1978 



Limestone in the Coast Ranges 



97 



Limestone reserves are not known, cither for the 

 total deposit or for any part of it. Total reserves obvi- 

 ously are large but cannot be calculated without 

 knowledge of the average thickness of the limestone 

 unit. The thickest part is reported to be 22.^ feet at 

 Indian (Ireek (Keenan, l'>.?2, p. 6.>). Just east of the Big 

 Pine Mountain road, the most accessible part of the 

 deposit, the thickness probably cvceeds 70 to 80 feet 

 (Walker, ly.SOa, p. 5) and reserves mav be several mil- 

 lion tons or more. Large reserves also may exist at 

 "Sierra Blanca Mountain" where the limestone is 

 boldly exposed. The limestone unit pinches out I'/j 

 miles southeast of there. 



Because of transportation and access difficulties, it 

 may be a long time before the limestone is of economic 

 interest. At the present time, the west end of the 

 deposit is about }5 miles by road from the nearest 

 railhead and even farther from port facilities. The 

 nearest paved road, at Mono Public Camp, is 18.3 

 miles from the limestone deposit. 



Other references: Huguenin, 1917, p. 739; Nelson, 1925, p. 352-354; 

 Logon, 1947, p. 310; Page el o/., 1951, p. 1745-1749; Gower el ol.. 1966, 

 p. A25-A26. 



6826' 



>^ 

 Big Pine Mtn 



-N- 



i 



/ 



^5- 



] 



?. 



Location Mop 



^r-c 



\ 



\ 



N 



-^ 



34 37 30 



c 



r 





.^ 



3 Miles 



Figure 9. Mop of Sierro Blonco Limestone, Santa Borbaro County. 



