BULLETIN 208
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
THE RESOURCES AGENCY
GORDON K VAN VLECK
SECRETARY FOR RESOURCES
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN
GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
RANDALL M WARD
DIRECTOR
ryiff i:^^\.-i:: i^^i*-
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BRIAN E TUCKER
ACTING STA TE GEOLOGIST
BULLETIN 208
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
By
Melvin C. Stinson
1988
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
1416 Ninth Street, Room 1341
Sacramento CA 95814
CONTENTS
Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vii
INTRODUCTION 1
Purpose and Scope 1
Method of Study 1
Acknowledgments 1
MINERALOGY 2
USES 2
Synthetic 2
Natural 2
ECONOMICS 4
LABORATORY STUDY OF ZEOLITES 4
FIELD DESCRIPTION OF ALTERED TUFFS 5
CALIFORNIA ZEOLITE DEPOSITS 5
Geologic Occurrences 5
Descriptions of Individual Deposits 6
Inyo County 6
Tuff deposits of Pleistocene Lake Tecopa 6
Death Valley Junction (Ash Meadows) area 6
Other reported Inyo County deposits 10
Early Pleistocene Waucoba Lake beds 10
Furnace Creek Formation 12
Kern County 12
Gem Hill Formation 12
Kinnick Formation 12
Ricardo Formation 14
Tropico Group 18
Mono County 22
Older rhyolite — Hot Creek area (Casa Diablo Hot Springs) 22
San Bernardino County 22
Barstow Formation 23
Pickhandle Formation 28
Spanish Canyon Formation 36
Cady Mountains quadrangle 42
Daggett quadrangle 42
Kerens quadrangle 46
Klinker Mountain quadrangle 46
Newberry quadrangle 52
Ord Mountain quadrangle 53
San Luis Obispo County 53
Obispo Formation and the tuff unit of the Rincon Shale
(or tuff member of the Monterey Formation) 53
Santo Barbara and Ventura Counties 59
Reported occurrences 59
Miscellaneous locations — Inyo, Lassen, and San Bernardino Counties 59
Reported Zeolite Occurrences, Not Examined 59
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER WORK 71
REFERENCES 71
TABLES
Page
Table 1 . Formulas and properties of some zeolites 3
Table 2. Chemical analyses of California zeolitic tuffs 3
Table 3-A. Description of sample locations and samples — Pleistocene Lake Tecopa deposits 8
Table 3-B. Description of sample locations and samples — Death Valley Junction area 9
Table 4-A. Description of sample locations ond samples — Gem Hill Formation 13
Table 4-B. Description of sample locations and samples — Kinnick Formation 16
Table 4-C. Description of sample locations and samples — Ricardo Formation 19
Table 4-D Description of sample locations and samples — Tropico Group of Dibblee (1958o) 25
Table 5. Description of sample locations and samples — Tertiory or old rh/olite of Rinehart and Ross (1964) 26
Toble 6-A Description of sample locotions ond somples — Borstow Formation .31
Table 6-B. Description of sample locotions ond samples — Pickhandle Formation 37
Toble 6-C. Description of sample locations ond samples — Spanish Canyon Formation 41
Table 6-D. Description of sample locations and samples — Cody Mountains quadrangle 43
Table 6-E. Description of somple locotions and samples — Doggett quadrangle 47
Table 6-F. Description of sample locations and samples — Kerens quadrongle 50
Table 6-G. Description of sample locations and samples — Klinker Mountoin quodrongle 51
Table 6-H. Description of sample locotions ond samples — Newberry quadrangle 55
Table 6-1. Description of sample locations and samples — Ord Mountoin quadrangle 57
Table 7. Description of sample locations ond samples — Obispo Formation, tuff unit —
Rincon Shale, or tuff unit — Monterey Formation 61
Table 8 Description of sample locations and samples — Obispo tuff or equivalent 63
Table 9 Description of sample locations and samples — Miscellaneous locations 65
Table 10. Description of reported California zeolite occurrences 66
FIGURES
Figure 1 . Index mop of the Shoshone oreo, Inyo County 7
Figure 2. Index mop of a port of the Ash Meadows 15' quadrangle, Inyo County ond Nevodo 10
Figure 3. Sketch geologic mop of the SE ' j of the Ash Meodows 15' quodrongle 11
Figure 4. Index map of the Gem Hill area, eastern Kern County 12
Figure 5. Index map of the Sand Canyon area, eastern Kern County 14
Figure 6. Geologic mop of o port of the NE '/< of the Tehochopi quadrangle 15
Figure 7. Index map of the Lost Chance Canyon area, eastern Kern County 17
Figure 8. Index mop of the Costle Butte area, eastern Kern County 23
Figure 9. Index mop of the Boron area, eastern Kern County 24
Figure 10. Index mop of the Hot Creek Pork oreo and vicinity. Mono County 27
Figure 1 1 Index mop of the eastern end of the Mud Hills, Son Bernordino County 29
Figure 12. Index mop of the western end of the Mud Hills and vicinity. Son Bernardino County 30
Figure 13. Generalized geologic map of the western end of the Mud Hills and vicinity 33
Figure 14. Index mop of the Opal Mountoin — Black Canyon area. Son Bernardino County 34
Figure 15. Generalized geologic mop of the Opal Mountain — Black Canyon area 35
Figure 16. Index mop of the Alvord Mountain area. Son Bernardino County 42
Figure 17. Index map of port of the Cody Mountoins quadrangle. Son Bernardino County 42
Figure 18. Index mops of ports of the Daggett quadrangle. Son Bernardino County 45
Figure 19. Index mop of port of the Kerens quadrangle, San Bernardino County 46
Figure 20 Index mop of port of the Klinker Mountain 7' ? quadrangle. Son Bernardino County 46
Figure 21. Index maps of parts of the Newberry quadrangle. Son Bernardino County 54
Figure 22. Index mop of a port of the Ord Mountain 7'/}' quadrangle. Son Bernardino County ... 58
Figure 23. Index mops of ports of the Arroyo Grande quadrangle. Son Luis Obispo County . . 60
PLATE
Plate 1 . Location map of California zeolite deposits in pocket
PHOTOS
Photo 1 . Scanning electron micrograph of altered tuff containing phillipsite. Pleistocene Lake Tecopo locustnne de-
posits. Sample site 96, Sample A 6
Photo 2. Scanning electron micrograph of altered tuff contoining phillipsite. Pleistocene Loka Tecopo locustnne de-
posits. Sample site 97, Somple B 6
IV
Photo 3. Sfoclcpiles and open pit workings of Anaconda Mining Company's zeolite operation east of Death Valley
Junction. Open pit and stockpiles are in California. View west 10
Photo 4. Stockpile area and north end of Anaconda Mining Company's zeolite operation east of Death Valley Junction.
View northwest 10
Photo 5. Exposure of zeolitized tuff of the Gem Hill Formation in a gully about 1 mile south of Gem Hill 12
Photo 6. Zeolitized tuff of the Gem Hill Formation underlying a low ridge about 1 Va miles southeast of Gem Hill 14
Photo 7. Exposure of zeolitized tuff of the Kinnick Formation, northern Sand Canyon area 14
Photo 8. Zeolitized tuff of the Kinnick Formation underlying the ridge in the foreground and the hill in the background 14
Photo 9. Scanning electron micrograph of altered tuff of the Kinnick Formation containing clinoptilolite. Sample site
101, Sample A 17
Photo 1 0. View south showing a bed of white zeolitized tuff interbedded in the Ricardo Formation, Lost Chance Canyon
area, Kern County. View south ]7
Photo 1 1 . Zeolitized tuff (white) of Member 4 of the Ricardo Formation. West side of Last Chance Canyon, Kern County.
View north 18
Photo 1 2. Zeolitized tuff bed about 8 feet thick consisting of two pole pink beds with a 2-foot thick interbedded white
tuff bed. Gray sandstone overlies and underlies the altered tuff. Ricardo Formation, Lost Chance Canyon,
Kern County. 18
Photo 1 3. Zeolitized tuff (white) in sharp contact with gray sandstone. Near top of Member 4, Ricardo Formation, Last
Chance Canyon, Kern County. 18
Photo 14. Bulldozer cut exposing zeolitized tuff and clay of the Tropico Group. About 1,000 feet northeast of Castle
Butte 22
Photo 1 5. Close-up of bulldozer cut shown in Photo 1 4. The tuff of the Tropico Group has been altered to clinoptilolite
and bentonitic cloy. 22
Photo 16. View west along Hot Creek near the Hot Creek Pork. Boulders along the creek bonk are rhyolite flows and
tuffs. The tuff has been altered to clinoptilolite 28
Photo 1 7. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite from altered tuff. Hot Creek area. Mono County. 28
Photo 1 8. Open pit mine of PDZ Corporation, Mud Hills, Son Bernardino County. Clinoptilolite occurs in altered tuff of
the Miocene Borstow Formation. View south 28
Photo 1 9. North end of PDZ Corporation Mud Hills zeolite deposit. Altered tuff of the Miocene Borstow Formation
dips at a low angle to south. Bogs are mill residue from BNFL contract. View west 28
Photo 20. View southwest toward west end of Mud Hills near the east end of Fossil Canyon. Most of white area is
underlain by tuff and tuff breccia of the Pickhondle Formation. Much of the tuff and tuff breccia within the
photograph has been zeolitized 29
Photo 21 . Zeolitized tuff ond tuff breccia of the Pickhondle Formation near the west end of the Mud Hills — near east
end of Fossil Canyon. Sample sites 2 1 -23 ore in the photograph 32
Photo 22. View west across on area underlain by zeolitized tuff and tuff breccia of the Pickhondle Formation. Opal
Mountain in bockground is capped by rhyolite breccia and flow breccia of the Opal Mountain volconics 32
Photo 23. View northwest toward Opal Mountain showing zeolitized tuff of the Pickhondle Formation exposed on the
lower slopes. The zeolitized tuff is overlain by a thin bed of granitic conglomerate. Dumps on upper slopes
ore from perlite operations. Perlite occurs within the Opal Mountain volconics which overlie the tuff and
conglomerate 32
Photo 24. Zeolitized lopilli tuff of the Pickhondle Formation underlying a series of northwest-trending ridges northwest
of Opal Mountoin. Dork rocks exposed neor top of tuff bed in center foreground and extending to right
(west) are granitic conglomerate. View south 32
Photo 25. View west down Black Canyon. Opal Camp in center foreground at east (near) end of white area is in tuff of
the Pickhondle Formation. A major portion of the tuff in the foreground has been zeolitized 32
Photo 26. Zeolitized tuff, probably of the Pickhondle Formation, exposed on the south side of a low ridge on the lower
southeastern slopes of Lane Mountain at the northwest end of the Calico Mountains 32
Photo 27. View southeast toward Jockhammer Gap on the Fort Irwin Road. White rocks are zeolitized tuff and tuff
breccio of the Pickhondle Formation 34
Photo 28. Zeolitized tuff near Bird Spring oreo. Gravel Hills. The tuff and tuff breccia are port of the Pickhondle Formation.
View west from near Bird Spring 34
Photo 29. Tuff and tuff breccia of the Pickhondle Formation near Bird Spring. Some of the tuff has been partially
zeolitized. The basal conglomerate of the Borstow Formotion overlies the tuff 36
Photo 30. Bluff of zeolitized tuff of the Spanish Canyon Formation exposed in Spanish Canyon, Alvord Mountain quad-
rangle. Unaltered luff is interbedded in zeolitized tuff 36
Photo 3 1 . Altered tuff of the Sponish Canyon Formation. Some of the tuff has been bentonized, other beds are zeolitized.
North end of Sponish Conyon 36
Photo 32. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolile from the Sponish Canyon Formation, Sample site 92, Sample
B 36
Photo 33. Prominent bluff composed of altered tuff (unnamed formation). The tuff unit is over 1 00 feel thick and consists
of pale pink, white, and gray zeolitized tuff. A pink bentonitic cloy underlies the tuff. The zeolitized tuff is
overloin by reddish-brown basaltic tuff and a basolt flow. Area is about 4V] miles northeost of Hector siding. ... 44
Photo 34. View north up a canyon about 4' ? miles northeost of Hector siding Prominent ridge composed of altered tuff
is exposed on the left (west) side of the canyon. Most of the tuff has been zeolitized. Basaltic tuff and a
basalt flow overlie the oltered tuff beds 44
Photo 35. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite from the Cody Mountains, Sample site 113, Sample C 44
Photo 36. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite-beoring tuff from on unnomed formation, Doggett quadrangle,
Somple site 37, Sample A 44
Photo 37. Stockpiles of zeolitized tuff at on inoctive (?) bentonite deposit belonging to NL Industries — Norfti Group
near Hector The pit is about 200' in diameter Zeolitized tuff is exposed in the pit walls to eost and south.
View toward west 52
Photo 38. Bed of zeolitized tuff in sandstone ond cloystone of Miocene or younger age on NL Industries' property north
of Hector Beds strike E-W and dip to south at 20'. The zeolitized tuff bed is at least 4 feet thick and is
overlain by o few inches of desert pavement 52
Photo 39. Scanning electron microgroph of erionite from near Hector siding. Sample site 48 52
Photo 40. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite-beoring tuff near Yermo, Sample site 1 1 9, Sample C 53
Photo 41 . East-dipping partially zeolitized tuff of the Obispo Formcrtion at Mollogh Landing, Pt. Son Luis, Sample site 77 58
Photo 42. Sconning electron micrograph of mordenite needles in altered tuff of the Obispo Formation, Sample site 69 59
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Minerals of the zeolite group have been known for many years, primarily occurring as fracture fillings
in igneous rocks, basalts in particular. The importance of zeolites became evident when scientists in the
early 1900s identified the capacity of this mineral group for ion exchange, adsorption, and dehydration.
Synthetic zeolites have been used since the 1940s. Commercial utilization of natural zeolites become a
possibility in the late 1950s when it was recognized that extensive bedded zeolite deposits occur in Arizona,
California, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Wyoming. Although natural zeolites from California deposits
have been quarried and consumed since 1912 and were the subject of extensive prospecting programs
in the 1960s and in recent years, very little information about potentially economic deposits is available.
Production data of California zeolites ore practically non-existent. The purpose of this study is to present
information on the locotion of possible economic zeolite deposits in California to potentially interested
persons and companies.
This study includes descriptions of over one hundred zeolite localities primarily from the southern part
of California. Many of these deposits could be economically important and worthy of further study;
however, no attempt has been mode to estimate the quantity of zeolites present in a deposit. Descriptions
of the sample locations and the samples are included in a series of tables. The sample locations included
with the report are plotted on a mop at o scale of 1:1,000,000. Background information on the identifica-
tion and uses of zeolites along with a listing of reported California zeolite occurrences from available
literature is also included in the report.
About 300 samples were collected and identified as to rock type, physical and mineralogical charac-
teristics. To identify any zeolite minerals present, all samples were examined by X-roy diffraction methods
and several samples were examined with a scanning electron microscope. The zeolites identified in the
study ore, in order of abundance, clinoptilolite, mordenite, phillipsite, erionite, and onolcime.
Based upon their mode of occurrences, mineralogical composition, and geologic origin, zeolite deposits
in sedimentary rocks may be grouped into six different groups or types (Mumpton 1973);
1. Deposits formed from volcanic material in "closed" systems of ancient lakes and present-day saline
lakes;
2. Deposits formed from volcanic material in "open" systems of fresh-water lakes or groundwater
systems;
3. Deposits formed from volcanic material in near-shore or deep-sea marine environments;
4. Deposits formed in low-grade burial metomorphism of volcanic and other material in thick sedi-
mentary sequences;
5. Deposits formed by hydrothermal or hot spring activity; and
6. Deposits formed in lacustrine or marine environments without direct evidence of volcanic precursor
material.
Many of the known California zeolite deposits are formed from volcanic material in closed hydrologic
basins (type 1). Such deposits generally result from the reaction of volcanic glass with connate water
trapped during sedimentation in saline, alkaline lakes. Zeolite deposits of this type ore distinguished by a
lateral zonation of minerals that contrasts with the vertical mineral zonation commonly exhibited by the
other types of zeolite deposits. The tuffs of Pleistocene Lake Tecopa exemplify the lateral zonation pattern.
Fresh gloss occurs along the margin and at inlets of the ancient lake. The glass is succeeded inwardly by
0 zone of zeolites and in the central part of the lake by potassium feldspar A similar lateral zonation
occurs in the Miocene Barstow Formation. The zeolite minerals commonly found in saline lake deposits
are onolcime, chabozite, clinoptilolite, erionite, mordenite, and phillipsite.
The Ricordo Formation of Pliocene age exposed in the Lost Chance Canyon area in the El Paso Moun-
tains of eastern Kern County is on example of the open-system-type zoning in younger nonmorine sedi-
ments (type 2). Here, the beds have been tilted, yet the contact between fresh and zeolitic tuff is nearly
horizontal, showing that alteration occurred after tilting. Clinoptilolite is the only zeolite in this sequence,
and it is associated with variable amounts of montmorillonite and opal.
Zeolite deposits ore also found in low-grade metamorphic rocks in California. They occur in two types
of terrains: (1) hydrothermal, and (2) burial. Hydrothermal occurrences (type 5) include active and fossil
geothermol systems and rocks hydrothermolly altered by igneous intrusions. Zeolites developed on a
regional scale in thick strotigrophic sections are usually attributed to burial metomorphism (type 4). Mor-
denite is associated with clinoptilolite as a replacement of volcanic glass in tuffs of the marine Obispo
Formation. Some of the zeolitized tuff beds are reported to be over 100 feet thick, and consist of more
thon 75 percent mordenite. Rhyolite tuffs ond pumice in the vicinity of the hot springs on Hot Creek obout
5 miles east of Casa Dioblo Hot Springs in Mono County hove been ottered to clinoptilolite and phillipsile
by hot spring octivity.
Other types of zeolite deposits in sedimentory rocks may be present in California, but insufficient dote
ore ovoiloble to categorize the deposits by mode of origin.
Based upon field examination of over 100 locations mostly in southeastern Colifornio and Son Luis
Obispo County and laboratory exominotion of over 300 samples, the following conclusions were reoched:
• Deposits of zeolite-bearing tuff of possible economic significonce occur in Inyo County in altered
tuff deposits of Pleistocene Lake Tecopo, south of Shoshone, ond in altered tuff deposits on the lower
north and northeastern slopes of the Resting Spring Range, east of Death Valley Junction (Ash
Meadows area)
• Deposits of zeolite-bearing tuff of possible economic significance occur in Kern County in the Gem
Hill Formation in the Rosamond Hills south of Mojove, the Kinnick Formation near Tehochopi, the
Ricordo Formation in the El Paso Mountoins, and in the lower port of the Tropico Group neor Castle
Butte and north of Boron.
• Deposits of zeolite-bearing tuff of possible economic significance occur in severol formations in Son
Bernardino County. These hove been previously reported and include the Barstow Formation in the
Mud Hills, the Pickhondle Formation in the Block Canyon area, the Spanish Canyon Formation near
Clews Ridge and near the head of Spanish Conyon in the Alvord Mountains, and an unnamed
formation on the south flank of the Cody Mountains.
• Other potentially economic zeolite deposits occur in Son Bernardino County in unnamed formations
in the following quadrangles: Cody Mountoins 15', Daggett 15', Kerens 15', Klinker Mountains TVi',
and the Newberry 15'.
• Deposits of zeolite-bearing tuff of Tertiary or younger oge occur in eastern Son Bernardino County
ond southeastern Colifornio. The probobility that some may be of economic significance is high.
• Deposits of zeolite-bearing tuffoceous rocks of economic significance occur in severol formotions in
San Luis Obispo County. These include the Obispo Formation or Obispo tuff member of the Monterey
Formation.
This study has verified that deposits of possible economic significance occur in Colifornio os reported
by previous reseorchers, that other deposits of possible economic significance are present, and thot there
is 0 high probability that many more deposits of zeolite-bearing tuff, some of possible economic signifi-
cance, ore present ond as yet undiscovered in southeastern Colifornio. Sufficient zeolite resources exist
in California to support a zeolite industry, and when o brooder market for noturol zeolites is developed,
California moy hove a zeolite industry.
Mony of the deposits exomined and sampled during this study are worthy of further work. Recommen-
dations for further work include the following:
• All exposures of formations known to contain zeolite-bearing tuffoceous units should be examined
and sampled.
• Detailed mapping and sampling should be performed at some of the new localities described in this
report.
• Tertiary or younger tuffoceous units of unnamed formations delineated by geologic mapping on
quodrangles in southeostern Colifornio should be examined ond sampled for zeolites.
• Reported zeolite occurrences not examined ond sampled during this study should be exomined ond
sampled These include the eorly Pleistocene Woucobo Lake beds and the Furnace Creek Formation
of Pliocene oge.
• The Coso Formation in southern Owens Valley should be examined ond sampled. This formation has
several beds of oltered rhyolite luff and tuff breccia that may contain zeolite minerals.
vii
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
INTRODUCTION
Zeolite is a broad term used to identify a group of hydrous
alumino-siiicate minerals characterized by their easy and revers-
ible loss of water by hydration. They are also known by their
intumescence when heated strongly (swelling or frothing owing
to the release of gases). Many are also characterized by a signif-
icant capacity for ion exchange (Tables 1 , 2).
Minerals of the zeolite group — including analcime. chabazite.
clinoptilolite, erionite. faujasite, laumontite, mordenite. and phil-
lipsite — have been known for many years, primarily occurring
as fracture and vesicle fillings in igneous rocks, basalts in partic-
ular. Commercial utilization of natural zeolites became a possi-
bility in the late 1950s when it was recognized that extensive
bedded zeolite deposits occur in Arizona, California, Nevada, Or-
egon, Texas, and Wyoming. Exploration for deposits of natural
zeolites peaked in the 1960s when the search concentrated on
natural molecular-sieve zeolites that might compete with the syn-
thetic zeolites.
Zeolites analogous to many of the natural types were synthe-
sized in the late 1940s and early 1950s and first commercially
produced in 1954.
In 1959 Deffeyes reported the existence of large minable de-
posits of erionite, a large-pore natural zeolite possessing similar
adsorption properties to the newly developed synthetic Zeolites A
and X. Until this find, competition from natural zeolites had not
been considered feasible. However, Deffeyes' (1959) announce-
ment prompted several groups engaged in developing synthetic
zeolites to embark on exploration programs to find and control
any existing deposits of natural zeolites such as mordenite, cha-
bazite, erionite, and faujasite. Small-pore zeolites such as cli-
noptilolite, laumontite, and analcime were not explored at this
time because the small-pore diameter and adsorption properties
of these zeolites preclude their use in most molecular sieve
applications.
In I960, Ames announced the results of a study that examined
the cesium selectivity of several natural and synthetic zeolites.
Clinoptilolite was found to be the most promising. Mine-run
sodium-based clinoptilolite from the Hector, San Bernardino
County leases of the Baroid Division of the National Lead Com-
pany was utilized in the study. The u.se of natural zeolites in large-
scale ion exchange processes was developed mainly under the aus-
pices of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission during the 1960s
as a means of concentrating and isolating radioactive species from
waste waters generated by atomic installations. Ames, Mercer,
and co-workers al.so demonstrated the usefulness of clinoptilolite
in the removal of ammonium ions from sewage and agricultural
effluents (Mumplon, 1973). Clinoptilolite from several California
locations has been and is being used for this purpose. Other u.ses
of natural zeolites from California include the use of clinoptilolite-
rich ash-flow tuff from near Monolith, Kern County to manufac-
ture pozzolanic cement products since 1912.
Because of the several important physical properties exhibited
by natural zeolites, there are excellent possibilities that natural
zeolites from California and neighboring states will be exploited
more fully in the future and that other uses tor natural zeolites
will be developed.
Purpose and Scope
Although natural zeolites from California deposits have been
quarried and consumed since 1912 and were the subject of exten-
sive prospecting programs in the 1960s and in recent years, very
little information about potentially economic deposits is available.
Production data of California zeolites are practically nonexistent.
The purpose of this report is to present information on the location
and general characteristics of recognized zeolite deposits in Cal-
ifornia to insure that these deposits receive consideration for com-
mercial development when mine development and investment
decisions are made.
This study includes descriptions of over one hundred zeolite
locations primarily from the southern part of California. Many of
these deposits could be economically important and worthy of
further study. No attempt was made to systematically sample any
deposit nor was an attempt made to estimate the quantity of zeolites
present in a deposit. Such work should be the subject of another
study. Descriptions of the sample locations and the samples are
included in a series of tables (Tables 3-9). Background information
on the mineralogy, uses, and identificaton of zeolites is also in-
cluded. Also included with the report is a listing of reported Cal-
ifornia zeolite occurrences found in available literature (Table 10).
Method of Study
Library research for this study started in January 1983; field
work started in April 1983 and was continued intermittently
through March 1984. Laboratory work was done between periods
of field work and continued after completion of field work. The
field study .started with an examination of clinoptilolite in known
sedimentary deposits considered to be of possible economic value
(Sheppard, 1971). Four of the eight localities given by Sheppard
were examined and sampled. Using the information gained from
examination of these sites and others reported in the literature, a
systematic examination of exposures of sedimentary rocks of Cen-
ozoic or Tertiary age containing tuffaceous units was started in
southern California, primarily in the vicinity of Barstow in San
Bernardino County, western Kern County and Inyo County. In the
fall of 1983, some field work was done in Ventura, Santa Barbara,
San Luis Obispo and Mono Counties. All locations were plotted
on 15-minute or 7'/;-minute quadrangle topographic maps. Maps
showing the location of the individual deposits examined in the
field are included with this report — Figures 1-23. A map at a
scale of I : I ,(X)0,()00 has been prepared (Plate I ) showing ( 1 ) sam-
ple locations, (2) location of reported deposits of possible com-
mercial significance, not sampled or examined during this study,
and (3) location of reported occurrences of zeolites of unlikely
commercial significance. The map location numbers are keyed
to the descriptions of the sample sites and samples given in
Tables 3-10.
About 3(X) samples were collected during this study. All of the
samples were studied to identify the rock type and to determine
the physical and mineralogical character of the rocks. All samples
(with a few exceptions) were examined by x-ray diffraction meth-
ods to identify the zeolites present, treated with dilute hydrochloric
acid to test for carbonate minerals, and tested to determine the
presence of saline minerals such as halite. Methods of study of
zeolites and associated minerals by optical microscope, electron
microscope, and x-ray diffraction are described in a later section.
Acknowledgments
The writer wishes to acknowledge the invaluable field assist-
ance of J. R. Collins of Lenwood, California. His knowledge of
the general geology, terrain, and desert roads expedited field
work and saved valuable field time. The assistance of Division
of Mines and Geology stafT in collecting samples of suspected
zeolite-bearing tuffaceous rocks is gratefully acknowledged. Dr.
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Martin Liebcrman of the U.S. Customs Service laboratory in San
Francisco provided the scanning electron microscope facilities
and worked with the writer m prepanng scanning electron mi-
crographs of several zeolite samples.
MINERALOGY
Zeolites arc a group of crysiallmc. hydrated aluminum silicate
mmcrals that contain alkali or aikaimc-earlh elements. This group
has an empirical formula M.„0.A1 ,0,..xSiO.,.yH.,0 where M is
any alkali or alkaline earlh cation, n is the valance of that cation,
X is a number from 2 to about 10. and y is a number from 2 to 8
(Mumpton. 1983b). The empirical and unit-ceil formulas of cli-
nopiilolitc. the most common of the natural zeolites, is:
(Na,K),.Al:OJ0SiO:.8H.O and
(Na,K,)(Al^i«,0,i).24H:0
Ions within the first set of parentheses of the unit-cell formula
are known as exchangeable cations; those within the second set
of parentheses are called structural cations because with oxygen
they make up the tetrahedral framework of the structure.
Zeolites have an open, infinitely extended, three-dimensional
framework composed of silica and alumina tetrahedrons, simi-
lar in some respects to the feldspars. Each tetrahedron consists
of a central silicon or aluminum atom surrounded by four oxy-
gens. T^e (Si, ADO, tetrahedrons are linked together into a con-
tinuous network with each oxygen shared by two tetrahedrons.
The resultant crystalline lattice is honeycombed with elongate
cavities which are accessible through smaller apertures. The size
of the cavities and apertures are uniform for each zeolite.
In zeolite structures some of the quadrivalent Si is replaced by
irivalent Al, giving a net negative charge on the framework
which is balanced by the presence of the exchangeable divalent
and univalent cations. In natural zeolites, these exchangeable
citions commonly are Ca'", Na', K, or Mg". These cations
oc-upy the cavities within the zeolite structure. Because these
cations are loosely bound to the (Si,AI) O. — tetrahedral frame-
work, they are easily replaced by other suitable cations; the
zeolite minerals have higher cation exchange capacities than any
other mineral.
Another feature typical of both natural and synthetic zeolite
minerals is the presence of water molecules within the structural
cavities. These molecules are relatively loosely bound to the
framework and to the exchangeable cations. Water constitutes
10 to 20 weight percent of such structures and is readily removed
at a moderate temperature (up to .150°C). The framework of the
zeolite IS not affected by dehydration, unless the dehydration is
complete or carried out under severe conditions The partially
dehydrated zeolite readily regains water molecules even when
exposed to a very low vapor pressure. The partially dehydrated
mineral is a highly selective adsorbent of liquids and gases, and
it has a large pore volume and surface area available for adsorp-
tion.
The zeolites identified in the present study are, in order of
abundance, clinoptilolilc. mordcnile, phillipsile, erionile. and
analcimc Table I (Mumpton 1<»77. I'JKJb) gives the representa-
tive uml-ccll formula, crystal system, void volume, specific grav-
ity, channel dimension, and habil in sedimentary riKks for these
five /collie minerals Table 2 (Shcppard and Gudc. 1''82) shows
available chemical analyses of analcime. clmoptilolite. morde-
nile, and phillipsite-bcanng luff from several California locali-
ties.
USES
The physical properties that make zeolites potentially useful
include their ability to lose and regain water of hydration with
little or no change in structural state, their open structures with
interconnected channels that permit the dehydrated minerals to
pass or adsorb some molecules and to exclude others, their abili-
ty to act as calalysis for some reactions, and their high cation
exchange capacities (Papke, 1972).
The first discovery of zeolite minerals was of the attractive
large crystals found in vugs and cavities in basaltic rocks. In the
early IWOs, scientists discovered the adsorption, dehydration
and ion exchange properties of zeolites. The potential industnal
application of these properties was soon realized but it was as-
sumed that zeolites were rare in nature.
Synthetic
In the late 1940s, Union Carbide synthesized a synthetic zeo-
lite— "zeolite A" — with molecular sieving and adsorption prop-
erties superior to chabazite. Many zeolite species have now been
synthesized, some analogous to natural zeolites and others un-
known in natural form. Synthetic crystalline zeolites were first
pr(xluced commercially in the early 1950s and are now manufac-
tured by several companies in the United States These products
are used mainly as catalysts or catalyst earners in the treatment
of hydrocarbons and in the field of adsorption. The total figures
on production of synthetic zeolites arc not available but are esti-
mated to be in excess of 200,000 tons annually.
Currently the largest market for synthetic zeolites is in the
field of catalysis. About 95 percent of the zeolite-containing
catalyst is used in petroleum cracking catalysts. Silica-rich,
large-aperture zeolites, those with apertures of 7 to lOA', are the
most useful. Those now used are synthetic species related to the
mineral faujasite or, less commonly, mordenite. In general terms
natural zeolites are not able to compete against synthetic zeolites
in the field of catalysis owing to their inherently smaller pore
sizes and lower adsorption capacities. The presence of iron in the
form of an impurity also mitigates against the use of some natu-
ral zeolites in catalysis owing to its action as a poison in many
catalytic reactions. However, there are certain exceptions to this
rule where natural mordenite, chabaziie, and clmoptilolite have
been successfully used to remove water and carbon dioxide from
gaseous hydrocarbons (Clarke, 1980).
The other major market for synthetic zeolites is in the field of
adsorption. Not only the molecular sieving properties of zeolites
are utilized but also other interaction effects such as the polanty
of certain molecules. Therefore, the sieving action can be based
either on the ability lo separate different types of molecules
because of differences in size and shape (analogous to a mechani-
cal sieve), or on the great affinity of the zeolite for polar mole-
cules (those with positive and negative centers of elcvtncal
charge) and unsaturated carbon comjxiunds Ze»">litcs used for
adsorption are principally used in the petroleum refining, petro-
chemical, and chemical industries Among the many uses are:
removal of water from gases and liquids such as natural gas,
cracked gas. jet fuel, hydrogen, pcntane. butane, and benzene,
removal of other impurities, such as carbon dioxide and sulfur,
from natural gas and other materials; selective separation of
gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen from air; and separation of
various hydnvarKins (Papkc. I''72).
Natural
Increasing interest in the use of natural rather than synthetic
zeolites has occurred since the early I9(>0s when large deposits
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
of natural /eoliic> were found in >>cdimcniar> rocks in ihe western
Untied Slates. Most of those applications are in lht>se cases where
the high cost of synthetic zeohtes makes their use impractical
Since the mid-1960s small tonnages of chaba/ite. clinoptilolitc.
and cruinitc have been mined chiefly from three deposits — near
Bowie in Arizona, near Hector in California, and in Jcrsc\ Valley
in Nevada More recently dcp<isits of clinoptilolite near Death
Valley Junction. Tccopa. and Barstow have been intermittently
worked A-ohtc deposits in pyroclastic deposits are also common
in Japan, where the use of natural zeolites apparently is more
advanced than in the United States The largest use of natural
zeolites in Japan is in the paper industry where zeolites arc used
as a filler Other uses include agricultural applications, and ad-
sorption and water treatment priK-csses
Since the cation exchange capacity of the zeolites is higher
than that of any other mineral, there has been some use of
zeolites as ion exchangers. It is probable that this use will be
more important in the future, particularily for natural zeolites,
because of their high and selective cation exchange capacity.
Two applications are especially promising: ( I ) the use of the
specific zeolite clinoptilolite in decontamination of cesium-bear-
ing waste matenals and (2) the use of zeolites in water pollution
control. Clinoptilolite is selective for the removal of radioactive
cesium and strontium from low-level waste streams of nuclear
installations. After removal the ions may be stored indefinitely
in the zeolite or they may be removed by chemical means.
The efficient removal of ammonia from sewage effluent by
zeolites has been demonstrated at several locations in the United
States. Because of their nonselective action, the use of conven-
tional ion exchangers to remove ammonia from sewage plant
cfTluent is prohibitive in cost. Clinoptilolite has been used in
sewage treatment plants because of its high cation exchange
capacity for ammonia and potential low cost. The water reclama-
tion plant of the Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency, for example,
treats 4.8 million gallons of sewage a day from communities on
the north and west shores of Lake Tahoe and along the Truckee
River corridor from Lake Tahoe to Truckee, California by cli-
noptilolite ion exchange to reduce the elTluent ammonia level to
less than 2 ppm (Mumpton, 1983a). (The clinoptilolite is from
Death Valley Junction, California.) The removal of ammonia,
which can be toxic to fish and other aquatic life and can cause
explosive growth of algae and consequent oxygen depletion in
water (Papke, l*'72), is a growing concern in many areas. Other
common zeolites, such as erionite, chabazite, and mordenitc.
also have the ability to selectively exchange ammonia.
Because of their relatively low cost as compared to synthetic
zeolites, natural zeolites have also been utilized in industrial and
agricultural applications. Natural zeolites (clinoptilolite and
mordenitc) are mined by over a dozen companies in Japan. The
largest use of natural zeolites in Japan is in the paper industry
where the zeolite ore is characterized by a high degree of white-
nevs, which is imp<irtant for its use as a paper filler. The next
largest use of natural zeolites in Japan is as a soil conditioner.
The pulverized zeolite is mixed in the soil to make it more
workable and. because of the high cation exchange capacity of
the zeolite, to ads<irb ferlili/er comp<iunds and prevent their
leaching from the soil In the late 1'>6(X mined zeolite began to
he added to the feed of swinc and poultry in Japan with rep<irtcd
increa.sc in feed -con version values and in Ihe general health of
the animals.
In the United States there has been a significant interest in the
use of natural zeolites in the field of agriculture and aquaculture.
In 1*^82 a conference on the use of natural zeolites in agriculture
and aquaculture held in Rochester, New York brought together
researchers from many disciplines to exchange ideas and knowl-
edge about the potential use of natural zeoliltes in the applied
fields of agriculture and aquaculture. Some of the uses of natural
zeolites discussed at this conference (Pond and Mumpton, 1984)
include: as a slow-release fertilizer; as carriers of herbicides,
fungicides, and insecticides, as possible traps for heavy metal
contaminants in soil amended with municipal sewage sludge; as
decaking agents for fertilizer and feed storage; as additives to the
normal feed of swine, poultry, and ruminants to deodonze and
increase nutrient content of animal excrement; and to remove
toxic concentrations of ammonia from aquacultural systems.
The development of solar-refngeration units using certain zeo-
lites was also discussed. Zeolites arc also used as construction
materials.
Massive zeolite-nch rock has been used as building block and
decorative rock. Natural zeolites are used as lightweight aggre-
gate and in pozzolanic cement and concrete. Other uses include
oil-spill cleanup and oxygen production.
ECONOMICS
A ready market does not yet exist for natural zeolites although
natural zeolites have been mined and sold since about I960 in the
United States. As with many industrial minerals, the prospective
producer of natural zeolites might have to develop a market for
the product.
Natural zeolites can be mined and processed at low cost com-
pared to synthetic zeolites. In high-value applications such as
catalysis where the natural zeolite would have to compete with
synthetic zeolites, a relatively pure product with uniform chemi-
cal and physical properties would have to be produced. This
could be difficult and costly because of the great vanations in
zeolite mineralogy, content, and physical properties within a
zeolite deposit. Natural zeolites used in ion exchangers do not
require a relatively pure product but require selective mining to
keep the zeolite-content uniform, and special processing so that
the final product meets the required grain size. Because natural
zeolites used in agriculture and construction are high-bulk
products with a low unit value, it is important that costs of
mining, and necessary processing, and transjKirtation of the
product to the market be taken into account when considering
the development of a deposit.
LABORATORY STUDY OF ZEOLITES
All samples of altered luff collected in the field were examined
by x-ray diffraction using nickel-filtered copper radiation The
samples were powdered and placed on a gla-ss slide coated with
silicon grease An x-ray difTraction pattern was run from 4" to
60° at a rate of 1' 2-theta per minute The x-ray diffraction
pattern was compared with a series of templates showing the
x-ray diffraction patterns of clinoptilolite. mordenite. phillipsite.
enonite. analcimc. chabazite. p<itas.sium feldspar, opal, quartz,
and cnstobalite. A rough estimate of the relative abundance of
the zeolites was made using peak intensities as recorded by the
x-ray diffraction pattern.
Several samples were examined with the optical microscope
using finely ptiwdcrcd material immersed in oils of known refrac-
tive index Because of the extremely fine grain size of the zeolite
minerals, the optical microscope was used pnmanly to identify
minerals avsociated with the zetilitcs. Thin sections of zeolite
samples were not prepared for this preliminary study of zeolites.
The scanning electron microscope is especially gixxl for the
study of the size and shape of zeolite minerals. About 2$ samples
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
were examined with the scanning electron microscope and scan-
ning electron micrographs were prepared for several samples in
the San Francisco laboratory of the U.S. Customs Service. The
zeolite samples were coated with a gold-palladium mixture with
a Technics Hummer V Sputter Coater and examined with a
Cambridge Stereoscan 150 scanning electron microscope.
FIELD DESCRIPTION OF ALTERED TUFFS
Most of the zeolite-rich beds are more resistant to erosion than
the country rock. In some places such a bed forms the crest of a
low ridge (see Photo 6) and is the only rock exposed on the ridge.
Most of the zeolite-rich beds produce an erosion-resistant float
(see Photo 26), often with a distinctive color such as white, pale
gray, pink, green, or tan, which gives a distinctive color to the
surrounding ground and a white, pink, green, or tan color to
the entire zone of zeolitization. The altered tuffs or tuff breccias
being more resistant to erosion often form bluffs or hogbacks
(see Photos 10, 30 and 33), some of which can be traced for
a considerable distance. Sedimentary structures such as
crossbedding, ripple marks, and slump bedding are visible in
the altered tuffs.
Altered tuff is easily distinguished from fresh tuff in the field.
The altered tuff has a conchoidal fracture, greater hardness, and
a dull earthy luster rather than a glassy luster. Rock fragments and
mineral crystals such as quartz, feldspar, biotite, and hornblende
that were part of the original tuff remain unaltered in the zeolitized
tuff. Exposures of zeolitized tuff have a blocky appearance re-
sulting from numerous intersecting fractures. Individual frag-
ments are often nearly equidimensional with sharp edges. Slopes
below exposures of zeolitized tuff or low ridges underlain by zeo-
litized tuff are covered with small ('/:" to 2") sharp-edged frag-
ments (Photo 6). Fragments of zeolitized tuff have a peculiar dull,
hollow rattle when several pieces are shaken together like dice.
Silicified tuff on the other hand has a very different sound when
fragments are shaken together. Unfortunately there is no foolproof
method of recognizing zeolitized tuffs in the field but familiarity
with different exposures of zeolitized tuff increases the reliability
of field identification. Laboratory examination of suspected zeo-
lite-bearing tuffs, preferably by x-ray diffraction, is the final test
as to presence of zeolites and the most reliable way to identify the
zeolite or zeolites present.
CALIFORNIA ZEOLITE DEPOSITS
Geologic Occurrences
Based upon their mode of occurrences, mineralogical compo-
sition, and geological origin, zeolite deposits in sedimentary
rocks may be grouped into six different groups or types (Mump-
ton, 1973):
Type 1. Deposits which formed from volcanic material in
"closed" systems of ancient lakes and present-day
saline lakes.
Type 2. Deposits which formed from volcanic material in
"open" systems of fresh-water lakes or groundwater
systems.
Type 3. Deposits which formed from volcanic material in
near-shore or deep-sea marine environments.
Type 4. Deposits formed by low-grade burial metamorphism
of volcanic and other material in thick sedimentary
sequences.
Type 5. Deposits formed by hydrothermal or hot spring activ-
ity.
Type 6. Deposits formed in lacustrine or marine environ-
ments without direct evidence of volcanic precursor
material.
Many of the known California zeolite deposits are formed
from volcanic deposits in closed hydrologic basins (type 1).
Such deposits generally result from the reaction of volcanic glass
with connate water trapped during sedimentation in saline, alka-
line lakes. The zeolite minerals commonly found in saline alka-
line lake deposits are analcime, chabazite, clinoptilolite. erionite,
mordenite, and phillipsite. The most distinguishing feature of the
closed-system, saline-lake zeolite deposits is the lateral zonation
of minerals. Other types of deposits commonly show a vertical
mineral zonation. The tuffs of Pleistocene Lake Tecopa exem-
plify the lateral zonation pattern (Sheppard and Gude, 1968).
Fresh glass occurs along the margin and at inlets of the ancient
lake. The glass is succeeded inwardly by a zone of zeolites and
in the central part of the lake by potassium feldspar. The zeolites
in the Lake Tecopa deposit are chiefly phillipsite, erionite, and
clinoptilolite. A similar lateral distribution pattern has been
recognized in the Miocene Barstow Formation (Sheppard and
Gude, 1969a). A zone of analcime separates the other zeolites
found in the Barstow Formation from a zone of potassium
feldspar.
The Ricardo Formation (Pliocene) exposed in the Last
Chance Canyon area in the El Paso Mountains of eastern Kern
County is an example of open-system-type zoning (type 2) in
younger nonmarine sediments. Here, the beds have been tilted,
yet the contact between fresh and zeolite tuff is nearly horizon-
tal, showing that alteration occurred after tilting. Clinoptilolite
is the only zeolite in this sequence, and it is associated with
variable amounts of montmorillonite and opal (Hay and Shep-
pard, 1977). In this type of deposit, alteration of tuffaceous
sediments to zeolites was by flowing or percolating groundwater
which was chemically modified by hydrolysis or dissolution of
vitric materials. Meteoric water entering the system moves either
downward or with a downward component; hence, the zeolitic
alteration zones are either horizontal or gently inclined (Hay
and Sheppard, 1977).
Two types of zeolite deposits are found in California in low-
grade metamorphic rocks. They occur in two types of terrains:
(1) hydrothermal, and (2) burial. Hydrothermal occurrences
include active and fossil geothermal systems and rocks hydro-
thermally altered by igneous intrusion (type 5). Zeolites devel-
oped on a regional scale in thick stratigraphic sections are
usually attributed to burial metamorphism (type 4) (Boles,
1977). In surface outcrops, mordenite, stilbite, heulandite, and
laumontite have been identified in Miocene sandstones and tuffs
of the Coast Ranges. Mordenite is associated with clinoptilolite
as a replacement of volcanic glass in tuffs of the marine Obispo
Formation (Surdam and Hall, 1968), and in marine volcanogen-
ic sandstone of the Briones Sandstone (Murata and Whiteley,
1973). Many of the zeolitized tuffs of the Obispo Formation are
in beds, someof which are over 100 feet thick, consisting of more
than 75 percent mordenite (Surdam and Hall, 1968).
Zeolites (type 5) are reported (Hay and Sheppard, 1977) to be
widespread in areas of hydrothermal alteration and may exhibit a
well-defined zonation. Clinoptilolite or mordenite characterize the
shallowest or coolest zones; progressively deeper zones commonly
contain analcime or heulandite. laumontite, and wairakite. Several
California zeolites may have been formed by hydrothermal alter-
ation of tuffs or by alteration of tuffs near hot spring areas. Rhyol-
ilic tuffs and pumice in the vicinity of the hot springs on Hot Creek
about five miles east of Casa Diablo Hot Springs in Mono County
have been altered to clinoptilolite and phillipsite by hot spring
activity.
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Other reported occurrences of zeolites in low-grade meta-
morphic rocks include an area of alteration of the Great Valley
sequence with the formation of laumonlitc as a replacement of
plagioclase in the lower part of a thick section exposed near
Cache Creek (Dickinson and others, 1969). Several other zeo-
lite occurrences have been reported from subsurface cores in
Tertiary rocks. These include laumontite in Eocene- Miocene
sandstone of the Tejon area and in Miocene volcanogenic sand-
stone from Ketlleman North Dome (Hay. 1977).
Other types of zeolite deposits in sedimentary rocks may be
present in California, but insufTicient data is available to classify
the deposits.
Descriptions of Individual Deposits
INYO COUNTY
Zeolites have been reported from several localities in Inyo
County. These include: altered tuff deposits of Pleistocene Lake
Tecopa. south of Shoshone; altered luff deposits on the lower
north and northwestern slopes of the Resting Spring Range, east
of Death Valley Junction (Ash Meadows); Waucoba Lake bed
deposits, east of Big Pine; lake bed deposits at Owens Lake; and,
altered tuff in the Furnace Creek Formation, east side of Death
Valley.
TuH deposits of Pleistocene Lake Tecopa.
The Pleistocene Lake Tecopa deposits consist chiefly of mud-
stone and interbedded rhyolilic viiric tuffs that interfinger mar-
ginward with coarser clastic sediments (Sheppard and Gude,
1968). The deposits of Lake Tecopa extend about 14 miles in a
north-south direction and about 1 1 miles in an east-west direc-
tion. The towns of Shoshone and Tecopa lie near the north and
south ends of the lake deposits, respectively. The tuff (ash) beds
within the lake deposits of Lake Tecopa on the western half of
the lake bed have been delineated by Chesterman ( 1973). Dur-
ing diagenesis, zeolites, potassium feldspar, and other authigenic
silicate minerals formed in the tuffs. The zeolites are mainly
phillipsite. clinoplilolite, erionite. and minor amounts of analcite
and chabazite. A study of the Lake Tecopa deposits by Sheppard
and Gude ( 1968) indicates that the fresh-glass facies is along the
lake margin and is succeeded basinward by the zeolite facies and
then by the potassium feldspar in the central part of the t>asin
(see Figure I; Photos 1.2)
During the study, 12 tuffs, which make up from 8-12 percent
of the section, were recognized, but only two could be traced
from the fresh-glass facies, through the zeolite facies and into the
potassium feldspar facies. The two marker tuffs were used to
delineate the extent and general configuration of the tuff beds.
According to Sheppard and Gude ( 1968), tuffs of the fresh-glass
facies are typically pale gray and friable; shards have a distinct
vitreous luster.
Altered tuffs generally are white or pastel shades of green, \-el-
low. orange, or brown, relatively hard, and dull or earthy Unlike
tuffs of the fresh-gla.ss facies. altered tuffs are resistant and ledge-
forming.
During the present study, samples of altered tuff were collect-
ed from a number of sites including the Pfizer bentonitic clay
deposits near the southwestern end of the lake deposits. Sample
colors were white, tan, and various shades of green. Phillipsite
and clinoplilolite were the only zeolite minerals identified in the
samples. The luff beds are nearly flat-lying or dip at a low angle
toward the center of this basin. Contortion of the beds by slump-
ing during consolidation of the ash is common. Swirls of green
zeolitized tuff in unaltered tuff were noted at several locations.
Figure 1 is an index map showing the sample locations. A brief
description of the four sample locations is given in Table 3-A.
Death Valley Junction (Ash Meadows) area.
A large deposit of zeolite-bearing tuff occurs about five miles
east of Death Valley Junction and one mile west of the Califor-
nia-Nevada border in NE ', NW ', NW ■, section 15. T.25N.,
R.6E., SBBM. This deposit lies within a sequence of Tertiary
rocks underlying the low rolling hills on the lower slopes of the
north and northwestern end of the Resting Spring Range and
largely concealed beneath younger formations. These rocks were
mapped by Denny and Drewes (1965) and placed in a "sand-
stone and claystone" unit of possible Oligocene to Pluvene age.
The rocks consist of moderate brown to very light gray, locally
yellow or green sandstone and claystone, with subordinate
Pholo I. Sconning electron micrograph of ollered tuff contoining
phillipiile. Pleitlocene Lake Tecopo lacuitrine depoiitt. Sample
site 96. Sample A.
Pholo 2. Sconnmg electron microgroph of altered tuff contoining
philliptile. Pleitlocene lake Tecopa lacuitrine deposits. Sampi*
lite 97, Somple B.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
R.6E.
R.7E.
T22N.
T21N
T.20N.
Topography from U S G S
Shoshone and Tecopa 15'
quadrangles
Figure 1. Index map of the Shoshone orco, Inyo County, showing the location of the Pfizer zeolite quarry and the zeolite sample locations
(dots) . Dashed lines indicate the approximate shoreline of Lake Tecopa and the boundories between the three diagenetic fades for Tuff A
of Sheppard and Gude (1968).
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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10
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
41
K^
■*-:*•.■
,#'•»►
-A
Other reported Inyo County deposits.
Early Pleistocene Waucoba Lake beds.
These dept)Mis are on the lower slopes of ihc Inyo Mouniains
east of Big Pine, and consist largely of sillslone ami sandstone
about 24U to 3U0 feet thick. Interbcdded within the silLstone and
sandstone are about a do/en rhyolite tuff beds half an inch to a
foot thick that have been altered almost entirely to phillipsitc and
a minor amount of clinoptilolite (Hay. 1964). The zeoliTrred tuff
beds are reported by Hay ( 1964) to extend southwesterly from the
NE '/4 SW % section 7. T.9S.. R.35E.. MDBM to the southeast
corner of section 12. T9S.. R.34E . MDBM.
At present the area is highly dissected with many siccp-sided
gullies making it extremely difficult to traverse. Two attempts
Photo 3. Stockpiles and open pit workings of Anaconda Mining
Company's zeolite operation eost of Death Valley Junction. Open
pit and stockpiles ore in Colifornia. View west.
amounts of conglomerate, siltstone. tuff, and limestone. The.se
rocks were deposited both as alluvial fans and as lake sediments
(Denny and Drewcs. 1965). The deposits have been developed by
an open pit about 1.000 feel long in an east-west direction, over
100 feel wide (north-south) and 7>Q to 40 feet deep. Several large
sttKkpiles of crushed and screened zeolite-bearing tuff are located
just north of the pit. Exposed, altered tuff beds strike nearly north-
south and dip 25° to the east. A sample of pale yellowish, altered
lapilli luff collected at this site (field site no. 95) consists princi-
pally of clinoptilolite. Similar yellowish-white, zeolite-bearing
tuff is exposed on the pit walls and on the pit floor. This pit has
been operated intermittently by Anaconda Mineral Corporation
(Photos 3. 4). Anaconda has another zeolite deposit located in
Nevada about three miles northeast of the California deposit. That
zeolite-bearing tuff is green and is reported to have a lower zeolite
content than their California deposit. In October 19S3. Anaconda
had a portable crushing and screening plant at the old Ash
Mcadt)ws "Rancho" a few miles cast of the California border.
This plant was used for processing material from both of their
deposits. The sample locations are shown in Figures 2 and 3.
and Table 3-B gives a description t)f the sample locations and the
samples.
■^'*^-
1
Photo 4. Stockpile area and norlti end ot Anaconda Mining Com-
pany's zeolite operation eost ol Death Valley Junction. View north-
west.
T25N
i
26 94
•
.1
•
95
T18S
T19S
Topograptiy Irom U S G S R 6E
Asli Meadows 15 quadrangle
Scale 1 62.500
1 IMilas
_l
Contour interval 40 Feet
Figure 2. Index mop o< o port of the SE '^ o< the Ash Meadows
15 quadrangle, Inyo County and Nevodo, showing zeolite sample
locations (dots) .
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
II
R.50E.
R.51E.
■Tsc
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Topography from U.S.G S.
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3 ! Y'^^Lr^klh
T25N
Geology after Denny and
Drewes, 1965
Scale 1 :62,500
0
I
1 Miles
_1
Contour Interval 40 Feet
EXPLANATION
Qgs
Alluvial fan deposits (sand and gravel
with areas of desert pavement)
Tsc
Sandstone and claystone with zeoli-
tized tuff
QTf
Tertiary and Quaternary fanglomerate
Cambrian quartzlte, limestone and
dolomite
95
•^ Zeolite sample site
Figure 3. Sketch geologic map of the SE '/, of the Ash Meadows 15' quadrangle, Inyo County, showing the location of zeolite deposits
(dots) and areas favorable for other zeolite deposits (Tsc).
12
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
were made dunng ihis study lo collect zailile-bcaring tuff from
this area Zeolites were not identiried in either sample collected
from this site (Sample site 14, 122). The area examined is in the
Waucoba Mountain 15' quadrangle in the SE '. section 7, T.9S.,
R35E . MDBM
Furnace Creek Formatiort.
The Furnace Creek Formalion of Pliocene age consists of
about 7.000 feet of sedimentary' rocks including some interlay-
ercd and intrusive volcanic rock most of which are basaltic.
Lacustrine mudstone and sandstone are prevalent in the main
part of the Furnace Creek Formation. According to McAllister
( 1<J70). a few beds of tuff, limestone, and minor dolomite, along
with some conglomeratic or gypsiferous beds that are not distin-
guished from the main unit, are interst ratified with the mudstone
and sandstone. The tuff, in extensive beds as much as two feet
thick, but mostly a few inches thick, lacks calcite and is generally
altered to clinoptilohte. A conspicuous color of the tuff is very
pale blue-green, but most of the tuff is very light gray tinged
pinkish or yellowish or nearly w hite. No specific location for the
zeoliiized tuff is cited by McAllister, but Sheppard ( 1971 ) gives
section 2. T.26N.. R.2E., SBBM as the location of a deposit of
possible economic significance. This deposit was not examined
during the present study.
KERN COUNTY
Zeolite-bearing tuff has been reported from several Tertiary-
age formations in Kern County. These include the Gem Hill
Formation in the Rosamond Hills south of Mojave, the Kinnick
Formation near Tehachapi, the Ricardo Formation in the El
Paso Mountains, and the lower part of the Tropico Group near
Castle Butte.
Gem Hill Formatiort.
The Gem Hill Formation of Miocene (?) age consists of a
light-colored sequence of rhyolitic lithic tuff, tuff breccia, tufTa-
ceous sandstone, conglomerate, and associated volcanic rocks
that form the lower part of the Tropico Group in the Rosamond
Hills (Dibblee, 1%3).
R 12W
HON
T9N
Topography trom U S G S
Rosamond 15 quadrangle
Scale 1:62.500
0
I
1 Miles
J
Photo 5. Expoiure of zeoliiized luff of the Gem Hill Formation in
o gully obout 1 mile south of Gem Hill.
Contour Interval 1 00 Feel
Figure 4. Index mop of the Gem Hill oreo, eastern Kem County
showing zeolite sample locations (dots).
The Gem Hill Formation crops out in a nearly continuous bell
that extends from Gem Hill near the west end of the Rosamond
Hills, southeastward nearly eight miles to Red Hill Other isolated
outcrops of the formation are within the area The Gem Hill R>r-
mution erodes to conspicuous light-colored exposures that are gen-
erally smooth and almost devoid of vegetation In places, the
formation contains thin. hard, resistant layers that protrude as thin
ledges. Samples were collected from near Gem Hill and from two
other sites — one about 1 '/< miles south of Gem Hill and the other
about I ''4 miles southeast of Gem Hill (Photos 5. 61. The samples
collected consist of tannish-white tuff, lapilli tuff, and tuff brec-
cia Zeolites arc present in samples from all three sites Clinop-
lilolitc is the principal /colilc mineral; mordcnite is present as a
minor constituent ,\ sample from a low. rounded ridge in the
northwest quarter of section I. T 9N . R 1.1W.. MDBM. from a
bed at least 50 feet thick contains over 50 percent clinoptilohte
and mordcnite Other parts of this deposit are accessible but were
not sampled for this invvstigalion Figure 4 is an index map of the
area showing the sample liKations and Table 4-,'\ is a description
of the sample sites and samples collected from the Gem Hill
i-ormation
Kinnick Formation.
The Kinnick Formation of Miocene age is composed mainly
of bedded while to greenish-whitc tuff. lufTacetius sandstone, and
luff breccia that contain numerous fragments of andesitc and
lival inlcrhcds of lacustrine luffacetius or hcntonitic clay and
tuffacetius shale that are livally siliceous (Dibblee and Louke.
1970). During the study of a Fuller's canh deposit by Kerr and
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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14
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
R34E
Photo 6. Zeolilized tuff of the Gem Hill Formation underlying o
low ridge obout 1 '/^ miles southeast of Gem Hill.
Photo 7. Exposure of zeolilized lu(f of the Kinnick Formation,
northern Sand Canyon area.
•»*
'«
Photo 8. Zeolitizcd tuH of the Kinnick Formation underlying the
ridge in the foreground and the hill in the background.
T31S
T32S
Topograpfiy (rem U S G S
Tetiactiapi 15' quadrangle
Scale 1 62.500
5 0
_L
_L
1 Miles
J
Contour Interval 100 Feel
Figure 5. Index mop of the Sand Canyon area, eostem Kem Coun-
ty, showing zeolite sample locations (dots).
Cameron (1936) located five miles ea.si of Tchachapi, a zeolite
identified as clinoptiloliie or heulandile wa.s found assiKialed with
montmorillonite formed by alteration of vulcanic ash. This deposit
lies within the Kinnick Formation. Clinopiiioliic-rich jxjz/olans
were used in 1912 in the construction of the 240-milc long Los
Angeles aqueduct. This material is still being quarried from a
massive, /.eolitically altered ash-flow luff near Tehachapi b\ Mon-
olith Portland Cement Company and is the principal constituent
in their po//olaniccemeni priKluctsiMumpton. 1973) The quarry
from which the altered luff was i.>blained lies within the Kinnick
Formation (Photos 7-9). During the present study, samples were
collected from three localities in the northern Sand Canyon area
(mostly within a subdivision by the Sugarloaf Mountain Ranch
Company). Clinoptilolite and mordenite were found in all samples
collected A-olite content of the altered tuff is generally less
than 50 percent The altered tuff occurs in beds up to over 100
feet thick with a generally north-south strike and a dip to the
south at I.** to 25 degrees. The tuff vanes in color from gray to
green or bluish-green. Figure 5 is an index map of the Sand
Canyon area showing the sample liKations. Figure 6 is a geo-
logic map of an area which includes the sampled locations
A description of the samples and sample sites is included in
Table 4 B
Ricardo Formation.
The Ricardo Formation is well developed on the north-wcsl
flank of the F"l Paso Mountains, extending from RcdriKk Can-
yon northeast through l.ast Chance Canyon to the Black Hills.
The Ricardo Formation of Pliocene age con.sisls mainly of fluvia-
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
15
T.31S.
T.32S.
Topography from U.S.GS.
Tehachapl 15' quadrangle
Qa I Alluvium
Tk
Scale 1 :62,500
EXPLANATION
Miocene Kinnick Fm .
(Zeolite-bearing in part)
Geology simplified from Dibblee and Louke,
1970
gr granitic rocks
Tv Tertiary volcanic rocks
100
I Ts I Tertiary sedimentary rocks fns Metasedlmentary rocks
Zeolite sample site
Figure 6. Geologic mop of a part of the NE'/^ of the Tehachapi 15' quadrangle showing zeolite sample locations (dots) and extent of the
zeolite-fovoroble Kinnick Formation (Tk).
16
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
17
117°55W
35°25'N.
Topography from Army Map Service
Saltdale 15' quadrangle
Scale 1:62,500
1 Miles
J
Contour Interval 50 Feet
Figure 7. Index map of the Last Chance Canyon area (NW'/i Saltdole 15' quadrangle) eastern Kern County, showing zeolite sample
locations (dots).
Photo 9. Scanning electron micrograph of altered tuff of the Kin-
nick Formation containing clinoptilolite. Sample site 101, Sample A.
Photo 10. View south showing a bed of white zeolitized tuff in-
terbedded in the Ricardo Formation, last Chance Canyon areo, Kern
County. View south.
18
DIVISION OF MINES ANDGEOLCXiY
BULLETIN 208
tile and lacustrine sedimentary rocks (Photos 10-13). The for-
mation has a ma-ximum thickness of about 7,000 feet and dips 15"
to 20° to the northwest. The formation was divided into eight
members by Dibblce ( 1952). Lava flows and volcanic breccias are
li>cally common in the lower portion (Members 1-5) of the for-
mation. Sheppard and Gude ( l%5b) studied conspicuous tuff ex-
posed along the east face of Red Buttes on the west side of Last
Chance Canyon The tuff occurs in Member 4 of Dibblee and is
white to light gray and 6 to 22 feet thick. It consists of individual
beds that range from thin laminae to beds 30 inches thick.
Crossbcdding and channeling are locally present. Over a vertical
distance of about 250 feet, the fresh tuff has been completely
altered (Sheppard and Gude. 1965b). The altered tuff ha,s a con-
choidal fracture, an earthy luster, and is harder than the unaltered
tuff. The altered tuff weathers into small, nearly ei)uidimensional
fragments with sharp edges and a conchoidal fracture. The color
varies from white to pale pink or green. Once recognized in the
field, altered tuff is readily distinguished from unaltered tuff. Ac-
cording to Sheppard and Gude (1965b). the zeolitic alteration
probably occurred after the Ricardo Formation was tilted because
the alteration transects bedding. The surface separating fresh glass
from zeoliti/.ed glass is nearly horizontal but locally uneven. Evi-
dence cited by Sheppard and Gude (1965b) indicates the zeoliti-
zation of volcanic glass was not the result of hydrothermal
alteration, but rather that the zeolites formed in an environment
of moderate to high pH and high salinity by hydrolysis and solution
of vitric material by subsurface water. Samples were collected for
this study from nine sites extending in a southwesterly direction
from the northwest quarter of section 4, T.29S.. R.38E.. MDBM.
on the north side of the east extention of Last Chance Canyon to
the southeast quarter of section 24. T.29S.. R.37E.. MDBM. a
distance of about 4'/; miles. All samples were from Members 2 or
4 of Dibblee ( 1952). Zeolite minerals identified were clinoptilolile.
phillipsite. analcime. and mordcnite. Associated authigcnic min-
erals include opal, cristobalite. montmorillonitc. and potassium
feldspar. Figure 7 is an index map of the Last Chance Canyon area
showing the sample locations. A description of the samples and
sample sites is included in Table 4-C.
%A
Photo 12. Zeolitized tuff bed about 8 feet thick consisting of two
pole pink beds with o two-fool thick interbedded white tuff bed.
Gray sandstone overlies ond underlies the oltered tuff. Ricardo
Formation, Lost Chance Canyon, Kern County.
,N ^»^i^' -r
T,
Photo .^j- :'i'. J . le) of Member -1 ^'. ::^ ■ ;:Jo
Formation. West tide of Loll Chance Canyon. Kern County. View
north.
Photo n .' 'Met wiih gfoy sand-
stone. Near top of Member 4, Ricardo Formation, Last Chance
Canyon, Kern County.
Tropica Group.
The Tropico Group of Miocene (?) and Pliocene age was
named by Dibblee ( 1958a) after the Mojave-Tropico Road that
traverses the type scx'tion in the Ros;imond Hills, it is a se-
quence of nonmarinc sedimentary, pyrivlastic. and volcanic
rocks of Tertiary age exposed in the vicinities of Rosamond.
Mojave. Castle Butte, Kramer borate area, and Kramer Mills In
general, the lower part is composed mainly of tufTaccous strata
of rhyolitic comptisition, and the upper part is made up of cither
coarse stream-laid or fine lacustnnc sediments or both. The Gem
Mill f-'ormation has already been described in this rcp«irt and is
the lower unit of the Tropico Group in the Rosamond Mills. The
Cjem Mill Formation has been tentatively ci>rrclatcd b\ Dibblcc
( |95Sa) on the basis of its lithologic similaritv and stratigraphic
position With the Muxene Kinnick Formation in the Tchachapi
area. Because the rhyolitic pyrixMastic nvks of the Kinnick and
Gem Mill Formation have been /coliti/cd. exposures of the lower
part of the Tropico Group were examined in the nearby Ca.slle
Butte and Boron 15' quadrangles.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
19
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DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
21
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CN
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Altered while luff and luff breccia of the lower pari t>f the
Tropico Group underlie several low ridges and arc expt)scd in gul-
lies and prospect pits cast and northeast of Ca.stlc Butte Samples
of altered tuff and tuff breccia were collected during this study
from a small dozer cui a short distance norihexst of Castle Buite
(Pht)tos 14. 15). The tannish-whitc liihic tuff and pale green lithic
luff breccia contain 50 percent or more clinoplilolite and morden-
ile. Both contain fragments of dacitic and andcsiiic riKJcs. Ac-
cording to Dibblee ( 1958b). the tuff and luff breccia unit is overlain
by a while-weathering luffaceous shale. This unit was also sam-
pled from a large dozer cut (clay pit'.') about half a mile west of
Clay Mine Road. The cut is on the side of a small circular hill
capped by basalt. The cut expt)ses white, hard, altered tuff which
has been altered to bentonilic clay and zeolites. A very fine-
grained, massive altered luff from this site contains a minor
amount of clinoplilolite — opal is the major constituent However,
a sample of grayish-white, sandy tuff with visible bedding
planes is composed of at least 50 percent clinoplilolite and minor
amounts of cristobalite. Geologic mapping (Dibblee. l95Sc) in
Castle Butte 15' quadrangle shows many other areas underlain
by the tuff and tuff breccia unit of the lower Tropico Group.
None of these other areas were examined or sampled as part of
(his study.
Photo 14. Bulldozer cut exposing zeolitized tuff and cloy of the
Tropico Group. About 1,000 feet northeast of Coitle Butle.
.•«*c'/i
Photo 15 Cloic up of bulldoze cut itiown In Photo 14 The luff
of the Tropico Group hat been altered to clinoptilolile and bentonilic
cloy
Farther east on the Boron 15' quadrangle, which was also
mapped by Dibblee ( 1958b), several exposures of white, bedded
fine- to medium-gramcd lufT and w hue, bedded to massive tufT
breccia with grains of quartz, feldspar, flakes of biotite, and
pea-size fragments of volcanic and granitic rock are delineated
on the western half of the geologic map. Three exposures of tufT
or tuff breccia were examined and sampled dunng the present
zeolite study. A sample of partially altered tufT from an old
bentonilic clay prospect about a mile northwest of Saddleback
Mountain did not contain zeolites nor did a sample from about
5 miles farther northwest. However, a sample collected from a
body of altered luff about a mile and a half northeast of the latter
site contains about 50 percent or more clinoplilolite Similar al-
tered tuff is exposed in low ridges lo the north and east. Other
bodies of tuff breccia of the lower part of the Tropico Group are
indicated on the geologic map of the Boron quadrangle but were
not examined and sampled.
Two areas underlain by tuff or tufT breccia of the lower part
of the Tropico Group were examined and sampled in the Kramer
and Hawes 15' quadrangles (San Bernardino County) which
adjoin the Boron quadrangle on the south and southeast, respec-
tively. These quadrangles were mapped by Dibblee (I960a,b).
Zeolites were not identiTied in samples collected from either of
the exposures.
Figure 8 is an index map of sample locations in the Castle
Butte area; Figure 9 covers the Boron area. A descnption of all
of the sample sites and samples collected from the tuff and tuff
breccia unit of the lower part of the Tropico Group in Kem
County and San Bernardino County is given in Table 4-D.
MONO COUNTY
Older rhyolite — Hot Creek area fCasa Diablo Hot Springs).
The older rhyolite of Rineharl and Ross (1964) consists of
several lilhologic types which grade laterally and vertically
from one to the other: gray pcrliiic glass, locally pumiceous; pitch-
stone and obsidian: and flow-banded rhyolite Pot>rly consolidated
and crudely stratified pumice, lapilli tuff, and ash crop out in a
few places including in the vicinity of Hot Creek (Photi>s 16. 17).
The luff is weakly indurated and ranges from shades of light gray
to white. It consists of angular to subroundcd pumice lapilli. a few
millimeters to several centimeters in maximum dimension, embed-
ded in a matrix of fine ash. The relationship of the tuff and ash
to the flow-banded rhyolite was not determined by Rinehart and
Ross ( 1964) who assumed that the tuff and ash arc part of a single
/one interlayered with the rhyolite flows.
Pumice, lapilli tuff, and tuff are exposed along both sides of
Hot Creek in the vicinity of the hot spnngs at the Hot Spnngs
Park. Samples of these rocks were collected along Hot Creek
several hundred feet west of the fixitbridgc across Hot Creek.
The pumice, lapilli luff, and tuff within 50 feet or so of the creek
have been altered to a pale yellow ish-grecn or grcenish-whilc
color The unaltered rivks are light gray and apparcntlv o\erlie
the altered nvks. Six samples of altered tuff, lapilli tuff, and
pumice collected from different sites on both sidc-s of Hot Creek
contain appreciable amounts of clinoplilolite and minor amounts
of phillipsite and feldspar One example of pale green, altered
pumice contains more than 50 percent clinoplilolite A scanning
electron micrograph of altered pumice shows terminated plates
and laths of clinoplilolite Figure 10 is an index map of the Hot
Creek area showing sample hvations A descnption of the sam-
ple Itvations and s;miplcs is given in Table 5.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Altered tufT and tuff breccia containing potentially economic
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
23
T.32S
T.12N.
TUN.
Topography from USG S.
Castle Butte 15' quadrangle
Scale 1:62,500
0
I
1 Miles
-J
Contour Interval 25 Feet
Figure 8. Index map of the Castle Butte area, eastern Kern County, showing zeolite sample locations (dots).
deposits of zeolites have been reported from several formations in
San Bernardino County. These include the Barstow Formation in
the Mud Hills, the Pickhandle Formation in the Black Canyon
area, the Spanish Canyon Formation near Clews Ridge and the
head of the Spanish Canyon in the Alvord Mountains, and an
unnamed Ibrmation on the south flank of the Cady Mountains
near Hector, in addition to these reported deposits, many more
potentially economic zeolite deposits have been found during this
study in other unnamed fonrations in San Bernardino County.
In the following section on the zeolite deposits and occur-
rences in San Bernardino County, the formations known to
contain zeolite-bearing tuff will be discussed first. Then the un-
named formations will be discussed on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle
basis.
Barstow Formation.
The Miocene Barstow Formation as defined by Dibbiee
(1968) is a sequence of deformed, stream-laid conglomerates,
sandstones, lacustrine clays, and several thin tuffs, which lie
uncomformably above granitic breccia and tuff of the Pickhan-
dle Formation. The Barstow Formation is unconformably over-
lain by flat-lying older alluvium of Pleistocene age. The Barstow
Formation is well exposed in the Barstow syncline in the Mud
Hills, especially in the Rainbow Basin where varicolored clay
shale and sandstone beds are exposed. The formation crops out
discontinuously to the southeast of the Mud Hills to the Calico
Mountains. To the west and northwest from the Mud Hills the
Barstow Formation is concealed by alluvium but crops out at
Black Canyon and extends northwesterly through the Gravel
Hills. During the present study, most of the emphasis was placed
on examining the Barstow Formation in the Mud Hills.
The Mud Hills are a low range of hills located about 10 miles
north of Barstow in west-central San Bernardino County. In the
Mud Hills the Barstow Formation is composed of nearly 3,000
feet of stream-laid conglomerates, sandstones, and lacustrine
clay shales, together with several thin layers of localized lime-
24
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
R40E
R41E.
• 116
20
115
r^
,^'
f:
14
n \ V
114
\1
lO
, irrtahao
T32S
T12N
T11N.
Topography from U S G S.
Boron IS' quadrangle
Scale 1 62.500
0
I
1 Miles
_i
Contour Interval 20 Feet
Figure 9. Index mop of the Boron area, eastern Kern County showing zeolite somple locations (dots).
Stone and lulT. and a basal conglomerate as thick as 1,000 feet
(Dibblcc, 1968) The lulTs in the HarMow Formation of the Mud
Hills make up about 1-2 percent of the siratigraphic section and
are the most conspicuous and contmuous strata (Sheppard and
Gude, l')6'}a) The tuffs of the Barstow |-'ormalion in the Mud
Hills were studied in detail by Sheppard and Gudc( 1969a) who
chose this area to study because the tuffs are well exptiscd and
an earlier reconnaissance of the area showed an abundance and
vanely of authigcnic silicate minerals. A geologic sketch map
showing sample hxrations and a table sh<ming the mineralogic
composition of one of the more persistent and recognizable tuffs
(informally called the Skyline tuff) is included in their study
Access to the area is via Fossil Canyon and Fossil Bed Road.
Near the eastern end of the Mud Hills, the Barstow Formation
crops out as small discountinuous Kxiies within the alluvium
The Mud Hills mine of the PDZ Corporation (Phelps Dtxlgc
Corp«iration) is hxrated in one of these small expi>surcs of the
lacustnne sandstone, mudslone. siltstone, limestone, and tufT
member of the Barstow Formation as mapped by McCulloh
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
25
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DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
27
R.28E.
R.29E.
T3S
Topography from U S.G S
Whilmore Hot Springs Th' quadrangle (NE 1/4 Mt. Morrison 15' quadrangle)
1000 0
I l_
Scale 1 :24,000
2000
4000
I
.5
I
Contour Interval 10 Meiers
Supplementary Contour Interval 5 Meters
6000 Feet
)
1 Kilometers
J
Figure 10. Index map of the Hot Creek Park area and vicinity. Mono County, showing zeolite sample locations (dots).
28
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
(I960) on the Lane Mountain 15' quadrangle The Mud Hills mine
is in section 28. T UN . R IW . SBBM. about 10 miles north of
Barslow via the Fort Irwin Road and Copper City Road At the
Mud Hills mine, the zeolite-bearing tuff deposit has been devel-
oped by an open cut with an area of about one acre (Photos 18.
19) The exposed tuff beds are about 10 to 15 feet thick, strike
nearly east-west, and dip to the south at about 1 5*" Waste rock and
overburden are stockpiled to the north of the pit. Cut slopes in the
overburden and ore are about I: I (45°). The overburden varies in
thickness from a few feet to about 20 feet. The mine was operated
for several months in late 1982. and 2.000 short tons of clinoptil-
olite were sold to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. ( BNFL) by Occidental
Minerals Corpt)ration who owned the mine until it was sold to
PDZ Corpt)ration (late 1982') The site of the Mud Hills mine is
one of the areas studied and sampled by Shcppard and Gude
(1969a). The mineralogic composition of the altered tuff at
this location is estimated by Sheppard and Gude at 90 percent
Photo 16. View west along Hot Creek near the Hot Creek Park.
Boulders olong the creek bonk ore rhyolite flows ond tuffs. The tuff
has been ollered to clinoptilolile.
Photo 18. Open pit inine of PDZ Corporation. Mud )-lills. Son
Bernardino County. Clinoptilolite occurs in altered tuff of the Mio-
cene Barslow Formotion. View south.
^
m
Photo 17 Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite from al-
tared luff, Mot Craak areo. Mono County.
Photo 19. North end of PDZ Corporotion Mud Hills zeolite depos-
it. Altered tuff of the Miocene Borstow Formotion dips o low angle
to south. Bogs ore mill residue from BNFL controcl. View west.
clinoptilolite with 10 percent clay. Undeveloped deposits of
similar zeolitized tuff appear to underlie several low hills cast of
the Mud Hills mine. A sample of clinoptilolitc-bcaring tuff from
the Mud Hills mine was used dunng the present zetilite study as
a standard for estimating clinoptilolite content of tuffs collected
from other deposits.
The locations of samples collected from the Barstow Forma-
tion arc shown on Figures II and 12 A dcscnption of the sample
sitc-s and the s;imples collected from the Barslow Formation in
the Mud Hills IS given in Table 6-.A
PIckhandle Formation .
I he middle or pcivsibly lower Miocene Pickhandle Formation
was named for a sequence of pyrivlastic rocks cxpcTsed in the
Pickhandle Pass area in the western Calico Mountains It crops
out in a discoMlnnunis west- to northwest -trending belt from
the Pickhandle Pa.vs area, which is on the Fon Irwin Road
about IS miles from Barslow, through the Mud Hills where it
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
29
'^^■^■jiso ■ *-.S
T.11N.
42A
41
20A,
24
1
Mud Hills
Mine
sJ.
'40
i<«e'
^J=
^'fS'
Topography from U.S.G.S.
Lane Mountain 15' quadrangle
R.1W.
RIE.
.5
Scale 1 62,500
0
1
1 Miles
J
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Figure 1 1. Index map of the eastern end of the Mud Hills, Son Bernardino County, showing the location of the Mud Hills mine and the zeolite
sample sites.
Photo 20. View southwest toward west end of Mud Hills near the
east end of Fossil Canyon. Most of white area is underlain by tuff
and tuff breccia of the Pickhandle Formation. Much of the tuff and
tuff breccia within the photograph has been zeolitized.
is prominently exposed on the north flank of the Barstow syncline.
North of the Mud Hills a few miles north of Coolgardie Camp,
there arc several small outcrops of the Pickhandle Formation. In
the Opal Mountain-Black Canyon area, the Pickhandle Formation
is well exposed where it is associated with rhyolitic volcanic rocks
(Photos 20-26). About 4 miles west of Black Canyon, the Pick-
handle Formation is exposed as an 8-mile long, west-trending belt
on the crest of the Gravel Hills.
The major part of the Pickhandle Formation is composed of
white or light-colored lithic and lapilli tuffs that are fine-grained,
ill-sorted tuff and sandy tuff (Dibblee, X'ibi). Both contain
quartz and feldspar, flakes of biotite, angular lithic fragments of
volcanic rocks, reworked tuff, and subrounded lapilli fragments
of devitrificd pumice and pumiceous perlite. Samples of altered
tuff and lapilli tuff were collected from near the Fort Irwin Road
between Pickhandle Pass and Jackhammer Gap in the Calico
Mountains westward to the northwest end of the Mud Hills. The
samples varied in color from white with a pink, tan, or green tint
30
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
T11N
Topography from U S G S
Opal Mountain 15 quadrangle
R2W
L
R 1W
.5
_J_
Scale 1 62.500
0
I
1 Miles
J
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Figure 12. Index mop of the western end of the Mud Hills ond vicinity. Son Bernordino County, showing zeolite sample locotions (dots).
to pale green Content and size of nxk and pumice fragments
and mineral grains varied from one sample site to the next, as
did the amount of clinoptilolitc. potassium feldspar, cristobalite,
and other minerals present. Tuffs and tulT breccias of the Pick-
handle Formation in the Opal Mountain-Rlack Canyon areas
contain fewer inclusions of colored volcanic rock and lapilli
fragments than the tuffs and tuff breccias of the Mud Hills, Lane
Mountain, and Calico Mountain areas Samples of altered luff
and tuff breccia collected from the south, east, and north sides
of Opal Mountain just below the capping of rhyolite flow breccia
and pcrlitc contain varying amounts of clmoptilolite, phillipsitc,
pota.vsium feldspar, and cristobalite The /coliti/ed pyriKlastic
rocks arc underlain by quart/ monzonitc. In general, the beds of
zeolilizcd rock strike NICW and dip 20'W and arc at least 15
feet thick A small circular hill about a mile north of Opal
Mountain is underlain by zeolitized iithic tufT and luff breccia
capped by rhyolitic flow breccia. Samples collected from here
contain about 50 percent clinoptilolitc. Altered luff and tulT
breccia from near Opal Camp and on both sides of Black Canyon
west to the ptiint where the Pickhandlc Formation dips under the
Harstow I'ormation near the mouth of Black Canyon als«i con-
tain appreciable amounts of clinoptilolitc. Farther west, samples
of lithic and lapilli tuff with rtxk fragments and lapilli of pumice
from near Bird Spring in the Gravel Hills contain various
amounts of clinoptilolitc These beds of zcolili/cd pyroclastic
rock extend westerly from Bird Spring for nearly 2 miles to near
an old pumice pit near the center of section 26. T.3IS.,R.43E.,
MDBM I Photos 27-2<*).
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
31
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32
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Photo 21. Zeolilized tuff and luff breccio of the Pickhondle For-
motion near the west end of the Mud Hills — near east end of Fossil
Conyon. Sample sites 21-23 are in the photograph.
Photo 22. View west across an area underlain by zeolitized tuff
and tuff breccia of the Pickhondle Formation. Opal Mountain in
background is capped by rhyolile breccia and flow breccia of the
Opal Mountain volcanics.
Photo 23. View northwest toward Opal Mountain showing zeolit-
ized tuff of the Pickhondle Formation exposed on the lower slopes.
The zeolitized tuff it overloin by a thin bed of granitic conglomerate.
Dumps on upper slopes are from perlite operations. Perlite occurs
within the Opal Mountain volconics which overlie the tuff and con-
glomerate.
Photo 24. Zeolitized lapilli tuff of the Pickhondle Formotion under-
lying a series of northwest-trending ridges northwest of Opal Moun-
tain. Dork rocks exposed near top of tuff bed in center foreground
and extending to right (west) ore granitic conglomerote. View
south.
Photo 25. View west down Block Canyon. Opal Camp in center
foreground at east (near) end of white area is in tuff of the Pickhon-
dle Formation. A major portion of the tuff in the foreground has been
zeolitized.
^r^
>-
c
Photo 26 Zeolilized luff, probably of the Pickhondle Formotion,
exposed on the south side of o low ridge on the lower southeastern
slopes of Lone Mountain at the northwest end of the Calico Moun-
tains.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
33
TUN
Topography from US.GS,
Opal Mountain 15' quadrangle
R.2W.
.5
_1_
Scale 1 :62,500
0
I
R 1W. Geology modified
after TW, Dibblee. Jr.,
1968
1 tVllles
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Qa Alluvial sand and gravel
Qoa
Tb
EXPLANATION
Tbt
Older alluvium
Barstow Formation, Undiff.
Barstow Formation, tuff bed
(Zeolitized in part)
.33
Tpt
Pickhandle Formation, tuff and tuff
breccia (Zeolitized in part)
Tp
Pickhandle Formation, Undiff.
Tv Opal Mountain volcanics
gf Granitic rocks
Zeolite sample site
Figure 13. Generalized geologic map of the western end of the Mud Hills and vicinity, San Bernardino County, showing the location of
zeolite-bearing tuff of the Barstow Formation and tuff and tuff breccia of the Pickhandle Formation.
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
T31S
T,32S.
Topography (rom U S G S
Opal Mountain 15 quadrangle
R44E.
R45E.
Scale 1 :62.500
Contour Interval 40 Feet
1 Miles
J
Figure 14. Index mop of the Opol Mountain-Black Canyon area, San Bernardino County, ihowing zeolite sample locations (dots).
Photo 27. View southeast toword Jackhommer Gop on the Fort
Irwin Road. White rocks are zeolitized tuff and tuff breccia of the
Pickhondle Formation.
Photo 28. Zeolitized tuff neor Bird Spring area, Gravel Hills. The
luff and tuff breccia ore part of the Pickhondle Formation. View west
from near Bird Spring.
I<588
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
35
Topography from U.S.G.S R.44W.
Opal Mountain 15' quadrangle
Scale 1 62.500
R.45W. Geology modified
after TW Dibblee. Jr.,
1968
1 lilies
J
Contour Interval 40 Feet
EXPLANATION
T.31S.
T.32S.
Qa
Qoa
Alluvial sand and gravel,
terrace gravels
Older alluvium
Volcanic rocks, Undiff.
25
Tb
Tpt
gr
Barstow Formation, Undiff.
Pickhandle Formation, tuff and
tuff breccia (Zeolitized in part)
Granitic rocks
Zeolite sample site
Figure 15. Generalized geologic map of the Opal Mountain-Block Canyon area, San Bernardino County, showing the location of zeolitized
tuff and tuff breccia of the Pickhandle Formation.
36
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Photo 29. Tuff and tuff bieccia of the Pickhondle Formation near
Bird Spring. Some of the tuff has been partially zeolitized. The basal
conglomerate of the Barstow Formation overlies the tuff.
Figures 1 1, 12, and 14 are index maps showing the location of
samples collected from the Pickhandle Formation. Generalized
geology of the area sampled is shown on Figures 13 and 15. A
description of the sample sites and the samples collected from the
Pickhandle Formation is given in Table 6-B.
Spanish Canyon Formation.
The Miocene Spanish Canyon Formation (Photos .30-32) in the
Alvord Mountains is composed of sandstone, conglomerate, tuff,
and ba.salt flows. According to Byers ( 1960). the lithology of the
Spanish Canyon Formation is heterogeneous. The lower part of
the formation consists of lenticular white and olive-gray tuffs in-
terbeddcd with sandstone and granitic boulder conglomerate. In
the most complete cxp<jsurcs. two tuff units arc each overlain by
two sandstone and conglomerate units. The lower tuff unit is the
thicker of the two. The upper part of the formation consists of
erosion-resistant basalt flows.
The Spanish Canyon Formation at the head of Spanish Can-
yon and the southeast flank of Clews Ridge in the Alvord Moun-
tains IS reported by Sheppard and Gude (1964) to contain
potenttally economic zeolite deposits. The lower tufTaceous unit
of the Spanish Canyon Formation has been zeolitized on both
flanks of the Spanish Canyon anticline of Byers (I960). The
tufTaceous unit of the Spanish Canyon Formation on the cast
limb of the anticline is exposed on the southeastern slopes of
Clews Ridge Here two beds of zeolitized tuff containing clinop-
tilolite arc present. The upper bed is about 3 feet thick; the lower
IS about 4 feet thick. A 3-foot thick bed of bentonitic clay lies
between the two zeolitized tu(T beds Altered tuffs exp>osed near
the southwestern tip of Clews Ridge also contain clinoptilohte.
A large body of zeolitized tuff containing clinoptilohte occurs
near the northern end of Spanish Canyon on the west limb of the
Spanish Canyon anticline. A prominent bluff of north-dipping
beds of zeolitized tuff containing clinoptilohte occurs near the
type section of the Spanish (Canyon Formation in the SE '/,
section 30, T. 1 2N ., R.4E. , SBBM The altered tufT beds are about
8 to 10 feet thick and are underlain by gray unaltered tuff. The
altered tuffs of the Spanish Canyon Formation are grayish-white
to pale green, contain some unaltered rock and mineral frag-
ments, and have a clinoptilohte content of 50 to 75 percent.
Figure 16 is an index map of the Alvord Mountain area show-
ing the sample locations. A description of the sample sites and
samples from the Spanish Canyon Formation is given in Table
6-C.
Photo 31 Altered luff o' Formation. Some of
the tuff has been bentonized, other beds ore zeolitized. North end
of Spanish Canyon.
Photo 30. Bluff of zeolitized luff of the Spanish Canyon Formo
lion exposed in Spanish Canyon, Alvord Mountain quadrangle.
Unaltered luff it inlerbedded in zeolitized tuff.
Photo 32. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite from
Ihe Spanish Canyon Formation, Sample site 92, Sample B.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
37
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BULLETIN 208
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ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
39
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40
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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42
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Cody Mountains quadrangle.
Altered lull anJ lull breccia coniaining zeolites »Kcur in at least
two different lithographic units in at least two arca^ within the
Cady Mountains 15' quadrangle. One such area reported by Ames
and others ( 1 95S) occurs near the western border of the quadrangle
about 3 miles west of Hector siding (Photos 33-35). Since most of
the /eolile-bearmp tuff (Kcurs in the adjacent Newberry quadran-
gle, this deposit will be discussed with those of the Newberry
quadrangle.
The Cady Mountains quadrangle has been mapped by Dibblee
and Bavsctt (1966a) who include a tuff breccia unit within an
assemblage of "volcanic and sedimentary rocks" of OligcK-enc or
early Miocene, or possibly older age. This unit consist of light
gray to greenish-tan, massive to bedded tulT breccia, composed
of angular to subrounded fragments as much as I foot in diame-
ter of andesite in a fine- to coarse-grained tuff matrix composed
of grains of quartz, feldspar, basalt, andesite, and shards of devit-
R4E
T.12N.
T11N
Topography from U S G S
Alvord Mountain IS' quadrangle
Scale 1 62.500
0
I
t Miles
J
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Figure 16. Index mop of the Alvord Mountain area, San Bernor-
dino County, thowing zeolite tomple locotioni (dolt) within the
Spaniih Canyon Formation.
rified glass. The tuff breccia was deposited as volcanic mudflows
and ash (Dibblce and Ba-ssctt, |966a). This lithologic unit is
widespread throughout this quadrangle and several of the adja-
cent quadrangles. One such exposure of the tuff breccia unit is on
the north side of a northeast-trending canyon about 5 miles
northeast of Hector siding on the Santa Fe Railroad. This area
is in the NW '. section 24, T 9N , R.5E . SBBM There a se-
quence of west-dipping beds of luff and sandstone form a promi-
nent bluff several hundred feet long and about 100 feet high. A
bed of pink bentonitic clay at least 10 feet thick is exposed at the
base of the bluff. Overlying the bed of clay is a 6- to 8-foot bed
of white altered tuff, a bed of tan sandstone about 25 feet thick,
another bed at least 20 feel thick of pinkish altered lithic lufT, a
bed of greenish altered tulT 10 feet thick, and a bed of pinkish
altered tulT about 20 feel thick The whole sequence is capped by
a bed of red basaltic tuff and a basalt flow. All of the altered tuffs
contain clinoptilolile. Other areas within the quadrangle under-
lain by lufTand tuffbreccia assigned to the tuff breccia lithologic
unit may be altered to zeolites. No other areas within the quaid-
rangle were examined or sampled during the present study.
Figure 17 is an index map showing the sample location. A
more complete descnption of this sample site and samples is
included in Table 6-D.
Daggett quadrangle.
The Daggett 15' quadrangle is located in west central San
Bernardino County. The eastern outskirts of Barstow lie near the
west central edge of the quadrangle. The Mojave River crosses
the quadrangle near the center in an east-west direction.
The Daggett quadrangle has been mapped by Dibblee (1970),
who divided the rocks into map units. Zeoliie-beanng tuffs occur
in at least two of these map units. In the Daggett Ridge area near
the southwestern comer of the quadrangle, a narrow southeast-
trending, north-dipping altered lufTbed crops out for a distance
R5E
R6E
108
•=^113
T9N
Topography Irom U S G S
Cady Mountains 15 quadrangle
Jl.
Scale t 62.500
0
I
I Miles
Contour Interval 40 Feel
Figure 17. Index map of port of the Cady Mountains quodrangle.
Son Bernordino County thowing a leolite tomple location (dot).
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
43
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44
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
of about a mile. The tuff is one of the map units assigned by
Dibblcc ( 1970) to a sequence of Miocene sedimentary rocks in-
cluding stream-laid and lacustrine sedimentary deposits and a few
thin tuff beds. According to Dibblcc (1970). the tuff forms the
ba.sal bed and a few other beds a.s thick as 30 feet. The luff is tan.
light gray to white, massive, semi-friable, fine- to medium-
grained, composed of glass shards, feldspar grains, scattered bio-
titc flakes, and small fragments of pink to brown andcsitic rocks.
Samples of altered tuff collected over a distance of more than a
mile contain appreciable amounts of clinoptilolitc. The tuff unit
crops out about 7 miles farther east as a narrow east-west-trending
ridge near the old abandoned Gem (Columbus) borate mine. Sam-
ples collected from this body of altered tuff contained various
amounts of clinoptilolite (Photo 36). One sample contained ma-
gadiite in addition to clinoptilolite. A small body of Miocene tuff
occurs about half a mile northwest of the Gem mine. This area
was not examined or sampled.
A small deposit of light green altered tufT occurs about a
half mile west of the Gunn bcnlonitc deposit in the northeastern
quarter of the quadrangle. This altered tuff deposit is in the
sandstone map unit of Dibblee's Miocene sedimentary rock se-
quence. Other areas underlain by rocks of this map unit occur
in the northern half of the Daggett quadrangle but were not
examined or sampled.
An older (?) tuff or tuff breccia unit and a limestone, shale
and tuff unit occur within a sequence of Oligocene to MiiKene
volcanic and sedimentary rocks within the Daggett quadrangle,
primarily in the north half. Rocks assigned to both of those
lithologic units occur south of Lead Mountain and west of Ele-
phant Mountain in the northwestern quarter of the Daggett
quadrangle. Exposures of altered tuff occur on b<Mh sides of a
north-trending canyon about a mile north of the Marine Corps
Supply Center at Nebo. A number of prospect pit and "gopher
hole" workings for bentonitic clay occur within the area. These
were examined and sampled for zeolite minerals as were the
dumps and surface workings at the old "Soapstone" bentonite or
clay mine a mile and a half farther southeast. No zeolite minerals
were identified in the tuff from this area.
Hhoto JJ Hroniincnl blull compoied of altered lutf (unnamed
formalion). The lull unit it over 100 feet thick and consisit of pole
pink, while, and gray zeoliliied luff. A pink bentonitic clay underlies
the luff. The zeolilized luff n overlain by redditfvbrown boiailic tuff
end a botall flow. Ar«o i> obout 4'/^ milei northeott of Meclor lidino.
Photo 34. View north up o canyon about 4'/, miles northeast of
Hector siding. Prominent ridge composed of altered tuff is exposed
on the left (west) side of the canyon. Most of the tuff hos been
zeolitlzed. Basaltic tuff and o basalt flow overlie the altered tuff
beds.
Photo 35. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptilolite from the
Cady Mountains, Sample site 113, Sample C.
Photo 36. Scanning electron microgroph of clinoptiloltte-bearmg
tuff from an unnamed formation, Daggett quadrangle. Sample site
37, Sample A.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
45
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T10N
Topography from U.S.GS.
Daggett 15' quadrangle
Scale 1 :62.500
.5 0
J I
1 Miles
J
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Figure 18. Index maps of ports of the Daggett quodrongle. Son Bernardino County, showing zeolite sample locations (dots).
The tuff breccia map unit is described by Dibblee (1970) as
yellowlsh-ian. cream-white to greenish-tan, rarely pink, bedded
to massive luff breccia composed of pea-sized devitrified pumice
lapilli or poorly sorted fragments of Tertiary volcanic rocks
embedded in a matrix of light-colored luff that contains grains of
feldspar, quart/, and flakes of mica. This rock is widespread in
the Calico Mountains in the norlheaslern quarter of the quadrangle
and in the vicinity of Lead Mountain and Elephant Mountain.
Farther north in the Calico Mountains, this unit has been mapped
by McCulloh (1960) as the Pickhandle Formation. During the
present study, the Calico Mountain area within the Daggett quad-
rangle was not studied. However, the tuff breccia in an area ad-
jacent to Elephant Mountain and southeast of Lead Mountain was
examined, sampled, and checked for zeolite minerals. Only one
sample from a low ridge half a mile west of the southern end of
Elephant Mountain contained clinoptilolite. No other zeolite min-
erals were identified in pyrocla.stic rocks of Oligocene or Miocene
age in the Daggett quadrangle.
46
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Figure 18 is an index map of parts of the Daggett quadrangle
showing the sample locations. A dcscnption of sample sites and
samples collected from the Daggcit quadrangle is given in Table
6-E.
Kerens quadrangle.
PyriH-lasiiL- riH.ks of Tertiary age crop out in many areas in the
Bristol Mountains which cross the southwestern corner of the Ker-
ens quadrangle Ludlow, the closest town, is about 13 miles east
of the west edge of the quadrangle Dibblcc (1967) indicates that
a luff breccia unii of Oligocene to Miocene age is exposed through-
out the Bristol Mountains on Ihc Broadwell Lake quadrangle,
which adjoins the Kerens quadrangle on the west. The light-col-
ored luffaceous rocks assigned lo this map unit range from nearly
white. pt>orly-bcdded tuff breccia composed of small white frag-
ments of dcvitrificd andesiiic glass or of pumice in a tuffaccous
matrix to a massive or crudely-bedded buff to greenish-tan tuf-
faccous breccia with andesiiic fragments up to a fool in diameter
embedded in a tuffaceous sandstone (Dibblee. I%7). A similar
Tertiary luff breccia crops out in the Bristol Mountains in the
southwestern pari of the Kerens quadrangle. The only geologic
mapping in the Kerens quadrangle was done by geologists of the
Southern Pacific Company (Laird. I960) who used different map
units than Dibblee.
During the present zeolite study, a series of samples of altered
luff and tuff breccia was collected from a site near an old "onyx"
mine (Ribbon Rock mine) on the east lower foothills of the
Bnstol Mountains in section 8, T.8N., RICE., SBBM. The al-
tered tufTand tuffbreccia underlie a prominent bluff and contain
vanous amounts of mordenite, clinoptilolite. and phillipsite. No
other tuff or tulT breccia exposures were examined on the Kerens
quadrangle. A sample location is shown in Figure 19. A descrip-
tion of this sample site and of the samples is given in Table 6-F.
H 4lE
T2eS
Topography from U S G S
Klinker Min 7'^ quadrangle Section boundaries are protected
Scale 1 :24.(X)0
1 Km
J
Ck>ntour Interval 40 Feel
R9E
R 10E
\-
121
-^>3
i .
T8N
Topography from U S G S.
Kafens 15' quadrangle
Scale 1 62.500
0
I
I Miles
J
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Figure 19. Index mop o( part of the Kerens quadrangle, Son Ber-
nordino County, ihowing a zeolite tomple location (dot).
Figure 20. Index map of port of the Klinker Mtn. 7'^' quodrangle,
San Bernardino County, showing zeolite sample locations (dots).
Klinker Mountain quadrangle.
An area underlain by white, pale green, or pale yellow altered
tuff and tuff breccia occurs near the crest of the Summit Range in
the norihwesi quarter of ihe Klinker Mountain 7' .-' quadrangle.
Johannesburg lies about 8 miles south of the quadrangle bt>undar>
The Trona Road crosses near Ihc eastern edge of Ihe area .Aci;i>rd-
ing lo Smith ( 1964). who mapped Ihe area cast of the Trona Road,
the pyroclastic rocks are pan of a lithologic unil called 'Aokanic
rocks older than the Bednvk Spring Formation." which contain
some luff, lapilli luff, and luff breccia. A small do?er cut or pros-
pect pit on the easi side of the road exposes a greenish-gra> altered
lapilli tuff The luff beds strike nearly north-south and dip to the
west Mordcnile has been tentatively identified as a major con-
sliluenl of the altered lapilli luff The area underlain by altered
luff and tuff breccia extends west beyond the Trona Road lo a basin
surrounded b\ low rolling hills These hills are underlain by while
tull. most of which has been altered to hcntonitic clay Howe\cr.
on the southeast corner of the basin, the altered luffs form resistant
bluffs with individual beds up lo 6 lo X feel thick Faulting has
disrupted the bedding within ihe altered luffs and luff breccias.
Samples collected from these resistant bluffs contain various
amounts of a mineral tenlativrly identified as mordcnile. opal,
and quart/ Figure 20 is an indcv map showing Ihc sample liva-
lions A description ol the sample sites and samples is given
m Table 6-G
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
47
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DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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BULLETIN 208
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1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
51
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52
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
Newberry quadrangle.
The Newberry 15' quadrangle lies about 25 miles east of Bar-
slow in ccniral San Bernardino County /^■olite deposits occur
in two different map units in the Newberry quadrangle. The
youngest lithologic map unit is included in a sedimentary rock
sequenceof Miocene or younger age (Dibblee and Bassett, 1966b)
The map unit is a sandstone and claystone unit thai is exposed m
several small areas in the northern two-thirds of the quadranglc
(north of the railroad tracks) The unit consists of light gray fri-
able, locally pebbly fine- to medium-grained arVosic sandstone, and
interbedded light greenish-gray claystone or micaceous sillstone
(Dibblee and Bassett. 1966b). One of the areas is at the south
margin of the Cady Mountains near the eastern edge of the quad-
rangle where the riKk unit contains one or several thin beds of
white tuff. This area contains one or more zeolite deposits and ex-
tends eastward into the adjoining Cady Mountains quadrangle
These zeolite deposits were described by Ames and others ( 1958)
as the North Group of Claims (Photos 37. 38). The North Group
is located about 4 miles west-norlhwcsi of Hector siding on the
Santa Fe Railroad or about 10 miles east of Newberry Springs.
Ames and others ( 1958) also described a South Group. The South
Group lies within the Cady Mountains quadrangle but was not
examined during this zeolite study. At both areas, the zeolites arc
associated with deposits of bentonite. According to Ames and
others ( 1958). "the unique Hector bentonite occurs along a north-
west-trending fault zone for a distance of about 5 miles. Hot
springs emanating along this fault during Pliocene (?) time
deposited travertine in a then-existing lake in which sand. marl,
and siliceous pyroclastics also were being dept>sitcd. The tuff
lying on the travertine benches was altered to saponite by
solutions containing lithium and fluorine in the last stages
of hot spring activity, with the magnesium being extracted from
the lake water. Analeime. representing alteration of the
tuff when the springs were inactive, is found below and
above the bentonitic bed. Clinoptilolite is present directly
associated with the hot spring activity." Because of chemical
changes (less lithium, fluorine, and magnesium), the
bentonite at the North Group of Claims is nearly a normal
aluminum bentonite whereas the bentonite at the South Group
IS a unique bentonite called "Hectorite."
Photo 37. Stockpilei o( zeolitiied tuff at an inactive (?) bentonite
deposit belonging to Nl Indutlriei — North Group near Hector. The
pit is obout 200 in diameter. Zeolilized luff i> exposed in the pit
walls to east and south. View toward west.
Photo 38. Bed of /coliiiied tuff in sonoituni/ ond claystone of
Miocene or younger age on NL Industries' property north of Hector.
Beds strike E-W and dip to south at 20'. The zeolitized tuff bed is
at least 4 feet thick ond is overloin b/ a few inches of desert
pavement.
Photo 39. Scanning electron micrograph of erionite from neor
Hector siding. Sample site 48.
The North Group of Claims was examined during the present
zeolite study The South Group, which includes the active under-
ground mining operation of NL Industries, was not examined be-
cause of access restrictions. The North Group of Claims is w iihin
one of the areas cited by Sheppard and Gude ( 1964) as a fHiientially
economic /x'olile deposit The old workings at the North Group
include several small mining prospects and shallow shafts Ex-
posures of altered tuff occur in several small gullies north of an
inactive ( ') pit about 2(K) feet in diameter where National Lead or
Nl. Chemicals, the present owners, mined bentonite A sample of
pale green, fine-grained, altered tuff from the pit flo«u contains
an appreciable amount of clinoptilolite Samples from the gully
areas north of the open pit also contain clinoptilolite Samples
from a series of norlh-soulh-trcnding bulldozer cuts east of the
pit area contain analeime and clinoptilolite The zcoliiizcd lulf
beds exposed in the bulldiver cuts strike caslwesi and dip
10"- 1 5" to the south Overburden consists of desert pavement
and alluvium and varies in thickness from less than I fool lo
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
53
a maximum of 6 to 8 feet. Altered tuff containing erionite
occurs in a bed of 2 to 3 feet thick exposed on the east side
of a small knoll about half a mile north of the railroad tracks
and about three-fourths mile south of the pit area previously
discussed (Photo 39).
Another area of zeolitized tuff occurs near the western edge
of the quadrangle about 3 miles west of Howard Hill. Mapping
by Dibblee and Bassett (1966b) delineates a small east-west-
trending area underlain by sandstone and claystone of Miocene
or younger age exposed near the base of a series of low hills. Four
samples collected along the length of the exposure all contained
significant amounts of clinoptilolite and mordenite.
A tuff breccia unit is included within a sequence of volcanic and
sedimentary rocks of Miocene or older age by Dibblee and Bassett
(1966b). They describe the rocks as "yellowish- to light greenish-
gray, crudely-bedded tuff breccia composed of angular andesitic
fragments, mostly less than 6 inches in diameter, in a matrix of
light-colored tuff." This tuff breccia unit was examined and sam-
pled at several exposures within the southwest quarter of the New-
berry quadrangle. The first area examined is in section 29, T.8N.,
R.3E.. SBBM. near the south boundary of the quadrangle. In this
area, the tuff breccia occurs as a series of northwest-trending beds
within a series of andesite flows. Most of the samples of altered
tuff, lapilli tuff and tuff breccia are composed principally of cris-
tobalite and opal. Several samples contain minor amounts of cli-
noptilolite (Photo 40). Another area sampled is in section 9,
T.8N., R.3E., SBBM, about half a mile south of the Brubaker-
Mann decorative rock quarry near Newberry Springs. At this
locality, altered tuff, lapilli tuff, and tuff breccia form a prominent
bluff at least 50 feet thick. Most of the bluff is composed of tan-
weathering, greenish-gray tuff breccia containing about 30 percent
angular dark volcanic rock fragments, mostly below 1 inch in
largest dimension but a few up to 6 inches in diameter. In general,
the beds strike N20''W and dip 30°SW. The tuff matrix includ-
ing pumice fragments has been altered to clinoptilolite and
minor amounts of mordenite. The bluff of altered tuff breccia
extends for about 200 to 250 feet in a northwesterly direction. It
is interbedded within the flows of dark reddish-brown porphyritic
andesite. Other areas of the tuff breccia interbedded with andesite
flows have been mapped by Dibblee and Bassett (1966b) in the
Newberry quadrangle but were not examined or sampled during
this study.
Photo 40. Scanning electron micrograph of clinoptiiolite-bearing
tuff from near Yermo, Sample site 119, Sample C.
Figure 21 is an index map of parts of the Newberry quadrangle
showing sample locations. A description of the sample sites and
the samples is included in Table 6-H.
Ord Mountain quadrangle.
The north boundary of the Ord Mountain 7",' quadrangle is
about 10 miles south of Barstow in west-central San Bernardino
County. An area north of Kane Wash in the northeast quarter
of the quadrangle is underlain by a tuff unit included by Dibblee
(1964a) within a sequence of Miocene(?) sedimentary rocks.
The tuff is creamy-white, massive, fine- to medium-grained,
composed almost entirely of glass shards and scattered flakes of
biotite and small angular fragments of volcanic rock. An expo-
sure of altered tuff was examined in the bottom of a small gully
that trends northerly from a dry wash that intersects Kane Wash
about a half mile east of Hadden Well. Samples were collected
from two sites where the tuff was exposed. Most of the area is
covered by talus from a basalt flow which caps the surrounding
hilltops. Although the tuff was not completely altered, some
clinoptilolite is present in the tuff samples. The same Miocene
tuff unit extends to the east on the adjoining Rodman Mountains
15' quadrangle. The tuff is exposed along the north slopes of
Kane Wash for several miles. These exposures of tuff were exam-
ined, sampled , and checked for zeolites. Although the tuff is
altered to bentonitic clay in a number of areas, no zeolites were
identified in the samples.
Figure 22 is an index map of a part of the Ord Mountain 7
1/2' quadrangle showing the gully sample locations. A descrip-
tion of the gully sample sites and samples is included in Table
6-1.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
Altered tuff, lapilli tuff, and tuff breccia containing zeolites
have been reported from several formations, or members of for-
mations in San Luis Obispo County. These include the Obispo
Formation or Obispo tuff member of the Monterey Formation
and the Rincon Shale. Several other tuffaceous formations or
lithologic units associated with the Obispo tuff member of the
Monterey Formation were also examined and sampled. Data on
these lithologic units will be found in Tables 7 and 8.
Obispo Formation and the tuff unit of the Rincon Shale (or
tuff member of the Monterey Formation).
The Obispo Formation (or Obispo tuff member of the Monte-
rey Formation) of Miocene age is apparently thickest between
the towns of San Luis Obispo and Nipomo. The formation may
be as much as 3,200 feet thick and thins over a short distance
to a feather edge in the southeastern part of the Nipomo 15'
quadrangle (Hall and Corbato, 1967). In the Nipomo quadran-
gle the tuff member of the Obispo Formation consists of light
yellow-brown to white rhyolitic tuff, commonly with streaks of
red or reddish-brown. The rock is dense and commonly zeolit-
ized, accounting for its local resistant nature and prominent
outcrops (Hall and Corbato, 1967). In the Arroyo Grande 15'
quadrangle which adjoins the Nipomo quadrangle on the west,
the Obispo Formation consists of fine- to coarse-grained rhyo-
litic vitric tuff, tuffaceous siltstone or claystone, and perlite
breccia (Hall, 1973).
Surdam and others (1970) studied the distribution and gene-
sis of authigenic silicates in the Obispo Formation and found
that the tuffaceous member of the formation has been extensively
altered to mordenite, clinoptilolite, phillipsitc, analclime, and
montmorillonite, making it possible to study alteration of rhyo-
litic glass deposited in a marine environment. They noted that
a systematic horizontal variation exists in the distribution of
54
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
-J 1 ■
109
-
i"^
^2
43
42B-~« •
T8N
R3E
R2E
119
E C
^ ■
Topography Irom U S G S
Newberry IS quadrangle
T10N
1 .5
I l_
Scale 1 62.500
0
I
R4E
R5E
47
_
46^^
45— ♦
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48
1 1
J
T9N
T8N
Contour Interval 40 Feet
Figure 21. Index mopi of parts of the Newberry quodrongle. Son Bernardino County, thowing zeolite sample locations (dots).
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
55
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DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
57
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58
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
R2E
T8N
T7N.
Topography from U S G S
Ord Mountain Vh' quadrangle
Scale 1:24.000
1 Km
Contour Interval 40 Feel
Figure 22. Index mop of a port of the Ord Mountain 7'/4'
quodrongle, Son Bernardino County, showing zeolite sample
locations (dots).
zeolite mineral species. Honzonlally lo the south and west the
successive mineral zones are charactenzcd by mordcniic, morde-
nite and clinoptilolitc. and clinopiilolitc and/or analcimc. They
concluded (hat the mineral /ones arc not related to depth of
bunal, but instead probably are a reflection of an ancient shore
line to the south and west. They also concluded thai the altera-
tion of rhyohtic glass m a manne environment is very similar to
the process whereby rhyolitic glavs alters in saline lalics. but it
occurs more slowly in the manne environment In the ca,sc of the
Obtspo Formation, alteration t(xik a minimum of I million years.
The luff member of the Obispo Formation was examined and
sampled (mm east of the town of Nipomo(wcst flank of Tcmettalc
Ridgc) where the formalion starts to thin, to Mallagh Landing
near Avila Beach, a disiaiKC of about 16 miles (Photo 41). In the
Nipomo quadrangle, the tuff member of the Obispo Formation
consists of light yellow ish-brown to while rhyolitic tuff, commonly
streaked with brown or red Samples of altered luff collected from
within the Nipomo quadrangle exhibit a great variation in zeolite
(mordenitc) content, and sample sites were difHcult to find because
of the lack of accessible exposures, primarily caused by urbani-
/.ation. A sample collected from a small decorative rock (') quarry
near the western edge of the quadrangle contains slightly more
than 50 percent mordcnite. Farther northwest near Los Berros
Canyon, altered tuff of the Obispo Formation underlies the low
rolling hills along the east side of Highway 101. Samples collected
from the north side of Los Berros Canyon and from roadcuis at a
new subdivision a short distance south of the canyon contain mor-
denitc and feldspar (sanidine') About 2 miles northwest of Los
Berros Canyon, altered luff of the Obispo Formation underlies a
northwest-trending ridge culminating in a peak called "Picacho."
Sample collected along the western edge of this body of altered
tuff contain less than 50 percent mordenite. Because of accessi-
bility restrictions, samples could not be collected from other parts
of the ridge. The altered tuff occurs near the northeastern edge of
the town of Pismo Beach (Camp Hill) and along the coastline
in the vicinity of Elmer Ross Beach. Here the tuff beds strike
east-west and dip at about 60° to the north Mordenite is
a major constituent in the altered tuffs in this area. Clinoptilo-
lite occurs in minor amounts at several of the sites sampled
near Pismo Beach. Near Avila Beach, a low blocky easl-west-
trcnding ridge lies along the shoreline between Fossil Point and
Mallagh Landing This ridge is underlain by altered luff of
the Obispo Formation containing mordenite (Photo 42). The
altered tuff is much more resistant to weathering and erosion
than the unaltered tuff which lies lo the north and forms a
low depression. The luff member of the Obispo Formation
extends westward from Avila Beach across Point San Luis to
the coastline near Diablo Canyon, and then along the shore-
line for another mile or two. The area between Avila Beach
and Diablo Canyon was not sampled because of accessibility
restrictions.
Exposures of the Obispo Formation tuff from northeast of Ar-
royo Grande to northwest of San Luis Obispo were not examined
and sampled during this zeolite study. Most of this area has been
Photo 41. East dipping partially leolitiied tuff of the Obispo For-
mation at Mallogh Landing, Point San Luis, Sample site 77.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
59
mapped by Hall (1973) and Hall and Prior (1975). With the ex-
ception of a small area in the northeastern edge of the Arroyo
Grande NE 7'/:' quadrangle, altered tuff containing zeolites is not
reported. In the San Luis Obispo area to as far northwest as
Cambria the Obispo Formation consists of soft, white, light
brown or gray, fine-grained, poorly-bedded, crystalline vitric
tuff, locally interbedded with porcelaneous siltstone (Hall and
Prior, 1975).
According to Hall and Prior ( 1975) an area about 4 to 5 miles
northeast of Morro Bay is underlain by a tuff member of the lower
Miocene and Oligocene Rincon Shale that has been zcolitized.
The altered tuff is yellowish-brown, fine-grained, and interbedded
with siltstone. The large fragments of pumice common in the tuff
of the Obispo Formation are absent. The tuff member of the Rin-
con Shale is reported by Hall and others (1979) in the area east
and northeast of Cambria. The tuff is hard, extremely fine-
grained, yellowish-brown to white to gray and interbedded with
siltstone. This area was not examined and sampled during this
study. However, three samples collected by a consulting geologist
were made available for examination. These samples are from
the Warren Ranch area north of the highway from Cambria to
Paso Robles (Highway 41 ) near the eastern boundary of the
Cambria 7'/:' quadrangle. These samples contain mordenite and
clinoptilolite.
Figure 23 is an index map of parts of the Arroyo Grande
quadrangle showing the sample locations. A description of the
sample sites and the samples collected in San Luis Obispo Coun-
ty is included in Table 7.
SANTA BARBARA AND VENTURA COUNTIES
Reported occurrences.
A study of the Monterey Formation (Bramlette, 1946) included
a discussion of pyroclastic material within the formation. In par-
ticular, Bramlette mentions a thick tuff bed recognized in many
places in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties where the
tuff bed is the lowest and thickest in the Monterey Formation. He
designated this tuff bed as the Obispo tuff member of the Monterey
Photo 42. Sconning electron micrograph of mordenite needles in
altered tuff of the Obispo Formation, Sample site 69.
Formation and noted the presence of zeolites at the type section,
a short distance south of San Luis Obispo. Occurrences of zeolites
in San Luis Obispo County, in the tuffaceous member of the
Obispo Formation — as the tuff is now designated (Hall and
Corbato, 1967; Surdam and others, 1970; Hall, 1973; and Hall
and Prior, 1975) — were discussed in the previous section of
this report.
In Santa Barbara County, Bramlette (1946) mentions several
exposures of Obispo tuff containing zeolites. In Bixby Canyon
near Point Conception, a bed of tuff 120 to 130 feet thick is re-
ported by Bramlette to be more altered than the tuff in San Luis
Obispo County and to contain a greater quantity of zeolites and
clay minerals. This same zeolite-bearing tuff unit is exposed in
the sea cliffs below Naples, and in a canyon (Canada del Barro)
near Gaviota. Dibblee ( 1950) gave the name Tranquillon volcanics
to a "local phase" of the Obispo tuff exposed in southwestern
Santa Barbara County at several sites including Tranquillon Moun-
tain ridge and vicinity, Bixby Canyon (Bramlette 's Bixby Canyon
site), along the Santa Ynez River in the vicinity of the Santa Rosa
Hills, near Solvang, and along the shoreline between Gaviota and
Cojo Canyon.
In Ventura County, Kerr (1931) reported upon the occurrence
of bentonite at five localities in the general vicinity of Ventura.
The bentonite occurs in an altered tuff bed which overlies the top
of the Rincon Formation of Kerr (1931). Bramlette (1946) corre-
lates the Rincon Formation with a dark mudstone that underlies the
Obispo tuff in San Luis Obispo County. Therefore the bcntonite-
bearing tuff of Kerr may be equivalent to the Obispo tuff in Santa
Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Kerr in his study of the
"bentonite deposits noted that thin sections of mixed volcanic ash
and sediment show an abundance of zeolitization. The platy zeo-
lite has indices of refraction corresponding to heulandite.
During the present zeolite study an attempt was made to ex-
amine and sample a number of the reported zeolite occurrences in
Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Unfortunately, no sample of
altered tuff containing zeolites was collected although a number
of the reported occurrences were examined.
Detailed index maps showing sample locations were not pre-
pared for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. However, the sam-
ple locations are shown on Plate 1 .
A description of the sample sites in Santa Barbara and Ventura
Counties and of the samples collected is included in Table 8.
MISCELLANEOUS LOCATIONS — INYO. LASSEN AND
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES
During the course of this zeolite study, several reported zeolite
occurrences were examined and sampled outside of the original
study area, or were sampled during field work for another project,
or were sampled by DMG staff geologists during their field work.
Most of the areas sampled did not have zeolites present. However,
there are a few exceptions as authigenic minerals including zeolites
were identified at several locations.
Detailed index maps showing sample locations were not pre-
pared for these miscellaneous locations. All sample locations are
shown on Plate I. A description of these miscellaneous locations
and the samples is included in Table 9.
Reported Zeolite Occurrences, Not Examined
In addition to the zeolite occurrences examined in the field and
sampled during the zeolite study, a number of zeolite occurrences
are reported in the literature that were not examined. Some of the
occurrences were not examined because the deposit did not appear
60
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
_ 35-10N
T32S
120 40 W
R 13E
R 14 E
T.32S.
Scale 1 62.500
0
1 Miles
Contour Interval 50 Feet
T12N.
H 35W
Topography Irom U S G S
Arroyo Grande 15 quadrangle
R 34W
Figure 23. Index mapi of ports of the Arroyo Grande quodrongle, San Luis Obispo County, showing zeolite sample locotions (dots).
lo contain sulficicnl /colitcs to he of economic significance.
Others were not visited because of accessibility restrictions or
because of insuflicieni field time All of these Acoliie (Kcurrenccs
are described in Ihc literature in sufficient detail that the occur-
rence can be accurately located on a map
Table 10 contains a brief description of each of these 21 incur-
rences which were not examined during this zeolite study. The
sample liKalions are shown on Plate I
A number of other reported /colile occurrences were left off
Table 10 because the liKaiion data were vague, the occurreiKe
covered a large area, the samples were collected from drill holes,
or data on the incurrence were not found until after the field wori
for this studs was completed The following is a list of the refer-
ences for these reported incurrences: ( 1 1 Gilbert ( 1*^51 1. (2t Har-
die (I96K). Jones il*>65). Kaley and Hanson (l<*55). Langbicn
(I9ft|). Madscn and Murala (l<)70). Merino (1975). and Mc
Culloh. and other. ( I9SI ). The complete reference is given in the
list of references cited.
1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
71
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER WORK
During this study of zeolite deposits in California over 100
areas containing zeolites or suspected of containing zeolites were
given a cursory examination and sampled. No detailed examina-
tion or sampling was done at any location. Most of the deposits
reported to have commercial potential were examined and sam-
pled. When some degree of familiarization with the field appear-
ance of sedimentary zeolite deposits had been gained, a number
of other altered zeolite localities were found, examined, and
sampled. Several of these sites represent zeolite deposits of possi-
ble significance and are worthy of further work. Most of these
deposits are discussed in the sections of the report dealing with
locations within individual quadrangles. Deposits of altered Ter-
tiary or younger tuffs certainly exist in other quadrangles east of
the Kerens 15' quadrangle, the easternmost quadrangle exam-
ined during this study. All Tertiary or younger tuff units of
rhyolitic composition should be examined and sampled if further
reconnaissance-type work is done on zeolites. The Bishop tuff
and the rhyolite tuff of the Coso Formation should be examined
and sampled for zeolites.
Several of the zeolite deposits examined and sampled during
this study are worthy of further work. In general, these are in
altered tuffs in the formations cited by Sheppard (1971), e.g.,
Kinnick Formation, Gem Hill Formation, Spanish Canyon For-
mation, Tropico Group, Barstow Formation, Pickhandle For-
mation, Ricardo Formation, and the Lake Tecopa lacustrine
deposits. Several deposits found during this study in Tertiary or
younger tuff units should be re-examined and sampled in more
detail. The zeolitized tuff of the Obispo Formation is worthy of
more study, especially in San Luis Obispo County.
Clinoptilolite is the most abundant zeolite mineral found dur-
ing this study of zeolites in California. Mordenite is the second
most abundant zeolite and is found associated with clinoptilolite
and also in altered tuffs, where it is the principal zeolite present.
Phillipsite, erionite and analcime were also identified from sev-
eral deposits but in smaller quantities than either clinoptilolite
or mordenite. It appears, therefore, that future production of
zeolites from California will be from deposits where clinoptilohte
or mordenite are the principal zeolite minerals. This study has
shown that in addition to the deposits of high-grade clinoptilolite
already mined on a limited scale, many large deposits of altered
tuff or tuff breccia containing from 30 to 60 percent are present
in southeastern California. Futhermore, it is reasonable to pre-
dict that further exploration and sampling will result in the
discovery of many more zeolite-bearing tuffs of possible com-
mercial significance in California.
The principal deterrent to a viable zeolite industry in Califor-
nia appears to be the absence of a market for natural zeolites,
especially lower grade material, rather than a lack of zeolites. It
is hoped that information presented in the report will stimulate
interest by industry in developing uses for California zeolites.
The zeolites are available; only a market is needed.
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1988
ZEOLITES IN CALIFORNIA
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74
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BULLETIN 208
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I 77»«J
TNE4
C3
03
no. 208
+ 1 MOP
c. 2
Phv Bci
Enqr
ZEOLITE DEPOSITS OF CALIFORNIA
BULLETIN 208, PLATE 1
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
BRIAN E. TUCKER, ACTING STATE GEOLOGIST
STATE OF CALIFORNIA-GEORGE DEI
THE RESOURCES AGENCY-GORDON K. VAN VLECK
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION-RANDA
JFORNIA-GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN, GOVERNOR
;y-gordon k. van vleck. secretary for resources
of conservation-randall m. ward, director
TNS4
C3
PIS
n o . 388
+ 1 MOP
c. S
Phv Sci
Engr
ZEOLITE DEPOSITS
OF
CALIFORNIA
by
Melvin C. Stinson
988
Scale 1.1,000,000
10 0 10 20 30 40 Miles
10 0 10 20 30 40 50 Kilometers
EXPLANATION
o Sample location, zeolites identified,
• Sample location, no zeolites identified.
® Reported zeolite deposit of commercial
significance, not examined or sampled.
• Reported zeolite occurrence, commerical
sign if icance unlikely.
ZEOLITE DEPOSITS OF CALIFORNIA
BULLETIN 208, PLATE 1
.■v.K"'i<=" icvjiiic ui.i,ui I elite, commericai
sign if icance unlikely.
Table numbers on map ("Table 3a") refer to tables in
text wtiere samples are discussed.
c
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