Bearhole Mine

Past Producer in Lafayette county in Wisconsin, United States with commodities Lead, Zinc
Warning: This record lacks important information: bibliographic references, which we consider necessary for a comprehensive report.
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. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Mineral rights holdings
  13. Land status
  14. Ownership information
  15. Production statistics
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10180610
MRDS ID W031397
MAS/MILS ID 0550650031
Record type Site
Current site name Bearhole Mine
Related records 10080283

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -90.27071, 42.58111 (WGS84)
Elevation 275
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Lafayette(county)

Wisconsin(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

New Diggings(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Dubuque North(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Dubuque(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Apple-Plum(hydrologic unit)

Upper Mississippi-Maquoketa-Plum(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Mississippi-Maquoketa-Plum(hydrologic subregion)

Upper Mississippi(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Wisconsin Lafayette

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
4th Principal 001 N 002 E 06 SESESE Wisconsin

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Lead Secondary
Zinc Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Barite Unknown
Galena Unknown
Marcasite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Sphalerite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -90.27071, 42.58111

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Depth to top 76M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 OTHER
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FRACTURING
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 6
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 790731
  • Area 53HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 53
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1895
Mining method Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Year of first production 1900
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Upper Mississippi Valley

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership
Type of mineral rights Private Lease

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Terra Ind., Inc. P O Box 6000, Souix City, Ia 51102-6000
    ID 4700641
    Interest 100
    Home office Iowa
    Year 1993

Production statistics

  • Year 1974
    Description Ore Approx.2.6%Zn,0.1%Pb 128300 Tonnes Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Ore Lead Lead 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 3wt-pct
  • Year 1975
    Description Ore Approx 2.6%Zn,0.1%Pb 120500 Tonnes Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Ore Lead Lead 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 3wt-pct
  • Year 1976
    Description Ore Approx. 2.6%Zn,0.1%Pb 145600 Tonnes Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Ore Lead Lead 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 3wt-pct
  • Year 1977
    Description Ore Approx 2.6%Zn, 0.1%Pb 185800 Tonnes Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 3wt-pct
    Trace Ore Lead Lead 0wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • ORE JIGGED THEN FLOATED PB CONC DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER EAGLE PICHER OPERATIONS

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • RESERVES AND GRADES ESTIMATED FROM DATA REPORTED BY COMPANY OFFICIALS
  • ORE OCCURS IN PITCH & FLAT STRUCTURES REMAINING ORE EXISTS AS 229,000 CU MET. OF PILLARS

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method ROOM AND PILLAR 10-34
    Swell Factor .6
    Percent Recovery 80
    Hardness of Rock SOFT NONPLASTIC FISSURED MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    1st Condition of Workings PART ACCESSIBLE
    2nd Condition of Workings FLOODED
    Capacity 907
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 9.26
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1978

Comments on the workings information

  • MINING DISTRICT IS UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ZINC-LEAD AREA DISTURBED IS FOR ALL EAGLE-PICHER OPERATIONS

Comments on other economic factors

  • CONCENTRATE SOLD TO BROKER, WHO DISTRIBUTES CONC. TO VARIOUS SMELTERS, DISTANCES ASSUME HILLSBORO (ASARCO) SMELTER, COSTS TYPICAL INDUSTRY COSTS, USED IN FIN. ANAL. COST USED IN FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

Reference information

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MINING OPERATIONS REVIEWED AND REVISED 9/78 AT E.F.O.C. BACKGROUND INFO. COLLECTED BY THE EVALUATORS FROM FROM AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND PERSONNEL COMMUN. WITH COMPANY OFFICIALS THIS MINE IS BEING RECLAIMED AS OF 1993 BY TERRA INDUSTRIES AND THE RECLAIMED LAND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE STATE.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAR-1995 Wilburn, David R. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 04/18/1978
MSHA mine ID4700641
Mine name (MSHA)Bear Hole Mine
Current operatorEagle-Picher Industries Inc
Mine typeUnderground (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.