1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Thompson Creek Molybdenum Mine

Producer in Custer county in Idaho, United States with commodities Molybdenum, Silver, Gold
Map
XML
JSON
KML
A
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. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Ore body information
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Mineral rights holdings
  16. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Production statistics
  19. Reserves and resources
  20. Workings at the site
  21. Links to other databases
  22. Bibliographic references
  23. General comments
  24. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10217242
MAS/MILS ID 0160370698
Record type Site
Current site name Thompson Creek Molybdenum Mine
Alternate or previous names Tuscarora, Pat Hughes Creek Prospect

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Pit
Geographic coordinates: -114.55122, 44.31409 (WGS84)
Elevation 2400
Location accuracy 10(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Custer(county)

Idaho(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Thompson Creek(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

White Cloud Peaks(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Challis(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Upper Salmon(hydrologic unit)

Salmon(hydrologic accounting unit)

Lower Snake(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Idaho Custer

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Boise 011 N 016 E 02 Idaho

Comments on the location information

  • SEE MINE MAP FILE FOR MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF CYPRUS DRILL HOLES AT MINE SITE. FILE IS AT WFOC SPOKANE WA

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Molybdenum Primary
Silver Secondary
Gold Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Molybdenite Ore
Biotite Gangue
Muscovite Gangue
Orthoclase Gangue
Microcline Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Sericite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) Potassic (Intense)

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt

Nearby scientific data

Pit (1) -114.55122, 44.31409
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • General form Tabular; Stockwork and Disseminated
    Strike N45W
    Dip 65E
    Thickness 550M
    Length 1300M
    Width 300M
    Area 982HA
    Depth to top 200M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 3
    Type of Orebody #1 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FRACTURING
    Secondary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. INTENSE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 POTASSIC
    Strike And Dip N45W:65E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 1
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 982
    Date of Last Modification 970307

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Fracturing
  • Igneous

Comments on the geologic information

  • THOMPSON CREEK STOCK IS A COMPOSITE BIOTITE GRANODIORITE- QUARTZ MONZONITE. STOCK INTRUDED ARGILLITES AND LIMESTONES OF COPPER BASIN FORMATION. CHALLIS VOLCANICS COVER INTRUSIVE AND SED ROCKS. A 1500 FOOT WIDE BORDER ZONE OF BIOTITE GRANODIORITE ENCLOSES A CORE OF QUARTZ MONZONITE. THE ORIGINAL AND MAIN INTRUSIVE PULSE OF THE STOCK WAS GRANODIORITE. LATE MAGMATIC GROWTH TURNED THE CORE INTO QUARTZ MONZONITE THE THOMPSON CREEK STOCK IS RELATED TO THE LATE INTRUSIVE PHASES OF THE IDAHO BATHOLITH. MOST OF THE ORE GRADE MINERALIZATION IS CONFINED TO A N45-60 DEGREE TRENDING ZONE OF QUARTZ RICH VEINS. DIPS 60-80 DEGREES NE. THE ORE ZONE IS A POTASSIUM SILICATE ALTERATION ZONE LOCATED NEAR THE CENTER OF THE QUARTZ MONZONITE.
  • AVAILABLE DATA ON THE SHAPE OF THE ORE BODY IS LIMITED. IT IS ROUGHLY TABULAR IN SHAPE, STRIKING N45W AND DIPPING STEEPLY TO THE N.E. CYPRUS HAS DELINEATED TWO MAJOR ORE ZONES; A HIGH GRADE ZONE, AND A LOW GRADE ZONE. THE AREA OF HIGHEST DENSITY VEINING(HIGH GRADE ZONE) IS SURROUNDED BY AN AREA OF LOWER DENSITY VEINING(LOW GRADE ZONE). THE COMBINED HIGH GRADE- LOW GRADE ZONE IS ABOUT 1300 M LONG, 80-500M DEEP, AND 500- 600M THICK. THE HIGH GRADE ZONE ALONE IS ABOUT 760M LONG, 40-450M DEEP, AND 225-300M THICK.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1967
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1994
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Milling method Flotation

Comments on exploration

  • AS OF DEC 1980 256000 FEET OF SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND DRILLING (DIAMOND AND ROTARY) HAD BEEN DONE ON THE PROPERTY. ALSO 8500 OF UNDERGROUND DRIFTING HAVE BEEN DONE

Mining district

District name Bayhorse Mining District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim
Type of mineral rights Patented

Land status

Ownership category BLM Administrative Area

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner BLUE PEARL MINING LTD
    Interest 100
    Year 2008
    First year 2006
  • Type Owner
    Owner THOMPSON CREEK METALS CO
    Interest 100
    Home office 401 Bay Street\nSuite 2010, PO Box 118\nToronto ON M5H 2Y4\nCanada\n
    Last year 2006
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Tonapah Mineral Resources Llc
    ID 1000531
    Interest 100
    Home office California
    Year 1993
    First year 1993
  • Type Owner
    Owner Cyprus Amax
    Interest 100
    Last year 1993

Production statistics

  • Year 1994
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Moly Production Est. 10500000 Lb/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary Molybdenum Molybdenum 4760mt
  • Year 1995
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Moly Production Est. 18000000 Lb/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Molybdenum Molybdenum 8160mt
  • Year 2007
    Material Thompson Creek Metals 2010 10K, pp. 23-24.
    Ore mined 8047000mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Molybdenum Molybdenum 4204mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 2010
    Reserves 138700000mt ore
    Remarks Thompson Creek 2010 10K, p. 17
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum 0.081 wt-pct Molybdenum Primary 2010
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1980
    Measured 181440000mt ore
    Demonstrated 181440000mt ore
    Total resources 181440000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.187 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1980
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 167829000mt ore
    Demonstrated 167829000mt ore
    Total resources 167829000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.11 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1985
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Measured 126007961mt ore
    Demonstrated 126007961mt ore
    Total resources 126007961mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.113 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1995
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Indicated 145784588mt ore
    Demonstrated 145784588mt ore
    Total resources 145784588mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.11 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1995
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Demonstrated 271792549mt ore
    Total resources 271792549mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.1114 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1995

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • AVAILABLE RESERVE DATA ON THE DEPOSIT IS LIMITED. THE EIS (OCT 1980) STATES THERE ARE 175,087,000 MT OF MINEABLE ORE AT .187 PERCENT MOS2(AT A .083 PERCENT CUTOFF GRADE). THIS 175,087,000 MT FIGURE INCLUDES ROCK FROM BOTH THE HIGH AND LOW GRADE ORE ZONES. THE EIS STATES ALSO THAT THE CORE OF THE 175,087,000 ORE BODY IS 72,575,000 MT AT .26% MOS2. SCHMIDT(1980) STATES THAT THE DEPOSIT IS A LARGE LOW GRADE DEPOSIT CONTAINING OPEN PIT MINEABLE RESERVES IN EXCESS OF 181,437,000 MT AT .187 PERCENT MOS2 THE ABOVE TONNAGE FIGURES ARE BASED ON ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS, NOT ON THE PHYSICAL AMOUNT OF MOLYBDENUM IN THE GROUND. A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MO MINERALIZATION WILL NOT BE MINED BY CYPRUS UNDER PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITION
  • CYPRUS HAS DRILLED THIS PROPERTY FOR 12 YEARS. RESERVES ARE 635 MILLION TONNES OF .09 MOLY (EMJ 8/79; P8). OTHER NAME:TUSCARORA. THIS AND 0160370001, THOMPSON CREEK, ARE SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN F.Y. 1981.CYPRUS PLANS TO REDUCE MO PRODUCTION TO 3.5MM/YR TO TAKE EFFECT SEPT 1987.THOMPSON CREEK PROD 15MM LBS. OF MO IN 1986.DEPOSIT UPDATE 4/14/88 0.11% MO 170 MMT(AMOCO 1985 ANNUAL REPORT,5/30/85). 1992 - ON REDUCED OPERATION SCHEDULE DUE TO WEAK DEMAND FOR MOLY (RANDOL 93-94). MINE RESTARTED IN APRIL 1994.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 250HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .6
    Percent Waste Rock 75
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 200
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Secondary Material Cover HARD ROCKS
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 40
    Capacity 22680
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 46022
    Unit Production Cost 4.05
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 355
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1981

Comments on other economic factors

  • EIS APPROVAL WAS GRANTED BY THE US FOREST SERVICE IN DEC. 1980. DEVELOPMENT WORK STARTED SEVERAL DAYS LATER. PRIOR TO DEC 1980 CYPRUS DID 16 MONTHS OF LIAISON WORK WITH THE FOREST SERVICE, BLM AND STATE OF IDAHO. CYPRUS INTENDS TO BRING THE MINE AND MILL ON STEAM BY JULY 1983

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    CYPRUS, 1991 FORM 10-K, PAGE 2.

  • Reserve-Resource

    RANDOL MINING DRIECTORY, 1994/95, U.S. MINES & MINING COMPANIES, P275.

  • Deposit

    ARIZONA PAY DIRT MAGAZINE, SEPT 1980, STANDARD OKAYS $300 MILLION DEVELOPMENT OF THOMPSON CREEK MOLY PROPERTY, PAGE 81

  • Deposit

    ARMSTRONG, R.L., 1978, K-AR DATES FOR MINERALIZATION IN THE WHITE CLOUD-CANNIVAN PORPHYRY MOLYBDENUM BELT OF IDAHO AND MONTANA, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL 73, PP. 94-108.

  • Deposit

    BENNETT, EARL, 1981, IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, PERSONAL COMMUN.

  • Deposit

    BENNETT, EARL, 1980, GRANITIC ROCKS OF TERTIARY AGE IN THE IDAHO BATHOLITH AND THEIR RELATION TO MINERALIZATION, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL. 75, PP. 278-288.

  • Deposit

    BIENIEWSKI, CARL, 1970, DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF MOLYBDENUM IN THE U.S., USBM IC 8446.

  • Deposit

    BLM, BOISE IDAHO, 1981, MASTER TITLE PLATES.

  • Deposit

    BLM, MAY 1980, PREFINAL ENVIR. ASSESSMENT OF PROPOSED 230 KU POWERLINE AND RELATED FACILITIES MORE ID TO CHALLIS ID AND SQUAW CREEK ID.

  • Deposit

    BLM, AUGUST 1980, FINAL ENVIR. ASSESSMENT OF PROPOSED 230 KU POWERLINE AND RELATED FACILITIES MOORE ID TO CHALLIS ID AND SQUAW CREEK ID.

  • Deposit

    CLARK, K.F., 1972, STOCKWORK MOLYBDENUM DEPOSITS IN THE WESTERN CORDILLERA OF NORTH AMERICA, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL. 67, PP. 731-758.

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS EXPLORATION CO, 1980, REGIONAL GEOLOGY AND DRILL HOLE LOCATIONS MAP

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS EXPLORATION CO, 1980, GEOLOGY OF THE THOMPSON CREEK MOLYBDENUM DEPOSIT.

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS MINES CORP., 1980, THOMPSON CREEK MOLYBDENUM MINE AND CONCENTRATOR, PROJECT DESCRIPTION.

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS MINES CORP., 1980, INFORMATION ON ACCESS ROAD, TAILINGS IMPOUNDMENT, MILL SITE CONSTRUCTION

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS MINES CORP., 1980, TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM ON LONG TERM STABILITY OF OVERLAND CONVEYOR SYSTEM.

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS MINES CORP., 1980, MEMORANDA ON ALTERNATE RECOVERY PROCESSES; ALTERNATE OVERBURDEN AND WASTE ROCK DISPOSAL METHODS AND AREAS; ORE TRANSPORT FROM CRUSHER TO CONCENTRATOR; ALTERNATE CONCENTRATOR SITES.

  • Deposit

    CYPRUS MINES CORP, 1980, TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM, PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES AND RELATED INFORMATION

  • Deposit

    ENG. AND MINING JOURNAL MINING ACTIVITY DIGEST, NOV. 3 1981, PAGE 6

  • Deposit

    ENG. AND MINING JOURNAL, $4.5 MILLION SLATED FOR EXPLORATION JULY 1974, PAGE 27

  • Deposit

    GEM STATE GEOLOGICAL REVIEW SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT, SPRING 1981, PAGE 11, IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY.

  • Deposit

    GIBSON, BILL, 1981, CYPRUS MINES CORP., PERSONAL COMMUN.

  • Deposit

    HOBBS, S.W., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE CLAYTON QUAD, CUSTER CO., IDAHO, U.S.G.S. OPEN FILE REPORT 75-76.

  • Deposit

    HURLESS, CLAYTON, 1981, SALMON RIVER ELECTRIC COOP, PERSONAL COMMUN.

  • Deposit

    MAYFIELD, C., 1973, GEOLOGY OF THE THOMPSON CREEK AREA. CUSTER CO. IDAHO, M.S. THESIS, UNIV OF IDAHO, MOSCOW ID.

  • Deposit

    MCGEE, M.M., 1981, CYPRUS MINES CORP., PERSONAL COMMUN.

  • Deposit

    MUTSCHLER, FELIX, 1981, GRANITE MOLYBDENITE SYSTEMS, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL. 76, PP. 874-897.

  • Deposit

    REMBER, W.C., 1979, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE CHALLIS QUAD, IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY.

  • Deposit

    ROSS, C.P., 1937, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE BAYHORSE REGION, CUSTER CO., ID, USGS BULL 877.

  • Deposit

    SCHMIDT, EBERHARD, 1980 GEOLOGY OF THE THOMPSON CREEK MOLYBDENUM DEPOSIT- AN UPDATE, PAPER PRESENTED AT THE 86TH ANNUAL CONVENTION, NORTHWEST MINING ASSOCIATION SPOKANE WA.

  • Deposit

    SILLITOE, RICHARD, TYPES OF PORPHYRY MOLYBDENUM DEPOSITS, MINING MAGAZINE, JUNE 1980, PP. 550-553.

  • Deposit

    USBM, MAY 1979, MOLYBDENUM, MINERAL COMMODITY PROFILES.

  • Deposit

    U.S. FOREST SERVICE, 1980, FINAL E.I.S., THOMPSON CREEK

  • Deposit

    MOLYBDENUM PROJECT, CUSTER CO., IDAHO, CYPRUS MINES CORP., 1980.

  • Deposit

    THE IDAHO MINER, MOLYBDENUM, COLLEGE OF MINES AND EARTH RESOURCES, UNIV OF IDAHO, 1981

  • Deposit

    UTN, 1980, TECHNICAL MEMORANDA FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, THOMPSON CREEK MOLYBDENUM PROJECT.

  • Deposit

    WALLACE MINER JAN 1, 1981(A NEWSPAPER), CYPRUS MINES DRAFT OK'D.

  • Deposit

    WESTRA, GERHARD, CLASSIFICATION AND GENESIS OF STOCKWORK MOLYBDENUM DEPOSITS, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, 1981, VOL 76, PP. 844-873.

  • Deposit

    MINARIK, ROD, 1982, CLIMAX CORP, PERSONAL COMMUN.

  • Deposit

    U.S. BUREAU OF MINES OPEN-FILE REPORT MLA 6-91, 1991, TABLE A-3, NO. 502, P. 223.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit NEW MSHA.DBF # IS PROBOBLY #1070061 AS OF 1995. COMPANY IS CYPRUS SIERRITA CRP.. WHICH MAY BE THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY LISTED IN THE MAS OWNERSHIP TABLE. THE CRUUENT MINES I.D.# 1000531 IS NOT LISTED ON MSHA.DBF OF 1995.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 31-OCT-97 Buckingham, David A. 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)

StatusActive since 09/29/2023
MSHA mine ID1000531
Mine name (MSHA)Thompson Creek Mine
Current operatorThompson Creek Mining Company
Current controller (parent)Thompson Creek Metals Co USA
Mine typeSurface (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.

Maps centered on this site