garden go northeast 9 mile and you will find the Walker Mine, primarily copper mine with a by product of gold.

Plumas Eureka Mine work crew, Plumas County, circa 1889.

Plumas County Gold Producing Waterways

There are many gold producing streams and rivers in Plumas County, and some areas are likely unexplored, but here are some waterways that are widely known for past gold production.

A very nice find from a lucky person prospecting the Feather River.

Feather River Along the North Fork of the Feather River, near Belden are placer deposits.

Yuba River The Ancient Yuba River channel traced northeast of La Porte for 10 miles 500 to 1,500 feet wide and 10-130 feet deep, with placer gold concentrated in lower part 2 ft. above bedrock, it is a very rich placer deposit.

Indian Creek At Rich Bar, the area gravels along Indian Creek, a tributary of the Feather River, has very rich placers.

Area Attractions

The Plumas-Eureka State Park offers a supervised gold panning program during the summer. Call (530) 836-2380 for more information.

The Golden Caribou Mining Association offers gold panning lessons and equipment usage for first time gold panners. It operates out of Caribou Crossroads Campground and Cafe, located on Caribou Road just off Highway 70, 27 miles west of Quincy. The club has more than 1,800  acres of gold mining claims in the Plumas National Forest, and offers memberships for vacationers, as well as one-year trial and lifetime memberships.

The Advanced Geologic Gold Prospector’s Club based in Chester offers members access to claims throughout the county, along with equipment usage.  Call (530) 258-4228 for more information.

Plumas County Map

There is gold throughout the county, not just the areas mentioned. All you have to do is go find it. Good luck finding some of the California Gold!

Not usually thought for being a gold mining County, nevertheless near the northern-central border there was a discovery of some very rich veins. Lassen County is covered by a lot of lava rock, but in the midst of all the lava beds in the higher elevation of the county you can find the Hayden Hill District in township 36N and 37N. range 10E and 11E. Official records indicate gold was first discovered at Hayden Hill in 1870, however proper records were never kept, or were lost. Most likely mining began around the mid 1800’s just like the rest of California and Oregon. 116,000 ounces were recorded from 1870 onward. Mining came to a slow in 1910 when the town of Hayden Hill burned to the ground. According to early mining reports the quartz vein system was never more than 300 ft deep and is part of a vein system that extended to Happy Camp. The main gold mines at Hayden Hill are known as the Blue Bell Mine, Brush Hill Mine, Uncle Billy Mine, North Star Mine, Golden Eagle Mine and the Evening Star Mine. On the west side of Hayden Hill was/is the Blue Bell Mine. To the east of the Hayden Hill Camp was/is a mine named Brush Hill Mine. On Willow Creek there was a 5 stamp mill.

The Diamond Mountain Mine is located 7 miles south of Susanville. At first placer gold was discovered and worked. Later quartz veins were worked out of granite. At least half of the production came from placer deposits in the area. The Diamond Mountain area is located in T. 29 N., Rs. 11 and 12 E. Another nearby mine that was mostly low grade was known as the Gold Belt Mine.

Gold mining  in the County of Shasta has produced well over two million ounces of gold since 1880, and an unrecorded amount from 1849 until 1879. Gold was first discovered in Shasta County California on Clear Creek in 1848 by a man by the name of P.B. Reading. Shasta County was one of the primary counties during the initial California Gold Rush, where there was a lot of gold found and is continues to be found to this day.  In the French Gulch District, was established the Washington Mine, which is one of the oldest continuously operating gold mines in the United States.

Gold in Shasta County – Other area’s in the county that a producers of gold include Harrison Gulch, near Platina and was/is a lode mine. About five miles north of Redding, near Walker Mine Road, is Iron Mountain also known as Old Diggings. Also check Shasta Creek, Squaw Creek, west of Whiskeytown. Placer deposits have been found in the Sacramento River and many tributaries. Some of which include Cottonwood Creek, and Rock Creek.

A 2 lb. gold nugget was found by Waldo Elmore on his claim in the Flat Creek Mining District in the 1890s. In 1878, a 13 oz. crystallized chunk of gold was taken from the Mad Mule Mine and exhibited at the 1878 Paris Exposition. In 1912. a 19½ oz. nugget and another nugget honeycombed with gold valued at $10,000 was found in Mad Mule Canyon. In 1870, three miners found a 184.5 oz. gold nugget on Spring Creek a short distance below the falls near the Iron Mountain Railway crossing.  In 1880, another even larger than the 1^st was found about 100 ft. away. A 5 lb. 1 oz. nugget was found in Mad Ox Canyon, and a 7 to 8 lb. lump of gold intertwined with quartz was found in Whiskey Creek, years unknown. In 1851, a 56 oz. gold nugget was found in Whiskey Creek.

Shasta County was not only known for gold, but also as being the single most important county for copper production in the United States and was called heavily upon during World War II. While other places ceased mining production and declared as non-essential, Copper Mining was essential and there was an increased effort to recover copper for the United States, because copper was in short supply. Without the vast reserves in the copper belts of  Shasta County, who knows how the war would have turned out. Shasta county’s total copper production is over an astounding seven hundred million pounds of the total amount of copper taken.

A large variety of minerals are found in Shasta County and are a result of many geologic instances going on in the same region. Crammed into this county is part of coastal range, Cascade Range, the Klamath Mountains, the Modoc Plateau, and the Great Valley. Because of this there is a great contrast throughout the county and different minerals. A large coal deposit known as the Mountain Creek Coal Field near Redding, is a good example of the diversity of minerals within the county. Of another note, there are many fossils that can be found in sedimentary deposits in the throughout the county as well. The valley was once covered by water and the valley floor consists of a lot of sand of sedimentary gravels.

When I was a kid, I visited the Shasta City, while visiting famiy, which is located in the Northern Mining District of Shasta County. It was here as a boy that gold mining first sparked my interest. There are many attractions including an old courthouse and mercantile, as well as many other sites. Here is a link to the official site that has directions…..Shasta City There are a lot of things to see such as an old prairie scooner and a lot of exhibits. If my memory serves me well, there was also a place for hanging a noose around a criminals neck.

The following is an excerpt from Free Public information:

French Gulch

Location. This district lies astride the Shasta-Trinity County line in the general vicinity of the town of French Gulch and includes the Deadwood area to the west. It is the most important lode-gold district in the Klamath Mountains.

History. French Gulch was originally prospected in 1849 by French miners, from whom the town received its name in 1856. Clear Creek, which drains the area, yielded large amounts of placer gold at this time. The Washington mine, discovered in 1852, was the first quartz mine worked in Shasta County. From around 1900 to about 1914 the output for the district averaged between $300,000 and $500,000 worth of gold per year. There was some activity during the 1920s and 1930s, and there has been minor prospecting and development work since. The value of the total output of the district is estimated at more than $30 million.

Geology. The district is underlain predominantly by slate, shale, and siltstone of the Bragdon Formation (Mississippian). Copley Greenstone (Devonian) lies to the northeast and south, and, to the southwest, there is quartz diorite of the Shasta Bally batholith. In addition, numerous porphyritic quartz diorite and diorite dikes, locally known as “birdseye porphyry”, occur.

Ore Deposits. The quartz veins usually strike west, with a few northwest exceptions, and range from a few inches to several feet thick. They are predominantly in the rocks of the Bragdon Formation and often occur near or adjacent to the dikes, which apparently have had some effect on the localization of the ore bodies. The latter consist of numerous parallel stringers rather than a single massive vein. Calcite is commonly present in the veins. The ore contains coarse, free gold usually associated with considerable pyrite and smaller amounts of galena, sphalerite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, and occasionally scheelite. Numerous high-grade pockets have been recovered here. A number of large ore bodies occur in the district, several of which were more than 1000 feet long.

Mines. Accident, American $300,000, Army Batch, Blue Jay, Bright Star, Brown Bear $15 million, Brunswick $100,000, Calmich, Centennial, El Dorado, Fairview $200,000, Gambrinus $125,000, Gladstone $6.9 million, Henry Clay $100,000 to $300,000, Highland $300,000, Honeycomb, Jacoby, J.I.C., Larry, Mad Mule $1 million, Mad Ox $500,000, Milkmaid and Franklin $2.5 million, Montezuma 7,150+ ounces, Mt. Shasta 8,500 ounces, Niagara $1 million, Niagara Summit, Philadelphia, St. Jude $280,000+, Scorpion 7,140 ounces, Summit $200,000, Sybel $600,000, Three Sisters $100,000, Tom Green, Truscott, Venecia $500,000, Vermont and Montezuma, Washington $2.5 million.

Excerpt from: Gold Districts of California, by: W.B. Clark, California Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology, Bulletin 193, 1970.

From Dave McCracken:

A recent written letter from the California Department
of Fish & Game clarifies that booming is not subject
to the suction dredging moratorium, providing the activity
is not used to excavate material from the bottom of an
active waterway!

Booming is the term we use to describe when a suction
device is used to feed material into the recovery
system of a high-banker up out of the active waterway.

Read all about this great news, along with a wonderful
video-enhanced story about several of our members who
are finding ounces of gold with their high-banker.

This months Newsletter can be found at:

http://www.goldgold.com/newsletterlatest.htm

For those of you who are not yet members, please consider the
special half-price offer on Associate Membership that we are
extending to our Internet subscribers:

http://www.goldgold.com/associatememberoffer.htm

If you are new to our newsletter, you can read some recent
back issues here:

http://www.goldgold.com/whatsnew.html

All the best,
Dave Mack

The New 49er’s, 27 Davis Road, Happy Camp, California 96039, USA

By Jerry Hobbs | PLP President

In a setback for suction dredging rights, Federal Judge Morrison England did not rule on the merits of the Public Lands for the People (PLP) vs. California Senate Bill 670 (SB 670) case on Feb. 26, even though PLP had the 1850 California Admissions to the Union which stated that the State could not interfere with the disposal of Federal lands. PLP felt that the State had relinquished its immunity rights on this particular issue.  This also moots the scheduled injunction on March 25.

There is no reason for us spend the time to attempt to second-guess Judge England’s motives for his decision, but I did feel that he already had his mind made up.

The alternative then, and now, was to file in State Court and file the case as a related case with the case on Hillman Karuk, and that injunction, to prevent the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) from issuing a permit. This case was before Judge Frank Roesch. We already know how much Judge Roesch likes miners.

Now Judge England, in the Federal lawsuit against SB 670 and the State of California, says that we have our remedy in State Court and again we will have to file a related case to the Hillman case going before Judge Roesch. We thought we should be heard in a Federal Court.

We will take a few days and mull over the direction we must go and move in that direction. We will update you as to what is decided but we have no intention of giving up. I apologize for not being successful on this Federal Court issue but no one can second-guess any judge’s reason for an unfair decision.

Thanks for you support and patience!

California gold is always found in the beach sands in some quantity along the California coast and the same is true for Humboldt County. In historic times the area known as Gold Bluff, hence the name, was a popular place for miners to try to strike it rich and it was believed by some that thousands of pounds of gold were there waiting right on the beach and washed up onto it’s shores by the ocean. Although there is some gold within the beach sands here this proved too good to be true for the mining methods of the day, since early miners had little knowledge of how to separate the small particles of gold from the sand effectively. The area today is known as Trinidad State beach and area, but at the time it had caused a mini gold rush around 1852. If your looking for beach gold also check out, Big Lagoon to the north

Klamath River

The popular Klamath River has placer gold found along it’s entire stretch, and is well known for abundant nuggets and flakes. Orleans Bar is an area where many hydraulic operations were performed in the past. The mouth of the Klamath River is a popular place to find good concentrations of beach gold. The Klamath River runs from Klamath County in Oregon into Siskiyou County, California and stretches into both Del Norte and Humboldt Counties.

Trinity River

The Trinity River is the longest tributary of the Klamath River and is a very good gold producing river.  Good placer deposits can be located everywhere along the river. Gold producing tributaries of the the Trinity River include Coffee Creek, New River, Indian Creek, Willow Creek, Hayford Creek and the East Fork. Environmental groups have been targeting the Trinity River and falsely charging that dredging  is having a environmental impact upon water species within the river. It is ironic, that the Trinity River is a very popular gold mining river in California and is also world renown for it’s salmon and steelhead fishing.

Also see Trinity County Section.

Map of the Trinity River and Klamath River watersheds. The Trinity River is shown in dark blue, with its watershed highlighted in dark yellow. The South Fork Trinity River extends southward, while the main Trinity River curves east then north.

Gold Mines

Lode gold mines are found mostly in the northeastern part of the county, but gold can be generally found through out Humboldt County. Some of the gold mines in the County include the Red Cap Mine located on Red Cap Creek just north of Eureka, California consisted of ten or more quartz veins containing gold.  On Willow Creek, tributary of the Trinity River, is where the Bonneyville Quartz Mine was located. Near Orleans, is where you will find the the Little Klondike Mine, and in nearby Pearch Creek, is where other quartz gold deposits were found. Other Humboldt County mines include Big Bar Annex Placer Mine, Croton Bar, Cavanaugh Mine, China Flat Placer Mine (found in Trinity River Area), Bissel Mine (also known as Clover Flat), Coleman Placer Mine, Delaney Group of Mines, Harveston Bar Mine, and the Prospect Hill Mine.

Fine particle beach gold can be found on the Del Norte County beaches. Del Norte County is home to the famous Redwood forests. There are some undeveloped quartz veins that are privately owned at the Northeastern part of the county in the Klamath Mountains. It is unknown or pure speculation as to how rich these quartz veins might be. The Klamath River stretches from Oregon into Siskiyou County and into Del Norte County is known for some placer gold along the path of the river and in the river itself.

Smith River Forks

Smith River also has placer gold deposits. On the South Fork of the Smith River, which had large scale dredging operations, is Coon Creek, which has been another dredging operation in the past, and gold is found in the cemented gravels of the creek and gravel bars. There were several dredging operations conducted on the South Fork of the Smith River and tributaries. One mile south of Douglas Park is the where the Nels Christensen Mine is located.

Smith River area

On the north side of Preston Peak, is where the Bartlett Mine is located, which was a quartz vein mine.   The Crescent City Mine, which was also a quartz lode mine is also located in Del Norte County near Crescent City. Last Chance Mine was a major producer of gold in the past. 30 miles Northeast of Crescent City is the Low Divide District, which was a primary location for copper deposits, but there are some placer gold to be found here.  There were numerous hydraulic placer claims worked sometime in the past, throughout the county. On Upper Monkey Creek there was a lode deposit, and there is some gold to be found in the creek.

Other mines the county were the Hard Luck Mine, which also produced arsenic. The Monumental Group of mines were major producers of vein gold as well as the  Myrtle Creek Mine. Placers can be found in Myrtle Creek and area, and in the past large dredging operations took place here. The Prudential Mine which is found at Shelly Creek, was a major producer. On Craigs Creek, placer gold has been recovered, along with platinum. French Hill is a producer of placer gold deposits.

There are many, many places that have historically produced gold in Siskiyou County and many gold prospecting locations are available for recreation. Upwards towards two million ounces of gold were taken from Siskiyou County, located at the top of the State of California.  Siskiyou County has an amazing number of gold mines; some active and others none active, and still some that have long caved in. The number of gold mines in the county is upwards towards three hundred and seventy.

Klamath River

The Klamath River is one of the more note-able gold producing rivers in Siskiyou County and flows from Klamath County in Oregon. Placer gold deposits can be found upon the entire length of the river. A lot of the area along the river is claimed, but the mining club, the new 49ers offers use of it’s many claims along the Klamath River with membership. Many of the tributaries that flow into the Klamath offer good California gold.

Scott River

The Scott River is actually a tributary of the Klamath River, and offers good gold all along it’s path. Near Callahan there were numerous gold mines and placer operations. Many of the mines near Callahan had small, but rich pocket gold discoveries. In the area, the Martin McKeen Mine was a note-able producer, as well as the Porphyry Dike Mine. Both produced tens of thousands of ounces of lode gold. Other mines include the Blue Jay Mine, and the Copper King Mine which was a silver mine with gold as a byproduct.

In the Fort Jones area, you will find Cottonwood Creek and Rancheria Creek. Both were major producers of California gold and produced over four million dollars from 1850 to 1859 with industrial large scale dredges . Many lode mines are in the Fort Jones area, including the Golden Eagle Mine which was a large producer.

Salmon River

Another major tributary of the Klamath River is the Salmon River. The lower part of the Salmon River marks the border between Siskiyou County and Humbolt County. The Salmon River is also world famous for it’s steelhead and salmon fishing. There are two forks on the Salmon, the north fork and the south fork. At one point between the two forks is an area known as Sawyers Bar, where over a million ounces of gold was reported to have been recovered.

Yreka

There are many gold mines found around Yreka. Interestingly, it has been reported that gold nuggets have been found within city limits; some weighing as much as four ounces have been found after winter floods of the Shasta River.