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Butte County

  • Butte County Granite, Limestone, and Marble, Soapstone (historical times through circa 1906) - Excerpts from The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.

    Butte County Granitic Rocks:

    “Granitic rocks form the core of the Sierra Nevada range, and the large bodies of those rocks are found in the eastern part of Butte County. As yet, lack of transportation facilities has prevented their commercial use.”

    Butte County Limestone Deposits:

    “The limestone deposits of Butte County are described under the headings of “Cement” and “Marble.”

    “Marble of blue, black, and white varieties occurs in Butte County. No commercial production has been essayed.”

    Butte County Soapstone Deposits:

    “In Butte County soapstone has been employed only for local structural purposes, chiefly for firebacks in the neighborhood of Flea Valley and Clear Creek. The belt of soapstone occurrences extends from Pike City, in the southwest corner of Sierra County, through Yuba and the southwest corner of Plumas to Magalia, in Butte County. The chief occurrences are in Sec. 21, T. 21 N., R. 3 E., E. Taylor, Clear Creek P. O.; Sec, 35, T. 23 N., R. 4 E.; Sec. 4 T. 21 N., R. 5 E., J. Bohannon, Yankee Hill P. O. Within this area of soapstone occurrences there are also asbestos and talc. There has been no practical development of any of these materials.”

    Portland Cement Factories in California.

    “There is a possibility that cement may be manufactured in the near future (circa 1906) at the limestone quarries in Secs. 7, 17, 18, and 20, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., M. D. M. L. M. Hancock, Fortuna, Humboldt County.”

  • Butte County Mines and Mineral Resources (circa 1915-1916) - Excerpts from Report XV of the State Mineralogist, Mines and Mineral Resources of Portions of California, Chapters of State Mineralogist's Report Biennial Period 1915-1916, Part II. The Counties of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Sutter and Tehama, California State Mining Bureau, 1919, pp. 181-266. (Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    Introduction (Butte County)

    "The field work in Butte County was completed in December, 1916. About three weeks were spent along a route including Chico, Centerville, Nimshew, Hupps, Magalia, Stirling, Cherokee, Oroville and Forbestown. Many of the mines were visited and information was obtained concerning many of the old mines and prospects. Mention is made of all mines both operative and inoperative with a hope that a word about the development of old properties might enlighten new prospectors...."

    Description (of Butte County)

    "Butte County is located in the north-central part of the state. It is bounded on the north by Tehama and Plumas counties, on the south by Sutter and Yuba counties, on the east by Plumas and Yuba counties, and on the west by Glenn and Colusa counties. It has an area of 1764 square miles supporting a population, in 1910, of 27,301. Oroville, the county seat, originally incorporated in 1857, has a population of 3859, while Chico, originally incorporated in 1872, has a population of 3750.

    "The county includes a considerable area of flat low valley land, east of the Sacramento river and northwest of the Feather River, which produces grain, rice, hops, alfalfa, and citrus and deciduous fruits. Clays in this portion of the county are available for the manufacture of brick, and certain gravels are being dredged for gold. The northeastern portion of the county extends into the Sierras and in places reaches an elevation of 7000 feet. In this upper portion of the county mining and timbering are the principal industries, although a few apples, berries, etc., are grown.

    Power (in Butte County)

    "The greater part of Butte County is well provided with electric power, since four companies are in the field (circa 1916)...."

    Transportation (in Butte County)

    "The county is well served by railroads and roads...."

    Geology (of Butte County)

    "The bedrock series of the higher portion of Butte County is made up principally of granite and granodiorite, which have intruded the older diabase and amphibolite with their overlying slates, quartzites and limestones of carboniferous age. The amphibolite lies in a belt generally NW.-SE. trend along the west side of the granitic area.

    "The series has in places been intruded by basic serpentine and acid quartz veins. Considerable areas are covered by sediments, including aluriferous gravels and volcanic rocks. The volcanic series consists of an older basalt overlain by andesite conglomerate, tuff and breccia, all of Tertiary age and in places overlain by a later basalt or dolerite of probable Pleistocene age.

    "The western portion of the county consists largely of alluvial gravels, sands, and clays sloping gently from the foothills towards the Sacramento river to the west.

    Mineral Production (in Butte County)

    "Since 1880 Butte County has produced brick, chrome, copper, diamonds, gold, lead, limestone, mineral paint, mineral water, platinum, silver and stone...."

  • Butte, County, California, Mineral Resources & Introduction to the Butte County Area of California (circa 1915) - Excerpt from Sacramento Valley and Foothill Counties of California: An Illustrated Description of all the Counties Embraced in this Richly productive Geographical Subdivision of the Golden State, compiled and edited by Emmett Phillips and John H. Miller, Published under the direction of The Sacramento Valley Exposition, J. A. Filcher, Director-in Chief, January, 1915.

    Butte County

    "Butte County is situated on the east side of the great Sacramento Valley. Its boundaries extend from the Sacramento River on the west to the higher altitudes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the east and hence it embodies within its confines every variety of scenery, valley, foothill and mountain.

    "The Sacramento River, which forms the county's western boundary, is California's largest stream and is navigable by river steamers throughout the year. Other important streams that traverse Butte are the Feather (and its branches), Butte Creek, Chico Creek and Honcut Creek, all of which rise in the Sierra Nevadas and flow through the county into the Sacramento. The Feather River is a large stream and drains an area of approximately 4,000 square miles, furnishing numerous sites for power plants and irrigation dams. Its scenic beauty has made it world famous.

    "The products of Butte County are many, in fact, its soil will produce practically every variety of crop that can be grown in California. The list of products includes cereals of all kinds, hay, deciduous and citrus fruits, nuts, grapes, berries, melons, vegetables, sugar beets, hemp, flax, hops, forest products, gold and other minerals. The fruits principally grown for market are oranges, olives, figs, peaches, pears, prunes, plums, apricots, apples, cherries and nectarines. Among other furits (sic) grown are the avacado (sic) or alligator pear, lemons, limes, pomellos, pomegranates, Japanese persimmons and loquats. Banana and date palms are grown in favored spots for ornamental purposes. Many nurseries exist for the propagation of these plants.

    "Olives have been grown for half a century and it has been fully demonstrated that the tree has found a natural home here. Climate and soil are particularly adapted to olive culture. The trees bear heavy crops and are free from tree diseases and insect pests. Butte County olives are known the world over. The growth of the industry may be judged by the fact that the value of the olive crop has increased 400 per cent during the past five years.

    "Approximately thirty thousand acres in Butte County are devoted to deciduous fruit trees. All the standard shipping and canning varieties are grown. Deciduous fruit orchards are found in every part of the county, although the bulk of the fruit, with the exception of the apple yield, is grown on valley and foothill lands. The mountain sections produce Winter apples of superior size and quality. The future of the apple industry can hardly be overstated.

    "Figs are grown in many parts of the county. This is a crop that is now attracting much attention. Since the Calimyrna fig has been introduced, which is a delicious white variety, suited for both fresh and dried sale, fig growing is becoming another important and profitable industry.

    "The orange is one of Butte's most valuable crops, several thousand acres being planted to this delicious citrus fruit.

    "Grapes attain early perfection in Butte County. An almost endless variety of table and wine grapes is grown. These grapes are marketed in the eastern part of the United States and in Europe. The first raisins produced in California were dried at a vineyard at Pentz, in this county.

    "The almond is yet another important crop. In some localities, particularly adapted to culture of this nut, growers make large profits.

    "The growing of cereals is an important industry in Butte. Thousands of acres are planted to grain. During the past few years rice culture has been undertaken on a large scale. Experiments have proved that certain valley soils are excellent for rice production and the crop is now a means of steady and substantial incomes to hundreds of farmers. The United States Government maintains a rice experimental station near Biggs, where several hundred varieties of rice are being grown under different conditions to ascertain what variety of the product and what conditions are best adapted to the soil and climate of the Sacramento Valley.

    "The United States Government also maintains a large Plant Introduction Garden near Chico (circa 1915), where thousands of varieties of vines and trees are being propagated by government experts for the purpose of improving old and introducing new varieties of fruits, berries, vegetables, cereals, forage plants, etc.

    "Fine forests of merchantable timber clothe the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Butte County at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. The principal woods are sugar pine, the finest of soft pines; yellow pine, spruce, fir and cedar. The larger trees grow to a height of 200 feet or more and attain a diameter of from four to ten feet. The great mountain forests of Butte are most valuable possessions and are contributing much to the material prosperity of the county. Properly fostered, they will continue to contribute to prosperity for many generations. The rapidity which characterizes growth of young trees is assurance of inexhaustible timber wealth in the future.

    "Among the forest trees is one of great value. This is the Abietine, or orange-flavored pine, which is not known to grow in quantity elsewhere. The Abietine pine contains medicinal properties of great value. At the headwaters of Butte Creek, fifty miles northeast of Oroville at an altitude of 6,000 feet is a large grove of these rare trees.

    "The gold mines of the county have been famous since early days. The placer mines along the streams yielded big fortunes to the first gold seekers. To-day (circa 1915) mining is still an important industry and the total gold output exceeds $2,000,000 annually. The mountains are seamed with gold-bearing quartz ledges, and deep mining on scientific methods is followed with success. The gravel along the river beds contains much fine gold and this has given rise to dredge mining, which is now a big industry. One of the richest dredging fields in the State is along the Feather River in the vicinity of Oroville.

    "Butte County is also the scene of extensive electric power development. The swift mountain streams afford a wealth of energy, the value of which can hardly be estimated. Upon these streams electric power is being developed to light cities and to turn the wheels of industrial plants hundreds of miles away.

    "Oroville, on the Feather, is the county seat, and Chico, the seat of a State Normal School, the largest city; they are thriving modern cities. There are many fine schools and churches and the county as a whole is one rich in industries and its people progressive and prosperous."

  • Butte County Mineral Industry (circa 1919) - Excerpt from California Mineral Production for 1919, Bulletin No. 88, by Walter W. Bradley, California State Mining Bureau, 1920, pp. 143.

    Area: 1,722 square miles.
    Population: 30,030 (1920 census).
    Location: North-central portion of state.

    "Butte, twenty-third county in California in regard to the value of its mineral output, reported a commercial production of nine mineral substances, having a total value of $803,829, as compared with $873,035 for 1918, the decrease being due to chromite. As will be noted in the following tabulation, gold is by far the most important item. Butte stands sixth among the gold-producing counties of the state. Among the mineral resources of this section are asbestos, barytes, chromite, gems, gold, limestone, marble, mineral water, platinum minerals, silver and miscellaneous stone.

    "Commercial value for 1919 was as follows:

    (Headings for the information below are: Substance, Amount, and Value.)

    Gold, ---, $700,000 (estimated)
    Mineral water, 6,532 gals., $2,388
    Platinum, 33 oz., $5,071
    Silver, ---, $2,500 (estimated)
    Stone, miscellaneous, ---, $92,765
    Other minerals,* ---, $1,106
    (Total value) $803,829

    (* Includes gems and natural gas.)

    Butte County, 1916 Map, from California Mineral Production for 1919 (with County Maps), Bulletin No. 88, by Walter W. Bradley, California State Mining Bureau, San Francisco: California State Printing Office, 1920, pp. 184. Butte County, 1916 Map, from California Mineral Production for 1919
  • Butte County Limestone Industry and Deposits - Excerpts from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. (Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    Butte County

    "The limestone deposits of Butte County were mentioned in the report of the Geological Survey of California (Whitney, J. D., 65, pp. 209-212).* This alludes briefly to the Pence's Ranch (now Pentz) limestone, saying that portions of it would make good gray marble and the lime burned from it is of good quality.

    (* Josiah Dwight Whitney, Geological Survey of California, Geology, vol. 1; Report of Progress and Synopsis of the Field Work from 1860 to 1864, xxvii, 498 pp., 1865.)

    "In the same report (p. 210), it is stated that

    'The fossils found in these limestones, although imperfect, are sufficient to identify them as of the same age as those of Bass's Ranch (Shasta County, see Redding folio, U. S. Geol. Survey) which are pronounced by Mr. Meek to be carboniferous. Porductus semireticulatus and Spirifer lineatus were recognized by Mr. Gabb and a portion of the rock is made up of the stems of crinoids, too much obliterated to allow of their generic relations being made out.'

    "The reader should consider what has been published in late years about the age of the limestones called 'Carboniferous' by the first geological survey, and by geologists in general up to 12 years ago. Reference to recent work by Norman E. A. Hinds of the University of California and H. E. Wheeler of Stanford University, placing the McCloud limestone in the Permian, is made herein under Shasta County. Their findings may bear directly on the age of much of the limestone in the Sierra Nevada.

    "The limestone in Butte County has been exploited in only a small way to make lime for local use and shipments to outside points were made for one or two seasons from deposits in Feather River Canyon. However, the deposits in the Pentz region were investigated nearly 40 years ago by Whitman Symmes and later by Robert J. Burgess, to determine their suitability as sources of limestone and shale for a Portland cement plant. The writer is indebted to the latter especially for information on the Arlington, Marysville, Parish and Wilson deposits, and for analyses made by the late Professor W. C. Blasdale of the state university, and others.

    "Deposits on or near the North Fork of Feather River and close to the Western Pacific Railroad are now the most accessible in the county and could supply local demands."

  • Butte County, Mines and Mineral Resources (circa 1949) - Excerpts from "Mines and Mineral Resources of Butte County, California," California Journal of Mines and Geology, pp. Vol. 45, No. 3, July 1949, pp. 417-454. (Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)
    • Butte County, by J. C. O'Brien, District Mining Engineer, Redding District, Manuscript submitted for publication December 1, 1948.

      Abstract

      "Butte County, situated in north-central California, has a land area of 1,722 square miles. Its western boundary is in the flat Sacramento Valley, and the Sierra Nevada trends northwestward along its eastern boundary. The western half of the county is covered with alluvial gravel. The Sierra Nevada has a core of granite and granodiorite which has intruded the meta-volcanics and meta-sedimentary slates, quartzites, and limestones. These metamorphics were intruded by serpentine in some areas and covered by Pliocene and Miocene basalt in other areas.

      "Gold placer mining of some of the rich stream gravels and ancient channels has been active since the early days of the gold rush. The first floating bucket-line edge was built and operated in the Oroville district. The fact that some of the gravel has been profitably worked a second and third time shows that continual progress is being made in dredging techniques. Gold dredging was the principal mining industry at the time the survey was made for this report.

      "The gold quartz mines have been closed because of the high cost of labor and materials. A zinc-copper mine in the Big Bend district operated for three years during the war and produced a substantial amount of copper, zinc, and lead for the war effort. A small amount of asbestos and chromite was mined in the Magalia district. Gravel plants have been active, using the dredge tailings as raw material. The sand and gravel produced were second to gold in value of production.

      "Richardson Mineral Springs east of Chico has been developed into a very popular resort and attracts many people through the year.

      Introduction

      Geography (of Butte County)

      "Butte County is situated in the north-central part of California. It derives its name from three prominent peaks known as the Marysville Buttes which rise from a short range of mountains in the northwestern part of Sutter County. It is bounded on the north by Tehama County, on the east by Plumas County, on the southeast by Yuba County, on the south by Sutter County, and on the west by Glenn and Colusa Counties. It has a land area of 1,722 square miles, which includes 896,045 acres of privately owned land, 683,852 acres in farms, and 212,193 acres in forest and other types of land. Public lands include 165,555 acres, of which 111,524 acres are in the Plumas and Lassen National Forests and State Parks.

      "Oroville, the county seat, is located on the Feather River in the south-central part of the county. The 1940 census reported a population of 42,840 for Butte County. The population was estimated to be 52,100 in 1946.*

      (* Page 418 footnote: California Blue Book, p. 477, 1946.)

      Topography (of Butte County)

      "The western half of Butte County is in the flat Sacramento Valley. It has a minimum elevation of 60 feet, but the land rises from the low foothills in the central portion to ridges, with a maximum elevation of 6,650 feet, in the Sierra Nevada which forms the eastern boundary. The mountains are very rugged, and the North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork of Feather River flow in deep canyons. Feather Falls of Fall River, a tributary to Middle Fork, is 640 feet high and is exceeded in California only by the falls of Yosemite National Park. About 15 miles northeast of Oroville, Bald Rock, a granite cliff, rises to an elevation of 3,300 feet above a canyon.

      "The Sacramento and Feather Rivers and their tributaries are the principal streams which drain and irrigate Butte County.

      "The climate varies with the elevation. In the flat western portion, the summers are long, hot, and dry, but are much cooler in the high northeastern portion. Rainfall varies from 20 to 30 inches annually. Snowfall is heavy in the higher mountains, but rare in the valleys.

      Transportation (in Butte County)

      "The main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad runs northwestward through western Butte County and has branch lines from Honcut to Oroville, and from Chico east to Sterling City. The Western Pacific Railway enters Oroville from the south and follows the scenic Feather River Canyon northeastward into Plumas County. The Northwestern Pacific Railway connects Chico and Oroville with Sacramento. Bus and highway freight lines operate over the Pacific and Feather River highways. There are 1,835 miles of state and county roads of which 313 miles are paved.*

      (* Page 419, footnote 2: California Blue Book, p. 479, 1946.)

      Geology (of Butte County)

      ".The western half of the county is covered by alluvial gravel, sand, and sediments which slope gently westward from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada to the broad Sacramento Valley. The Sierra Nevada which trends northwestward through the eastern half of the county has a core of granite and granodiorite which has intruded the older meta-volcanics and meta-sedimentary slates, quartzites, and limestones. These older metamorphics have been in turn intruded in places by serpentine and in other places covered by Pliocene and Miocene basalt flows...."

      Mines and Mineral Resources (in Butte County)

      "The first successful floating bucket-line dredge was put into operation on the Feather River at Oroville, on March 1, 1898. This was the beginning of a new method of placer mining which rapidly developed and spread throughout northern California. The placer gold produced by the dredges on the Feather River and its tributaries and by the hydraulic and drift mines in the Cherokee and Magalia districts, has been the chief source of mineral wealth in Butte County. There is a recorded production of more than $71,000,000 in gold since records were first compiled in 1880, but the grand total must be several times that amount, for the early-day placers were very rich. Miscellaneous stone, a by-product of the dredges, is next to gold in value of production. It amounted to $147,534 in 1946. The platinum-group metals have been produced as by-products of placer gold mining. Except when the Big Bend mine was in operation (1942-45), copper and lead have been produced mainly as by-products of the gold quartz mines.

      "Other minerals that have been produced in the county include asbestos, chromite, clay, coal, diamonds, limestone, manganese, mineral paint, mineral water, natural gas, medicinal salt, and soapstone. Earlier reports* describing the mines and mineral resources of Butte County were prepared by Logan, Miner, and Waring."

      (* Page 420 footnote 13: Logan, Ca. A., Butte County: California Min. Bur. Rept. 24, pp. 172-210, 1928, Report 26, pp. 360-412, 1930. Miner, J. A., Butte County: California Min. Bur. Rept. 10, pp. 124-146, 1890. Waring, C. A. Butte County: California Min. Bur. Rept. 15, pp. 181-225, 1916.)

      Limestone (in Butte County)

      "Deposits of limestone and marble which occur in the eastern half of Butte County have not been worked in recent years (circa 1948). They were described by Logan.*

      (* Page 433, footnote 15: Logan, C. A., Limestone in California: California Jour. Mines and Geology, vol. 43, pp. 175-357, map, 1947.)

      Soapstone (in Butte County)

      "Soapstone has been mined from patented land in sec. 32, T. 22 N., R. 5 E., M. D., owned by Anna Grant McLean of San Francisco. It was shipped to the bay area and used for roofing granules. There has been no production recorded since 1940."

Butte County - List of Stone Quarries, Etc. *

(* Please note this list does not include sand or gravel quarries.)

  • Butte County, California - Chico Ochre and Metallic Company (Talc) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Chico Ochre and Metallic Company; Park Henshaw, Chico, secretary. In Sec. 6, T. 22 N., R. 4 E., talc was observed lying near the ochre, and talc float and croppings were encountered. It has not been developed nor prospected."

  • Butte County, California - J. A. Clark (Talc Deposit) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "J. A. Clark, owner. In Sec. 3, T. 21 N., R. 5 E., in the Big Bend of the North Fork of Feather River, occurs a deposit of talc of the tailor's chalk variety. The talc occurs in narrow layers, in serpentine trending northwest and southeast, dipping to the northeast."

  • Butte County, California - Curtis Ranch (Volcanic Tuff) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Curtis Ranch, in Sec. 7, T. 21 N., R. 4 E.; J. G. Curtis, Pentz, owner. Volcanic tuff of coarse grain and dark color has been quarried for local building purposes; it is easily worked and hardens with exposure."

  • Butte County, California - Green Rock Quarries (Stone) (active ca 1996) (From Mines and Mineral Producers Active in California (1994-1995), Special Publication 103 (Revised 1996), California Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology, in cooperation with California Department of Conservation, Office of Mine Reclamation. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    Mine name: Green Rock Quarries; Operator: Green Rock Quarries; Address & County: 115 Ridge Way, Oroville, CA 95966, Butte County; Phone: (916) 589-3646; Latitude: 39.60, Longitude: -121.59, and Mine location number: Map No. 30; Mineral commodity: Stone.

  • Butte County, California - Limestone Quarries - Cement (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "There is a possibility that cement may be manufactured in the near future at the limestone quarries in Secs. 7, 17, 18, and 20, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., M. D. M. L. M. Hancock, Fortuna, Humboldt County."

  • Butte County, California - Edward Martin (Soapstone Deposit) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Edward Martin, Brush Creek P,. O., reports a deposit of soapstone in Secs. 7 and 8, T. 21 N., R. 6 E."

  • Butte County, California - Marysville Limestone (Limestone) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Marysville Limestone. The Marysville deposit is owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Arlington Properties Company, 245 Market Street, San Francisco. It is in secs. 7 and 18, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., 350 feet above the West Branch of Feather River and a quarter of a mile west of it, and about three-eighths of a mile from the road.

    "This is a small lens of limestone, partly covered on the north end by lava. It is claimed that there are about 150,000 tons 'in sight.' Judging from the following analysis by Professor W. C. Blasdale, it is of very good quality:"

    SiO2, 0.23 percent
    Al2O3, 0.36 percent
    Fe2O3, 0.10 percent
    CaO, 54.62 percent
    MgO, 0.52 percent
    Loss on ignition, 43.69 percent
    Co2, 43.31 percent
    Purity as CaCO3, 97.50 percent

  • Butte County, California - McLean Limestone - Anna Grant McLean (Limestone)

    See: Feather River (in the Big Bend of the North Fork), Butte County, California - the Big Bend Marble Quarry below.

  • Butte County, California, Butte County, California - Parish Limestone (Limestone) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Parish limestone is assessed to Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 245 Market Street, San Francisco. It is in the E ½ sec. 18, T. 12 N., R. 4 E., M. D., about half a mile east of the Pentz-Nelson Bar-Yankee Hill road. There is a small quarry and a short adit on this land which supplied limestone for a kiln operated 40 years ago. It is one of the deposits which has been investigated for possible use in making cement. Analyses made by Smith Emery & Co., and by W. C. Blasdale indicated from 95.6 to 98.47 percent CaCo3, from 0.62 to 2 percent silica and less than 1 percent each of alumina, iron oxide, and magnesia. It may contain 250,000 tons to a depth of 100 feet if surface dimensions are maintained to that depth.

  • Butte County, California - Pentz Marble (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Pentz Marble. In N. W. ¼ of Sec. 8, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., M. D. M.; J. G. Curtis, Pentz, owner. Several years ago Mr. Curtis burned lime from this deposit. A handsome black mottled marble slab 4 feet long, 1 foot wide, and 4 inches thick, from this quarry has been exhibited in San Francisco and Oroville as a demonstration of the value of the limestone for marble, but no extensive quarrying for marble has been done. The ledge extends for a mile northwest and southeast through the center of Section 8, and is exposed for a width of 300 feet."

    Pentz Marble: Also see:

    Nelson Bar Bridge (in the vicinity of), Butte County, California - Arlington Group of Limestone Deposits - Arlington Properties Company (Limestone)

  • Butte County, California - Wilson Limestone Deposits (Limestone) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Wilson limestone is assessed to Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 245 Market Street, San Francisco. It is in S ½ NE ¼ sec. 18, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., as possible sources of limestone for making Portland cement. Analyses indicate a high-calcium limestone with 1.27 to 1.70 percent SiO2 and very low alumina, iron oxide, and magnesia content."

  • Chico northeast of), Butte County, California - Mickey Deposit (Limestone & Lime Kiln) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Mickey deposit is assessed to F. K. Mickey, general delivery, Chico. It is in sec. 31, T. 24 N., R. 3 E., M. D., at an elevation of 1500 feet and 16 ½ miles northeast of Chico by road. Many years ago a lime kiln was operated here and lime was hauled to Chico for local use. There has been no recent work. The deposit was not visited because of its distance from possible markets, but is believed to be small."

  • Clear Creek, Butte County, California - E. Taylor (Soapstone and/or Talc) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    E. Taylor, Soapstone and/or Talc Quarry, located in Clear Creek, Butte County, California.

  • Feather River (in the Big Bend of the North Fork), Butte County, California - the Big Bend Marble Quarry (Marble) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Big Bend Marble Quarry, in Sec. 32, T. 22 N., R. 5 E., M. D. M.; John A. Clark, Yankee Hill, owner. Two ledges of limestone marble occur in the Big Bend of the North Fork of Feather River. The main ledge is a blue limestone, striking northwest and crossing the river; it is exposed 1200 feet south of the river, and extends southeast about 2000 feet. It has been prospected by an open cut from 20 to 50 feet wide. Northeast of this exposure occurs a ledge of white marble of fair quality. More attention has been given to the development of the blue ledge, from which samples have been shown to sustain a high polish."

    • Feather River, Butte County, California - Big Bend Marble Quarry (Marble) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

      "Big Bend marble quarry is located in sec. 32, T. 22 N., R. 5 E., M. D., (Aubury, L. E. 06, p. 98). Until the Western Pacific Railroad was built, this land could be reached only by trail, but is now close to the railroad line. Some limestone was shipped from here in 1929 (see McLean limestone). One lens of limestone, blue and said to take a high polish, crosses the river and extends southeast for some distance. Another, of white marble, is reported northeast of the first."

    • Feather River, Butte County, California - McLean Limestone - Anna Grant McLean (Limestone) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

      "McLean limestone is assessed to Anna Grant McLean, San Francisco. It is on patented mineral land in sec. 32, T. 22 N., R. 5 E., M. D., in the canyon of North Fork of Feather River, near the stream and the Western Pacific Railroad line. In 1929 the late W. S. McLean shipped a few hundred tons of limestone from this deposit, and this is the only recorded production from the immediate locality, although marble deposits have been known and briefly described previously. See Big Bend marble."

  • Marble Creek, Butte County, California - Marble Creek Quarry(ies) (Marble) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Marble Creek. In Sec. 10, T. 22 N., R. 6 E., M. D. M., a heavy cropping of white marble occurs on the west bank of Marble Creek, crossing the creek on its northwest and southeast strike. Some local use has been made of the marble in interior structural work."

  • Nelson Bar Bridge (in the vicinity of), Butte County, California - Arlington Group of Limestone Deposits - Arlington Properties Company (Limestone) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Arlington group is assessed to Arlington Properties Company, c/o Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 245 Market Street, San Francisco. For the purposes of this report, a number of limestone deposits in the vicinity of Nelson Bar bridge, and not far from the Pentz-Nelson Bar-Yankee Hill road, have been grouped under this name. Although this bridge is only 2 miles from the Western Pacific Railroad, the intervening country is rough and steep, and there is no road connection. Oroville is from 15 miles to 17 ½ miles south. At different times, these deposits and some others mentioned hereafter in this report, have been examined and sampled with the idea of making them the source of supply for a Portland cement plant. With the exception of some lime production years ago the present Arlington No. 1 and the Parish deposits, the only work done upon them has been a little prospecting for marble in the NW ¼ sec. 8, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., M.D.

    "Arlington No. 1 (formerly Hodapp or Curtis) is in NW ¼ sec. 8, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., about a quarter of a mile east of Nelson Bar bridge at an elevation of 900 feet and close to the Pentz-Yankee Hill road. This is probably the largest deposit of the district, with about 1,000,000 tons claimed in sight and much more probable. The analyses indicate a rather siliceous limestone with appreciable amounts of MgO.

    Analysis by Smith Emery & Company

    SiO2, 0.48 percent
    A12O3, 0.21 percent
    Fe2O3, 0.39 percent
    CaO, 54.48 percent
    MgO, 2.97 percent

    Analysis by Prof. W. C. Blasdale

    SiO2, 7.38 percent
    Al2O3, 3.59 percent
    Fe2O3, 1.68 percent
    CaO, 45.00 percent
    MgO, 2.79 percent

    "Arlington No. 2 (formerly Durbrow) is a small deposit, perhaps less than 100,000 tons. It is in sec. 8, T. 21 N., R. 4 E. at an elevation of about 500 feet near the West Branch of Feather River. An analysis by Prof. W. C. Blasdale gave:

    SiO2, 2.12 percent
    Al2O3, 0.54 percent
    Fe2O3, none
    CaO, 52.45 percent
    MgO, 1.94

    "Arlington No. 3 (formerly Nix) in SE ¼ sec. 8, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., half a mile from the West Branch and about three-quarters of a mile from either of two roads to Pentz. There are several small lenses of limestone on this quarter-section. If they remain of the same cross-section areas to a depth of 100 feet as are shown at the surface, they may contain 800,000 tons to that depth.

    "Two analyses indicate 96 percent CaCo3, 1 percent each of Al2O3 and MgO, and less than 1 percent SiO2.

    "Arlington No. 4 (also called Cliffs No. 2) is in the N ½ SW ¼ sec. 17, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., at an elevation of 600 feet on west side of West Branch of Feather River. The area of limestone on the surface is nearly an acre and if the cross-section remains of equal size to a depth of 100 feet it would give about 340,000 tons. Analyses by Smith Emery & Company and Professor W. C. Blasdale give the following ranges:

    From 89. 6% to 95. 6% CaCO3
    From 2.18% to 6.28% SiO2
    From 0.08% to 1.02% Fe2O3
    From 0.35% to 0.82% Al2O3
    From 0.12% to 1.33% MgO

    "Arlington No. 5 (also called Cliffs No. 1) is just west of West Branch of Feather River, in SE ¼ sec. 17, T. 21 N., R. 4 E., at an elevation of 600 feet. There are several lenses of limestone in this quarter section. If they maintain to a depth of 100 feet the same dimensions shown at the surface, they would contain about 380,000 tons.

    "Analyses quoted by Burgess show the following ranges of variation:

    SiO2 from 0.78 to 12.14%
    Al2O3 from 0.39 to 1.9%
    Fe2O3 from 0.04 to 1.16%
    MgO from 0.10 to 0.54%
    CaCo3 from 84.00 to 98.00%"

  • Oroville, Butte County, California - Natomas Consolidated of California (Crushed Rock) (Excerpt from Report XV of the State Mineralogist, Mines and Mineral Resources of Portions of California, Chapters of State Mineralogist's Report Biennial Period 1915-1916, Part II. The Counties of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Sutter and Tehama, California State Mining Bureau, 1919, pp. 181-266. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Crusher No. 2 of the Natomas Consolidated of California is operating at Oroville (circa 1916). It crushes cobbles from the old dredge tailings, converting them into rock suitable for building purposes...."

    "The plant has a capacity of about 1000 tons of crushed rock per day and employs 23 men. The production of this plant is gradually being cut down, since the company's plant at Fair Oaks, Sacramento County, is large enough to supply the demand and is nearer to the market.

    "Owned and operated by the Natomas Consolidated of California, Rock Crushing Department, Forum Building, Sacramento; H. W. Thorne, manager, at Oroville."

    Photo No. 1. Rock crushing plant of the Natomas Consolidated of California at Oroville. Capacity 1000 tons of crushed rock per day Rock crushing plant of the Natomas Consolidated of California at Oroville
  • Pentz, Butte County, California - West Branch (Lime), A. Parrish (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    West Branch Lime Quarry, located in Pentz, Butte County, California, owned by A. Parrish.

  • Poe (near), Butte County, California - Poe (King) Limestone Deposit (Limestone) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

    "Poe (King) deposit is owned by El Dorado Limestone Company, Shingle Springs, California; J. H. Bell is general manager. It is in sec. 18, T. 22 N., R. 5 E., near Poe, 4 miles south of Pulga and partly just above the tracks of the Western Pacific Railroad. It is a small but high-grade deposit and well located for cheap mining and loading on railroad cars. It was opened in 1929 and produced several hundred tons, but in 1930 was purchased by the present owner and has remained idle since."

  • Sucker Run Creek, Butte County, California - Mooretown Marble Quarry(ies) (Marble) (From The Structural and Industrial Materials of California, Bulletin No. 38, California, State Mining Bureau, San Francisco, California, 1906.)

    "Mooretown Marble. Sec. 24, T. 20 N., R. 6 E., M. D. M.; Golden West Mining Company; R. M. Green, Oroville. A ledge of white marble is exposed on the north side of Sucker Run Creek for about 40 feet above the surface of the stream and for 20 to 30 feet wide. The north extension of the ledge was traced for about 100 feet.

    • Butte County, California - Mooretown Marble (Marble) (Excerpt from "Limestone in California," by Clarence A. Logan, California Journal of Mines and Geology, Vol. 43, No. 3, July 1947, California Division of Mines, San Francisco, California, pp. 175-357. Used with permission, California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey.)

      "Mooretown Marble. A ledge of 'white marble' has been mentioned 2 miles southeast of Mooretown. It has not been visited, as it is about 20 miles from the railroad. It is said to be 20 to 30 feet wide and 100 feet long is outcrop."

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