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                               OLD MINES
                                   OF
                          SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA


                    _Desert-Mountain-Coastal Areas_
                             _Including the
               Calico-Salton Sea Colorado River Districts
                                  and
                           Southern Counties_

                                  1965
                         Frontier Book Company
                         Toyahvale, Texas 79786

                            _Reprinted From_
                 _The Report of The State Mineralogist
                                 1893_
                        _Limited to 1000 copies_




                          LOS ANGELES COUNTY.


                By W. H. Storms, Assistant in the Field.

The mining industry in this county is not as extensive as that of some
of the neighboring counties, but there are mines in Los Angeles County
of unquestioned value, and others which have a prospective value,
dependent to a great extent upon the success achieved in working certain
base ores, which occur in comparative abundance.


                            THE KELSEY MINE.

One of the most interesting mines in the county is located in the rugged
mountains about 8 miles from the town of Azusa, in the San Gabriel
Cañon. It is commonly known as the Kelsey Mine, and has become famous as
a producer of silver ore of fabulous richness.

The country is made up almost entirely of metamorphic rocks, having
schistose, gneissoid, and massive structure. Both hornblende and mica
occur in these rocks abundantly, the former being frequently altered to
chlorite, or by further change to epidote. Dikes of porphyritic rock
have been intruded into the crystalline schists. In the immediate
vicinity of the Kelsey vein are intrusions of a dark green, much
decomposed, and shattered rock, probably diorite. Faults, great and
small, are numerous throughout the region. Within a few hundred feet of
the mine is a great fault, which may be plainly seen cutting the
mountain. The displacement must reach many hundreds of feet. It has
resulted in bringing in contact on a horizontal plane rocks of entirely
different character. On the south side of the fault the rocks are made
up of quite regularly bedded micaceous sandstones, more or less
schistose, and having a prevailing buff or light gray color. These rocks
dip east at an angle of 20° to 30°. On the north side of the fault the
rocks are harder, of a dark gray color, and containing considerable
hornblende. These rocks are more gneissoid and massive than schistose.
The dip is much less regular than on the south side of the displacement.
Large, lenticular masses of quartzose and feldspathic rock are of
frequent occurrence in the hornblende gneiss, evidently the result of
the segregation of the contained minerals. On the whole there is much
more evidence of the disturbance on the north side of the fault than on
the south side. It is in this area of greatly disturbed strata that the
Kelsey vein has formed.

The vein is of the fissure type and occupies the line of a fault plane,
that at first, perhaps, was a mere crack, but which has become enlarged
by the movement upon themselves of the rock masses forming the walls,
resulting in a grinding and crushing of the rocks by the attrition and
pressure incident to this movement. Into this crevice mineral waters
found their way, carrying in solution the minerals now constituting the
vein.

    [Illustration: _FAULTING AND TORSION
    OF THE
    KELSEY VEIN_]

_The Ore._—The silver occurs as native and as glance (argentite),
possibly partly as chloride and in combinations with sulphur, cobalt,
and arsenic. The associated minerals are cobalt bloom (erythrite), a
hydrous cobalt arsenate, nickel arsenate (annabergite), carbonate and
silicate of copper (chrysocolla), iron oxide, and black oxide of
manganese in a gangue of baryta (heavy spar), with calcite (lime spar)
and some quartz. A clay selvage usually separates the vein material from
the wall, this feature being well developed in places on the foot wall
side, as though open crevices had occurred and the finely divided
material which was carried by the percolating waters had found a resting
place when an open space was reached, the absence of any current
permitting the material to settle.

The clay may have been derived in part from the decomposition of the
overhanging wall, the fine silt settling by gravity on the foot wall
side of the vein. In places a soft, clayey gouge constitutes the entire
vein filling, suggesting that the clay selvage and gouge are also partly
due to the attrition of the walls. Galena occurs sparingly in small
disseminated crystals, but the occurrence is so infrequent as to be
scarcely worth mentioning. In width the crevice varies from a thin seam
to over 4 feet. A banded structure is not uncommon in the vein.

The rocks inclosing the vein differ in various parts of the mine. A much
decomposed rock, containing iron in the form of carbonate, occurs
frequently, while a chloritic, more or less schistose, sometimes
massive, rock, also plays an important part in this connection. The dike
of dark basic rock, resembling diorite, previously referred to, is
exposed at numerous places throughout the workings, often in contact
with the vein, or close to it. Since its formation the Kelsey vein has
been subjected to severe torsion, which has resulted in abrupt fracture
and displacement. To me it seemed very probable that the vein was the
result of chemical precipitation, and no doubt, to some extent, the
replacement of country rock along the line of a fissure or fault plane;
that subsequent to the filling in of the vein the region was subjected
to further violent disturbances, which fractured the rocks along an east
and west course, and causing the turning of a large mass of rock
formation lying south of this fault to the west. The vein being included
in the general movement, was deflected from its natural course north and
south. I came to these conclusions from close observations taken along
the surface of the ground on the course of the vein, and in all
accessible underground workings.

Most of the ore extracted from these workings has been high grade,
usually running over $200 per ton, small lots often assaying several
thousand ounces. The property, at the time of my visit last spring, was
under the management of Dr. Endlich, E.M. This gentleman was making
every effort to systematically open and recover a vein that had been as
systematically and outrageously gouged. The workings were in bad
condition and at some points were positively dangerous. The mine was
gradually assuming an improved appearance and promised to yield better
returns than ever before. A good mill has been erected at the foot of
the mountain, in the San Gabriel Cañon, where a large stream of water
flows during the entire year. An office, boarding house, stables,
corrals, etc., had been built for the accommodation of men and animals.
In addition to this I found a complete assay office and chemical
laboratory, and here Dr. Endlich was experimenting with the rich cobalt
and nickel ores. As a result of his labors in this direction he
exhibited several bars of cobalt speiss containing a very high value in
silver. The assorted ore contains from 7 to 15 per cent in cobalt, 2 to
3 per cent nickel, and from 1,000 to 1,400 ounces silver per ton.

Dr. Endlich thus describes his methods: “The ore is crushed through a
twenty-mesh sieve, mixed with sufficient litharge to produce an 8 per
cent charge, and enough borax is added to take up the gangue (quartz,
heavy spar, carbonate of lime, magnesia, and iron). Carbonate of soda
and flour are mixed with the charge. If the percentage of arsenic in the
ore is sufficiently high to produce speiss none is added; otherwise some
metallic arsenic is mixed in. Some sulphides in the ore and reduced
sulphur from the heavy spar are utilized to produce mattes. The mixture
is melted in large Dixon crucibles; the slag poured off, and the
metallic product allowed to cool. The bars obtained are composed of
lead, silver, cobalt, nickel, arsenic, and sulphur, principally; the
lead being in the form of sulphide, the cobalt and nickel in the form of
arsenides. The bars contained from 4,500 to 7,000 ounces silver per ton.
The slag contained a trace of silver, and averaged about 0.75 per cent
cobalt, which can be worked over by arsenizing, if desired, and the
cobalt obtained in the resulting speiss.”

At this writing about 560 pounds of ore has been treated in this way and
the product shipped to Balbach’s works in Newark, N. J., for refining.


                          THE VICTORIA MINES.

This property is situated but a short distance from the Kelsey Mine. The
Victoria Mine was operated under English management for an English
syndicate two or three years ago. Lately all operations have been
suspended. The property, whatever it may be worth, is a monument to
mismanagement of the worst sort.


                        THE LORDSBURG STAMPEDE.

In the month of March, 1892, the report went abroad that rich silver and
gold-bearing rock had been found in the mountains north of Lordsburg, 28
miles east of the city of Los Angeles. So glowing were these stories
that a general stampede for the new mining field ensued. Farmers left
their homes, merchants and clerks in some instances temporarily closed
their stores to join in the rush to Lordsburg. Unfortunately the stories
proved to be unfounded, and, after three weeks of excitement, all had
left the mines excepting a very few, who still had hopes of making a
find.


                         CEDAR MINING DISTRICT.

Fifty-five miles by rail northeast from Los Angeles, on the line of the
S. P. R. R., is the Cedar Mining District, the principal village being
about the railway station called Acton. In the low hills about Acton,
which rise out of the valley that skirts the northern base of the San
Gabriel range of mountains, are located the gold mines which have been
worked for many years by Mexicans and Americans.


                             THE RED ROVER.

This is the name of the principal mine in the district. It was located
and worked many years since by Mexicans, but has during the past eight
or ten years been in the hands of Americans. The vein strikes northwest
and southeast, dipping to the southwest at an angle of 50° from the
horizon. The rock is a white, fine-grained, saccharoidal quartz, showing
in places bluish bands. It contains free gold in variable amount, with
some iron sulphuret. A very large amount of quartz has been stoped from
the vein and crushed in various mills.

The Red Rover is quite extensively developed, the new vertical shaft
being down over 400 feet. The old inclined shaft, which is sunk on the
vein, is down 220 feet. Several levels are run out from both these
shafts, which are 200 feet apart. The new shaft was sunk between the
main vein and a spur which branches from it. A crosscut was run out
toward the spur, which is opened on the surface, but it was found it did
not go down. A crosscut was then run toward the main vein, which was
found intact, and a drift was carried in 60 feet on the vein.

The country rock is mostly massive metamorphic, very much broken and
faulted. Nearly every mine in the district has been displaced more or
less by these faults. For some reason the Red Rover has been shut down
for some months past. It is understood that operations are to be
resumed.


                           THE NEW YORK MINE

Is situated within half a mile of the Red Rover, and is similar in
character. The quartz is said to mill $10 to $25 per ton. The owner has
a five-stamp mill, which is complete and does good work. The vein is
from 1 to 3 feet in width. It has produced considerable bullion.

Other mines of the vicinity are the Topeka, Union, Escondido, King of
the West, and Santa Clara, each of which has seen better days. The first
three mentioned have been large producers, but are worked down to the
water line, and a base ore proposition now faces the owners in the form
of iron pyrites.


                           IN THE MAIN RANGE.

Up in the main range of the San Gabriel Mountains, on the north <DW72>s
of this rugged chain, are located a number of veins, on which
considerable work has been done. The veins are well defined, ranging
from 1 to 4 feet in width, striking northwest and southeast, and dipping
uniformly to the northeast at a high angle. All of these veins contain
gold, but all quickly run into sulphurets. All the mines are idle at
present, but something brighter is hoped for. The sulphurets are said to
contain sufficient gold to make chlorination profitable. If this is
actually the case there is an abundance of material to work upon.


                          LIPARITES AND TUFAS

In the region about Acton are many hills of liparite (quartz-bearing
trachyte) and tufa, which are identical with the rhyolites of the Calico
region—the same violet-brown, porphyritic liparite; the same pea-green
and buff- tufas; the same conglomerate; in fact, an exact
facsimile of the Calico range. There are no great beds of sedimentary
rock, however, and these liparite hills are comparatively small,
isolated masses. As far as my knowledge goes ores of silver have never
been found in these rocks in the Acton district. Careful prospecting may
possibly discover such ores.


                         PROSPECTS OF THE CAMP.

Owing to the fact that the gold mines of this district have been worked
to the water line, almost without exception, what now remains to be done
to perpetuate the prosperity of the district, is to concentrate the
sulphurets, working them by chlorination in works built in the district.
Wood and water are both obtainable at moderate cost, and the
sulphuretted ores of this district that contain but a very few dollars
per ton should pay. The cost of mining, transportation, crushing, and
concentrating should not exceed, ordinarily, $5 per ton of quartz, and
the expense of treating the concentrates should be under $10 per ton.
Base ores containing $10 per ton as it comes from the vein should
realize a profit in this district, and I am told that many of the mines
produce rock of a much better grade than that mentioned.




       SAN DIEGO COUNTY; ALSO ORANGE AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES.


                    By Harold W. Fairbanks, F.G.S.A.

The topography of this region has been quite thoroughly described by W.
A. Goodyear, in former reports of the State Mining Bureau. The structure
of San Diego County is comparatively simple. Three main divisions might
be made: the desert on the east, the Peninsula range of crystalline
rocks in the middle, and the nearly level mesa on the west. The
Peninsula range is supposed to represent the southern continuation of
the Sierra Nevadas, but in just what relation it stands to the Sierras
has been a matter of dispute. The Peninsula range in San Diego County
forms one main mountain chain. It maintains this simplicity of structure
southward, forming the backbone of the peninsula of Lower California.
Northward it becomes broader and more complex, rising in the lofty San
Jacinto and San Bernardino ranges on the east, and the Santa Ana range
on the west, while the region between is filled with mountains and
valleys irregularly disposed.

Complex as is the topography of this region, the geological problems,
though often difficult to solve, are quite simple. The higher mountains
are formed wholly of ancient crystalline schists and massive rocks,
respecting the age of which a great diversity of opinion has existed;
while the region bordering the coast consists of unaltered Cretaceous,
Tertiary, and Quaternary deposits.

Owing to the very limited time given me to prepare my field notes for
the press, they will be given substantially as they were taken in the
field, without any attempt at systematic arrangement.

The crystalline rocks of San Diego County are varied in character, and
of much interest. No opportunity has been given me to study the large
collection made, and the determinations given are simply the result of
superficial examination, and are subject to correction.

The bay of San Diego is bordered on the east by gently sloping mesas of
modern Tertiary and Quaternary age. These unaltered strata are
characteristic of the western <DW72> of the Peninsula range through its
whole extent. They sometimes rise as high as 3,000 feet; though in San
Diego County they do not exceed 1,500 feet. The upper portion of these
beds consists to a great extent of coarse, loosely cemented
conglomerates. The rivers issue from the higher mountains through narrow
valleys or cañons, and have cut valleys, often quite broad and with very
steep sides, through the mesas to the ocean.

The Otay mesa has a height of about 500 feet, the western portion being
somewhat higher than the eastern, indicating a recent elevation near the
coast. The soil of the mesa is adobe, due to the decay of porphyry
mountains to the east. Under the adobe there is a calcareous marl, often
many feet thick.

The first exposure of the older rock seen as one goes up the Otay River,
is in a hill rising through the mesa about in the center of the grant.
It is a part of the extensive porphyry intrusives, which, in southern
San Diego County, form a number of high mountains between the granite
and the mesa. To this formation belong the San Miguel and Otay peaks.
This exposure on the Otay River is a felsitic breccia. It contains a
felsite base (intimate mixture of quartz and feldspar), in which are
imbedded fragments of felsite and chlorite. No more rocks appear for
about 2 miles up the river. Then we reach the base of the long ridges
which lead up to the Otay Peak. Some interesting rocks are exposed where
