Geology of the Cactus Mines, Rosamond, Kern Co., California

The Cactus ore deposits are located in the western end of Middle Butte hill, about ten miles southwest of the town of Mojave. The hill extends over parts of sections 8, 9, 16, and 17; T 10 N, R 13 W, S.B.B.L. and M. This area is in the northeastern part of Antelope Valley, the westernmost extension of Mojave Desert physiographic province. The Cactus Mines consist of three orebodies, the Cactus and the Silver Prince, both located on the same structure, and the Winkler orebody, lying roughly 1500 feet east of the Cactus in rhyolite. These deposits mark the present western limit of the Mojave Mining District which has supported considerable mining activity, at various periods, during the past fifty years. The mines of the district are mostly of the gold-silver sulfide, epithermal type. The total production of all the mines in the district is probably near $20,000,000. Larger producers include the Exposed Treasure, Yellow Dog, Standard, and the Pride of Mojave on Standard Hill; the Queen Esther, Golden Queen, and Lodestar mines on Soledad Hill; the Tropico mine on the south side of the Rosamond Hills; and the Cactus mines in the Middle Butte. This district, and the Randsburg area to the northeast, account for the greater part of the gold and silver production from Southern California. The purpose of this investigation was to study and record the geology of the Cactus Mine ore deposit and, if possible, those factors which influenced or controlled the localization of ore. This report and accompanying maps are presented as a thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in geology at the California Institute of Technology; Pasadena, California.