UC BERKELEY MASTER NEGATIVE STORAGE NUMBER 03-67.16 (National version of master negative storage number: CU SN03067.16) MICROFILMED 2003 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE REPRODUCTION AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERLIBRARY LOAN OFFICE MAIN LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, CA 94720-6000 COPYRIGHT The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials including foreign works under certain conditions. In addition, the United States extends protection to foreign works by means of various international conventions, bilateral agreements, and proclamations. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. 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The Nelson Creek, Blue Nose and surrounding Placer mines 1923 BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD TARGET University of California at Berkeley Library Master negative storage number: 03-67.16 (national version of the master negative storage number: CU SN03067.16) GLADIS NUMBER: 184787997C FORMAT : BK AD:991012/FZB LEVEL:b BLT:am DCF:a CSC:d MOD: EL: UD:030604 /MAP CP:cau L:eng INT: GPC: BIO: FIC: CON: ARCV: PC:s PD:1923/ REP: CPI: FSI: ILC: II:0 040 CUScCU 090 SbDISS.BENOIST.GEOL 1923 100 1 Benoist, Luis, O. 245 14 The Nelson Creek, Blue Nose and surrounding Placer mines. 260 Scl923. 300 [11], 17 p. :$bcol. ill., col. maps ;$c29 cm. 502 Thesis (B.A. in Geology) -- University of California, Berkeley, May 1923. 610 20 University of California, Berkeley.$bDept. of Geology and GeophysicsS$SxDissertations. 690 0 Dissertations, Academic$xUCB$xGeology$y1921-1930 Microfilmed by University of California Library Photographic Service, Berkeley, CA FILMED AND PROCESSED BY LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, 94720 DATE: 7/03 REDUCTION: 10 X PM-1 3%"x4" PHOTOGRAPHIC MICROCOPY TARGET NBS 1010a ANSI/ISO #2 EQUIVALENT | 10 “2 fie — i [I32 Il 2.2 — kg; I= A | KAN 80 A ha — ke Babee —— 2 led nes WRT | . =|"; gl vit ot 2 Olt 18,18. lS li DISS BewoIsT e Geo L 172% EALT LIBRARY GOPY THE NELSON CREEK,BLUE NOSE AND SURROUNDING PLACER MINES, 6A MAY 1923. L.0.Benoist. --== CO NTENTS «=== IALLGN OF BUIMILAL «oocicnnmmnenammmanmesmmes Page # a ACRNOWISRAMBNAL 3 covenmcnvmssninmmrsnecnae » b The Nelson Creek,Blue Nose and surrounding ------ " 1 PlACEY MINE. wren nncuncnnunccnunnannmnasnaenmnnwee N 1 LOCBLAON, «wm mesmo wwe mie ww aie wwe mw mms m. " 1 Climate, ~cv-memcmecmecccccecccccccccccccccncccnan " 1 Water, e-cccccccca--- a 0 a —— " 1 Timber,~----ccecwccmcmamcnccc cece em —————— " 1 Character of the Surfac@,-==-=~cemcecccccccc=- " 2 History,s=-===ceecccemccccccc acc ccc ccm nn " 2 General Geology, The Neocene Surface,-=====cememccccccccncenann= " 4 Blue Nose Region,-==--~-==cecccecccceccccceccenax f 6 0ld Channels, =-====meccceccccecmcmecmcenene==e -w 9 Southern end of Blue Nose, ~-=-==m===-eeccccc=- " 10 The Eastern Rim, ,~-e-=-c~ccccccccccceccncccecce= " 12 Genesis of the Creek Gold,----=-=====-===--c-=- y 13 Operations at the Northern end of Blue Nose Mt. n 14 Possible Hydraulicing Plant.------=====e=e==--- " 16 Resume of the Mines located at the base of Blue Nose Mountain,---=-====-csseeemm--ecc=== ’ 7 Geological Map of Blue Nose Mountain and surrounding Country. «=== CONTENTS =--= Cont. To the Dean and Faculty of the College of Letter and Science, Geological Cross-Section (Pre-Tertiary)------- Sketch # 1 . Department of Geology,University of California, Geological Cross-Section (Tetiary to Present)- " 2 Geological Cross-Section ( Present )------==-- 3 3 Gentlemen: Longitudinal Section of Neocene Channel at The report here enclosed 1s presented to satisfy the Morning Star Mine,--=---eeecceccecececencanana " 4 Thesis requirement in the College of Letter and Seience,De- Longitudinal profile from Hepsldam to partment of Geology,for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Morning Star Mine,-----=-cremeccccccccccncccn- 5 This represent my work done on the field during the View of Blue Nose Mountain,===eeccccccecccncca Picture # 1 | summers of 1920,'21,'22,based on my experience and knowledge View of top of Blue NoB€,.,~=~========w====== -e : aquired at the University. " ® View of Andesitic Aglomerate,-----===========-= n View of rock split by the action of Frost.---- Respectfully submitted. <7 LZ. JB crracas — Andesitic Buttes ,-~---ec=-cecemcceccenncccccan== Debris Basket Dam. wn Ge Se ee ES eo - an ona on an an ww -- Andesitic TULLB..evessmmmm-===mm=emcemce==oc==- 600 foot Andesitic Dike€..eeeo============= ——— OW © 3 OO U1 &» Oo NY View of Country around Nelson Creek,-=-----==--= - amb | ass NN’ oO * Acknowlegment. I wish to thank Professor Andrew C. Lawson for the valuable suggestions tender to me in compyling my thesis. I eam also indebted to Mr.F.D.Pagliuchl for helping me in the field during the summer of 1922. 0. [Pensa we THE NELSON CREEK, BLUE NOSE MINES, LOCATION. Nelson Creek is located about twelve miles from Johnsville and its head waters are located close to the boundery line of Sierra County, while the head water of the east branch of Nelson Creek is located near the U.S. Cabin on the so-called Mc Rae Ranch. CLIMATE, Climate is mild and exceptionally agreeable in the summer months; while in winter there is a heavy snow- fall, in places drifting to a height from 10 to 15 ft. Underground mining work can be carried on all the year around, providing material and provisions ate secured in the fall. WATER. Owing to heavy annual snowfall, for at least six months of the year, there is an abundant supply of water for mining purposes, It is available both for sluicing and hydraulicing, TIMBER. This is very plentiful and very cheap, The supply consists mainly of spruce,cedar, yellow pine and sugar- pine, and other conifers, For building purposes, lumber can be secured at Great Eagle Saw Mill 18 miles from Blue Nose Mountain. CHARACTER OF THE SURFACE, | The Blue Nose ridge extends about five miles due north of the boundery of the Sierra and Plumas & counties, The width probably about two miles between Nelson Creek on the east and Hopkins Creek on the west, | The topography is very rough and the slopes of the nar- row canyons are very steep. The elevation along the stream courses range from 5000 to 6000 ft, Along the narrow back-bone of the ridge 7000 ft, while the peak of Blue Nose Mt, is T7200 ft. above sea level. Several ditches convey water to the different mine work- ings. The Standard Mine gets its water from a ditch connect- ing with the head of Nelson Creek. On the west side a ditch from Hopkins Creek supplies the Gould Diggings, while another ‘ditch at about 5700 ft. elevation supplies the Morning Star Mine, Many springs issue from below the thick lava cap of Blue Ngse Ridge. A fairly good wagon road connects the Standard Mine with Johnsville., A trail connects the Morning Star Mine with the above mentioned road, making a total of eleven miles from Johnsville to the Morning Star Mine, HISTORY. The history of Nelson Creek proves that it has prod- uced an exceptionally large amount of gold. In Bancroft's History of California, Vol.Vi- 1848- 1859- pages 383-384; says: The lava region extends through ° Plumas and Butte, northward round the volcanic cones, at the head of Mount Lassen and Shasta, whose overflows have covered the gold deposits of so large an area, The wide spread depo- silts of gravel are attributed to a system of tertiary rivers, long since filled up and dead which ran in nearly the same direction as the present stream, but with greater slopes and wider channels, Eroding the auriferous slates and their quartz veins, these river currents spread the detritus in deposits varying from fine clay and sand to rolled pebbles and bould- ers weighing several tons, and extending from perhaps .200 ft. to 400 ft. in width at the bottom to several thousand feet at the top, and a depth of a few inches to 600 to TOO feet. The whole mass is permeated with gold, the larger lumps remaining near their source, while the finer particles were carried along for miles, Page 385 note 8: The dead rivers are richer in gold than the present streams, and when these have cut through the for- mer they at once reveal greater wealth, Page 363 note 29. The adjoining Nelson Creek proved ex- ceedingly rich in nuggets lying strewn on the ground an "rock- ers" yielding § 500.0V a day, A host of Bar Flat and Creek camps sprung up as Grave Yard,Henpeck,Poorman etc., rages 421-422 Such traves were repeatedly obtained by indis vidual diggers expecially in the numerous "Pockets" of the Sonora region,including the bars of the American,Yuba and Feather rivers,with such spots as Park Bar,Rush and Nelson Creek,where the yield of one day's work frequently fulfilled the brightest hopes of the gold hunters, GENERAL GEOLOGY. THE NEQCENE SURFACE, According to Lindgren,on page 104 U,S.G.S,Bulletin #73 The Neocene topography of the Downleville quadrangle,so. far as it can be determined by a study of the contacts of gravels and lava with the "Bedrock series’ was one of decided relief, The broad uplands were furrowed by river valleys having a depth of several hundred feet or more.,Many of the auriferous channels worked were clearly mere ravines or gulches with steep grade and subangular wash, The areas of metamorphic rocks were in general characterized by stronger relief than those occupied by granite, An important ridge,prominent even now,after complex faulting and deep erosion,traversed the quadrangle in Neocene time,dividing the westward drainage of the old Yuba River from a large northward-trending stream,which has no modern equivalent, This watershed 1s marked by Sierra Buttes, and the high ridge which extends north-west from it, with a present elevation of 7000 to 8000 feet, and which, interrupted by the modern canyon of Middle Fork of Feather river, reappears in the north under the name of the Grizzly Mountain, The relation of lava and bedrock east and west of the ridge indicate a comparative- ly rough relief, and the absence of heavy accumulations of gravel confirms this conclusion, This Neocene divide was prob- ably only partly covered by lava flows and tuffs, The principal stream, which may be called the west fork of the Neocene Yuba, is easily traceable .from Hepsidam and Gib- sonville down to La Porte, Scales, and Indian Hill; during the later part of the gravel epoch it was filled with fine quartz gravel to the depth of 100 feet to 130 feet and as width rang- ing from 1000 feet to a full mile in places, but the hills still rise steep above this plain, The Hepsidam channel is faulted at several places and the prinsipal fault is at Bunker Hill(2 miles east of Hepsidam) as per sketch #5. Longitudinal profile from La Porte to Hep- sidam and Morning Star Mine,showing probo™le aeformation of Channel, When Lindgren visited the mine of the Niagara Consoli- dated Mining Co.,in 1887 the workings had advanced 3900 feet under the ridge, the fall in that distance being 150 feet, Under the summit of the ridge a sudden drop was met, cutting ¢ff the gravel sharply and necessitating another tunnel 50 feet lower. This no doubt represents the beginning of a second fault zone, which has depressed the channel on the Nelson Creek slde by at least several hundred or a thousand feet. Turner on Downieville Folio, page 6, says: On the other (eastern), side of this ridge the bedrock at the present time sinks rapidly towards the Feather River. The Bunker Hill tun- nel on the east side of the ridge, working westerly, 1s sald to be on the same channel. From there east no other gravel de- posits are known to exist that tend with any certainty, be as- cribed to this channel. There are ,however, two masses of white quartz gravel at the north and west base of Blue Nose at the edge of the lava about 500 feet below the Bunker Hill tunnel which may be downthrown portions of the Hepsldam river depos- it. Since both reports have been written, this Neocene channel has been located at the northern end of Blue Nose Mount- ain by the Morning Star Workings and by boring at Bevilaqua's mine, 4 miles distant at the southern end of Blue Nose, and it js well established that the source of this channel is locat- ed in the proximity of Bear Trap Mountain and Sunny Side Mine, BLUE NOSE REGION, In this region we may separate th e rocks in two divisions: > 1.The underlying so-called "Bedrock Series",consisting mainly of hard blue slate with a very steep dip and northwesly strike. 2.An overlying lava cap of Hornblendic Andesite and Andesitic Tuff which in many places covers the ridges to a depth of about two thousand feet,undernith the lava there are stream courses, eroded before the lava was poured out;some of the gravels are rich in gold, Before the Tertiary period the Blue nose Mountain and surrounding country was a large mass of sedimentary rocks such as,arglllaceous chlorite and talcose slates,classified by the U.S.Geologist as "Calaveras Slate". The intrusion of igneous rocks such as Diabase,Diorite etc;uplifted 4nd fissured the country and also brought in the solutions which formed the auriferous quartz veins (see sketch #1) ,the fissuring being very extensive,resulted in the formation of an exeptionally large number of auriferous quartz veins, ranging in size a few inches to several feet in width,.This accomplished,a state of rest esued,and by natural laws such as frost,winds and rain,the desintegration of these veins began. The material so desintegrated was carried and deposited in the then existing rivers ,where the gold was collected and retained in their beds,at places so constituted as to form natural riffles,which are essential in stoping and collecting the gold.Thus for a long period the work of desintegration and concentration went on enriching the rivers with a large amount of alluvial gold.Volcanlism which for a long period had remained dormant broke out anew,The first volcanlc phen= omena being the ejection of ashes and hot waters forming a semi- fluid volcanic mud (tufa). These eruptions,originated at the apex of the then ex- isting rivers, After a period of volcanic activity came a period of rest,and the still existing quartz ledges were again subjected to futher a1sitegration,and the eroded material deposited in the new rivers;which as a rule parallel the old ones.In this manner new auriferous gravel deposits were formed and after- ward covered by lava flows;this process being repeated until several deposits had been laid superimposing each other (see sketch #2). T hese new rivers in addition to the Jurassic rocks such as quartzite,gilieified slate etc.also contain lava boulders and are classified as "Intervolcanic Channels",denoting that they were formed at intervals and between periods of lava erup- tions, Large auriferous gravel deposits mined by hydraulicing have shown several strata of intervolcanic gravels(at time overlying old channels),proving the repetition of volcanic eruptions and a subsequent period of rest,the formation of new rivers,and new deposition of auriferous gravels as (shown in Sketch #2). At the close of volcanism a great upheaval took place con- 8lderably elevating the country so that the high sierras be- came covered with perpetual snow,forming large and ’ \ if x . dr son Creek Co [ 4! G eotogicar Mapor BiveNose Movntanw Ann SurRovnoing Coun Try Showing CouRSE of OLo CHAWNNEL AND ZANTER VOLCANIC GRAVE L 3 Com Pres From US. GeoltoGgica t § CrvEy MAP - SCALE BINH 1 /]/4E Hin amp hibol fe [ J Cq lave ros Farm. 3 Laya@ndesi le) WR Serpentine LEGEND [)yorferoes Gravel older Basal =a Alloy ral Oepros/t C ] stacra/ Orff. AKE OF PRECEDING FRAME rr — £7 i : lad qu Point. QO eer en or NN DN) \ Hh “ velac 7% 00 p a REA R Ra PAT. G cotogicar Mapor BiveNose Movntanw Ann SurRovrnoing Coun 7Ry Sh owing CouRSE of Oto CHANNEL AnD ZANTER VolLcAan/C GRAVE L 4 ~ Cy i Cor Pres rrom US. Geotogica t Survey MAP - SCALES INCH 1] 7LE Yar hibol Je J Ca lave ros Farm. —] Lava@ndesi le) Bl Serpentine L EGE . . . GEND [pvrfercoscra vel | older Basal [Alter ial Deposit [J stacra/ Ort Sketch #1 JRA a aatt——r “2 0 04 LX-y » . % $e Neocened Rryvenr > [7 — —/ Ef /= ZF (—) [4 = Vv “5:3 v wy 24 Calaveras Slale. [= Calaveras Slale. EE (CETTE Quar/z veins v oy . : Diabase Dike Quartz vein x [\ yy 7 = = [af = = — = I [—— (—— — fe— — Last- west Geological Cross- Section al Northern End of Bl/ve Nose Moun farm Showing Probable Pre-Tertiary Topography and Geology. 7 fo n Sketch #2 west East — TT or Co 3 Zz Sr = “« ~\ ~ - - — be : all ARR T= = or AS 7 Rx < 0 ~~ “ ———e 7 hl SS VY Sa ON - Fobal). Ea. _ op = . - Sos able Toa = 7 ml Na ~N SR ograpj \ Lo T_T I — ut ~at- TON ~~ A >, — em = 2X TF cy 3 Ll -\ 7 Ne yo AT MY \N ~~ ~_ 2 ~~ ' a \ fr La=\V ‘7 Sarl » = : ; vos, - No, J + - ~~ oN’ \ £ va '! ~ Vs 7, te" (2 oY =n ‘21 ” ~ ; - - 0 = . Réboved by Ed. vom LS Nz TA =D ST= We; “hn — ~ Y rYosroyn oA TT = 4 = * \ 2 = 05/0) , - . \ 7’ / -/ ~~. (—~ - Se = = JS =D 12 2 ! = ) “2% = NR AD AAD Cali - 23 “~ 5 $0 6 6 O° n 1 - 1 = RIPE Eres ~~ velsa ficChannéf IN 7 PR Sy gesIntervok as i X “ c 2S SIT | g A ~ 71 Nt SF <« al/averas Slat IZ au of Ses e £7 eo" 0% a Lad : 7 7s z ; Neocene C 2 2 hanne/ - ZZ , Ql [= Nelson Creek ow nN .” , : 5 Pd 7 or . - % Quartzvern - 5 ) | ih a varfzvern se os 7 / c~ = 5 igs hd ) rs. UT ily ; id Diab . ~ $ ; ase Dike 2 vd £ ow 75 2 N — alt “; ’ ) sof ( >a ) ” /)) S07 [© PD Skelh #3. Blve Nose Mf Elev. 72 00ff . 1 yy - le Rae Ride RL Se YS Elev. $500 fr - VPndesile ’ > sr ~~ r WF =, ‘and! “~- < ~ ), vs rd - \- ~ Y, a / desi le T uffs I = ~~ Zor MT) gy s0 _ —s Nr 7 —y = NL.” Ve ~. ~~ Vr ~ l-, li Cr \ IN z=, \ i NDT SS InTee yp rvn, Shaft 2 N=I 02) =o 17 A3e> Thre rvolcanic Channel A, Nelson Creek Reet. Ll em, TC 1,? ee . NON A~ s7V El KS gagp® nlerveles 7c Channel |, vi_ = - - -T_N «Zh . —~ "ely E-9 - \ £2) = = A fogs —) ‘zs J : [ = 0% 080 Neocene Channel 4 Quarrz Vein / rrp = “Z| so0ff 4d fg RR. Bail 3 = WH ‘ - ) 7 “ ' 1°, Cala veras S/lale N= 3 vr. = ~ ir = “1 Calaveras Slale - Ny (—7 LE = br — SL EA =, Quartavern = fo (\9 = = ved -13 vf =] “Absa base b jke 3 wey - re pm— — vo ~"., —7 E — -~ Nd ov wT y / Is East-West Geological Cross-Secfion al Northern £nd of Blue Nose Mocvntarn Showing /Ts Present Stale LoD Sketch #4. Neocene Channel Tunn el Liong:tvdiran Seclion of Neocene Cha nnel al Morning Star Mine Boulders fromall size mostly Quartziltes - Porphyriles = Silas fred Slafe ~Chert ete. - The whole has yellow fo blue lint. £.0.173, Sketch #5. Sw. La Porle ourch dizg . NE. 0 — re ¥ Thistle Tonnel Thiste Shafr Gibsonville Upper HepsidamTunne| “onan iarel ’ Halsey bore h (st iste ! ! . . Secgson? ? y ore td 43: ( vnne 56sShef S240 boos Bunker Hill Gould work. Morning Star. | | | | | pe 17 | | 1 | | | | | | I | | | | | Co I | |! I | | | | | I | [ | 6500’ ! | | I 6000't | | : Ss00't : | eee bem —— 0 ———— y — — — — J000 bs a i | quao t { | | = 4 00a’ Longifodinal profile from La Porle fo Hepsidam and Morning Star, Showingprobable deformalion of Channel. wWiew of Blue Nose Mountain. Picts. View of fndesilic fqlomerale. Pick 2. View of lop of Blue Nose showing An desile sha ered by fhe action of lightning a nd frost. Pref# 4. Wiew of rock split by lhe aclion of fros?. RETAKE OF PRECEDING FRAME wWiew of Blue Nose Mountarn . Pick 2. View of hop of Blve Nose showing Ar desile sha ered by the action of lightning a nd frost. Pref#4. Wiew of rock split by lhe aclior of frosl. Debris Baskel Darn . RETAKE OF PRECEDING FRAME Fre /# 5. Ardlesitic Bolles . Lrcl#6. Debris Basket Darn . Pirel#8. boo foof pralesilic dike exer dig freorz Hop hrs creek /o /op of Blve Nose Movrr farm - Prcl#9. View of count ya rovnd Nelson Creek . Prc/#ro. KY Yyorac/iceng al Nelson Creek. Pre u, Glacral Moran esfjrovnd Johsville Plvomas Co. Pref iz . Bear Trap Mt where Headwaler of Hepsidarmn Channel ss localed. END OF TITLE