Gros Ventre Range Combined

Prospect in Sublette county in Wyoming, United States with commodities Phosphorus-Phosphates, Uranium
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. Nearby scientific data
  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 10278935
MAS/MILS ID 0560350030
Record type Deposit
Current site name Gros Ventre Range Combined
Alternate or previous names Gros Ventre Range

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -110.31575, 43.36135 (WGS84)
Elevation 3050
Location accuracy 10000(meters)
Relative position Roughly near middle of Gros Ventre Range. Moved coordinates to plot in Sublette County instead of Teton County.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Sublette(county)

Wyoming(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Doubletop Peak(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Jackson(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Driggs(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Greys-Hoback(hydrologic unit)

Snake Headwaters(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Bridger-Teton National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Gros Ventre Wilderness(Wilderness)

Wilderness FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Wyoming Sublette

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
6th Principal 040 N 112 W 14 Wyoming

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary
Uranium Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Apatite Unknown
Calcite Unknown
Dolomite Unknown
Feldspar Unknown
Fluorite Unknown
Gypsum Unknown
Illite Unknown
Kaolinite Unknown
Limonite Unknown
Montmorillonite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Sphene Unknown
Tourmaline Unknown
Zircon Unknown

Mineral occurrence model information

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

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -110.31575, 43.36135

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 60M
    Length 50000M
    Width 50M
    Depth to top 50M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin RESIDUAL CONCENT
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 5
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 801022
  • Thickness 60M
    Length 50000M
    Width 600M
    Depth to top 300M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 3
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top 20
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 5
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 801022
  • Thickness 60M
    Length 50000M
    Width 6000M
    Depth to top 1000M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 6
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top 30
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 100
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 801022
  • Thickness 60M
    Length 50000M
    Width 30000M
    Depth to top 2300M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 7
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top 1524
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 300
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 801022
  • Area 2000HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 2000
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IS SUBDIVIDED INTO FIVE MEMBERS BY MCKELVEY (BIBLIOGRAPHY REF. L010), TWO OF WHICH (THE MEADE PEAK AND RETORT MEMBERS) CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS. IN UTAH AND SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING, THE MEADE PEAK MEMBER, AND IN CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN WYOMING, THE RETORT MEMBER CONTAIN THE DEPOSITS OF POTENTIAL INTEREST. THE PARK CITY FORMATION OF UTAH AND CENTRAL WYOMING AND THE SHEDHORN SANDSTONE OF NORTHWESTERN WYOMING ARE STRATIGRAPHIC EQUIVALENTS OF AND INTERTONGUE WITH THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION. THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION AND EQUIVALENT FORMATIONS ARE UNDERLAIN BY EITHER THE TENSLEEP SANDSTONE, WEBER QUARTZITE, WELLS FORMATION, OR DIAMOND CREEK SANDSTONE AND ARE OVERLAIN BY EITHER THE WOODSIDE OR DINWOODY FORMATIONS.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface-Underground
Development status Prospect
Commodity type Both
Significant No
Mining method Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Western Phosphate

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Other

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner U.S. Government
    Interest 100
    Home office Dist Of Columbia
    Year 1980

Comments on the ownership information

  • BECAUSE ABOUT 95 PERCENT OF THE DEPOSIT IS CLASSIFIED AS POTENTIALLY UNAVAILABLE (ROADLESS AREA REVIEW AND EVALUATION (RARE II) LAND), THE FUTURE POSSIBILITIES FOR FEDERAL PHOSPHATE LEASING ARE UNCERTAIN. THE REMAINING 5 PERCENT OR SO OF THE AREA IS ON NATIONAL FOREST LAND AND IS OPEN TO LEASING. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO PROSPECTING PERMITS OR PHOSPHATE LEASES IN THE AREA.

Comments on the production information

  • RECOVERIES IN THE YIELD DATA SET FOR TWO-PRODUCT MILLS ARE CALCULATED FROM THE TOTAL FEED TO THE MILL AND ARE NOT ACTUAL RECOVERIES WITHIN EACH ORE STREAM. WITHIN-ORE-STREAM RECOVERIES FOR TWO-PRODUCT MILLS PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION ARE 89.0 PERCENT FOR MILL K3, DEV SCH 1 AND 88.0 PERCENT FOR MILL K3, DEV SCH 2. EXACT RECOVERIES USED IN CALCULATING PRODUCT OUTPUT TONNAGES FOR TWO PRODUCT MILLS PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION ARE 6.3571 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT C, DEV SCH 1; 82.6429 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT H, DEV SCH 1; 6.2856 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT C, DEV SCH 2; 81.7144 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT H, DEV SCH 2.
  • PRODUCTS A,B,C,D, AND E, WHERE PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION, ARE ACID GRADE PRODUCTS, AND PRODUCTS F,G,H,I, AND J, ARE FURNACE GRADE PRODUCTS. NOT ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE USED IN THIS EVALUATION.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1963
    Inferred 824700000mt ore
    Total resources 824700000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 18 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1963
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1963
    Inferred 302200000mt ore
    Total resources 302200000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 24 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1963
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1963
    Inferred 186600000mt ore
    Total resources 186600000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 31 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1963

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 300HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .67
    Percent Waste Rock 82
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 5
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 10
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 4000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 5.37
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 300HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 2
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .67
    Percent Waste Rock 82
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 5
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 10
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 4000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 8.57
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 7300M
    Overall depth 100M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 3
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method ROOM AND PILLAR 10-34
    Swell Factor .67
    Percent Waste Rock 0
    Percent Recovery 75
    Hardness of Rock SOFT NONPLASTIC WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 1
    Length of Inclines (m) 0
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 1000
    Number of Adits 1
    Capacity 1000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 16.53
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 7300M
    Overall depth 100M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 2
    Mining Record # 3
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OVERHAND 10-38
    Swell Factor .67
    Percent Waste Rock 0
    Percent Recovery 90
    Hardness of Rock SOFT NONPLASTIC WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. UNSUPPORTING NO FLOW
    Mine Support Chars. TIMBER
    Number of Shafts 1
    Length of Inclines (m) 0
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 1000
    Number of Adits 1
    Capacity 1000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 35.23
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2

Comments on the workings information

  • ABBREVIATION FOR MINING DISTRICT: WEST. PHOSPHATE = WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD.

Comments on other economic factors

  • Mining and beneficiation costs for each proposed operation were obtained by applying one of 34 basic mine models and 5 basic mill models developed for evaluating Utah and Wyoming phosphate deposits. Site-specific cost adjustments were made for land acquisition, infrastructure, unusual haulage distance to mill, the presence of multiple beds requiring mining of waste, and mill feed grade and recovery. All costs are in January 1980 dollars. The schedule of costs is based on the assumption that each proposed operation will be independently developed as soon as technically possible after the official January 1979 base date for the current phosphate study. Thus, land acquisition, exploration, and infrastructure capital costs are assumed to begin in 1979. Mine and mill capital costs include a contingency allowance of 15 percent of all other capital costs except working capital. Mine and mill working capital is estimated at 60 days of operating cost. A Bureau costing manual (bibliography data set ref. I030) was used to estimate surface and underground mine exploration, development, reclamation, plant, and equipment capital costs; underground mine operating costs; capital and operating costs for the calcining-hydration mill (if used) and for the flotation sections of other mills; costs of transporting products from proposed mills to existing final processing plants; and access road construction cost. Surface mine operating costs are size-scaled, using scaling factors from Bennett (bibliography data set ref. I001), and others (U.S. office of audit and investigation) for Idaho phosphate mines in 1976 and 1977. Infrastructure capital costs assigned to each proposed mine consist of only those railroad, transmission line, and access road costs which are needed for development of each mine. Railroad cost is estimated by the Richardson rapid construction cost estimating system (bibliography data set ref. I020). Transmission line cost is estimated from typical industry costs (A.W. Watts, 1980, Water and Power Resources Services, personal communication). Access road costs are estimated by using the capital and operating cost estimating handbook (bibliography data set ref. I030). Land acquisition costs are based on typical competitive bids for leases in southeastern Idaho, adjusted for specific deposit grade and thickness. Lease rentals and royalties are based on current rates for federal leases in the western phosphate field. Capital and operating costs for all mills, excepting the calcination-hydration mill (if used) and flotation sections of other mills, are size-scaled, using scaling factors from Bennett (bibliography data set ref. I001), from costs given for a sizing and calcining mill described by de Voto, et al. (bibliography data set ref. R030), vol. 2, appendix d. Site-specific cost adjustments for mill feed grade and recovery are made, using relative cost factors calculated from average cost and recovery curves for altered and unaltered ores (bibliography data set ref. I010).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

Comments on the references

  • Numeric references within the geology and economic factors comments do not match the reference numbers. There have been several updates and renumberings since these comments were made (and an excellent reminder why short citations should include author and date).

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE DEPOSIT EXTENDS INTO TETON COUNTY. MINERAL HOLDINGS - ALL MINERAL RIGHTS ARE HELD BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 10-OCT-96 B,D,D,S,Ww U.S. Bureau of Mines
Editor 05-FEB-10 Wilson, Anna B. U.S. Geological Survey cleaned up bibliography.
Updater 15-DEC-10 Causey, J. Douglas U.S. Geological Survey Added Model

Beyond USGS

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