California Locality Index

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California is one of the most geologically and mineralogically diverse regions in the world. The state has been blessed with a remarkable number of mineral deposits, which have yielded in excess of 800 different mineral species. Eighty nine minerals were first discovered and described from California.

The CALIFORNIA LOCALITY INDEX was undertaken in conjunction with the "Locality Index Project" of the Friends of Mineralogy. The intention is to provide locality names, approximate locations, and important minerals for the best known and most significant mineral occurrences in California. These include deposits which have produced a notable quantity and/or quality of specimens for museum and private collections.

The localities are grouped by county and are arranged alphabetically within counties. Most entries represent discrete deposits. However, where several deposits or mines are closely related in proximity, mineralization, and significance, they have been grouped as a single entry. In these cases one of two approaches is followed: (1) if one of the localities is particularly important, it is provided first followed by the names of less important localities, (2) if no single locality stands out, all are grouped under a general locality name, such as a district name. If a deposit has no "official" name, a common or descriptive name has been applied. Synonymous mine or locality names have also been included. To help in finding specific locality names (including synonyms), an alphabetical index has been provided.

Not all minerals known from the localities have been listed; however, those of particular mineralogical and/or collector significance are included as well as certain commonly associated species. No effort has been made to indicate which minerals are most important; the minerals are simply listed in alphabetical order. Where two or more mines have been grouped and a certain mineral is specific to one of the mines, the mineral is listed followed by the initial(s) or name of that mine in parentheses. Variety names or descriptive information, where of particular significance, are also provided in parentheses following the species name.

A separate listing of type localities in alphabetical order by mineral is provided. Some, but not all, of these localities are included in the main locality index, depending on the significance of their specimen production.

The single most significant reference to the mineral localities of California is "Minerals of California". The first six editions were published in 1914, 1923, 1938, 1948, 1956, and 1966 as Bulletins of the California Division of Mines and Geology. The latest update, compiled by H. Earl Pemberton, was published by Van Nostrand Reinhold in 1983. The localities listed in these compendia consist, for the most part, of all those which had been recorded in previous literature. As such, the most recent "Minerals of California" provides (along with references) many more localities than are listed in this locality index. Nevertheless, this locality index should be of use for several reasons. (1) It is organized by locality rather than by mineral species. (2) It includes mineral localities of importance to collectors which have not been recorded in mineralogical literature. (3) Its information is more current than that in the earlier compendia. (4) It is more concise and consistent in its coverage of locality information. (5) It does not require reference to publications which are sometimes difficult to obtain.

No matter how carefully a listing such as this is compiled, a certain number of errors and omissions are inevitable. For a state which boasts tens of thousands of deposits, mines, claims, and prospects, it is impossible to be completely consistent and unbiased in choosing which localities to include. And as important new discoveries are made every year, this locality index will in a sense be out-of-date even before it is published. We are anxious to improve, correct, and update this locality index. In that context, please send any comments to the address provided above.

In addition to the members of the Locality Index Committee, the assistance of the following persons is gratefully acknowledged: Juanita Curtis, Fred DeVito, Ralph Dietz, Vi Frazier, Margaret Gross, Walter Lombardo, Al McGuiness, Al Ordway, William Reifel, Kay Robertson, Richard Thomssen, and William Wise.

Finally, H. Earl Pemberton is to be commended for his many years of intense, dedicated, productive, and selfless work in documenting the mineral localities of California. It is in his memory that this publication is dedicated.