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50-518: The range runs south of San Jose and is about 7 miles long. The New Almaden hills and greater Santa Cruz Mountains span south. Notable peaks include Coyote Peak and Bernal Hill. Notable bodies of water include Santa Teresa Creek, which runs west down through the southern portion of the hills. It soon joins Arroyo Calero, which originates from Calero Reservoir in New Almaden. Arroyo Calero then joins Alamitos Creek , which flows through Almaden Lake at

100-413: A cinnabar hill where Indians gathered pigment for paint, while #339-1 is near Arroyo de los Alamitos Creek where the actual mining of ore first occurred. There is also a museum adjacent at the site. Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a 4,147 acre (17 km ) park that includes the grounds of former mercury ("quicksilver") mines . The park's elevation varies greatly: the most used entrances (on

150-448: A critical habitat for the threatened Bay checkerspot butterfly , whose primary host plant is the dwarf plantain. Other animals include deer , coyotes , bobcats , wild turkeys , California quail , red-shouldered hawks , turkey vultures , and rattlesnakes . New Almaden New Almaden , known in Spanish as Nueva Almadén , is a historic community and former mercury mine in

200-508: A legal settlement of approximately US$ 6,750,822 for restoration projects. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service issued an environmental restoration plan for the area in 2008. The mineralized area in the Almaden mining district where the New Almaden and the nearby Guadalupe mine are located is within the large Franciscan Assemblage associated with

250-402: A low calcium-to-magnesium ratio and have low levels of many essential nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Serpentine soils contain high concentrations of heavy metals, including chromium, iron, cobalt, and nickel. Together, these factors create serious ecological challenges for plants living in serpentine soils. Serpentinite is a meta-igneous rock formed by

300-615: A unique ecoregion found in parts of the United States in small but widely distributed areas of the Appalachian Mountains and the Coast Ranges of California , Oregon , and Washington. Species-rich archipelagos of communities comprise 1.5% of the state's land area. In California, 10% of the state's plants are serpentine endemics. The barrens occur on outcrops of altered ultramafic ophiolites . They are named for minerals of

350-595: Is "Southern Blue Ridge Ultramafic Outcrop Barren" and believed to be unique to the Buck Creek area. In 1995, the United States Forest Service began active conservation management of the site, primarily with prescribed controlled burns , which, along with some manual cover removal, has been successful in regenerating populations of previously sparse species. In addition to over 20 conservationally listed plant species, Rhiannon’s aster ( Symphyotrichum rhiannon )

400-487: Is a 176-acre (71 ha) property conserved by the Lancaster County Conservancy that is a prime example of a serpentine barren. It was originally a grassland, but wildfire suppression led to the conversion of the area to forest. This barren contains the rare serpentine aster ( Symphyotrichum depauperatum ), as well as a number of rare species of moths and skippers . In Chester County, Pennsylvania ,

450-530: Is a hyper-accumulator of nickel and Sedum laxum expresses succulence . In some cases, symbioses with serpentine tolerant ectomycorrhizal help facilitate plants’ adaptation to edaphic stressors on serpentine. Adaptation to serpentine soils has evolved multiple times. Serpentine-tolerant plants are evolutionarily younger than non-serpentine plants. The heterogeneity of serpentine communities coupled with their patchy distribution limits gene flow but promotes speciation and diversification. Habitat heterogeneity

500-425: Is an important contributor to the level of endemism and biodiversity in this system. Although the patchy distribution is attributed to the high rates of speciation in serpentine communities, there are a number of challenges associated with this. The spatial isolation from source and other populations limit gene flow , which could make these populations vulnerable to changing environmental conditions. In addition, there

550-434: Is cinnabar; other sulfides are present in small quantities. Mining, other than a single placer deposit of cinnabar, was underground. There is a high probability of undiscovered high-grade ore which could be found and exploited using modern techniques. The entrances to the mines are closed off. After being identified as a Superfund site and after subsequent containment activities, the mining area can now be visited as part of

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600-502: Is derived from the Arabic language . In 1863, acting on information that title to the mine had not been proven, Abraham Lincoln attempted to seize the mine, but the federal agent and deputy federal marshal were met at the mine gates by armed miners. Mindful of the possibility of losing the loyalty of California during the Civil War, the federal government backed off and Barron, Forbes Company

650-452: Is high gene flow with the non-serpentine communities that can cause genotypic pollution , hybridization , and nonviable offspring. The unique plants that survive in serpentine soils have been used in the process of phytoremediation , a type of bioremediation . Since these plants developed specialized adaptations to high concentrations of heavy metals, they have been used to remove heavy metals from polluted soil. Serpentine barrens are

700-534: Is needed to see if this will potentially have a negative effect on human health as it pertains to beef consumption. Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area in Baltimore County, Maryland , covers 1,900 acres of serpentine barren. The area has over 38 rare, threatened, and endangered plant species; as well as rare insects, rocks, and minerals. Rock Springs Nature Preserve in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

750-409: Is often reddish, brown, or gray in color due to its high iron and low organic content. Geologically, areas with serpentine bedrock are characteristically steep, rocky, and vulnerable to erosion, which causes many serpentine soils to be rather shallow. The shallow soils and sparse vegetation lead to elevated soil temperatures and dry conditions. Due to their ultramafic origin, serpentine soils also have

800-599: The Streptanthus howellii ) and occasionally a carnivorous nature as seen in the Darlingtonia californica . Some examples of common serpentine tolerant plants include gray pine ( Pinus sabiniana ), Jeffrey Pine ( Pinus jeffreyi ), California lilac ( Ceanothus sp. ), manzanita ( Arctostaphylos sp. ), live oak ( Quercus sp.), California redbud ( Cercis occidentalis ), California buckeye ( Aesculus californica ), California laurel (bay tree) ( Umbellularia californica ), and

850-562: The Casa Grande (big house) at 21350 Almaden Road in New Almaden. La Casa Grande, an 1854 revival-style mansion designed and built by architect Francis Myers, was the official residence and office of the mine superintendents, as well as a country retreat for wealthy mine investors. The mansion now serves as the site of the New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum, which contains exhibits about the history of mercury mining and

900-487: The Coast Range . Quicksilver ore deposited by hydrothermal deposition of cinnabar from deep within the earth is found in a gangue of silica-carbonate rock formed locally by hydrothermal alteration of serpentine . The Guadalupe mine produced about 10% as much mercury as the New Almaden. There are several smaller mines in the mining district, but their ore production was not significant. The only significant quicksilver ore

950-562: The Guadalupe Reservoir ; adjacent to the park is the Almaden Reservoir . The Casa Grande Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum is located nearby. In the period 1976 to 1978 the county developed a number of new large parks in rapid succession including Grant Ranch Park , Sanborn Park and Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Very soon after buying the mining property in 1976, Santa Clara County began planning for park usage, in an era where

1000-529: The Santa Clara County Almaden Quicksilver County Park. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961. By the time Santa Clara County bought the mines in 1976 and ended operations, 1,137,727 flasks totaling 83,974,076 pounds (38,090 metric tons) of mercury (worth more than US$ 70 million) had been extracted. The remains of a variety of structures left over from the 135 years of mining activity, including housing for

1050-453: The serpentine group , resulting in serpentine soils , with unusually high concentrations of iron , chromium , nickel , and cobalt . Serpentine barrens, as at Grass Valley, California , often consist of grassland or savannas in areas where the climate would normally lead to the growth of forests. Serpentine soils can be amended to support crops and pasture land for cattle grazing. This can be done by adding ample amounts of gypsum to

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1100-415: The serpentine subgroup , especially antigorite , lizardite , and chrysotile or white asbestos, all of which are commonly found in ultramafic rocks. The term "serpentine" is commonly used to refer to both the soil type and the mineral group which forms its parent materials. Serpentine soils exhibit distinct chemical and physical properties and are generally regarded as poor soils for agriculture. The soil

1150-648: The Capitancillos Hills of San Jose, California , located at the southwestern point of Almaden Valley in South San Jose . New Almaden is divided into two parts: the mines and much of their immediate surroundings, including historic ghost town settlements in the Capintancillas, which together form the Almaden Quicksilver County Park , and the largely residential historic district surrounding

1200-562: The Casa Grande. Discovered in the 1820s by Mexican settlers, New Almaden mines are the oldest mines in California and were one of the most productive mercury mines in the country. Long before the arrival of the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans, the indigenous Ohlone people had long utilized the area for its cinnabar , which they used in paint production. Cinnabar , a bright red mercury ore,

1250-643: The February 1878 issue of Scribner's Monthly . New Almaden also features prominently in her memoir A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West , which was later fictionalized by Wallace Stegner in his novel Angle of Repose . Mining operations resulted in mercury pollution of the Guadalupe River and South San Francisco Bay , impacting birds and aquatic species. In 2005 the responsible parties, which include private companies and local government agencies, agreed to

1300-533: The Nottingham Park, aka Serpentine Barrens, was recommended by UMCES as deserving of National Natural Landmark designation, on numerous grounds. They included supporting a number of rare and endemic species, an intact population of pitch pine , and also the site having historic significance. Since 1979, the Nature Conservancy has worked with the local community to protect and preserve several tracts in

1350-756: The San Jose Pueblo Tract II, between Rancho Santa Teresa to the north and Alamitos Creek at the southern base. Rancho Santa Teresa started off as a 9,647 acre land grant by the Mexican government in 1834. Due to the California Land Act of 1851 , the rancho was reduced to only 400 acres by the 1870s. Bernal's descendants continued to run the ranch, which produced cattle, fruit and hay. The Bernal Mine, Bernal Marl Fertilizer Company, and Santa Teresa Spring Water Company were also started by Bernal's descendants. The ranch eventually became Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch, and

1400-649: The State-Line Serpentine Barrens which are home to this fragile habitat. Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens in Nantahala National Forest in Clay County, North Carolina , is another example. Dominant rock types are serpentinized dunite and olivine , with variable soil depths ranging from 0 to 60 centimetres (0 to 24 inches) and rock outcrops representing 5–10% of the local landscape. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification for this community

1450-538: The chemical and physical challenges presented by serpentine soils, plants have developed tolerances to drought, heavy metals, and limited nutrients. Low calcium:magnesium ratios cause limited root growth and root activity, weak cell membranes, and reduced uptake of essential nutrients. An adaptive mechanism to high magnesium soils allocates more resources to deep-growing roots. Heavy metals stunt growth, induce iron deficiency, cause chlorosis, and restrict root development. Multiple adaptive mechanisms to heavy metals include

1500-406: The county parks program was aggressively expanding. The county parks director envisioned a historic park where visitors could experience the mining past and also enjoy the biodiversity of the natural setting. Facilities plans were created and an Environmental Impact Report was prepared. Principal issues assessed in the park proposal: The New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum is located in

1550-527: The cultural history of the mining communities at New Almaden. The exhibits include a mine diorama of the interior of a mine shaft, mining equipment and technology, a mine manager's office with period displays, and artifacts from Cornish , Mexican and Chinese mining families. Serpentine soil Serpentine soil is an uncommon soil type produced by weathered ultramafic rock such as peridotite and its metamorphic derivatives such as serpentinite . More precisely, serpentine soil contains minerals of

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1600-818: The distribution of ophiolites . There are outcroppings of serpentine soils in the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey, Newfoundland , the island of Cyprus , the Alps, Cuba, and New Caledonia. In North America, serpentine soils also are present in small but widely distributed areas on the eastern slope of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. However, California has the majority of the continent's serpentine soils. Ecologically, serpentine soils have three main traits: poor plant productivity, high rates of endemism , and vegetation types that are distinct from neighboring areas. Serpentine plant communities range from moist bogs and fens to rocky barrens and must be able to tolerate

1650-667: The dust particles. Caution should be taken when working in serpentine soils or when working with crushed serpentine rocks. Serpentinite most often forms in oceanic crust near the surface of the earth, particularly where water circulates in cooling rock near mid-ocean ridges : masses of the resulting ultramafic rock are found in ophiolites incorporated in continental crust near present and past tectonic plate boundaries. Serpentine soils are derived from ultramafic rocks. Ultramafic rocks are igneous or metamorphic rocks that contain more than 70% iron or magnesium minerals. Serpentine soils are widely distributed on Earth, in part mirroring

1700-448: The east side of the park) are less than 600 feet (183 m) above sea level , while the highest point in the park is over 1,700 feet (518 m) above sea level. During the coldest storms of the winter season, it is not uncommon for the high summits to receive a light dusting of snow (which usually melts by noon). The park is owned and managed by the County of Santa Clara and its grounds also include

1750-848: The exclusion of metals by restricting the uptake by the roots, compartmentalization of metals in various organs, or the development of toxicity tolerance. In nitrogen-poor sites, physiological effects on plants include impaired protein synthesis, chlorosis , reduced leaf turgor, reduced leaf and tiller number, reduced growth rate, and low seed yield. Low phosphorus levels cause similar effects of low nitrogen but also cause reduced seed size, lower root to shoot ratios, and increased water stress. Low soil moisture causes reduced nutrient uptake and transport, decreased stomatal opening, and reduced photosynthetic capacity, and also reduces plant growth and productivity. Serpentine plants have strongly developed root systems to facilitate uptake of water and nutrients. For example, Noccaea fendleri (aka Fendler's penny grass)

1800-536: The ferns Aspidotis densa and Polystichum lemmonii . Areas of serpentine soil are also home to diverse plants, many of which are rare or endangered species such as Acanthomintha duttonii , Pentachaeta bellidiflora , and Phlox hirsuta . In California, 45% of the taxa associated with serpentine are rare or endangered. In California, shrubs such as leather oak ( Quercus durata ) and coast whiteleaf manzanita ( Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. pulchella ) are typical of serpentine soils. In order to overcome

1850-631: The first people to live in the Santa Teresa Hills area, with one major settlement at Santa Teresa Spring about 3000 years ago. The spring was a reliable freshwater source and a sacred site to the Muwekma Ohlone, who believe that the spring had healing properties. In 1826, José Joaquín Bernal, a former soldier in the Mexican Army, settled near Santa Teresa Spring with his family and established Rancho Santa Teresa . The Santa Teresa Hills were part of

1900-495: The geologic structure of the Santa Teresa Hills. The hills contain local thrust faults , while the Shannon Fault Zone cuts south. Like in the nearby historic New Almaden mines, mining occurred in the Santa Teresa Hills since the early 20th century, though with much lower consistency and production. Limestone was quarried since 1915 for use in fertilizer and sugar refining, and chert was quarried for local road metal. Sandstone

1950-566: The harsh environmental conditions of such poor soil. As a result, they are often drastically different from non-serpentine soil areas bordering the serpentine soils. Vegetative characteristics are often shared among the types of flora found on serpentine soils. They will exhibit a "stunted" growth habit, with dull waxy, gray-green leaves (seen in Eriogonum libertini ), which allow for water retention and sunlight reflection respectively. Other possible phenotypic traits include pigmented stems (as seen in

2000-531: The land the mine was on. On appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States the claim was found invalid in a decision rendered March 10, 1863. One of the competing land claims was Rancho Los Capitancillos . The mine is named for a mercury mine in (old) Almadén , Spain , which had operated since at least Roman times. (See Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija .) The term Almadén, meaning "the mine",

2050-415: The metamorphic reaction of olivine -rich rock, peridotite , with water. Serpentinite has a mottled, greenish-gray, or bluish-gray color and is often waxy to the touch. The rock often contains white streaks of chrysotile running through it, which are a type of naturally occurring asbestos . Asbestos is linked to an array of human health conditions such as mesothelioma from long-time exposure of breathing in

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2100-500: The serpentine composition found in the Santa Teresa Hills provides an essential habitat for native plants that can tolerate these conditions from competition with non-native grasses. Native butchgrasses include California oatgrass , purple needlegrass , and Idaho fescue . Native forbs include filaree , true clovers , and dwarf plantain . Mixed oak woodland species include Coast live oak , valley oak , California buckeye , California bay , and blue oak . The Santa Teresa Hills are

2150-524: The soil. By adding gypsum a more favourable calcium-to-magnesium ratio can be developed, creating a better balance of plant nutrients. This, however, poses a possible implication to grazing cattle. An article from the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology discerned that 20% of the grazing animals had toxic levels of nickel in their kidneys, and 32% had toxic levels of copper in their liver. Further study

2200-506: The up to 1,800 miners, are scattered about the park, with the biggest concentration at what was known as English Camp, established by Cornish miners in the 1860s. Some structures were built later by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and there is a memorial honoring the Civilian Conservation Corps firefighters who were stationed there for a time. Two California Historical Landmark markers honor New Almaden Mine: #339 marks

2250-561: The western end of the Santa Teresa Hills, exiting eventually to the Guadalupe River and then to the San Francisco Bay at Alviso . Santa Teresa Spring emerges at the base of the north side of the hills. Serpentinized ultramafic rock from the Jurassic , sandstone , mudstone , shale , and limestone from the lower Eocene , and Upper Cretaceous Franciscan Complex rock containing chert and basaltic volcanic rock make up most of

2300-493: Was allowed to sell it to American investors for $ 1.75 million. Arthur De Wint Foote worked at New Almaden in the late 1870s under James Butterworth Randol . Representations of historical life at the New Almaden Mine were drawn in vivid detail by Mary Hallock Foote , the wife of Arthur DeWint Foote, the resident engineer from 1876. Her illustrated correspondence about New Almaden, "A California Mining Camp", appeared in

2350-611: Was named "Nueva Almaden" by Alexander Forbes. Castillero's mining claim was confirmed by the Board of Commissioners that evaluated private land claims in California on January 8, 1856, but there was continued litigation in the District court, The United States vs. Andres Castillero. A claim of fraud was made on behalf of the Quicksilver Mining Company, which had acquired a competing land claim originating in an agricultural claim to

2400-824: Was operated into the 1980s. By the 1990s, a large portion of the Santa Teresa Hills were purchased by Santa Clara County as part of Santa Teresa County Park , which now covers about 1,673 acres. Today, a ranch house and other historic buildings remain at the base of the hills as part of the park. The IBM Almaden Research Center , which opened in 1986, is located just west of the park. The Santa Teresa Hills contain chaparral , annual grassland, mixed oak woodland, and mixed riparian forests . In areas that are less serpentine , non-native annual Eurasian grasses, including wild oats , soft chess , and Italian ryegrass , dominate over native grasses and forbs. Serpentine soils are incredibly poor in essential plant nutrients like nitrogen and have high concentrations of heavy metals . As such,

2450-772: Was quarried from 1866 to 1906 and was used in the construction of Stanford University and several public buildings in San Francisco and San Jose. Rocks quarried here were also decoratively desirable. Past mines include the Bernal Mine, which has been inactive since 1918, and the Santa Teresa Mine, both of which were quicksilver mines. Like New Almaden, the Santa Teresa Hills contain “hilos,” or small tension fractures in silicate-carbonate rock containing veins of dolomite , quartz , and cinnabar , though in much lower quantity. Ancestors of today's Muwekma Ohlone Tribe were among

2500-641: Was used by the Ohlone people for paint, but the settlers soon saw its potential to produce quicksilver. The first settler to find the mine was Secundino Robles, who discovered it in 1824, and later owned shares in the mine along with his brother. Andres Castillero, a captain in the Mexican Army, obtained a grant to the mine in 1846 but, occupied with his military duties during the Mexican War, soon sold it to Barron, Forbes Company, an English textile firm based in Tepic, Mexico. It

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