The State Mining Bureau is maintained for the purpose of assisting in all possible ways in the development of California's mineral

resources.

As one means of offering tangible service to the mining public, the State Mineralogist for many years has issued an annual or a biennial report reviewing in detail the mines and mineral deposits of the various counties.

The weak point in work of this character has been that the results of field investigations were so long in preparation that they had lost much of their usefulness by the time they finally appeared in print.

As a progressive step in advancing the interests of the mineral industry, publication of the Annual Report of the State Mineralogist in the form of monthly chapters was begun in January, 1922, and continued until March, 1923.

Owing to a lack of funds for printing, quarterly publication was begun in September, 1923.

For the same reason, beginning with the January, 1924, issue, it has been necessary to charge a subscription price of $1 per calendar year, payable in advance; single copies, 25 cents apiece. 'Mining in California' will continue to be sent without charge to our exchange list, including schools and public libraries, as are also other publications of the State Mining Bureau.

Pages are numbered consecutively throughout the year and an index to the complete reports is included annually in the closing number. Such a publication admits of several improvements over the old method of procedure. Each issue contains a report of the current development and mining activities of the state, prepared by the district mining engineers. Special articles dealing with various phases of mining and allied subjects by members of the staff and other contributors are included. Mineral production reports formerly issued only as an annual statistical bulletin are published herein as soon as returns from producers are compiled. The executive activities, and those of the laboratory, museum, library, employment service and other features with which the public has had too little acquaintance also are reported.

While current activities of all descriptions will be covered in these chapters, the Bureau will not discontinue its practice of issuing from time to time technical reports on special subjects. A list of such reports now available is appended hereto, and the names of new bulletins will be added in the future as they are completed.

The chapters will be subject to revision, correction and improvement. Constructive suggestions from the mining public will be gladly received, and are invited.

The one aim of the Mining Bureau is to increase its usefulness and to stimulate the intelligent development of the wonderful, latent resources of the State of California.

In 1919-1920 the Mining Department was organized into four main geographical divisions, with the field work delegated to a mining engineer in each district working out from field offices that were established in Redding, Auburn, San Francisco and Los Angeles,

respectively.

ducting field work.

This move brought the Bureau into closer personal contact with operators, and it has many advantages over former methods of conTo continue this system most effectively with the limited funds available for the present biennium, the Redding and Auburn field offices were consolidated and moved to Sacramento on June 1, 1923.

The boundaries of each district were adjusted and the counties now included in each of the three divisions, and the locations of the branch offices, are shown on the accompanying outline map of the state.

(Frontispiece.)

Reports of mining activities and development in each division, prepared by the district engineer, will continue to appear under the proper

field division heading.

Although the petroleum industry is but little affiliated with other branches of mining, oil and gas are among the most valuable mineral products of California, and a report by the State Oil and Gas Superoil fields is included under this heading.

SACRAMENTO FIELD DIVISION.

C. A. LOGAN, Mining Engineer.

NOTES ON MINING DURING THE YEAR 1923.

Although mint and smelter returns in 1923 show a falling off in actual production of gold in California from the 1922 figures, the past year has been a fairly good one for the gold mines. Production costs have remained high and the industry has suffered from a heavy labor turnover, but, in spite of these handicaps, development work has continued, new activities have been initiated and in the leading mining counties of the State and along the Mother Lode the outlook for increased activity and output in 1924 is most encouraging. The estimated production for 1923 is $13,250,000. Among the principal producers are the dredges of Yuba Consolidated Goldfields and Natomas Company of California; Empire Mine at Grass Valley; Carson Hill Gold Mines, Inc., at Melones; Sixteen to One Mine, at Alleghany; Plymouth Consolidated Mine, at Plymouth; North Star Mines, at Grass Valley, and Kennedy Mine and Central Eureka, in Amador County.

Amador County.

Recent developments in the deep mines in this county as well as at Carson Hill in Calaveras County and at Grass Valley, make it appear that those geologists who have maintained that gold quartz mines invariably become leaner as the depth of working increases, will have to qualify their statement by citing an ever increasing number of California mines that are exceptions to their rule. The limit of some of

these deep mines may be determined by the costs of operation, and not by a diminution in the grade of ore. The bottom levels of such mines as the Argonaut and Kennedy are showing strong fissures and very flattering prospects and it has recently been said that these deep Mother Lode mines are apt to be as rich at the great depths attained as they ever were. Of course it does not follow that all the mines along this 'Lode' will be as rich, at great depth, as there are special geological conditions encountered in every property.

Argonaut Mine. During the first four months of the year the shaft and adjacent workings were repaired, after which repairs and replacements were made on the hoist and the shaft was concreted to a depth of 40 feet. The lower levels were unwatered and milling was resumed about the middle of the year, first with 20 stamps and about the middle of July with 40.

The mine is opened to an inclined depth of 4800 feet. Just previous to the last fire the south drift on this level was showing a width of 20 feet of quartz, and ore was being developed along the vein in new territory south of the region that had marked the limit of good ore in the levels above. Current reports are that this region is giving satisfactory results.

Bunker Hill Mine came under the control of the owners of the adjacent Original Amador Mine this year and it was hoped that the two mines would be worked as a unit, using the Bunker Hill shaft to explore the lower part of the Original Amador, but nothing came of it.

Central Eureka Mine continued mining and milling throughout the year, but not on as high a grade of ore as the previous year. The workings reached an inclined depth of 4100 feet early in the year. Many improvements such as a new head frame, new rails in the shaft and shaft repairs have been made.

Fremont Mine. The mill at the Fremont Mine was put in operation the middle of March after Metals Exploration Co. had spent a long time in repair work and prospecting. The mine and mill have since been in steady operation. About the middle of August, Metals Exploration Co. gave up the property and a new company, known as FremontGover Mines Company, was organized. The directors of the new concern are Edwin Higgins, Roy Elliott, William Colby, S. A. Holman, and E. E. Check.

Due to the fact that considerable ore had been previously developed in the mine, the recent operations have shown a low cost. The mill was handling about six tons per stamp per day in August with 35 stamps in operation on ore of ordinary Mother Lode grade. The company is at present selling stock and the mill is operating.

Kennedy Mining and Milling Company has sunk, its shaft from the 4050 to 4200 ft. level (vertical) and has crosscut on the 4200 level recently, with the work still going on as this is written. A width of 20 feet where the crosscut went through the footwall vein has been reported to assay so well that the owners are greatly elated, more particularly since this came close on the heels of the last stock assessment. After passing through the footwall vein the crosscut was being continued through the horse toward the East Vein and had reached a

length of 70 feet when this was written. It was said this entire distance assayed well, but this has not been substantiated.

The Kennedy has suffered a number of interruptions to operation during the past year, and production has been much below normal.

Marklee Mining Company. Jos. L. Del Monte, president, Federal Bldg., Oakland, Cal. Organized to work the Marklee and Alturas Mines, five miles north of Volcano. According to early U. S. government reports the Marklee Mine began production in 1869 and for several years yielded good ore. A boiler, hoist and new head frame have been

installed and the old shaft had been partly cleaned out and retimbered late in the fall, with work continuing.

Moore Mining Company has sunk the shaft at the Moore Mine 100 feet and has opened a new level at 640 feet, where the ore body was encountered on the south after about 70 feet of drifting. The difficulty of sinking and keeping the mill running with a single drum hoist was to be overcome by conversion to a double drum hoist, according to plans announced. Milling with 20 stamps was resumed the middle of July. The first clean-up thereafter showed an average yield of $6.82

per ton.

Old Eureka Mine was sold under foreclosure in July to Walter Harper of New York. This sale is the aftermath of the recent extensive operations about 1920, and the hope has been expressed that with the elearing up of the ownership there might be some action toward

reopening.

Oleta Gold Mining and Milling Company has been doing some development work on the L. Smith property near Oleta and has lately

been sinking a shaft.

in the summer, when it was said plans for work had been given up. Original Amador Mine was held in readiness for operation until late Plymouth Consolidated Gold Mines have remained in steady operation during the year and have been one of the principal producers of the county. The operations reached a depth of about 4000 feet and a

level was

tions have been through a winze, but it has been planned to deepen the opened at 3850 feet early in the year. The deeper opera

shaft if the prospects justify. William J. Loring, general manager. Stanley Arnot, superintendent.

PLACER MINES.

American Flats Gold Mining Company announced they would begin operation at Oleta in July.

lasted the past spring and it was stated that the cleanup amounted to Elephant Deep Hydraulic Mine was in operation as long as water $15.000. Preparations were under way in the fall for a resumption of work. The mine is in the Volcano district and has been worked under lease by Barone Bros. of that place.

Ludekins Hydraulic Mine in the Volcano district was also operated

the past season.