Chance Mine, Casa Diablo Mountain, Chidago Mining District, Benton Range, Mono Co., California, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Chance Mine | Mine |
| Casa Diablo Mountain | Mountain |
| Chidago Mining District | Mining District |
| Benton Range | Mountain Range |
| Mono Co. | County |
| California | State |
| USA | Country |
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Key
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
37° 37' 48'' North , 118° 31' 35'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Locality type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny Slopes | 182 (2017) | 14.8km |
| Swall Meadows | 220 (2017) | 17.2km |
| Benton | 280 (2011) | 21.5km |
| Mesa | 251 (2011) | 23.5km |
| Round Valley | 435 (2011) | 24.0km |
A mine located in the NE¼SW¼ (SW¼NE¼NW¼SE¼ according to the MRDS database file) sec. 2, T4S, R31E, MDM, 6.1 km (3.8 miles) NNE of Casa Diablo Mountain (coordinates of record) and 8.3 km (5.2 miles) SSE of Banner Ridge (coordinates of record), just N of Chidago Canyon, on National Forest land. A new claim was located in 1997 by Robert Griffis and Graham Sutton under claim CAMC271576. MRDS database stated accuracy for this location is 1,000 meters.
Mineralization is fault bounded, and consisted of pods of galena encapsulated in a quartz vein within decomposed granite. Some galena pods were altered with zones of cerussite forming on the margins, and occasionally, the interiors altered to a combination of linarite and caledonite. At the margins of the mineralized zone, free-standing linarite crystals were found associated with quartz. The ore body strikes E and dips 65S. Local rocks include Mesozoic granitic rocks, unit 3 (Sierra Nevada, Death Valley area, Northern Mojave Desert and Transverse Ranges).
Workings include surface and underground openings. The mine consists of a haulage level and glory hole which connects to an upper workings level. The haulage adit extends well beyond the zone of mineralization.
Mining for specimens was undertaken by John Seibel, Steve Perry and Robert Griffis (the claim owner) during the period of 2000 to 2004. During this effort, one mineralized zone was discovered in the floor of the haulage level, and several specimens were extracted, with only one outstanding specimen found. Although additional exploration was conducted, no traces of mineralization remains. The claim was abandoned in August 2009.
Rinehart and Ross (1956) reported mineralization in a quartz vein, apparently an extension of the Beckman vein (exploited in the Beckman Mine just to the north), which strikes east and dips 65 degrees south in a shear zone in granodiorite. Ore minerals were silver-bearing galena, anglesite, chalcopyrite, azurite, malachite and gold-bearing pyrite. Workings in 1956 consisted on several shallow pits along outcrop and a 100-foot adit that cuts vein 50 feet below outcrop. No production was reported.
Pemberton (1983) on p. 338 reports Stolzite "in altered galena from the Chance No. 4 claim in the Chidago District (sec. 2, T4S, R32E, MDM)."
Based on the research of Bob Griffis, the R32E notation clearly is a typographical error. Additionally, although there were several contiguous claims placed across the area surrounding the Chance Mine, the Pemberton (1983) reference to a specific Chance No. 4 claim implies more accuracy than is warranted, and this specific claim does not specifically coincide with the actual Chance Mine workings.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Dana Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Anglesite Formula: PbSO4 |
ⓘ Caledonite Formula: Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 Reference: personal communication with mine owner, Bob Griffis |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS Reference: Robert Griffis collection |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: α-Fe3+O(OH) Reference: Bob Griffs |
| ⓘ Gold Formula: Au Reference: personal communication with mine owner, Bob Griffis |
ⓘ Linarite Formula: PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 Reference: Rocks & Minerals 81:208-213 |
| ⓘ Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007214. |
ⓘ Mottramite Formula: PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 Reference: USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007214. |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Reference: Bob Griffs |
| ⓘ Stolzite Formula: Pb(WO4) Reference: Pemberton, H. Earl (1983): Minerals of California. Van Nostrand Reinholt Press edition 1983. 591p. (p.338) |
| ⓘ Vanadinite Formula: Pb5(VO4)3Cl Reference: Daniel Chaplin Collection |
| ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite ? Formula: Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl Reference: Daniel Chaplin Collection |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.00. | α-Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Anglesite | 7.AD.35 | PbSO4 |
| ⓘ | Caledonite | 7.BC.50 | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| ⓘ | Linarite | 7.BC.65 | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Stolzite | 7.GA.05 | Pb(WO4) |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Mottramite | 8.BH.40 | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| ⓘ | Vanadinite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| ⓘ | var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite ? | 8.BN.05 | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
List of minerals arranged by Dana 8th Edition classification
| Group 1 - NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metals, other than the Platinum Group | |||
| ⓘ | Gold | 1.1.1.1 | Au |
| Group 2 - SULFIDES | |||
| AmXp, with m:p = 1:1 | |||
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.8.1.1 | PbS |
| AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 1:2 | |||
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.12.1.1 | FeS2 |
| Group 6 - HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES CONTAINING HYDROXYL | |||
| XO(OH) | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 6.1.1.2 | α-Fe3+O(OH) |
| Group 16a - ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN | |||
| ⓘ | Malachite | 16a.3.1.1 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Group 28 - ANHYDROUS ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES | |||
| AXO4 | |||
| ⓘ | Anglesite | 28.3.1.3 | PbSO4 |
| Group 30 - ANHYDROUS SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN | |||
| (AB)2(XO4)Zq | |||
| ⓘ | Linarite | 30.2.3.1 | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| Group 32 - COMPOUND SULFATES | |||
| Anhydrous Compound Sulfates containing Hydroxyl or Halogen | |||
| ⓘ | Caledonite | 32.3.2.1 | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| Group 41 - ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN | |||
| (AB)2(XO4)Zq | |||
| ⓘ | Mottramite | 41.5.2.2 | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| A5(XO4)3Zq | |||
| ⓘ | Vanadinite | 41.8.4.3 | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| Group 48 - ANHYDROUS MOLYBDATES AND TUNGSTATES | |||
| AXO4 | |||
| ⓘ | Stolzite | 48.1.3.2 | Pb(WO4) |
| Group 75 - TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks | |||
| Si Tetrahedral Frameworks - SiO2 with [4] coordinated Si | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 75.1.3.1 | SiO2 |
| Unclassified Minerals, Mixtures, etc. | |||
| ⓘ | Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite ? | - | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Linarite | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Caledonite | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| H | ⓘ Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Goethite | α-Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Caledonite | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| C | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Linarite | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Caledonite | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| O | ⓘ Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | α-Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Stolzite | Pb(WO4) |
| O | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Vanadinite | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| O | ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Linarite | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| S | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Caledonite | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Vanadinite | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| Cl | ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
| V | Vanadium | |
| V | ⓘ Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| V | ⓘ Vanadinite | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| V | ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | α-Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Linarite | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| Cu | ⓘ Caledonite | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| Cu | ⓘ Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| Cu | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
| W | Tungsten | |
| W | ⓘ Stolzite | Pb(WO4) |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Gold | Au |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Linarite | PbCu(SO4)(OH)2 |
| Pb | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| Pb | ⓘ Caledonite | Pb5Cu2(SO4)3(CO3)(OH)6 |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| Pb | ⓘ Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| Pb | ⓘ Stolzite | Pb(WO4) |
| Pb | ⓘ Vanadinite | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
| Pb | ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)Rinehart, Charles Dean & Donald C. Ross (1956), Economic geology of the Casa Diablo Mountain quadrangle, California: California Division Mines Special Report 48: 9.
Pemberton, H. Earl (1983): Minerals of California. Van Nostrand Reinholt Press edition 1983. 591p.: 338.
USGS (2005), Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, loc. file ID #10007214 & 10140428.
Griffis, Bob (2011), Mine owner, personal files.
U.S. Bureau of Mines, Minerals Availability System (MAS) file ID #0060510348.
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10140428 |
|---|
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Chance Mine, Casa Diablo Mountain, Chidago Mining District, Benton Range, Mono Co., California, USA