Spanish Flat Mining District, East Belt, El Dorado Co., California, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Spanish Flat Mining District | Mining District |
| East Belt | - not defined - |
| El Dorado Co. | County |
| California | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° North , 120° West (est.)
Estimate based on other nearby localities or region boundaries.
Margin of Error:
~6km
Locality type:
Köppen climate type:
Location and History: This is a well-known high grade district is in west-central El Dorado County in the vicinity of the old mining town of Spanish Flat. It is about 10 miles north of Placerville and 3 miles northeast of Kelsey. The district was placer-mined soon after the beginning of the gold rush, and there has been intermittent mining ever since. Many of the early-day miners in this area, from South America, Mexico, and Portugal, were at that time collectively known as "Spanish." The Alhambra mine, the largest source of gold in the district with a total output of $1.25 million, was active in the 1930's and 1940's and yielded much high-grade ore. Other mines in this district include the Brust, Shumway, and Timm mines.
Geology: The gold-bearing veins in this district are in a northwest-trending belt or zone about two miles east of the Mother Lode belt (see fig.- 5). The deposits consist of northwest-striking quartz veins with numerous parallel stringers that occur in shear zones with gouge. Country rock is amphibolite, chlorite, and graphite-quartz schist and slate. The ore shoots are not usually too extensive, but some have been extremely rich. A high-grade pocket discovered in the Alhambra mine in 1939 yielded $550,000. This pocket was a mass of native gold in quartz nearly 5 feet wide. The greatest depth of development is about 500 feet.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity 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-localities11 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Calaverite Formula: AuTe2 Reference: Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition: 336; Clark, Wm. B. & D.W. Carlson (1956), Mines and mineral resources of El Dorado County, California: California Journal of Mines and Geology: 52(4): 496; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 116, 286; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 109, 110.; Irelan, W. jr. (1893) Report of the state mineralogist, Issue 11 |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 Localities: Alhambra Gold Mine (Alhambra Mine; Atlantic Mine), Spanish Flat, Spanish Flat Mining District, East Belt, El Dorado Co., California, USA Comeback Consolidated Mine (Bear Creek Mine; Summers Mine), Spanish Flat, Spanish Flat Mining District, East Belt, El Dorado Co., California, USA Brust Mine (Gold Hill; Asbestos), Spanish Flat, Spanish Flat Mining District, East Belt, El Dorado Co., California, USA Reference: U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. |
| ⓘ 'Chlorite Group' Description: Occurs in chlorite-sericite schist. Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007088. |
| ⓘ Gold Formula: Au Localities: Reported from at least 13 localities in this region. Reference: [MinRec 13:386] |
| ⓘ Graphite Formula: C Description: Occurs in graphitic-sericitic schist. Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007088. |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 Description: Occurs in chlorite-sericite and graphitic-sericitic schists. Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007088. |
| ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 Description: Occurs in chlorite-sericite and graphitic-sericitic schists. Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007088. |
| ⓘ Petzite Formula: Ag3AuTe2 Reference: Clark, Wm. B. & D.W. Carlson (1956), Mines and mineral resources of El Dorado County, California: California Journal of Mines and Geology: 52(4): 496; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 116; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 109.; Irelan, W. jr. (1893) Report of the state mineralogist, Issue 11 |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 Reference: U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. |
| ⓘ Pyromorphite Formula: Pb5(PO4)3Cl Colour: Yellowish green Description: Occurs as included matter in botryoidal chalcedony and as crystalline coatings. Reference: Turner, Henry Ward (1902), Notes on unusual minerals from the Pacific states: American Journal of Science, 4th. Series: 13: 343-346; […(abstract): Mining and Scientific Press: 84: 296 (1902)]: 343; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 304. |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Localities: Reported from at least 13 localities in this region. Reference: U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony Formula: SiO2 Description: Botryoidal structures. Reference: Turner, Henry Ward (1902), Notes on unusual minerals from the Pacific states: American Journal of Science, 4th. Series: 13: 343-346; […(abstract): Mining and Scientific Press: 84: 296 (1902)]: 343; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 304. |
| ⓘ Scheelite Formula: Ca(WO4) Description: Occurs in calcite vein(s). Reference: Clark, Wm. B. & D.W. Carlson (1956), Mines and mineral resources of El Dorado County, California: California Journal of Mines and Geology: 52(4): 439-440; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 332. |
| ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup' Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4 Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007087. |
| ⓘ Talc Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007087. |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| ⓘ | Graphite | 1.CB.05a | C |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Calaverite | 2.EA.10 | AuTe2 |
| ⓘ | Petzite | 2.BA.75 | Ag3AuTe2 |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Chalcedony | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Scheelite | 7.GA.05 | Ca(WO4) |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Pyromorphite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | var. Sericite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Talc | 9.EC.05 | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc. | |||
| ⓘ | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Serpentine Subgroup' | - | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Graphite | C |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
| O | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Talc | Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Ag | Silver | |
| Ag | ⓘ Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
| Te | Tellurium | |
| Te | ⓘ Calaverite | AuTe2 |
| Te | ⓘ Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
| W | Tungsten | |
| W | ⓘ Scheelite | Ca(WO4) |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Gold | Au |
| Au | ⓘ Calaverite | AuTe2 |
| Au | ⓘ Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)Clark, Wm. B. & D.W. Carlson (1956), Mines and mineral resources of El Dorado County, California: California Journal of Mines and Geology: 52(4): 401-429.
Lindgren, Waldemar & Henry Ward Turner (1894), Description of the gold belt, California; description of the Placerville sheet: USGS Geol. Atlas, Placerville folio (Folio No. 3) 3 pp.; […(abstract): Jour. Geol.: 4: 248-250 (1896)].
Logan, Clarence August (1938), Mineral resources of El Dorado County: California Journal of Mines and Geology, California Division Mines (Report 34): 34(3): 215-272.
Clark, Wm. B. (1970a) Gold districts of California: California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 193: 123-124.
Localities in this Region
- California
- El Dorado Co.
- East Belt
- Spanish Flat Mining District
- East Belt
- El Dorado Co.
- California
- El Dorado Co.
- East Belt
- Spanish Flat Mining District
- Spanish Flat
- Blue Ledge Mine [1]
- Blue Ledge Mine [2]
- Bon Sorte Mine (Bona Sorte)
- Brust Mine (Gold Hill; Asbestos)
- Comeback Consolidated Mine (Bear Creek Mine; Summers Mine)
- Darling Mine (Chanced Upon)
- Division of Highways Quarry
- Gem placer
- Harrison Mine [2]
- Henry Waldrick claim
- Herrick & Company placer
- Hope Mine [1]
- Montezuma Mine
- Old Judge Mine (Old Judge and the Mary Ann [?])
- Railroad placer
- Shumway Mine
- Warner placer
- Spanish Flat
- Spanish Flat Mining District
- East Belt
- El Dorado Co.
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