June 14, 2003 Garnet Queen Mine Field Trip

By Jay Valle

     June 14: Our one day field trip to Idyllwild area for garnets attracted 21 of us who enjoyed the trip. The long, steep hike up the mountain was strenuous, but we all made it up there and were able to find and take home some nice specimens. Jay Valle took some great pictures. (Bob Fitzpatrick).

     Some information about the "Garnet Queen" mine: The Garnet Queen mine on the Northwest slope of Santa Rosa mountain was discovered and developed by Elizabeth Patrick Steward in 1897. Despite the name, which suggests gemstones, the Garnet Queen was a tungsten mine. The tungsten ore was recovered from two long open cuts on the mountainside. The mine changed hands over the years and met with varying success. The California Jounral of Mines and Geology for October, 1941 reported a small concentration plant had been installed with an operating capacity of ten tons per day. Other patented tungsten mines in the Santa Rosas were the Indian, the Phoenix, the Pigeon Creek, the Burnt Cow and the Ribbonwood, none of them profitable.