1069 State Office Building Portland 1, Oregon
BREITENBUSH HOT SPRINGS CINNABAR. PROSPECT MARION COUNTY
Location
Sec. 20, T. 9 s., R. 7 E., 11 miles by road north from Detroit, Oregon, on the Breitenbush River.
The area is a hot spring health and recreation resort comprising 160 acres of private land. Forest Service land used for SUlIIIller homes and camp ing is located about half a mile from the prospect.
Numerous hot springs crop out along the hillside south of the river, and one spring is located on the north side of the river. The springs parallel a hard dike (?) _of basalt having a lineation of approximately N. 75° E.
Considerable alteration of the rock by the hot springs occurs in the spring area. However only in the innnediate area of the springs has the sub surface material been exposed by excavation to improve the spring flow.
Mineralization is quite consistent over the exposed area, but in the basalt dike some cavities have been filled with metacinnabar.
The stratigraphy in the immediate spring area has been obscured by surface soils, vegetation, and alteration. In the river and along prominent roadcuts are good exposures of tuff with large glass shards. It is probable that most of the area is underlain by this Breitenbush tuff formation.
The results of the sampling indicate that extensive augering or drill ing is needed to reveal the extent of the mineralization.
Qualitative examination of samples taken at Breitenbush Hot Springs in the vicinity of the openings of the upper springs area:
Sample #1. Zone surrounding spring shows intense alteration of volcanic rocks. Possibly volcanic breccia or tuff breccia; so completely altered identification not certain. Overlying rock cream to bright red color. Showed moderate smoke on willemite screen. Black deposits near orifice of spring showed much smoke.
Sample #2. Taken at north end of trench excavated along face of hill. Springs coming out in this vicinity have de~osited much black sooty material, opaline coatings, and pods and seams of metacinnabar. Black sooty material showed slight smoke. Greenish wea,~h~red tuff showed good smoke.
Sample #3. White crusty materi~l, some black coating. Little smoke, much organic odor. - 2 -
Sample #4. Black sandy soil dug from mouth of spring. Much smoke.
Sample #5. Fractured basalt dike running parallel to springs. Frac tures coated with opal, black sooty material, and red crusty 'substance. Moderate to much smoke.
Sample #6. Black sooty material from dump. Some opal. Gives much smoke.
Sample #7. Greenish weathered and altered pebbly rock, possibly a tuff. Very much smoke.
Sample :/fo8. Yellow stain on gray spheroidally weathered and altered volcanic cobble of basalt. Light smoke.
Sample #9. Vein of metacinnabar and pyrite in abundant concentration. Extremely high smoke.
Sample :/folO. White ,altered tuff adjacent to power house. Light smoke.
Sample :/foll. (1) Soil from hillside off forest road. Slight trace.
Sample :/fol2. (2) Soil from bottom of hill. Slight trace.
Sample :/fol3. (Location ?) Red andesite - altered. Slight trace.
/ I Samples from Breitenbush assayed by the Department are as follows: I Sample No. Lb. gg/ton Descriptiort
P-29126 165.6 Metacinnabar.
P-29237 Nil Basalt with zeolites.
P-29238 .30 Brown weathered andesite and clay.
P-29265 6.40 Black mud from spring.
P-29303 3.2 Green tuffs from Million Dollar Spring.
Report by: Herbert G. Schlicket', June 24, 1964
I••·, ...
DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
1069 STATE OFFICE BLDG.• PORTLAND, OREGON• 97201 • Ph. (503) 226-2161 Ext. 488
TOM McCALL GOVERNOR
BREITENBUSH HOT SPRINGS Marion County
location: located along the Breitenbush River on a gravel road about
2 miles from the end of the pavement and 11 miles from Detroit in the
N! sec. 20, T. 9 s., R. 7 E., Marion County. The springs are on both sides of the river.
Ownershi;e: There are two developed spas in the area. A smaller develop
ment on the west edge of the thermal field consisting of a bath house and
several small cabins is on a Forest Service lease. The rest is on private
land.
A full section of land is owned by'Nr. Buckman(?) who has given options
to buy the H0t Springs to several parties over the years. Presently The
Breitenbush Hot Springs Corporation, a stock company, has an option to pur
chase the land and is trying to promote it as a resort.
Geology: Most of the springs are on the south side of the river and
around the toe of a large landslide. Informants report there are around
60 springs with temperatures ranging from cold to 198 F. Numerous gas vents
are discharging around the upper part of the landslide. There is a slight H2S odor at places. At the base of the slidy, about 10 feet above river level, is a calcareous sinter deposit 6-8 feet thick and a quarter of a
mile long; several hot springs are discharging along this terrace. Page 2 - Breitenbush Hot Springs
The sinter deposit from Castle Springs shows 0.5 ppm Hg. Several of the springs are precipitating mercury in large concentrations, and during
1965-66 extensive prospecting and bulldozing '-'lere done in the area in an attempt to find a commercial deposit of mercury. This was unsuccessful.
Reference: Waring (1965) in Prof. Paper 492 says discharge is 900 gpm from about 40 springs.
Visited by: R. G. Bowen May 4, 1970 ....
STATE OF OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES
2033 First Street 1069 State Office Building 521 N. E. "E"Street Baker, Oregon 97814 Portland, Oregon 97201 Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Dote 14 I ~ay 1970
D'JGAI\U Field Lab. No. P- 34842 Ca} careO'' s General Lob. No. c•jnt.er
Spec. Lob. No. from "Castle Spring"
QUALITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS (Quantities estimated to nearest power of ten)
1. Elements present in concentrations over 10% Ca cium, Si icon (lowl,
2. Elements present in concentrations 10% to 1%
3. Elements present in c6ncentrations 1% to 0.1%
Tron, : anganese (high). ,irsenic,
4. Elements present in concentrations 0.1% to .01%
;, agnesium. Sodium, otasssi·1m, Bari"m, tr•)ntLrm,
5. Elements present in concentrations .01% to .001%
Cop er, 8oron,
6. EI ements present in concentrations below . 001 %
Mercury Beryl·, ium,
,.D,-...,diooctivi ty Charge iii!(kL~ Th~ C. Matthews, Spectroscopist
L. ____ STATE OF OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES
2033 First Street 1069 State Office Building 521 N. E. "E"Street Baker, Oregon 97814 Portland, Oregon 97201 Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Dote 14 nay 1970 Pipe deposit DOGAJ:V:iI - Dick Bo1.ven Field lob. No. Brei ten bush HS General lab. No. P-34841
Spec. lob. No.
QUALITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS (Quantities estimated to nearest power of ten)
Siliceous sinter deposit on overflow pipe at "Million dollar" spring near top of slide 1. Elements present in concentrations over 10% SiJicon, Ca1cium,
2. EI ements present in cone entro tions l 00/o to 1%
A7 nr:linum, Iron (low), Sodium, Arsenic,
3. Elements present in c'oncentrations 1% to 0.1% l'.1ar;nesium, ~-'.anranese,
4. Elements present in concentrations 0.1% to .01%
otassium, Titanium, Lead, ~loron,
5. Elements present in concentrations .01% to .001% Con er. Barium, trontium,
6. Elements pres~nt in concentrations below .001% Bery1 lium, Nickel, Mercury
- dioactivity Charge
2a!c,1:a:L44 1 Thomas C. Matthews, Spec troscopist U/tt:uON ~TA'Jc .DOARD OF HEALTH ----~------M.ineral Content or Water
6 Name of Water Supp1y Breitenbush Hot Springs 5Y0TlM No. ITJ XI I I 11- CountLJ Marion SA1v1PLE ID. No, I I I I1 -'3 Soulce __....;s~r1~·n~g~s~------Jt~IR~A~~;,:Z~TR.;r,:,AT;,,;;~~o~,3~b~L~f-~~i-o~~~,:;-~~8::AN:,;;,;Do~N~~o:J,,,! ~j~/0~ Sampltng Point __c_a_st_l_e___.sp,_r_i_n..::.g_s ______Boit/e No. ______Col)~cted By ___R_._Bo_w_e_n ______Date rnxrnx~ ll-l'1 7 Anal:fsis By ___A_WH ______Daternxrnx O ~()NT/I, Poy J YcAe. Laboratory }:umber 1684 -·=-====~=j/Y;;;f-o===r~c'==~=P."', "=v~v.=t-~=v~er;,;;l.iic~o;;l~.t~n;;e==;6~=~~"'W==~=A~"=)'\(.1'==1.=~=c=a:::::;h;=cn==H==~'e=C/=M=Q=1=p=o=/,,=t=,.===~======Pl-ls i?.ecomm~nded max. *~PH.s Ml!lx, Allowable
Ca.,.d 1\1,. Z, Can:/ C"lunin.s Card Nti. / 1 Card Cclum,u 17-75 17-75
~' Or"" QS sh~wn (Is)* 1 o ,1-,a Color, units Conductance (mc_mho/cm),,_-=3=$:S$8==i==o:;:!._/_7-10 o ,~-22 11 24 'Iurbldity, J TU (5 /~ I I I Ch1orides _ _;C~z_s_o..;_~_*___ 1~1=;::s:=;==o:;:;==; - 5 I2 l 3 3 3 z3-z" Solids, Tot.al ( oo)* Sodi.um ------~~==;;:~Is Io Is j2~-2e 1 7 l 27-Jo 3 8 2 3 SolJds., Vo1atile I I Pohs sium ______.__l= =·~j= ~~1_~- !
Carbon Diox::i.de 1 3 s 12 l>i-34 ----~~~gI ;r-H Juoride 7 119 34-J" pH I Phosphates So!v.Ue Orth o ~ I O IO I 1 1~H'i 11 o j s II 37-3., (z~oY~ 1 2 9 ,e;-41 Ajkalini.ty, Total as CaC03 , ,- Sulfa t.es ---'=--__;_------===;:~~~ 2 3 4 43 4 1 I s 1 311 42· 4~ Hardness as c~co.3 ----~'==::::;:1==;1;!:Igl o• iJicon 9 Calcium I· I· 2- II·· I· 4-4-41 ]uminu:m ( 1·o 11 o 1 145-4, 1 51 ~fagnesiut11 j 1 IP I 48- i trogen, Anmoni.a. 1 o s 3 ~g-fc 3 c I o o 1 1'>1-5~ 1:::::.-n...;:;:-:.-·_;);...~-:- -.- - -:--) trogen, NI tr1 te 0 05 *:=------i:1:===;;1~;=!::;1~:~1:::: ~ J.tr.ogen.:; Nitrate (45)* ~ I Io o s lyf-57 Arseni.c (o. oi)* (o.o 5)'t* 1°PI Is' I I-~~j'°' &>ron I I I io s s 1~0-to: I I j I II ! I· 1~2-"8 Lithium I I I I2 II s 7b4·/.~ I I I I II I I l'-,-,s111 - 111 I I I I II
RcMARK..s ------·------··------·------··------....
7()2 Woodlark Building Portland, Oregon
GEOLOGIC:lL RECOHdAISS;,NCE O.F THE BfiEITr.J.~BU.SH Aii.E.li. A1AK. IDIJ C,()
Ge_ner:_~l Area: Breitenbush Hot Springs
Qv,ner: Jose!)h M. Healy, 801 S.~•. Stark St., Portland, Oregon
Area: North Santiam
Loci:i_tlo_ri: NE-¼-, T. 9 S., R. 7 E.f!.M. in Marion County, Oregon. One hundred and
sixty acres including the Breitenbush Hot Spring resorts. Rei.ched via
State HL~h,vay 222 from Salem, Oregon.
Mineral Prodl!<;_t_ion: There is no recor:led mineral production in· the Brei t~mbush
area. Small mines have operated inter'Tli ttentl;,r from 1S96 - 19;0 in the areas
known as the Lester Mining District .r:nd the Miner!il Harbor District v:hich are rwcrh ~west .12 to 15 miles:. Minero.ls mined in these adjacent districts were
gold, silver, lead and zinc.
Geo_g_ra.ph_y: The Brettenbush area occupies a broad irregular intra-montc:.ne valley
formed by the Briltenbush River and its tributaries, the main one being Devils
Creek. The elevation of valley varies from 2000 feet to 2500 feet, with the
peaks at the valley sides rising to 5QOO feet. The only road into the are&
is a gr&veled forest road v:i th norler"~te grades. The Breitenbush river v,hich
runs through the area is about 20 feet wide and 2 feet oeep. Itc flow is
consfant ~md part of it is di:v-!'3rtecl to o;,erate smb.ll hydroelectric plants
at the resorts. There are no dee'.) snov,s in the winter and the surn.rner clim&te
is cool but equj/,able. An open forest of l~rge coniferous trees covers the
entire area. The only business activity at present is the operution of hot
spring heal th resorts. l}eology: The &rea 1Aas mapped geologically • orevious t,::i 19.39 by Thomas ?. Th1:.yer, *
and his report v,l th &ccomp&nying m::.cps published in 19.:9 by the State Department
of Geology ::;_nd Mineral Industries. Previous to this renort the area was
examined specifically for minerals of commercial interest. The ,.,rea is cove1 -
702 Woodlark Building Portland, Oregon
except in the channel .'.)f the Breitenbush river with Cuut,~rnary gruvels
LJ.nd boulder beds. Luv:.
or tTo flov:s outcropping in the channel '.)f the Breitenbush :rivr:,r. These
flo1Tis are part of the formation described by Thc:.yer us the Breiten bush T11ff,
a formation described as being made up of intercalated lava flov,s and volcanic
tuff, mainl:r volcanfo tuff. Hot springs er1erge from the ton of thr, flors
nnd in one case the hot waters were found to be emArging fr::,m fissures in the
flows.
Miners.l r:enosits: Sever&l sho:::red :.::~mes in the lrv~ts 'l':ere founc': but exawin2tion
showed little secondary enrichment and no minerals of commGrcial v1,lue. Dark
Scmds in the Breitenbnsh rivPr, Devils Cr?.ek and Mansfi-2ld creek v1ere r>&nned
for ';Old and cinnabi.,.r content. None 1i':us found.
It an;;>e&.rs that in the area examined ,,nd described ~1bove, th'? hot s:~r:.ngs
n.r9 the only ininerQl resou:-'ces of econor:iic importc::.nce. The area is gener&lly
not a:nem:.ble to prospecting bec,,use of the deep grc.veli:; mrerlyine the beCrock. (', Report by: V::essle:1 y.;. Pu.ulsen, June 22-2.3, 19/2
··~ Th: 0 yer, Thorn c ?. , "Geolog;,' of the E0slem Hills 1.;nct the l~orth Sc.ntir_rr: Fiver 'S:..s~n, Orefon", Bullctln :fo. 15, [td,e D•,pt. cf Geol.or;y & rUnEn.;.l lndustrtrE, 19;,9.