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Aeromagnetic map and interpretation of geophysical data from the Condrey Mountain Roadless Area, Siskiyou County, California

Miscellaneous Field Studies Map 1540-B
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Abstract

The Condrey Mountain Roadless Area lies within the Klamath Mountains geologic province, a province composed of four eastward-dipping imbricate thrust slices or belts consisting predominantly of marine arc-related volcanic and sedimentary rocks, but also including significant amounts of ultramafic and other ophiolitic rocks (Irwin, 1981). From west to east the four Klamath Mountains thrust slices are called the western Jurassic belt, the western Paleozoic and Triassic belt, the central metamorphic belt, and the eastern Klamath belt. The Condrey Mountain Road less Area is located within a structural window in the western Paleozoic and Triassic belt, a window in which the structural dome comprised of the Condrey Mountain Schist is exposed (Coleman and others, 1983). North, east and south of the roadless area, the Condrey Mountain Schist is separated from the overlying western Paleozoic and Triassic belt by a low-angle regional thrust, whereas to the west the two units are in high-angle fault contact (Coleman and others, 1983).

The Condrey Mountain schist consists mainly of sedimentary and volcanic rocks metamorphosed to greenschist facies. Metasedimentary rocks are exposed over most of the eastern and central parts of the structural window. Metavolcanic rocks occupy the western part of the window but also occur in small exposures within the metasedimentary rocks and along the eastern and southern margins of the window. Tabular bodies of metaserpentinite, the largest of which crops out near White Mountain, are contained within the metasedimentary rocks. Densities of hand samples from 11 sites scattered throughout the Condrey Mountain window average 2.66±0.05 g/cm3. The four samples of metavolcanic rocks yielded a higher average density than the seven samples of metasedimentary rocks (2.71±0.04 g/cm3 versus 2.63±0.03 g/cm3).

Along the western edge of the Condrey Mountain Road less Area, numerous narrow north-trending zones of mineralized schist extend from near Copper Butte on the south, northward to Elliot Creek (Coleman and others, 1983). These zones contain abundant pyrite mineralization associated with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, qalena, and sphalerite. The Blue Ledge mine area, 2 mi north-northeast of Copper Butte, is located in a zone of mineralized schist.

The western Paleozoic and Triassic belt that nearly surrounds the Condrey Mountain Schist is a melange of sedimentary, volcanic, and ultramafic rocks metamorphosed to amphibolite facies (Coleman and others, 1983). Only two samples of the metamorphic melange were collected near the Condrcy Mountain Road less Area, but extensive sampling of this unit southwest of the roadless area yielded an average sample density of 2.86±0.15 g/cm3 (112 samples) (Jachens and others, 1983).

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Aeromagnetic map and interpretation of geophysical data from the Condrey Mountain Roadless Area, Siskiyou County, California
Series title Miscellaneous Field Studies Map
Series number 1540
Chapter B
DOI 10.3133/mf1540B
Year Published 1983
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Description Plate: 47.54 x 29.96 inches
Country United States
State California
County Siskiyou County
Other Geospatial Condrey Mountain Roadless Area
Scale 0
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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