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Alta Mine

Past Producer in Jefferson county in Montana, United States with commodities Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper, Silica, Gold, Antimony
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Alteration
  9. Mineral occurrence model information
  10. Host and associated rocks
  11. Nearby scientific data
  12. Geologic structures
  13. Ore body information
  14. Controls for ore emplacement
  15. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  16. Mining district
  17. Ownership information
  18. Production statistics
  19. Workings at the site
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10089196
MRDS ID W014733
Record type Site
Current site name Alta Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -112.09394, 46.37212 (WGS84)
Elevation 1591
Relative position ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF HELENA, AND 2 MILES SW OF CORBIN, MONTANA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Jefferson(county)

Montana(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Wickes(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Butte North(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Butte(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Upper Missouri(hydrologic unit)

Upper Missouri(hydrologic accounting unit)

Missouri-Marias(hydrologic subregion)

Missouri(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Montana Jefferson

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Montana Principal 007N 004W 10 CENTER OF W2 Montana

Comments on the location information

  • S AND SE SIDE OF ALTA MT.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary
Copper Secondary
Silica Secondary
Gold Secondary
Antimony Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Pyrite Ore
Gold Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Galena Ore
Quartz Gangue
Sericite Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue
Rhodochrosite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Volcanic Rocks In Shear Zone Are Intensley Altered, Oxidation Near Surface, Tourmalinization

Analytical data

Result 0.10 OZ/TON AU, 20-50 OZ/TON AG, 18-35% PB
Result 12% ZN IN CONCENTRATES

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 85
USGS model code 22c
Deposit model name Polymetallic veins
Mark3 model number 46

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
    Rock type qualifier ANDESITE (LATITE-ANDESITE)
    Rock unit name ELKHORN MOUNTAINS VOLCANICS
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
    Rock unit name Elkhorn Mountain Volcanics;Boulder Batholith, Butte Quartz Monzonite;Elkhorn Mountains Volcanics
    Rock description Elkhorn Mountain Volcanics;Boulder Batholith, Butte Quartz Monzonite;Elkhorn Mountains Volcanics
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Cretaceous
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Cretaceous

Nearby scientific data

(1) -112.09394, 46.37212
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Boulder Batholith, South-Trending Syncline In Elkhorn Mountains Volcanics
Type of structure Local
Structure description Roof Pendant Of Elkhorn Mountain Volcanics

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR SHOOTS
    Strike N 50 E
    Dip 60 N
    Length 500M
    Width 25M
    Depth to top 0M
    Depth to bottom 430M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Shear Zone

Comments on the geologic information

  • VOLCANIC ROCKS IN SHEAR ZONE ARE INTENSELY ALTERED, OXIDATION (AND IRON STAINING) NEAR SURFACE; ARGILLIZATION, TOURMALINIZATION, BLEACHING AND PERVASIVE ARGILLIC ALTERATION OUTWARD AND SERICITIC ALTERATION NEAREST THE ORE ZONE, AND QUARTZ FLOODING (HOLT, 1960).
  • ?FISSURE VEIN ALONG A CRUSHED AND BRECCIATED ZONE IN ANDESITE? (UNPUBLISHED MBMG FILES, RM 213, MAIN HALL, MONTANA TECH, BUTTE). ?A ZONE OF CRUSHED AND SHEARED ANDESITE REPORTED TO BE 40 TO 120 FEET IN WIDTH ENCLOSES THE ORE (ROPES, 1922). THE ZONE HAS BEEN EXPLORED FOR A LENGTH OF ABOUT 2,000 FEET. NORTH-EAST STRIKING FAULTS, YOUNGER THAN THE ORE MINERALIZATION, CROSS THE CRUSHED ZONE FORMING THREE OFFSET SHOOTS. THE ORE BODIES WERE DISTRIBUTED IRREGULARLY IN THE CRUSHED ANDESITE OF THESE THREE SHOOTS.? (ROBY AND OTHERS, 1960).

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1869

Mining district

District name Colorado (Corbin-Wickes) District

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Lahey Leasing Co, Corbin, Montana
  • Type Owner
    Owner Alta Mines Corp.
    Home office C/O F. Small, Helena, Montana 59601

Production statistics

  • Year 1957
    Period 1883-1957
    Material ore
    Ore mined 1189000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor AG Gold Gold 4105659.49g
    Minor CU Copper Copper 4017014.02mt
    Major ZN Zinc Zinc 560025.09mt
    Major PB Lead Lead 59874192.84mt
    Major AG Silver Silver 588011308.3g

Comments on the production information

  • FROM 1950-56 LOW-GRADE ORE FROM AN OPEN PIT HAD BEEN SENT TO THE SMELTER AT E. HELENA FOR SILICA FLUX
  • PRIOR TO 1893, PRODUCTION ABOUT $32,000,000 FROM 1,250,000 TONS OF ORE (MAINLY LEAD-SILVER). ?RECORDED PRODUCTION IS 997,650 TONS. ABOUT 10,000 TONS OF ORE WAS PRODUCED BETWEEN 1901 AND 1948, AND NEARLY 250,000 TONS OF TAILINGS WERE RE-TREATED DURING THE LAST TWO MILLING OPERATIONS. AN ESTIMATED FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND TONS HAVE BEEN MINED FROM THE OPEN PIT FOR USE AS SILICA FLUX.? (BECRAFT AND OTHERS, 1963).



    ?IN OCTOBER, 1893, THE MINE WAS PRACTICALLY WORKED OUT ABOVE THE 800 FOOT LEVEL, A TOTAL PRODUCTION OF 997,650 TONS OF ORE WAS RECORDED.? (MBMG UNPUBLISHED FILES, RM 213, MAIN HALL, MONTANA TECH, BUTTE).



    ?THE RECORDED PRODUCTION FROM 1902 TO 1957 FOR THE ALTA MINE IS 349,839 TONS ORE WHICH YIELDED 8,174 OUNCES GOLD, 1,165,299 OUNCES SILVER, 546,286 POUNDS COPPER, 8,134,488 POUNDS LEAD, AND 1,234,644 POUNDS ZINC.? (ROBY AND OTHERS, 1960)

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MINE MAPS INDICATE ABOUT 2,000,000 ST STOPED. REMAINING ROCK ABOVE NO. 11 LEVEL APPEARS TO BE VERY LOW GRADE. ANDESITE - QUARTZ MONZONITE CONTACT IS PROBABLY AT A DEPTH OF NO MORE THAN 2000 FT (800 FT BELOW LOWEST LEVEL) BUT QUARTZ MONZONITE IS ALSO FAVORABLE HOST ROCK. ASSUMING VEIN CAN BE MINED AN ADDITIONAL 400 FT IN DEPTH AT PREVIOUS ORE-WAST RATIOS GIVES FIRST ESTIMATE, ASSUMING AN AVERAGE VEIN WIDTH OF 15 FT. SECOND ESTIMATE ASSUMES RECOVERY OF REMAINING MINERALIZED ROCK BETWEEN NO. 2 LEVEL AND NO. 11 LEVEL. VEIN STRUCTURE APPEARS TO EXTEND WESTWARD UNDER VOLCANIC TUFF.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface/Underground
    Length 7000M
    Overall depth 400M

Comments on the workings information

  • MINE DEVELOPED BY 13 LEVELS OVER A VERTICAL INTERVAL OF 1370 FT. LEVELS 2, 4, 6, 8 WERE MAIN WORKING LEVELS, OPEN ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF ALTA MT. NO 8 LEVEL WAS THE MAIN HAULAGE LEVEL; THE DICK SHAFT, 665 FT. DEEP, IS NEAR THE NO. 8 LEVEL PORTAL.
  • APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS, HORIZONTAL RANGE - 5,000 FT; VERTICAL RANGE -1,200 FT. (MBMG UNPUBLISHED FILES, RM 213, MAIN HALL, MONTANA TECH, BUTTE).

Comments on development

  • 1869-1883 - ALTA MONTANA COMPANY BUYS PROPERTY

    1883 - ACQUIRED BY THE HELENA MINING AND REDUCTION COMPANY.

    1889 - MOST OF THE ORE ABOVE THE MAIN HAULAGEWAY HAD BEEN EXTRACTED (BECRAFT AND OTHERS, 1963).

    1894 - WINZE HAD BEEN SUNK 600 FEET.

    1896 - MINE CLOSED. PECK CONCENTRATOR BUILT TO RE-RUN TAILINGS.

    1905 - OPERATED BY HELENA AND LIVINGSTON SMELTING AND REDUCTION COMPANY (S.T. HAUSER AND D.C. CORBIN).

    1906 - OPERATING.

    1907 - VERY SMALL PRODUCTION.

    1908 - ALTA-GREGORY REPORTED A SMALL PRODUCTION.

    1909 - TAKEN OVER BY THE BOSTON AND ALTA COMPANY. SANK 665-FOOT SHAFT AT THE PORTAL OF THE NO. 8 ADIT AND DROVE THE 1,300 FOOT LEVEL.

    1910 - IDLED.

    1911 - LESSEES.

    1912-1913 - ALTA-GREGORY ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS.

    1914 - ALTA-GREGORY PRODUCED A SMALL QUANTITY OF AG-AU.

    1916 - SMALL PRODUCTION.

    1917-1918 - SMALL PRODUCTION.

    1920 - 15,233 TONS OF SLAG FROM WICKES.

    1921 - ALTA-MONTANA AND ALTA-GREGORY OPERATING.

    1922 - SMALL PRODUCTION OF ORE, CONSIDERABLE SLAG SHIPPED.

    1923 - CONSIDERABLE SLAG SHIPPED.

    1924 - SEVERAL HUNDRED TONS OF SLAG SHIPPED.

    1925 - JEFFERSON MILLING COMPANY OPERATED TWO MILLS ON THE OLD DUMPS. HEWITT MILL RE-TREATS TAILINGS FOR THE THIRD TIME.

    1928 - WORKINGS INACCESSIBLE.

    1930 - NORTH ALTA GROUP (J.L. TEMPLEMAN OF BUTTE) OPERATING 1,000 FT NORTH OF THE OLD ALTA VEIN.

    1938-1941 - 146,000 TONS OF TAILINGS CONCENTRATED AT THE HEWITT MILL.



    1969 - MINE IDLE

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    YOUNG, F.M., CROWLEY, F.A., AND SAHINEN, U.M., 1962, MARKETING PROBLEMS OF SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ENGAGED IN LEAD AND ZINC MINING: MBMG BULL 30, P. 24

  • Deposit

    ROBY,R.N., ACKERMAN, W.C., FULKERSON, F.B., AND CROWLEY, F.A., 1960, MINES AND MINERAL DEPOSITS (EXCEPT FUELS), JEFFERSON COUNTY, MONTANA: MBMG BULL 16, P. 6, 26, 44-7, 51, 107.

  • Deposit

    HANSEN, MILLER, 1971, DIRECTORY OF MINING ENTERPRISES FOR 1970: MBMG BULL 82

  • Deposit

    ROBERTSON, FORBES, 1956, GEOCHEMICAL PROSPECTING BY SOIL ANALYSIS IN MONTANA: MBMG BULL 7

  • Deposit

    BECRAFT, G.E., PINCKNEY, D.M., AND ROSENBLUM, SAM, 1963, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE JEFFERSON CITY QUADRANGLE, JEFFERSON AND LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTIES, MONTANA: USGS PP 428, P. 36, 38, 40, 53, 70, 71

  • Deposit

    KNOPF, ADOLF, 1913, ORE DEPOSITS OF THE HELENA MINING REGION: USGS BULL 527, P. 109-10.

  • Deposit

    PARDEE, J.T., AND SCHRADER, F.C, 1933, METALLIFEROUS DEPOSITS OF THE GREATER HELENA MINING REGION: USGS BULL 842, P. 241-2.

  • Production

    MBMG BULL. 16, USGS PROF. PAPER 428

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit CLAIMS: FAITH, ALTA CALIFORNIA AND MILL SITE, CUSTER AND MILL SITE, GRANDFATHER AND MILL SITE, SOMEWHERE AND MILL SITE, KEYSTONE, GLYITIE, PONDORA, SILVER KING. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Deposit A ZONE OF CRUSHED ANDESITE FROM 40-120 FT WIDE ENCLOSES THE VEIN. THE ZONE HAS BEEN EXPLORED FOR A LENGTH OF 2000 FT. NE STRIKING FAULTS CROSS THE CRUSHED ZONE FORMING 3 OFF-SET SHOOTS.
Deposit ?GALENA OCCURS AS DISTINCT GRAINS ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER SULFIDE MINERALS, BUT NOT INTENSELY INTERELOCKED WITH THEM IN MOST CASES. SPHALERITE CONTAINS RELATIVELY ABUNDANT GRAINS AND ROUNDED BLEBS OF GALENA. TETRAHEDRITE, IN GALENA AS INCLUSIONS, OCCURS AS SMALL ROUNDED BLEBS USUALLY LESS THAN 0.01 MM ACROSS. HOWEVER, TETRAHEDRITE ALSO OCCURS AS DISTINCT GRAINS IN QUARTZ. PYRITE IS EXTREMELY FINE GRAINED IN SOME SPECIMENS AND IN OTHERS OCCURS AS LARGE CRYSTALS. MOST OF THE SULFIDE MINERALS ARE INTERLOCKED. GALENA, PYRITE, SPHALERITE, AND TETRAHEDRITE FORM INTERLOCKING AGGREGATES AND FINE-GRAINED CLUSTERS. MANGANESE HAS BEEN REPORTED AS A RELATIVELY ABUNDANT MINERAL IN THIS ORE. ANTIMONY WAS DETECTED IN TRACE AMOUNTS.? (YOUNG AND OTHERS, 1962).
Deposit Merged data from Deposit ID's: 10123905 (Alta Mine)

10124963 (North Alta)

10172796 (Little Alta)

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAY-1976 Mlynarczyk, Meg S. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-APR-1981 Wise, Kristine K. (Elliott, James E.) U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

External references

Maps centered on this site