RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
McLaughlin Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 2 gem or collectible minerals (Gold, Silver) and 3 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as producer for Silver, Gold. Minerals mentioned: Gold, Pyrite, Silver. Approx. location 38.444, -122.383. 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.
Was producing when the record was made.
Status not recorded.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
3 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
3 sites
Magnetite
Mohs 5.5–6.5. Black and strongly magnetic. Mindat
1 site
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
1 site
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Cinnabar 4Gold 1Stibnite 1Metacinnabar 1Commodities
Mercury 6Gold 3Calcium 3Silver 1Sites
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison | Mercury | Cinnabar | Past Producer | 38.851, -122.375 |
| Soda Springs | Mercury | Cinnabar | Past Producer | 38.853, -122.370 |
| Reed Mine | Mercury | Cinnabar, Metacinnabar | Past Producer | 38.865, -122.372 |
| McLaughlin Mine | Silver, Gold | Cinnabar, Stibnite | Producer | 38.444, -122.383 |
| Putah Creek | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.500, -122.034 |
| Clarksburg Plant | Calcium | — | Producer | 38.425, -121.534 |
| Harrison Mine | Mercury | — | Unknown | 38.851, -122.375 |
| Woodland Plant | Calcium | — | Producer | 38.717, -121.754 |
| Putah Creek | Gold | — | Unknown | 39.495, -122.030 |
| Unnamed Location | Calcium | — | Occurrence | 38.686, -122.127 |
| Unnamed Quarry | Mercury | — | Unknown | 38.871, -122.382 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 36 fossil collection records in Yolo County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
Napa County · Lake County · Colusa County · Sonoma County · Sutter 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