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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Empire

Past Producer in Calaveras county in California, United States with commodity Copper
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Alteration
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10028777
MRDS ID M005967
Record type Site
Current site name Empire
Related records 10114428

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -120.63573, 37.97741 (WGS84)
Relative position NE1/4 NE1/4. ADJOINS THE UNION MINE TO THE SOUTH. PROBABLY THE CU MINE SHOWN ON LINE BET. SEC. 34-2N & 3-1N ON MAP GP-561

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Calaveras(county)

California(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Copperopolis(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Oakdale(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

San Jose(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Upper Stanislaus(hydrologic unit)

San Joaquin(hydrologic accounting unit)

San Joaquin(hydrologic subregion)

California(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States California Calaveras

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 001N 012E 03 California

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Cuprite Ore
Malachite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Calcite Gangue
Feldspar Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Chloritization

Analytical data

Result ASSAYED LESS THAN 1 % CU.

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Gabbro
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Ultramafic Intrusive Rock > Hornblendite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metavolcanic Rock

Nearby scientific data

(1) -120.63573, 37.97741
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Local
Structure description "Calaveras Fault"; High Angle East-Dipping Fault, Traced Along Strike Over 2,000 Ft., Zone Of Chloritization Has Followed The Fault. The Fault Is Located On Eastern Boundary Of A Elongate Serpentine Body, 150 Ft. Sw. Of Empire Shaft Collar.

Ore body information

  • General form LENTICULAR

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Zone Of Chloritization Along Calaveras Fault

Comments on the geologic information

  • GEOL.DESC: METAVOLCANICS INCLUDE; CHIEFLY SCHISTOSE PYROCLASTICS AND SPOTTED GREEN SCHISTS - FOLIATION IN MOST PLACES DIP STEEPLY EASTWARD. INTRUDED INTO THEM ARE DIKES AND IRREGULAR BODIES OF GABBRO, HORNBLENDITE, HORNBLENDE DIORITE AND GRANODIORITE. STRONGEST MINERALIZATION IS ADJACENT TO FAULTS OR SHEAR ZONES IN CHLORITIZED SCHIST WEST OF GRANODIORITE BODY.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Production years 1861 - 1866 , 1867

Comments on the production information

  • TONNAGE AND AMOUNT PRODUCED NOT REPORTED.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface/Underground
    Overall depth 91.44M

Comments on the workings information

  • ONE SHAFT, ONE ADIT 420 FT. IN LENGTH. OTHER SHAFTS PITS AND ADITS NOT ACCESSIBLE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    CLARK, W.B., AND LYDON, P.A., 1962 , MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF CALAVERAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA; COUNTY REPT. 2 ; CALIF. DIV. MINES AND GEOLOGY, P. 25

  • Deposit

    HEYL, G.R., 1948 , ORE DEPOSITS OF COPPEROPOLIS, CALAVERAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA; COPPER IN CALIFORNIA BULL. 144 ; DIV. OF MINES, P. 108 - 109 .

  • Production

    HEYL, G.R., 1948 , P. 96 (SEE REF)

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit NO LARGE QUANTITY OF COPPER ORE OBSERVED IN WALLS OF ADIT.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUN-1972 Gere, W. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-JUN-1978 Fraticelli, L. A. (Albers, J.) U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

External references

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative California resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.