MARIPOSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

LOCATION

COUNTY:Mariposa County

STATE:California

Mariposa County is southernmost of the Mother Lode counties and has had a long and productive gold mining history, with total production of 2,144,500 ounces of gold recovered from 1880-1959, of which 583,500 ounces came from placer operations. Following the closure of mining during World War II, the annual gold production has been about 1,000 ounces. There were very many important lode gold and placer gold producers. The Copper Queen Mine produced copper with a by product of gold. In sections 9 and 10, of township 4S and range 15E, you will find the Fitch Mine which was a rich lode gold producer. West of Bagby in Quaternary gravels along the Merced range, placers produced 50,000 ounces of gold, between 1860-70. In Bear Valley , area mines, especially the Josephine produced lode gold. In Coulterville, which is located more or less central in the Mother Lode and East Belt areas, a northwest trending zone 3-4 miles wide extending from Mormon Bar into Tuolumne County, had a total production, about 1,009,000 ounces of lode gold. The major mines include the Princeton, Pine Tree, Mt. Ophir, Original and Ferguson, Hite, and Mariposa all which produced rich lode gold deposits.

AQUA FRIA CREEK

Aqua Fria and Mariposa Creeks were the first placers discovered before 1849, many rich placer gravels.

HORNITOS CREEK

In the Hornitos district, more than 500,000 gold ounces were produced along Hornitos Creek, in Quaternary gravels. This offers abundant placer gold for the panner.

JORDAN CREEK

In the northwest part of county, you will find the Blanchard district; it is located along the Tuolumne county line, just south of Jawbone Ridge; and on the ridge between Moore and Jordan Creeks. 4-5 miles northwest of Bower Cave. There are many placers in regional Tertiary gravels which produced about 75,000 ounces of gold.

MARIPOSA CREEK

Aqua Fria and Mariposa Creeks were the first placers discovered before 1849, many rich placer gravels. Two and a half miles south of Mariposa, in township 5S. range 18E, you will find the Mormon Bar district that had a total production, 75,000 gold ounces. Near the headwaters of Mariposa creek and its tributaries rich placer gold is to be found. At Mormon Bar, area of extensive dragline operations in the 1930s also rich placer gold is to be found. Southeast of Mariposa by 6 miles, the Silver Bar Mine can be found and it was a rich lode gold producer.

MERCED RIVER

Is said to be rich in placer gold.

MOORE CREEK

In the northwest part of county, you will find the Blanchard district; it is located along the Tuolumne county line, just south of Jawbone Ridge; and on the ridge between Moore and Jordan Creeks. 4-5 miles northwest of Bower Cave. There are many placers in regional Tertiary gravels which produced about 75,000 ounces of gold.