Mineral resources of the Whipple Mountains and Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Areas, San Bernardino County, California

Bulletin 1713-D
By: , and 

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Abstract

At the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, approximately 85,100 acres of the Whipple Mountains Wilderness Study Area (CDCA-312) and 1,380 acres of the Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Area (AZ-050-010) were evaluated for identified mineral resources (known) and mineral resource potential (undiscovered). In this report, the Whipple Mountains and Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Areas are referred to as simply "the study area."

Most of the mines and prospects with identified resources in the Whipple Mountains Wilderness Study Area are within areas designated as having mineral resource potential. The area in and around the Turk Silver mine and the Lucky Green group and the area near the northwest boundary of the study area have high mineral resource potential for copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver. An area along the west boundary of the study area has moderate resource potential for copper lead, zinc, gold, and silver. An area in the east adjacent to the Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Area has moderate resource potential for copper, gold, and silver resources. One area on the north boundary and one on the southeast boundary of the study area have low mineral resource potential for copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver. Two areas, one on the north boundary and one inside the east boundary of the study area, have moderate resource potential for manganese. A small area inside the south boundary of the study area has high resource potential for decorative building stone, and the entire study area has low resource potential for sand and gravel and other rock products suitable for construction. Two areas in the eastern part of the study area have low resource potential for uranium. There is no resource potential for oil and gas or geothermal resources in the Whipple Mountains Wilderness Study Area.

Sites within the Whipple Mountains Wilderness Study Area with identified resources of copper, gold, silver, manganese and (or) decorative building stone are located at the Stewart mine, New American Eagle mine, Turk Silver mine, Twin Lode mine, decorative stone property, Lucky Green group, Blue Cloud mine, Nickel Plate mine, Crescent mine, Quadrangle Copper group, and the Copper Basin mine.

The Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Area has moderate resource potential for copper, gold, and silver resources and low resource potential for sand and gravel and other rock products. There is no resource potential for oil and gas or for geothermal energy in the Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Area.

Although there are no identified resources in the Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Area, sites within and immediately adjacent warrant further study because of gold assays from widespread, numerous samples.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Mineral resources of the Whipple Mountains and Whipple Mountains Addition Wilderness Study Areas, San Bernardino County, California
Series title Bulletin
Series number 1713
Chapter D
DOI 10.3133/b1713D
Year Published 1988
Language English
Publisher U.S. Government Printing Office
Description Report: vi, 36 p.; Plate: 36.50 x 25.00 inches
Larger Work Title Mineral resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Eastern California Desert Conservation Area
First page D1
Last page D36
Country United States
State California
County San Bernardino County
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