Washinosu Mine
Nishi-Waga city, Waga county, Iwate pref., Japan
This locality is closed to collecting.
Occurrence
Moderate-T hydrothermal deposit
Moderate temperature hydrothermal deposit in rhyolite lava and dikes in middle Miocene (15.4 - 13.6 Ma) Kawashiri Tuff Member, a top member of early - middle Miocene (16 - 13.6 Ma) Oishi Formation. These rhyolite lava and dykes form a submarine lava dome. Ages of sedimentary rocks were determined by microfossils.
Outcrop of oxidation zone of Cu deposit. The green color is attributed to chlorite formed by alteration of rhyolite and rhyolitic pyroclastics of Oishi Formation. So called "Green Tuff", Japanese Tertiary sediments, was named after this.
Reported Minerals
- Pyrite
- Chalcopyrite
- Malachite
- Cuprite
Details of the mine
Cu was mainly mined, and Au and Ag were also produced.
History
- 1095: The legend says that this mine was developed in Kamakura era by Fujiwara family, who run local government in this area.
- 1901: Takichi Fukazawa rediscovered the deposit.
- 1903 - 1915: The Au deposit was mined.
- 1915 - 1963: The Cu deposit was mined.
- 1963: The mine was closed.
Localities
- Kisan-mori Mine (Cu-Pb-Zn)
- Mikawa Mine (Cu-Pb-Zn, Siderite)
- Takami Mine (Cu-Pb-Zn)
- Gunma Mine (Cu-Pb-Zn)
- Yunosawa Mine (Pb-Zn)
- Okuto Mine (Pb-Zn)
- Arakawa Mine (Cu-Zn)
- Osarizawa Mine (Cu-Zn)
- Sayama Mine (Cu-Zn)
- Washinosu Mine (Cu-Zn)
- Yashu Mine (Cu)
- Takaneyama Mine (Cu-Zn-Mn)
- Kawazu Mine (Zn-Au-Te-Mn)
- Manju Mine (Zn)
- Mount Nesugata (Mn oxide)
- Ryushima Mine (Mn carbonate)