What kinds of minerals occur in our region?
San Diego County is about 900 square miles of very complex geology, from the high desert and mountains to the coast with lots of faulting all along the way. So a lot depends on where you are looking.
Himalaya Mine, circa 1905
Minerals known to occur in the county:
Acmite, Albite, Allanite, Amblygonite, Andalusite, Apatite, Arsenopyrite, Azurite, Bavenite, Bertrandite, Beryl, Biotite, Bismite, Bismuth, Bismuthinite, Bornite, Calcite (optical), Cassiterite, Celestite, Cerussite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysotile, Clintonite, Cookeite, Corundum, Epidote, Erythite, Ferrimolybdite, Ferrisicklerite, Ferroaxinite, Fersmite, Fluorapatite,Francolite, Gahnite, Galena, Garnet, Glauconite, Gold, Graphite
Gypsum, Helvite, Heterosite, Heulandite,Hydromagnesite, Laumontite, Lawsonite, Leadhillite, Lepidolite, Limonite, Lithiophylite, Magnetite, Malachite, Manganite, Marcasite, Microcline, Molybdenite, Morenosite, Morinite, Muscovite, Nickel, Orthoclase, Pentlandite, Petalite, Plagioclase feldspar, Pollucite, Purpurite, Pyrite, Pyrophyllite, Pyrrhotite, Quartz, Rhodonite, Rutile, Rynersonite, Samarskite, Scheelite, Sicklerite, Silver, Sphalerite, Spinel, Spodumene, Stellerite, Stokesite, Tellurium, Tenorite, Thorogummite, Todorokite, Topaz, Tourmaline, Tremolite, Tridymite, Triphylite, Uranmicrolite, Uranophane, Violarite, Wollastonite, Zircon
How many mines are in San Diego County?
According to the USGS records, there are 105 mines listed
for San Diego County.
Mines of San Diego County:
Pala Chief Mine and an elbaite chrystal
Tourmaline Queen Mine with tourmaline speciman, "Candelbra", now on permanant display at the Smithsonian
Little Three Mine, in Ramona, San Diego County, with a Garnet and Tourmaline speciman