Western Mining History : Reliving the Industrial Revolution of the West

Location and History
Redding is in south-central Shasta County. Originally named Reading for Major Pierson B. Reading, who discovered gold in the Trinity River, the district was renamed for Benjamin Redding, land agent for the Central Pacific Railroad Company. During the gold rush appreciable amounts of placer gold were recovered in the area, from the upper Sacramento River and from Oregon, Flat, and Clear Creeks, which are to the southwest. Also, high-grade surface pockets were mined. During the 1930s a number of dragline and bucket-line dredges were active in the area. The Yankee John lode mine has been intermittently worked in recent years.

Ore Deposits
The lode deposits consist of narrow quartz veins and seams containing native gold, small amounts of sulfides and some silver. The deposits occur in a belt that extends southwest to Centerville. Much of the output has been from small but rich pockets. The Yankee John, the chief lode mine in the district, has a total output of slightly more than $200,000. Country rock consists of greenstone, slate, and granitic rocks. There are numerous dioritic dikes.

Bibliography
Averill, C. V., 1933. Gold deposits of the Redding and Weaverville quadrangles: California Diy. Mines Rept. 29, pp. 3-73.