White Pine Mine

Past Producer in Ontonagon county in Michigan, United States with commodities Copper, Silver

Sections on this page

Identification information
Geographic coordinates
Site location context
Geographic areas
Public Land Survey System information
Commodities
Materials information
Alteration
Mineral occurrence model information
Host and associated rocks
Nearby scientific data
Geologic structures
Ore body information
Controls for ore emplacement
Economic information about the deposit and operations
Mining district
Land status
Ownership information
Production statistics
Reserves and resources
Bibliographic references
General comments
Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID	10069203
MRDS ID	W002687
Record type	Site
Current site name	White Pine Mine
Alternate or previous names	(New) White Pine Mine

Comments on the site names

THIS RECORD CONTAINS INFORMATION TAKEN FROM RECORD NO. W031515.

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates:	-89.53398, 46.74361 (WGS84)
Elevation	259

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Ontonagon(county)

Michigan(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Bergland NE(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Ontonagon(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Iron River(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Black-Presque Isle(hydrologic unit)

Southcentral Lake Superior(hydrologic accounting unit)

Southern Lake Superior(hydrologic subregion)

Great Lakes(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country	State	County
United States	Michigan	Ontonagon

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian	Township	Range	Section	Fraction	State
Michigan	050N	042W	04, 05, 08		Michigan

Comments on the location information

CENTERED BETWEEN FOUR SHAFTS, PROPERTY EXTENDING INTO SECTIONS 4, 5, 8, AND 9.

Commodities

Commodity	Importance
Copper	Primary
Silver	Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

COPPER 0.1 WT-PCT, CHALCOCITE 1.10 WT-PCT, SILVER 5.0 G/MT

Materials information

Materials	Type of material
Chalcocite	Ore
Copper	Ore
Silver	Ore
Quartz	Gangue
Feldspar	Gangue
Epidote	Gangue
Chlorite	Gangue
Tourmaline	Gangue
Apatite	Gangue
Mica	Gangue

Alteration

(Local) Copper replacement, sandstone bleaching

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code	197
USGS model code	30b
Deposit model name	Sediment-hosted Cu
Mark3 model number	63

Host and associated rocks

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone

Rock unit name

Copper Harbor Formation

Rock description

Copper Harbor Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Stenian
Chronological age	1085

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale

Rock unit name

Nonesuch Formation

Rock description

Nonesuch Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Stenian
Chronological age	1080

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone

Rock unit name

Nonesuch Formation

Rock description

Nonesuch Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Stenian
Chronological age	1080

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone

Rock unit name

Nonesuch Formation

Rock description

Nonesuch Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Stenian
Chronological age	1080

Nearby scientific data

(1)	Oronto Group; Freda Sandstone	ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure	Regional
Structure description	Iron River syncline
Type of structure	Local
Structure description	White Pine anticline cuts through mine

Ore body information

Name NONESUCH LODE

General form TABULAR

Name	NONESUCH LODE
General form	TABULAR

Controls for ore emplacement

Lithology; faulting; stratigraphic control is seen in sandstone and permeable shale near the base of the formation. there are also small fissure veins.

Comments on the geologic information

THE WHITE PINE DEPOSIT IS SEDIMENT-HOSTED STRATIFORM COPPER DEPOSIT HOSTED BY SEDIMENTARY ROCKS THAT ACCUMULATED IN A MAJOR INTRACONTINENTAL RIFT. THE BASAL 5 M OF THE NONESUCH FORMATION, A SEQUENCE OF ALTERNATING SILSTONES AND SHALES, HOSTS THE BULK OF THE COPPER MINERALIZATION; LOCALLY, THE TOP 2 M OF THE UNDERLYING COPPER HARBOR FORMATION IS ALSO MINERALIZED. THE BASAL NONESUCH, A FINE-GRAINED PYRITIC SEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE THAT CONTAINS MODERATE CONCENTRATIONS OF ORGANIC MATTER, ACTED AS A CHEMICAL SINK FOR COPPER ENTERING THESE SEDIMENTS DURING THEIR EARLY DIAGENESIS. THE COPPER WAS PRESUMABLY DISSOLVED IN OXIDIZED CL-RICH FLUIDS WITHIN FOOTWALL RED BEDS OF THE COPPER HARBOR. THIS IS DISSEMINATED, LARGELY CHALCOCITIC MINERALIZATION ('MAIN STAGE') IS OVERPRINTED BY SECOND-STAGE, EPIGENETIC COPPER MINERALIZATION THAT IS SPATIALLY RELATED TO WIDESPREAD FRACTURES (MAUK ET AL., 1992).
Original reporter entered hydrocarbon as a gangue mineral.
Deposit Types: Disseminated, Clastic Sedimentary Rock; Secondary Enrichment

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status	Past Producer
Commodity type	Metallic
Deposit size	Large
Significant	Yes
Discovery year	1937
Year of first production	1945
Year of last production	1995
Production years	1879-1881;1915-1920;1953-1995 (DUE TO CLOSE 9/30/95)

Mining district

District name	Keweenaw Copper

Land status

Ownership category	Private

Ownership information

Type Owner

Owner Copper Range Company.

Type	Owner
Owner	Copper Range Company.

Production statistics

Year 1921

Period 1915-1921

Accuracy Accurate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Major conc Cu Copper Copper 8.27mt
Year 1921

Period 1916-1921

Accuracy Accurate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Minor conc Ag Silver Silver 8.11mt
Year 1970

Accuracy Estimate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Major recovered Cu Copper Copper 61690mt
Year 1971

Accuracy Estimate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Major recovered Cu Copper Copper 53616mt
Year 1972

Accuracy Estimate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Major recovered Cu Copper Copper 63504mt
Year 1973

Accuracy Estimate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Minor recovered Ag Silver Silver 147mt
Year 1973

Accuracy Estimate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Major recovered Cu Copper Copper 70762mt
Year 1974

Period 1946-1974

Accuracy Accurate

Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage

Major conc Cu Copper Copper 952.5mt
Year 1976

Material ore Cu

Ore mined 3000000mt

Accuracy Accurate

Year	1976
Material	ore Cu
Ore mined	3000000mt
Accuracy	Accurate

Comments on the production information

1976 annual prodction of 3 million metric tons ore is calculated from a reported daily production of 9803 tons ore. 1976 PRODUCTION WAS CURTAILED BECAUSE OF COPPER INDUSTRY SLUMP BEGINNING MID-1974. FOR CUMULATIVE PRODUCTION, THE GRADE GIVEN IS AN AVERAGE OF AVAILABLE YEARLY FIGURES, 1915-1920. ALL PRODUCTION WAS FROM THE NONESUCH LODE. PRODUCTION IN 1946-1948, 1951 WAS DUE TO EXPERIMENTAL MILL TESTS. SILVER QUANTITY LISTED IS AMOUNT SOLD, WHICH WAS 95% OF PRODUCTION FROM 1951-1974 AVERAGED 12-14 OZS./TON. PRODUCTION FIGURES INCLUDE PRODUCTION FROM A SOUTHWEST EXPLORATION (BELIEVED TO BE THE WHITE PINE EXTENSION MINE) IN 1963-1964, AMOUNTING TO 5.695,661 LBS.

Reserves and resources

Type In-situ

Estimate year 1964

Reserves 280923

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Copper Cu 1.05 wt-pct Copper Major 1964
Silver Ag 2.24 g/mt Silver Minor 1964
Type In-situ

Estimate year 1964

Reserves 2950

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Copper Cu 1.05 wt-pct Copper Major 1964
Type In-situ

Estimate year 1964

Reserves 6

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Silver Ag 2.24 g/mt Silver Minor 1964
Type In-situ

Estimate year 1976

Reserves 81920

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Copper Cu 1.17 wt-pct Copper Major 1976
Type In-situ

Estimate year 1992

Reserves 171983

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Copper Cu 1.1 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
Type In-situ

Estimate year 1992

Reserves 1926

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Copper Cu 1.1 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
Type In-situ

Estimate year 1992

Reserves 1190680

Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year

Silver Ag 6.9 g/mt Silver Minor 1992

Comments on the reserve resource information

ORE (1.05% CU, .07 AG OZ/TON, 90% RECOVERY). 1992 ESTIMATES OF RESERVES ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF 1992.
A RELIABLE AND PROBABLY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE PUTS WHITE PINE RESERVES AT 306,471 MT YIELDING 4,189 MT COPPER FROM THE NONESUCH FORMATION.

Comments on the workings information

UNDERGROUND DIESELIZED LOAD-HAUL-DUMP MINE WITH MAIN PORTAL WITH 9 OPENINGS. ABOUT 25 SQUARE MILES OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS. PRIMARILY ROOM AND PILLAR MINING.

Comments on development

THE FIRST ECONOMICALLY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION (1915-1921) AT THE WHITE PINE EXTENSION (W031516) ENCOURAGED EXPLORATION IN THE AREA. THE WHITE PINE DEPOSIT WAS FIRST DISCOVERED BY DRILLING IN 1937 AND PRODUCTION BEGAN IN 1945. PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 1995. AFTER A FEASIBILITY PLAN FOR SOLUTION MINING WAS REJECTED BECAUSE OF LOW COPPER PRICES, THE MINE WAS ALLOWED TO FLOOD. FRESH WATER FROM LAKE SUPERIOR WAS PUMPED INTO THE FLOODING MINE TO SLOW THE INFLUX OF HIGH-CHLORIDE BRINES.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

Deposit

COPPER RANGE CO., UNPUBLISHED 1968, BEDROCK GEOLOGY MAP OF THE WHITE PINE (SE 1/4) QUADRANGLE, ONTONAGON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. GEOLOGY MAPPED AND COMPILED BY COPPER RANGE EXPLORATION CO., INC., AND BY H. HUBBARD (U.S.G.S.)
Deposit

BUTLER, B.S., AND BURBANK, W.S., 1929, THE COPPER DEPOSITS OF MICHIGAN: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 144, 238 P.
Deposit

WILBAND, J.T., 1978, THE COPPER RESOURCES OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN; PREPARED FOR THE U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, CONTRACT NO. J0366067, 66 P.
Deposit

STATE OF MICHIGAN TAX COMMISSION, 1946-1974, APPRAISAL OF IRON AND COPPER MINES OF MICHIGAN; COMPILSTATE OF MICHIGAN TAX COMMISSION, 1946-1974, APPRAISAL OF IRON AND COPPER MINES OF MICHIGAN; COMPILED ANNUALLY BY THE STATE TAX COMMISSION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, LOCATED AT THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, LANSING, MICHIGAN.
Deposit

MAUK,J.L., BROWN, A.C., SEASOR, R.W., AND ELDRIDGE, C.S., 1992, GEOLOGY AND STABLE ISOTOPE AND ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE WHITE PINE SEDIMENT-HOSTED STRATIFORM COPPER DEPOSIT: IN T.J. BORNHORST, (EDITOR) KEWEENAWAN COPPER DEPOSITS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN: GUIDEBOOK FOR THE SOC. ECON. GEOL., FIELD CONF. OCT. 20-23, 1992, GUIDEBOOK SERIES, VOL. 13, P. 63-99.
Deposit

JOHNSON, A.M., AND GROTH, E.H., 1998, INVENTORY OF UNDERGROUND MINES, ONTONAGON COUNTY, P. 261-264, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
Reserve-Resource

1992 ESTIMATES ARE FROM MAUK AND OTHERS, 1992.

General comments

Subject category

Comment text

Deposit

ORGANIZED IN 1909, AND FIRST SHIPPED IN 1915. OPERATIONS CEASED IN 1920, THE 1921 SHIPMENT WAS FROM A SMELTER CLEANUP. IT IS THE FURTHEST MINE TOWARDS THE SOUTHWEST OF COPPER RANGE TO PRODUCE. COPPER RANGE CO. PURCHASED WHITE PINE IN 1929. PRODUCTION IN 1946-1948, 1951 WAS DUE TO EXPERIMENTAL MILL TESTS. THE MINE WAS REOPENED IN 1954 AND SOLD TO WHITE PINE COPPER CO. IN 1955. SHORGANIZED IN 1909, AND FIRST SHIPPED IN 1915. OPERATIONS CEASED IN 1920, THE 1921 SHIPMENT WAS FROM A SMELTER CLEANUP. IT IS THE FURTHEST MINE TOWARDS THE SOUTHWEST OF COPPER RANGE TO PRODUCE. COPPER RANGE CO. PURCHASED WHITE PINE IN 1929. PRODUCTION IN 1946-1948, 1951 WAS DUE TO EXPERIMENTAL MILL TESTS. THE MINE WAS REOPENED IN 1954 AND SOLD TO WHITE PINE COPPER CO. IN 1955. SHIPPED EVERY YEAR 1955-1974. BY 1969, THIS WAS THE ONLY PRODUCING COPPER MINE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

Deposit

AVERAGE DIMENSIONS OF MINERALIZATION (IN METERS): DEPTH 708, THICKNESS 3.28, LENGTH 8,000, WIDTH 4,000

Reporter information

Type	Date	Name	Affiliation	Comment
Reporter	01-JAN-1974	Cox, Dennis P.	U.S. Geological Survey
Updater	07-AUG-1995	Nicholson, Suzanne	U.S. Geological Survey
Updater	29-MAR-1995	Sutphin, D.M.	U.S. Geological Survey
Editor	01-MAR-1997	Mason Jr., G.T.	U.S. Geological Survey
Updater	09-AUG-2001	Anderson, Arlene (M. Gere)	Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Editor	12-JAN-2004	Woodruff, Laurel G.	U.S. Geological Survey	DELETED RECORD; ADDED GEOLOGY_

Beyond USGS

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

External references

Wikidata: Q49458628 (White Pine Mine)

White Pine Mine

Geologic information

Identification information

Comments on the site names

Geographic coordinates

Site location context

Geographic areas

Public Land Survey System information

Comments on the location information

Commodities

Comments on the commodity information

Materials information

Alteration

Mineral occurrence model information

Host and associated rocks

Nearby scientific data

Economic information

Geologic structures

Ore body information

Controls for ore emplacement

Comments on the geologic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Mining district

Land status

Ownership information

Production statistics

Comments on the production information

Reserves and resources

Comments on the reserve resource information

Comments on the workings information

Comments on development

Reference information

Bibliographic references

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Reserve-Resource

General comments

Reporter information

Beyond USGS

External references

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