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Boyd Mine

Past Producer in Polk county in Tennessee, United States with commodities Copper, Gold, Sulfur-Pyrite, Lead, Silver, Sulfur, Zinc, Iron
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Host and associated rocks
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Geologic structures
  10. Ore body information
  11. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  12. Mining district
  13. Mineral rights holdings
  14. Land status
  15. Ownership information
  16. Reserves and resources
  17. Workings at the site
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10251400
MRDS ID K001183
MAS/MILS ID 0471390004
Record type Site
Current site name Boyd Mine
Alternate or previous names Culchote Vein

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -84.37912, 35.02591 (WGS84)
Elevation 500
Location accuracy 10(meters)
Relative position 1300 FT. SOUTH 20 DEG. EAST OF THE U.S. RT. 64 - TN. RT. 68 INTERCHANGE

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Polk(county)

Tennessee(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Ducktown(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Cleveland(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Chattanooga(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Ocoee(hydrologic unit)

Middle Tennessee-Hiwassee(hydrologic accounting unit)

Middle Tennessee-Hiwassee(hydrologic subregion)

Tennessee(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Tennessee Polk

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Gold Tertiary
Sulfur-Pyrite Secondary
Lead Tertiary
Silver Tertiary
Sulfur Secondary
Zinc Critical Primary
Iron Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Magnetite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Pyrrhotite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Diopside Gangue
Hedenbergite Gangue
Staurolite Gangue
Actinolite Unknown
Calcite Unknown
Galena Unknown
Gold Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Silver Unknown
Tremolite Unknown

Analytical data

Result THE ORE CONTAINS ABOUT 25.0 % S AND 35.0 % FE. TOTAL SULFIDES ARE HIGHER THAN THE DISTRICT AVERAGE, BUT CU AND ZN CONTENTS ARE LOWER. LOCALLY UP TO 15 % MAGNETITE

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Amphibolite

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -84.37912, 35.02591
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure name Northeastward-Plunging Anticlines
Type of structure Local
Structure name Numerous Minor Crossfaults

Ore body information

  • Strike N40E
    Dip 52E
    Thickness 61M
    Length 300M
    Width 473M
    Area 12HA
    Depth to top 220M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 SHEAR ZONE
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #2 LENTICULAR
    Shape of Orebody #3 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control FOLDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 SERICITIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 OTHER
    Strike And Dip N40E:52E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 12
    Date of Last Modification 810302

Comments on the geologic information

  • GENERAL METAMORPHIC ROCKTYPE CONSISTS OF INTERBEDDED METAMORPHOSED GRAYWACKE & GRAYWACKE CONGLOMERATE, AND MICA SCHIST. ADDITIONAL WALLROCK ALTERATION IS RETROGRADE METAMORPHISM.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Both
Significant No
Discovery year 1854
Mining method Open Stope - Sublevel
Year of first production 1941
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Ducktown District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Tennessee Chemical Corp
    ID 4000708
    Interest 100
    Home office Georgia
    Year 1982
  • Type Operator
    Owner CITIES SERVICE COMPANY
    Home office Copperhill, Tenn.

Comments on the ownership information

  • GENERAL METAMORPHIC ROCKTYPE CONSISTS OF INTERBEDDED METAMORPHOSED GRAYWACKE & GRAYWACKE CONGLOMERATE, AND MICA SCHIST. TENNESSEE CHEMICAL CORP. ADDRESS: 3475 LENOX RD N.E, SUITE 670, ATLANTA, GA 30326 TENNESSEE CHEMICAL PURCHASED ALL PROPERTIES IN THE COPPERHILL DISTRICT FROM CITIES SERVICE CORP IN SEPT 1982 FOR AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT.

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION IS ONGOING. MINE PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 1981
  • ACTUAL ORE TONNAGE 1.2 MILLION; ORE CAPACITY 5900 TPD; FEED CAPACITY 6900 TPD.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1968
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Zinc Zn 1.2 wt-pct Zinc Major 1968
    Copper Cu 0.7 wt-pct Copper Major 1968
    Iron FeO 15 wt-pct Iron 1968

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method SUBLEVEL 10-43
    Percent Waste Rock 20
    Percent Recovery 80
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING MAY BACK SLAB
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 851
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 7.02
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1977

Comments on other economic factors

  • ORE FROM THE DEPOSIT IS HAULED BY THE TENNESSEE COPPER COMPANY RAILROAD TO THE LONDON FLOTATION PLANT FOR BENEFICIATION. THE COPPER AND IRON CONCENTRATES PRODUCED AT THE MILL ARE THEN HAULED BY THE RAILROAD TO THE COPPERHILL SMELTER. THE ZINC CONCENTRATE IS SOLD AND SHIPPED TO OFF- SITE SMELTER.
  • BENEFICIATION/SULFUR IS RECOVERED IN THE SMELTING PROCESS AS SULFUR DIOXIDE GAS AND IS USED IN MAKING SULFURIC ACID. GOLD AND SILVER ARE RECOVERED AS BYPRODUCTS FROM THE ELECTOLYTIC REFINING OF BLISTER COPPER PRODUCED IN THE SMELTING PROCESS AND THE PIERCE-SMITH CONVERTER.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    1972 COMPILE TENN. DIV. GEOLOGY MINE INVENTORY

  • Deposit

    1968 DIREXPL MAGEE, CHAPTER IN GRATON-SALES VOLUME

  • Deposit

    1968 COMPILE KINKEL, USGS PP 580

  • Deposit

    BEALL, J. W., 1973, COPPER IN THE U. S. -- A POSITION SURVEY MINING ENGINEERING: SOC. MINING ENGINEERS, V. 25, NO. 4, P.

  • Deposit

    EMMONS, W. H., AND LANEY, F. B., 1926, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOS
    THE DUCKTOWN MINING DISTRICT, TENNESSEE: U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
    PAPER 139, PP. 30-32 & 109.

  • Deposit

    HARDEMAN, W. D., 1970, ZINC AND COPPER MINES IN TENNESSEE:
    BUREAU OF MINES OPEN-FILE REPORT, P. 26.

  • Deposit

    KERR, J. R., RAND, L. H., AND VALLELY, J. L., 1965, THE
    SULFURIC ACID INDUSTRY OF EASTERN UNITED STATES:
    U. S. BUR.INF. CIRC. 8255, P. 74-75.

  • Deposit

    KINKEL, A. A., AND OTHERS, 1968, COPPER AND SULFUR, IN MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE APPALACHIAN REGION: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 580, P. 377-385.

  • Deposit

    1926 RECON EMMONS AND LANEY, USGS PP 139

  • Deposit

    1935 GEOLMAP ROSS, USGS PP 179

  • Deposit

    MAHER, S. W., 1966, THE COPPER-SULFURIC ACID INDUSTRY IN
    TENNESSEE DIV. GEOLOGY INF. CIRC. 14, 28 P.

  • Deposit

    ROSS, C. S., 1935, ORIGIN OF THE COPPER DEPOSITS OF THE DUCKTOWN
    TYPE IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION:
    U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PAPER 179, PP. 94-97.

  • Deposit

    SAFFORD, J. M., 1869, GEOLOGY OF TENNESSEE:
    NASHVILLE, S. J.MERCER, P. 470-482.

  • Deposit

    TENNESSEE COPPER COMPANY DIVISION, 1966, THE TCC STORY:
    COPPER,TENN., 3RD ED., PP. 6, 11 & 13.

  • Deposit

    CAMMAROTA, V. A. ET. AL. TRIP REPORT TO TENNESSEE ZINC MINE
    BUMINES MEMORANDUM, JANUARY 8, 1976, P. 3.

  • Deposit

    U. S. BUREAU OF MINES. ANNUAL STATISTICS ON THE MINERAL
    INDUSTRY OF TENESSEE. MINERAL INDUSTRY SURVEYS 1948-1976.

  • Deposit

    MSHA LIST 11/23/79.

  • Deposit

    MSHA INSPECTION REPORT, 4/28/80.

  • Production

    TENNESSEE DIV. GEOLOGY 1972 MINE INVENTORY

  • Deposit

    MAGEE, MAURICE. GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE DUCKTOWN
    DISTRICT, TENNESSEE IN ORE DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED
    STATES, 1933-1967. AM. INST. MINING, METALL., AND
    PETROLEUM ENGINEERS, INC., V. 1, 1968, PP. 207-241.

  • Reserve-Resource

    MAGEE, MAURICE. GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE DUCKTOWN
    DISTRICT, TENNESSEE IN ORE DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED
    STATES, 1933-1967. AM. INST. MINING, METALL., AND
    PETROLEUM ENGINEERS, INC., V. 1, 1968, PP. 207-241.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit CONTRACT NO. G0166176 ENTERED 1977/REVISED BY T. Q. LYDAY 19 IRON OCCURS AS IRON SULFIDE AND MAGNETITE. SULFUR OCCURS IN SULFIDE MINERALS. THE DEPOSIT REVIEWED 11/78 . PROPERTY UPDATED SEP 1987
Deposit TWO UPPER VEINS 10 TO 20 FEET WIDE AND 400 FEET APART (ORIGINALLY DISTINGUISHED AS THE BOYD AND CULCHOTE VEINS ) WERE THE SURFACE EXPRESSION OF THE BOYD ORE BODY 600 FEET BELOW. THE VEINS CONTAINED .7 % CU. THE BOYD DEPOSIT HAS BEEN COMPLICATED AND THICKENED BY ISOCLINAL FOLDING, AND IS GENERALLY CONFORMABLE WITH THE WALL ROCKS. LARGE AREAS OF BIOTITIC QUARTZITE AND BIOTITE-SERICITE SCHIST OF THE HANGING WALL CONTAIN 10 TO 50 % DISSEMINATED SULFIDES.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 19-APR-93 Lyday, Travis Q. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Reporter 01-JUL-73 Fagan, James M. Tennessee Valley Authority
Updater 01-SEP-78 Geraci, Philip J. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 18-AUG-09 Illo, Diane R. Contractor

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 11/01/1987
MSHA mine ID4000708
Mine name (MSHA)Boyd Mine
Current operatorTennessee Chemical Company
Current controller (parent)Davis Bruce D
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.

External references

Maps centered on this site