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Middle Sulphur Canyon Proposed Mine

Prospect in Caribou county in Idaho, United States with commodities Phosphorus-Phosphates, REE, Uranium, Vanadium, Fluorine-Fluorite
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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. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Mineral rights holdings
  17. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Reserves and resources
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10119635
MRDS ID W026160
MAS/MILS ID 0160290158
Record type Deposit
Current site name Middle Sulphur Canyon Proposed Mine
Alternate or previous names Middle Sulphur Canyon Mining Plan, Sulphur Canyon #2, Middle Sulphur Canyon #2

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Pit
Geographic coordinates: -111.4625, 42.64802 (WGS84)
Elevation 2195
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Caribou(county)

Idaho(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Johnson Creek(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Soda Springs(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Preston(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Blackfoot(hydrologic unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Caribou-Targhee National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Idaho Caribou

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Boise 009 S 043 E 08 S2 Idaho

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary
REE Critical Tertiary
Uranium Tertiary
Vanadium Critical Tertiary
Fluorine-Fluorite Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Calcite Unknown
Dolomite Unknown
Feldspar Unknown
Limonite Unknown
Sericite Unknown

Analytical data

Result 7 SAMPLES OVER 11.9 FT. THICKNESS IN SECTION 9 GAVE 12.8 % P2O5 MAX
Result 25 SAMPLES OVER 69.4 FT THICKNESS IN SECTION 8 GAVE 28.8 % P2O5 MAX
Result 8 SAMPLES OVER 17.1 FT THICKNESS IN SECTION 8 GAVE 32.8 % P2O5 MAX

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 243
USGS model code 34c
Deposit model name Phosphate, upwelling type

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Phosphoria Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
    Rock type qualifier Phosphatic Shale
    Rock unit name Phosphoria Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Permian
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Chemical Sediment > Chert
    Rock unit name Phosphoria Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Permian
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Dinwoody Formation
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
    Rock unit name Dinwoody Formation
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name Dinwoody Formation
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Wells Formation
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name Wells Formation

Nearby scientific data

Pit (1) -111.4625, 42.64802
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure name Trail Creek Syncline
Type of structure Local
Structure name Minor Faults And Folds

Ore body information

  • Strike N30W
    Dip 20E
    Thickness 9M
    Length 1310M
    Width 335M
    Area 137HA
    Depth to top 5M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 3
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control FOLDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Strike And Dip N30W:20E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 5
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 830316

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Faulting
  • Folding

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE SOUTH END OF THE BIG PIT IS MARKED BY FAULTS. THE MEADE PEAK MEMBER IS 160 FT THICK. THE LOWER AND UPPER ORE ZONES TOTAL 30 FT THICK. THE SMALL PIT WILL BE 1108 FT LONG, 300 FT WIDE AND 100 FT DEEP. THE BIG PIT WILL BE 4200 FT LONG, 1100 FT WIDE, AND 350 FT DEEP. G SET FOR MIC3 IS THE AVERAGE OF THESE 2 PITS

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Prospect
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Medium
Significant Yes
Mining method Open Pit
Milling method Washing

Comments on exploration

  • EXPLORATORY DRILLING HAS BEEN DONE ON SIMPLOTS PATENTED LAND SIMPLOT IS NOW DRILLING 88 HOLES AND PUTTING IN 5 TRENCHES ON THE LEASEABLE LAND. ORE GRADE DATA WILL BE COMPUTED WHEN THIS WORK IS COMPLETE

Mining district

District name Trail Creek
District name Soda Springs Area

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Federal Lease
Type of mineral rights Patented

Land status

Ownership category Mixed
Ownership category National Forest
Area name Caribou National Forest

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Federal Government-Bureau Of Land Management/USFS
    Interest 100
    Year 1978
    First year 1978
  • Type Operator
    Owner J. R. Simplot Co.
    Year 1978
    First year 1978

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1977
    Indicated 4720000mt ore
    Demonstrated 4720000mt ore
    Total resources 4720000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    REE REE 0.001 wt-pct REE Trace 1977
    Uranium U3O8 0.0001 wt-pct Uranium Trace 1977
    Vanadium V2O5 0.0008 wt-pct Vanadium Trace 1977
    Fluorine-Fluorite F 0.0239 wt-pct Fluorine Trace 1977

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MATRIX1 COL 3 IS FROM EIS. PHOSPHATE GRADE WAS NOT GIVEN BUT IT IS STATED THAT THE ORE IS OF UNUSUAL THICKNESS AND GOOD QUALITY, THE MAIN BED (FOOTWALK) IS ESPECIALLY THICK, AVERAGING 8.5 FT. COMPLETE INFO ON THE INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER ZONES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTILL THE EXPLORATION DRILLING PROGRAM IS COMPLETE TONNAGE IS COMBINED FIGURE FOR BIG AND SMALL PITS CROSSECTIONS 19B,20B, JOHNSON CREEK QUAD. 75% PROB FIGURE IS FOR A 3.5:1 STRIPPING RATIO. TONNAGE IS FROM CROSSECTIONS 19B,20B. 16820 CUBIC YDS OF WASTE WOULD BE MOVED TO GET THE ORE. 25% PROB FIGURE IS FOR A 8.9:1 STRIPPING RATIO. TONNAGE IS FROM CROSSECTION 20B,19B. 75049 CUBIC YDS OF WASTE WOULD BE MOVED TO GET THE ORE. THE 25% FIGURE INCLUDES THE ORE AND WASTE TONNAGE FROM THE 3.5:1 STRIPPING RATIO.

Comments on the workings information

  • 343 ACRES WILL BE EFFECTED ACCORDING TO EIA, 113 ACRES OF PITS, 57 ACRES OF DUMPS, 173 ACRES OF ROADS, BUILDINGS AND OTHER FACILITIES. THE MINE AREA HAS A RELIEF OF 500 FT. ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT LIVE IN THE AREA ARE:PERGRINE FALCON, PRAIRE FALCON, GOLDEN EAGLE, BALD EAGLE
  • 2 PROPOSED PITS, 1 WILL BE 1100 FT LONG 300 FT WIDE, AND 100 FT DEEP; 2ND WILL BE 4200 FT LONG, 1100 FT WIDE, 350 FT DEEP; 3 DIAMOND DRILL HOLES BY USBM IN SECTIONS 8 AND 9

Comments on development

  • 688.08 ACRE LEASE ( 1975 )

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    USGS, 1975 , DEVELOPMENT OF PHOSPHATE RESOURCES IN SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO: DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, V. 2 , PT. 10.2 , P. 30 - 62

  • Deposit

    MC KELVEY, V. E., AND OTHERS, 1953 , STRATIGRAPHIC SECTIONS OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IN IDAHO, 1947 - 1948 , PART 1 : USGS CIRC. 208 , 49 P.

  • Deposit

    1910 DIREXPL SAN FRANCISCO CHEMICAL CO., USBM REPT. INV. 6801

  • Deposit

    FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT VOL. 11, DEVELOPMENT OF PHOSPHATE RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN IDAHO, USGS, BLM, FOREST SERVICE, 1977

  • Deposit

    1948 DIREXPL USBM, USGS CIRC. 208

  • Deposit

    1953 COMPILE V. E. MC KELVEY AND OTHERS, CIRC. 208

  • Deposit

    GARRAND, LEONARD, 1975, PHOSPHATE STUDY OF SE IDAHO FOR USDA -FOREST SERVICE

  • Deposit

    1966 RECON USBM REPT. INV. 6801

  • Deposit

    SERVICE, A.L., 1966, AN EVALUATION OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY AND ITS RESOURCES, PART 3, IDAHO. US BUREAU OF MINES REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 6801

  • Deposit

    1975 RECON DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, V. 2 , PT. 10.2

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit SIMPLOT MINING PLAN INVOLVES 2 MINING PANELS ON FEDERAL PHOSPHATE LEASE I-01603 (688 ACRES). THE 2 PANELS COVER 74 ACRES MINING WILL BE ON THE WEST LIMB OF THE TRAIL CREEK SYNCCINE THE AREA IS A DIP-SLOPE OUTCROP WITH A THICK CAPPING OF REX CHERT. THIS THICKNESS TENDS TO OFFSET THE LOW STRIPPING RATIO WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE BE EXPECTED. THICKCHERT MUST BE DRILLED AND BLASTED, WHICH GREATLY INCREASES THE COST OF OVER BURDEN REMOVAL DEPOSIT EXTENDS SOUUTH INTO THE NW 1/4 OF SECTION 17 MINING WILL INVOLVE 2 PITS. THE PIT MINED FIRST WILL BE IN A SMALL FAULT BLOCK OF ORE LOCATED 300 FT DUE WEST OF THE MAIN PIT. THIS BLOCK HAS BEEN DOWNTHROWN AND DIPS 45 DEG E THIS BLOCK CONTAINS 200000 ST OF ORE, 300000 BANK CUBIC YDS OF WASTE WILL BE PRODUCED FROM IT THE LARGER PIT WILL PRODUCE 5 MILLION ST OF ORE AND 17 MILLION CUBIC YDS OF WASTE. THIS BIG PIT MAY GO DEEPER IF WATER PROBLEMS ARE NOT TOO GREAT ORE WILL BE SENT BY TRUCK OR SLURRY TO THE MILL AT CONDA LOCATED ON U.S.FOREST SERVICE LANDS. DRILLED OUT AND LEFT BY SIMPLOT. MAYBE 50 YEARS OR SO.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-MAR-95 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Reporter 01-JUN-77 Siefken, Robert R. (Miller, Pat) U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

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