RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Masonic District
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 4 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Gold, Agate, Silver) and 8 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as past producer for Gold, Silver. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Gold, Feldspar, Agate, Pyrite, Galena, Copper, Silver. Approx. location 38.358, -119.124. USGS record.
Ask first: a USGS record doesn’t mean you can visit. Find out who owns the land and get permission before collecting.
Field cards: what kind of sites?
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Was producing when the record was made.
Status not recorded.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
409 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
274 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
132 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
108 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
29 sites
Galena
Mohs 2.5–2.75. Heavy, silvery lead ore that breaks into cubes. Mindat
21 sites
Scheelite
Mohs 4.5–5. Tungsten mineral that glows blue-white under shortwave UV. Mindat
15 sites
Garnet
Mohs 6.5–7.5. Usually deep red, round many-faced crystals. Mindat
7 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Gold 98Galena 21Pyrite 19Scheelite 15Chalcopyrite 13Molybdenite 11Silver 6Sphalerite 6Malachite 5Argentite 5Marcasite 5Cinnabar 5Commodities
Gold 369Silver 166Lead 80Tungsten 67Copper 64Mercury 23Uranium 21Molybdenum 20Zinc 12Talc-Soapstone 7Sites (first 40)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion Sillimanite, Inc. Jeffrey Mine In 10. | Kyanite | Andalusite | Producer | 37.616, -118.321 |
| Taylor Deposit | Kyanite | Andalusite | Occurrence | 37.630, -118.302 |
| Vulcanite & Vulcanus #156 Black Eagle & Vulcanus Nos. 8 and 9 #157 | Kyanite | Andalusite | Occurrence | 37.630, -118.326 |
| Champion Or White Mountain Mine | Kyanite | Andalusite | Past Producer | 37.617, -118.301 |
| Silverado - Kentuck | Silver | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Magnetite, Pyrite | Past Producer | 38.437, -119.268 |
| Silver Reef | Lead, Silver | Argentite, Galena | Past Producer | 37.688, -118.620 |
| Argosy | Gold, Silver | Argentite, Gold, Pyrite, Silver, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.590, -118.984 |
| Deposit | Barium-Barite | Barite | Occurrence | 38.584, -119.457 |
| White Mountains Deposit | Barium-Barite | Barite | Producer | 37.471, -118.250 |
| Sierra Group | Barium-Barite, Gold | Barite, Gold, Pyrite | Past Producer | 37.595, -118.991 |
| Lyford | Silver | Cerussite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Pyrargyrite, Stephanite, Stromeyerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 37.779, -118.484 |
| Tioga | — | Chalcopyrite, Galena | Past Producer | 37.936, -119.258 |
| Sacramento | Gold | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold | Past Producer | 37.543, -118.332 |
| Beckman | Lead, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Malachite | Past Producer | 37.629, -118.526 |
| Clover Patch, Gold Lode, B. B. and Old Glory Groups of Claims. | Gold, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Marcasite, Pyrite | Past Producer | 37.675, -118.637 |
| Banner | Gold, Silver | Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.685, -118.608 |
| Casa Diablo | Gold | Chalcopyrite, Gold, Pyrite | Past Producer | 37.583, -118.554 |
| Black Rock Mine | Tungsten | Chalcopyrite, Molybdenite, Scheelite | Producer | 37.683, -118.518 |
| Unnamed Prospect | Silver, Zinc, Copper | Chalcopyrite, Pyrrhotite, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 37.583, -118.905 |
| R & R Claims | Tungsten | Chalcopyrite, Scheelite | Past Producer | 37.348, -118.246 |
| Santiago | — | Chrysocolla, Cuprite, Malachite | Occurrence | 38.053, -119.189 |
| Paramount Mine | Mercury | Cinnabar | Past Producer | 38.278, -119.061 |
| Alta Plana Prospect | — | Cinnabar | Occurrence | 38.246, -119.100 |
| Calmono Mine | Mercury | Cinnabar | Past Producer | 38.177, -119.167 |
| Loughlin Prospect | — | Cinnabar | Occurrence | 38.279, -119.295 |
| September Claims | — | Ferrimolybdite, Molybdenite, Powellite, Scheelite | Occurrence | 37.933, -119.268 |
| September Claims | Molybdenum | Ferrimolybdite, Molybdenite, Powellite, Scheelite | Occurrence | 37.933, -119.268 |
| Comanche and Kerric | Lead, Silver | Freibergite | Past Producer | 37.779, -118.466 |
| Harrison | Silver, Gold | Galena, Gold | Past Producer | 38.016, -119.258 |
| Gray Eagle | Gold | Galena, Gold | Past Producer | 38.021, -119.258 |
| Lucky Boy | Gold | Galena, Gold, Hematite | Past Producer | 37.486, -117.949 |
| Log Cabin and Sunrise Group | Gold | Galena, Gold, Hematite | Past Producer | 37.978, -119.177 |
| Gold Wedge | Lead, Silver | Galena, Gold, Marcasite, Pyrite | Past Producer | 37.692, -118.545 |
| Lone Star | — | Galena, Gold, Marcasite, Silver | Occurrence | 37.657, -118.550 |
| Parrett | Gold | Galena, Gold, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite | Past Producer | 38.020, -119.258 |
| Mammoth Cons. | Silver, Gold | Galena, Gold, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Silver, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 37.595, -118.989 |
| Huebner Group | — | Galena, Iron, Marcasite, Pyrite | Occurrence | 37.688, -118.436 |
| King Group Johnnie and Rose of the West | — | Galena, Marcasite, Pyrite, Silver | Occurrence | 37.716, -118.562 |
| Lemont Group | — | Galena, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 37.774, -119.093 |
| Durante | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 37.465, -118.318 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 2 fossil collection records in Mono County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Madera County · Mariposa County · Fresno County · Alpine County · Tuolumne County
California mineral guides
- Tourmaline in California
- Quartz in California
- Garnet in California
- Gold in California
- Mica in California
- Feldspar in California
Back to all California counties.
How we built this page: we counted named sites in the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for this area, left out sand, gravel, crushed stone, clay pits and unnamed sites, grouped them by Census county, and linked every site to its USGS record. We did not visit these sites, and MRDS does not tell you who owns the land or whether collecting is allowed.
Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS). USGS ceased systematic updates to MRDS around 2011, so status and details may be out of date. Each site links to its USGS record.
Updated