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Superior Mine, Lights Creek Copper deposits (Moonlight Mine; Sulfide Ridge deposits; Lights Canyon deposits), Moonlight Peak, Taylorsville Mining District, Plumas Copper Belt, Plumas County, California, USAi
Regional Level Types
Superior MineMine
Lights Creek Copper deposits (Moonlight Mine; Sulfide Ridge deposits; Lights Canyon deposits)Group of Deposits
Moonlight PeakPeak
Taylorsville Mining DistrictMining District
Plumas Copper BeltBelt
Plumas CountyCounty
CaliforniaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
40° 12' 11'' North , 120° 46' 28'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
40.20306,-120.77444
GeoHash:
G#: 9r4hewwxz
GRN:
N27W67
Type:
Mine
KΓΆppen climate type:
Csb : Warm-summer Mediterranean climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Taylorsville140 (2011)15.2km
Crescent Mills196 (2011)16.6km
Greenville1,129 (2011)16.6km
Westwood1,647 (2011)22.7km
Janesville1,408 (2011)23.6km
Mindat Locality ID:
85825
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:85825:1
GUID (UUID V4):
de09bfce-bb4d-4d9b-bb3f-ff7b2d077952




A former Cu-Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mine located in secs. 15-20, T27N, R11E, MDM, 6.9 km (4.3 miles) SE of Moonlight Peak, on the E side of Lights Canyon, S of the Engel Mine, on National Forest land. MRDS database accuracy for this location is not stated.

Mineralization is a Cu porphyry deposit (Deposit model code 53; USGS model code 17; Porphyry Cu), hosted in quartz monzonite. Associated rocks include lamprophyre and granite. The ore body strikes N-S and dips variably to the E, averaging 40 degrees. Controls for ore emplacement included fractures and joint planes.

Local rocks include Mesozoic granitic rocks, unit 3 (Sierra Nevada, Death Valley area, Northern Mojave Desert and Transverse Ranges). Lamprophyre dikes. The mine is in quartz monzonite formerly known as the Superior Granodiorite, near its southern contact with the pre-plutonic rocks. Soda-granite, porphyry and lamprophyre dikes intruding the quartz monzonite are also found.

Workings include underground openings. Opened by levels A, 1, 2, 3 and 4. The No. 2 adit is at the level of Lights Creek. The main shaft and portal of No. 1 adit are 200 feet above the E end of the mill. "A" level is 300 feet above No. 1. Stopes are 200-300 feet long by 10 feet wide and 400 feet high.

Individual production figures for the Superior are not available. Engles Mine production figures most likely include those of the Superior Mine.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


9 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

β“˜ Actinolite
Formula: ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
β“˜ 'Apatite'
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
Description: Occurs aas large crystals accompanying abundant titanite in country rock.
β“˜ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
Description: Occurs in important amounts, some forming microscopic "graphic" intergrowths with chalcocite.
β“˜ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
β“˜ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
β“˜ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Description: Known to occur in only one place at this location.
β“˜ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
β“˜ Siderite
Formula: FeCO3
β“˜ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
β“˜ 'Stilbite Subgroup'
Formula: M6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O
β“˜ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
β“˜ Titanite
Formula: CaTi(SiO4)O
Description: Occurs as numerous irregular grains with apatite in diorite country rock.

Gallery:

M6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2Oβ“˜ 'Stilbite Subgroup'

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
β“˜Chalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
β“˜Bornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
β“˜Sphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
β“˜Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
β“˜Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
β“˜'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
β“˜Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
β“˜Siderite5.AB.05FeCO3
Group 9 - Silicates
β“˜Titanite9.AG.15CaTi(SiO4)O
β“˜Actinolite9.DE.10β—»Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Unclassified
β“˜'Stilbite Subgroup'-M6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] Β· nH2O
β“˜'Apatite'-Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hβ“˜ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Hβ“˜ Stilbite SubgroupM6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O
Hβ“˜ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
CCarbon
Cβ“˜ SideriteFeCO3
OOxygen
Oβ“˜ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Oβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Oβ“˜ SideriteFeCO3
Oβ“˜ Stilbite SubgroupM6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O
Oβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
Oβ“˜ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
FFluorine
Fβ“˜ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
MgMagnesium
Mgβ“˜ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alβ“˜ Stilbite SubgroupM6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O
SiSilicon
Siβ“˜ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Siβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Siβ“˜ Stilbite SubgroupM6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O
Siβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
PPhosphorus
Pβ“˜ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
SSulfur
Sβ“˜ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sβ“˜ ChalcociteCu2S
Sβ“˜ PyriteFeS2
Sβ“˜ SphaleriteZnS
Sβ“˜ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
ClChlorine
Clβ“˜ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
CaCalcium
Caβ“˜ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Caβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
Caβ“˜ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
TiTitanium
Tiβ“˜ TitaniteCaTi(SiO4)O
FeIron
Feβ“˜ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Feβ“˜ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feβ“˜ PyriteFeS2
Feβ“˜ SideriteFeCO3
CuCopper
Cuβ“˜ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuβ“˜ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuβ“˜ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuβ“˜ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
ZnZinc
Znβ“˜ SphaleriteZnS
SbAntimony
Sbβ“˜ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

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USA

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Diller, J.S. (1905), Mineral resources of the Indian Valley region, California, USGDS Bulletin 260: 45-49.
Turner, Henry Ward & A.F. Rogers (1914), A geologic and microscopic study of a magmatic copper sulphide deposit in Plumas County, California, and its modification by ascending secondary enrichment: Economic Geology: 9: 359-391.
Rogers, Austin Flint (1916), The so-called graphic intergrowth of bornite and chalcocite: Economic Geology: 11: 582-593.
Graton, Louis Caryl & D.H. McLaughlin (1917), Ore deposition and enrichment at Engels, California: Economic Geology: 12: 1-38.
MacBoyle, Errol (1918), Mines and Mineral Resources of Plumas Co. California Division of Mines and Geology (Report 16): 16: 55-59.
Averill, Charles V. (1928), Mining Activity in Plumas County, California Division of Mines and Geology, 24th Report of the State Mineralogist (Report 24): 24(1): 275-278.
Anderson, Charles A. (1931a), The geology of the Engels and Superior mines, Plumas Co., California, with a note on the ore deposits of the Superior mine: University of California, Department of Geological Science Bulletin: 20: 293-330.
Goodwin, Joseph Grant (1957) Lead and zinc in California. California Journal of Mines and Geology, Division of Mines (Report 53): 53(3&4): 599.
Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 79, 111, 133, 344.
Smith, A.R. (1970) Trace elements in the Plumas Copper Belt, Plumas County, California. California Division of Mines and Geology Special Report 103: 3-26.
Pemberton, H. Earl (1983) Minerals of California. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.
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