1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Oriental Mine

Past Producer in Sierra county in California, United States with commodities Gold, Silver
Map
XML
JSON
KML
B
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. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Ore body information
  11. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  12. Mining district
  13. Mineral rights holdings
  14. Land status
  15. Ownership information
  16. Production statistics
  17. Workings at the site
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10116707
MRDS ID X025318
MAS/MILS ID 0060910001
Record type Site
Current site name Oriental Mine
Related records 10086500

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -120.85883, 39.46019 (WGS84)
Elevation 1103
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Sierra(county)

California(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Alleghany(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Truckee(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Chico(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Upper Yuba(hydrologic unit)

Lower Sacramento(hydrologic accounting unit)

Sacramento(hydrologic subregion)

California(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Tahoe National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States California Sierra

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 018 N 010 E 04 NWSWNE California

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Biotite Unknown
Gold Unknown
Orthoclase Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Serpentine Unknown
Silver Unknown
Gold Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Silver Unknown

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 273
USGS model code 36a
Deposit model name Low-sulfide Au-quartz vein
Mark3 model number 27

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -120.85883, 39.46019
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N77W
    Dip 39N
    Thickness 3M
    Length 385M
    Width 610M
    Depth to top 305M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SHEAR ZONE
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #2 MASSIVE
    Type of Orebody #3 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #3 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin CONT METASOMATIC
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 PROPYLITIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 SILICIFICATION
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #3 OTHER
    Strike And Dip N77W:39N
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 3
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 830316
  • Area 62HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 62
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1865
Year of first production 1865

Mining district

District name Alleghany

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented
Type of mineral rights Located Claim

Land status

Ownership category National Forest

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Dickey Exploration Co.
    ID 400898
    Interest 100
    Home office California
    Year 1974

Production statistics

  • Year 1915
    Description Au Recovered 35957 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 35957g
  • Year 1915
    Description Ag Recovered 6065 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 6065g
  • Year 1916
    Description Au Recovered 12517 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 12517g
  • Year 1916
    Description Ag Recovered 933 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 933g
  • Year 1923
    Description Ag Recovered 124 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 124g
  • Year 1923
    Description Au Recovered 717 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 717g
  • Year 1924
    Description Ag Recovered 7092 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 7092g
  • Year 1924
    Description Au Recovered 27920 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 27920g
  • Year 1925
    Description Ag Recovered 6750 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 6750g
  • Year 1925
    Description Au Recovered 26697 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 26697g
  • Year 1926
    Description Ag Recovered 1835 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 1835g
  • Year 1926
    Description Au Recovered 8136 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 8136g
  • Year 1930
    Description Ag Recovered 311 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 311g
  • Year 1930
    Description Au Recovered 1274 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1274g
  • Year 1931
    Description Ag Recovered 373 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 373g
  • Year 1931
    Description Au Recovered 1583 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1583g
  • Year 1932
    Description Ag Recovered 384 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 384g
  • Year 1932
    Description Au Recovered 412 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 412g
  • Year 1933
    Description Ag Recovered 1711 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 1711g
  • Year 1933
    Description Au Recovered 8149 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 8149g
  • Year 1934
    Description Ag Recovered 11540 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 11540g
  • Year 1934
    Description Au Recovered 48995 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 48995g
  • Year 1935
    Description Ag Recovered 218 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 218g
  • Year 1935
    Description Au Recovered 934 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 934g
  • Year 1936
    Description Ag Recovered 2644 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 2644g
  • Year 1936
    Description Au Recovered 10914 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 10914g
  • Year 1937
    Description Au Recovered 60464 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 60464g
  • Year 1937
    Description Ag Recovered 14214 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 14214g
  • Year 1938
    Description Au Recovered 902 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 902g
  • Year 1938
    Description Ag Recovered 311 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 311g
  • Year 1939
    Description Au Recovered 18911 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 18911g
  • Year 1939
    Description Ag Recovered 1462 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 1462g
  • Year 1940
    Description Au Recovered 66343 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 66343g
  • Year 1940
    Description Ag Recovered 10793 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 10793g
  • Year 1941
    Description Au Recovered 7309 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 7309g
  • Year 1941
    Description Ag Recovered 2021 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 2021g
  • Year 1942
    Description Ag Recovered 373 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 373g
  • Year 1942
    Description Au Recovered 2830 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 2830g
  • Year 1946
    Description Ag Recovered 62 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 62g
  • Year 1946
    Description Au Recovered 218 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 218g
  • Year 1947
    Description Ag Recovered 249 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 249g
  • Year 1947
    Description Au Recovered 1928 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1928g
  • Year 1952
    Description Ag Recovered 435 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 435g
  • Year 1952
    Description Au Recovered 2021 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 2021g
  • Year 1953
    Description Ag Recovered 7434 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 7434g
  • Year 1953
    Description Au Recovered 32037 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 32037g
  • Year 1954
    Description Ag Recovered 3141 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 3141g
  • Year 1954
    Description Au Recovered 1773 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1773g
  • Year 1955
    Description Ag Recovered 435 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 435g
  • Year 1955
    Description Au Recovered 1897 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1897g
  • Year 1956
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1956
    Description Au Recovered Grams
  • Year 1957
    Description Ag Recovered 249 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 249g
  • Year 1957
    Description Au Recovered 1058 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1058g
  • Year 1958
    Description Au Recovered Grams
  • Year 1958
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1959
    Description Ag Recovered 187 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 187g
  • Year 1959
    Description Au Recovered 871 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 871g
  • Year 1966
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1966
    Description Au Recovered Grams
  • Year 1967
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1967
    Description Au Recovered Grams
  • Year 1968
    Description Ag Recovered 6065 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 6065g
  • Year 1968
    Description Au Recovered 25163 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 25163g
  • Year 1969
    Description Ag Recovered 12815 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 12815g
  • Year 1969
    Description Au Recovered 55364 Grams
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 55364g
  • Year 1970
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1970
    Description Au Recovered Grams
  • Year 1975
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1975
    Description Au Recovered Grams
  • Year 1975
    Description Ag Recovered Grams
  • Year 1975
    Description Au Recovered Grams

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 4847M
    Overall depth 0M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method PILLAR AND CHAMBER 10-42
    Swell Factor .57
    Percent Waste Rock 14.2
    Percent Recovery 70
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Length of Inclines (m) 301
    Slope of Inclines 40
    Number of Inclines 1
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 1158
    Number of Adits 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    2nd Condition of Workings PLUGGED
    3rd Condition of Workings BAD AIR
    Capacity 95
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 12.5
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1974

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    AVERILL, C.V. MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF SIERRA COUNTY,

  • Deposit

    CALIFORNIA. CALIF. JOJR. OF MINES AND GEOL., V. 38, NO

  • Deposit

    CARLSON, D.W. AND W.B. CLARK. LODE GOLD MINES OF THE ALLEG

  • Deposit

    DOWNIEVILLE AREA, SIERRA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. CALIF. JO

  • Deposit

    OF MINES AND GEOL., V. 52, NO. 3, 1956, PP. 237-272.

  • Deposit

    CLARK, W.B. GOLD DISTRICTS OF CALIFORNIA. CALIF. DIV. OF MI

  • Deposit

    AND GEOL. BULL. 193, 1970, PP. 19-24.

  • Deposit

    FERGUSON, H.G. AND R.W. GANNETT. GOLD QUARTZ VEINS OF THE

  • Deposit

    ALLEGHANY DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPE

  • Deposit

    1932, PP. 98-101.

  • Deposit

    FERGUSON, H.G. LODE DEPOSITS OF THE ALLEGHANY DISTRICT, CAL

  • Deposit

    U.S. GEOL. SURV. BULL. 580, 1913, PP. 176-177.

  • Deposit

    LOGAN, C.A. QUARTZ MINING IN THE ALLEGHANY DISTRICT. CALIF

  • Deposit

    MINING BUREAU, V. 18, 1922, P. 511.

  • Deposit

    MAC BOYLE, E. MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF SIERRA COUNTY.

  • Deposit

    CALIF. STATE MINING BUREAU, V. 16, 1918, PP. 53-54.

  • Deposit

    FERGUSON, H.G. LODE DEPOSITS OF THE ALLEGHANY DISTRICT, CA

  • Deposit

    US GEOL. SURV. VULL. 580, 1913, P. 153.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE PROPERTY IS AN INTERMITENT PRODUCER. THERE WAS ACTIVITY AT THE MINE IN 1977. WATER ELECTRICAL POWER, AND ROADS, EXIST AT THE SITE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF MINING OPERATIONS; BUT ARE INADEQUATE FOR A LARGER OPERATION. MATRIX ONE IS A PROBABILISTIC GRADE QUANTITY MATRIX FOR THE ENTIRE MINE. MATRICES TWO THROUGH SIX ARE ORE BLOCK MATRICES AND ARE NON CUMULATIVE TO THE LEFT. MATRIX TWO IS FOR THE ENTIRE MINE, MATRIX THREE IS FOR THE ORIENTAL VEIN, MATRIX FOUR IS FOR THE ALTA VEIN, MATRIX FIVE IS FOR THE CARRALSON VEIN, AND MATRIX SIX IS FOR THE GRANITE BLOCK.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 04-OCT-1995 Raney, Russell G. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 01/31/1993
MSHA mine ID0400898
Mine name (MSHA)Oriental
Current operatorDickey Exploration Company Inc
Current controller (parent)Dickey Donald R
Mine typeUnderground (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

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.