Hi Patrick,
Some information on the Alleghany Mining District.
gemandmineral.com
Potential of Original Sixteen
to One Gold Mine
Geologic research in the fields of
thermodynamics, geochemistry and plate
tectonics during the past 20 years has greatly
improved our understanding of crustal evolution
and the distribution of metals in the earth's
crust. Throughout the world in Canada, Africa
and Australia, major gold deposits are found
within a suite of rocks referred to as
greenstones. The name greenstone refers to
the color of the rock acquired during
metamorphism: greenschist facies
metamorphism. The Mother Lode and
Alleghany mining districts also lie within a
greenstone belt that contains world-class gold
deposits, one of which is the Sixteen to One
vein system with production of more than 31
metric tons of gold.
Our understanding of how this deposit formed
has been evolving for over 85 years. A process
called carbonate metasomatism formed ribbon
quartz veins along en echelon faults that are
secondary to the crustal suture known as the
Melones fault. These secondary veins (the
Sixteen to One), formed by replacement as
aqueous fluids ascending through cracks in the
earth's crust, removed accessory cations from
wall rock minerals.
The Melones fault is the remnant of a
compressive or transpressional environment
common to convergent plate margins. This fault
marks the boundary along which oceanic
crustal rock is emplaced against the continent.
The fracture system along which the quartz
veins formed is an expression of the forces and
motion along the crustal suture. The Alleghany
fracture system originates at the Melones fault
which is the conduit for the large volume of
fluid that formed the vein system. The volume
of fluid can be calculated with reasonable
accuracy because the fluid composition is
known from fluid inclusion chemistry. The
volume of the end product, which is quartz, is
known from mining. Fluid chemistry assures us
that there is vein continuity to the depth of the
Melones fault.
To evaluate the model extending the Sixteen to
One ore chute at its recorded rake to the
junction with the Melones fault, we compare
pressure/temperature boundary conditions to a
model developed during 20 years of
thermodynamic research. The model states that
gold precipitation occurs at 300-500 degrees C.
and 1-3 kb. Fluid inclusion studies conducted
on vein quartz from the Alleghany district
indicate formation temperatures that lie within
the above boundaries. Sensitivity of the system
to the temperature gradient along the fluid path
is simpler and more predictable than its
sensitivity to the pressure gradient which is
responsive to block motion in addition to depth.
Considering Ferguson and Gannett's estimate of
a two mile thickness of pre-Cretaceous
overburden, the 2600 foot level is at 1 kb (PL).
Sinking another 3,200 feet vertically to the
Melones fault would only add another 0.25 kb
to the boundary conditions. Another 23,000
feet of overburden could be added before
reaching the 3 kb limit.
Projecting the rake of the Sixteen to One pay
chute to the Melones fault indicates a distance
as great as 12,600 feet. Presently the Sixteen
to One gold deposit has been mined to a depth
of 3,000 feet with production of more than a
million ounces of gold. At a production rate of
one million ounces per 3,000 feet, the potential
exists for the production of several million
ounces before the system dives steeply into the
Melones fault.
A Chronological History of the Mine
1849
Beginning of the California
Gold Rush
1852
Placer Mining began in the
Alleghany District with the
discovery of the first gold by
Hawaiian sailors.
1853
Earliest report of lode
mining (Rainbow and Irelan
mines).
1861
Peak of placer production in
the Alleghany district.
1870
The Placer Act limits placer
claims to 160 acres.
1882
A 1000 troy ounce slab of
quartz and gold from the
Rainbow mine on display in
San Francisco.
1891
Ruby and Bald Mountain
Extension mines only ones
to maintain payroll.
1891
Three-way partnership
formed to relocate vein
(Tightner vein) from the
Knickerbocker tunnel.
1896
William Jennings Bryan gave
"Cross of Gold" speech
advocating coinage minted
from 16 parts silver to 1 part
gold. (16-1)
1896
Tom Bradbury located the
Sixteen to One vein in his
backyard.
March 14, 1900
U.S. on gold standard.
1908
H.L. Johnson applies for
patent on Contract, Contract
Extension and consolidates
Rainbow, Red Star & El
Dorado.
1908
T. Bradbury options Sixteen
to One to partnership of
Lawson, Wilson and Van
der Beugle, they hit rich ore
and Wilson slips out of town
with the gold.
1911
H.L. Johnson sells his
interest in the Tightner to
O'Brien, Foote & Assoc.
($550,000).
October 6, 1911
J.G. Jury, W.I. Smart and
H.K. Montgomery
incorporate as Original
Sixteen to One Mine, Inc.
1918
Tightner Mine has produced
$3M and distributed $.5M in
dividends under Foote &
O'Brien.
1919
Sixteen to One's
Twenty-one Mine litigation.
Settlement of $93,000 in
favor of Sixteen to One
which bought the
Twenty-one Mine for
$60,000.
1922
Sixteen to One has
discovered orebodies to the
value of: $2M, $1M, and
several at $.2M.
April 23, 1923
Dr. R.G. Raymond
(Mariposa Mine Assoc.)
quit-claims Ophir and
Eclipse properties to the
Sixteen to One.
1924
80 pound lot of ore from the
Sixteen to One yields
$5,000.
1924
The "Sixteen" has paid
$1.283M in dividends.
1925
Sixteen to One acquires
Tightner Mine from
Alleghany Mining Co. (Fred
Searles).
1928
a 160 pound chunk of ore
form the Sixteen to One
mine yields $28,000.
1930
Depression. Payroll
averages 80 to 100 men.
1934
Price of gold fixed at $35
per troy ounce.
1934
Bullion receipts of the
Sixteen to One total $.578M
for the year. Dividends that
year were $.287M (almost
50% of bullion receipts).
1940
Up to this year, $4.4M in
dividends paid out.
1940
Peak of U.S. gold
production. 150 tons for
1940.
August 25, 1941
F.F. Cassidy buys the South
Fork properties on behalf of
the Sixteen to One.
October 8, 1942
War Production Board
Order L-208 reduces mining
activities in many mines to
nil.
1942
Up to this date Sixteen to
One has mined .608M tons
of ore with a yield of .749M
ounces of gold. Handsorting
totalled 164 tons with
73.25% of the yield.
April 15, 1943
Sixteen to One acquires
Rainbow property.
1954
Fire in hoist room of the
Tightner shaft.
October 18,
1954
Rainbow Extension and
Fraction acquired.
December 9,
1965
Sixteen to One mine phases
out of mining, having
produced over 1M ounces of
gold.
March 17, 1968
London Pool dissolved; U.S.
off the gold standard.
January 1, 1975
U.S. citizens permitted to
own gold.
1976
Lease to the Sixteen to One
Mining Co., an unrelated
Nevada Corporation.
1977
Tightner Mines merger.
Proxy fight for the control of
the company commences.
January 21,
1980
Price of gold reaches a high
of $850 per ounce.
July 14, 1983
Lucky Chance Mining
Corporation acquires
Sixteen to One Mining Co.
and changes name to LCM
Corporation.
April 27, 1984
High-grade ore discovered
by LCM Corporation.
November 14,
1984
Bald Mountain Partnership
options Forest properties to
Sixteen to One.
January 27,
1985
Company modifies lease.
Red Star claim reconveyed
to Sixteen to One.
March, 1985
Company acquires old
school in Alleghany.
April 1, 1985
Transwestern Mining takes
over as operator of central
lease from Kanaka Creek
Joint Venture. (KCJV).
May 13, 1985
Completion of first audit in
thirty years.
February 24,
1985
Lowest price of gold in this
decade. $284 per ounce.
January 26,
1986
Mine office destroyed by
arsonist.
June 19, 1987
Royal Gold, Inc. replaces
Transwestern Mining as
operator of KCJV.
July, 1987
Acquisition of lease of
Osceola Mine.
September 11,
1987
Successful completion of
Private Placement
Financing. $430,634.
April 1988
KCJV gold production
approaches minimum
royalty level.
May 19, 1989
Public listing on the Pacific
Stock Exchange.
June, 1989
Completion of initial phase
of Red Star rehabilitation.
June 3, 1991
Agreement with Royal Gold
terminated. Company
reconsolidates its claims.
Jan 26, 1992
Hand held metal detectors
work magic. ~1000 ounces
of gold discovered.
August, 1993
The Whopper discovered.
An eighteen pound
specimen, mined from the
2200 level, contains 141
ounces of gold.
December 17,
1993
Greatest recorded single day
production. 2500 ounces
were mined from the 1330
stope. (value:$1M).
January, 1994
Company purchased Brown
Bear Mine in the Trinity
Alps.
October, 1994
First breaking of rock on the
2483 winze. This represents
the first deepening of the
mine in forty years.
March, 1995
Sixteen to One equips its
own mine rescue team.
July, 1995
5000 ounces mined in ten
days. (value:$2M).
August, 1995
Original Sixteen to One
Mine announces first
dividend in 40 years.
GOLDIGER. |
