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Tamarack and Custer Mine

Producer in Shoshone county in Idaho, United States with commodities Lead, Zinc, Silver, Copper, Gold
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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. Mineral occurrence model information
  10. Host and associated rocks
  11. Nearby scientific data
  12. Geologic structures
  13. Ore body information
  14. Controls for ore emplacement
  15. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  16. Mining district
  17. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Production statistics
  20. Reserves and resources
  21. Workings at the site
  22. Links to other databases
  23. Bibliographic references
  24. General comments
  25. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10107345
MRDS ID W026647
Record type Site
Current site name Tamarack and Custer Mine
Alternate or previous names Custer Mine, Tamarack and Chesapeak Mine

Comments on the site names

  • A consolidation of the Tamarack and Chesapeak and Custer mines effected in 1912. This record includes the history of the Tamarack and Chesapeak and Custer mines prior to consolidation incuded in this record. Chesapeak is frequently mispelled as Chesapeake.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Geographic coordinates: Elevation UTM Precision Relative position Point location
Ore Body -115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1503 500
(click for info)
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1734
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1708
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1621
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1483
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1416
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1319
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1065
-115.84792, 47.53567 (WGS84) 1063

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Shoshone(county)

Idaho(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Burke(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Thompson Falls(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Wallace(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

South Fork Coeur d'Alene(hydrologic unit)

Spokane(hydrologic accounting unit)

Kootenai-Pend Oreille-Spokane(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Idaho Shoshone

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Boise 048N 005E 05,06,08 Idaho

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary
Silver Primary
Copper Tertiary
Gold Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Boulangerite Ore
Smithsonite Ore
Cerussite Ore
Quartz Gangue
Siderite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Pyrrhotite Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Ferro-Anthophyllite Trace

Alteration

  • (Local) Bleaching; Sericite-Chlorite; Clay; Carbonates; Good ore is found outside of bleached zones, however.
  • (Local) Supergene alteration (oxidation) extends to no more than 30 meters depth. Minerals found in the oxide zone include limonite, cerussite, and smithsonite.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 85
USGS model code 22c
Deposit model name Polymetallic veins
Mark3 model number 46

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock unit name Burke Formation
    Rock description Burke Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Meta-Argillite
    Rock unit name Prichard Formation
    Rock description Prichard Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Broad Anticlinal Arch Trending N Broken By Many Cross Faults
Type of structure Regional
Structure description Phoenix, Puritan-Standard and Nilus Faults

Ore body information

  • Name Custer Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 70SW
    Dip 70SW
    Thickness 137M
  • Name Main (South) Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 80-90S
    Dip 80-90S
    Thickness 549M
    Length 427M
  • Name Monroe Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 75S
    Dip 75S
    Thickness 235M
    Length 152M
  • Name Murphy Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 80NW or S
    Dip 80NW or S
    Thickness 442M
    Length 152M
  • Name North (East) Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 80-90N
    Dip 80-90N
    Thickness 594M
    Length 305M
  • Name Snowy Peak Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 50-75NE
    Dip 50-75NE
    Length 90M
  • Name Standard Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
  • Name Tamarack Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 90
    Dip 90
  • Name Watson Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 65-70NE
    Dip 65-70NE
    Thickness 352M
    Length 189M
  • Name Phoenix Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
  • Name Chesapeak Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 50-65NE
    Dip 50-65NE
    Thickness 1150M
    Length 183M
  • Name Nelson Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 70SW
    Dip 70SW
    Thickness 198M
  • Name Thomas Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 65NE
    Dip 65NE
    Thickness 511M
    Length 122M
  • Name Falvey Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
  • Name Wet Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 70NE
    Dip 70NE
    Thickness 61M
    Length 61M
  • Name A-X (A-Cross) Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 50SE
    Dip 50SE
    Thickness 162M
    Length 30M
  • Name Chesapeak No. 2 Split Vein
    General form PINCH AND SWELL
    Strike 80NE
    Dip 80NE
    Thickness 152M
    Length 91M

Comments on the ore body information

  • Custer vein narrow and barren below No. 3 adit level; mined out by 1893.
  • Main (South) Vein contained clean galena ore down to 400 level, Zn and Fe rich ore below; vein fans out between No. 3 and No. 4 adit levels.
  • Monroe Vein mined from surface down to 16th floor above No. 5 adit level.
  • Murphy Vein mined from No.4 adit level to 800 level; galena ore 8 to 10 feet wide on 400 level.
  • North (East) Vein mined from No.3 to No. 7 adit levels. Zinc and magnetite content of vein increased with depth.
  • Snowy Peak vein mined from 600 to 1200 level; Zn rich ore.
  • Standard Vein
  • Tamarack Vein
  • Watson Vein mined from 1800 to 2700 level; little ore found below 3000 level.
  • Phoenix Vein last vein found and mined (1978).
  • Chesapeak Vein mine from 600 to 1800 level; vein turned to gouge on 1800 level, flattened and cut off Thomas Vein below that level.
  • Nelson Vein is a split from the Chesapeak vein; mined from 1000 to 1650 level.
  • Thomas Vein is a split from the Chesapeak vein; mined from 1000 to 1650 level.
  • Falvey Vein a narrow high-Zn content vein mined above and below the No. 4 adit level.
  • Wet Vein mined by leasers above and below the No. 5 adit level.
  • A-X Vein is a split from the Chesapeak Vein
  • No. 2 Split Vein is a split from the Chesapeak Vein.

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Portions of the Puritan-Standard fault are mineralized, but most ore was found at the intersection of flat-lying quartzite with faults subsidiary to the Puritan-Standard fault.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1885
Discoverer William H. Clagett and others
Mining method Filled Stopes - Timber With Subsequent Fill
Year of first production 1888
Year of last production 1978
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation
Production years 1888-1892, 1895-1899, 1904-1907, 1913-1931; 1934-1958; 1978

Mining district

District name Placer Center

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Hecla Mining Co.
    Interest 100
    Home office Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
    Year 2005
    First year 1981
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Day Mines Inc.
    Interest 100
    Home office Wallace, Idaho
    Year 2005
    First year 1947
    Last year 1981
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Tamarack & Custer Consolidated Mining Co.
    Interest 100
    Home office Wallace, Idaho
    Year 2005
    First year 1912
    Last year 1947
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Custer Consolidated Mining Co.
    Interest 100
    Home office Wallace, Idaho
    Year 2005
    First year 1910
    Last year 1912
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Tamarack & Chesapeak Mining Co.
    Interest 100
    Year 2005
    First year 1897
    Last year 1912
  • Type Lessee
    Owner Coeur d'Alene Mining and Concentrating Co.
    Interest 100
    Home office Spokane, Washington
    Year 2005
    First year 1895
    Last year 1899
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Custer Mining Co.
    Interest 100
    Year 2005
    First year 1888
    Last year 1895

Production statistics

  • Year 1967
    Period 1913-1958
    Material Ore
    Ore mined 2601371mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^3.6 Oz Ag/Ton, 6.9 % Pb, 5.0 % Zn
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Lead Lead 7wt-pct
  • Year 1983
    Period 1905-1977
    Material Production reported to US Bureau of Mines
    Ore mined 2557783mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 70950mt 5wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • Mine production reported by Crosby (1967).
  • Tonnage and recovered metals from Mitchell and Bennett (1983); ore grades from Long (1998).

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1978
    Demonstrated 16329
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lead 3.2 wt-pct Lead Major 1978
    Silver 30.17 g/mt Silver Major 1978
    Zinc 10.62 wt-pct Zinc Major 1978
  • Type Milling
    Name Mill Stockpile
    Estimate year 1978
    Demonstrated 13207
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lead 8.08 wt-pct Lead Major 1978
    Silver 142.14 g/mt Silver Major 1978
    Zinc 4.23 wt-pct Zinc Major 1978

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • Reported by Day Mines Inc in their Annual Report for the year 1978.
  • Reported by Day Mines Inc in their Annual Report for the year 1978.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack (Custer) No. 1 Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack (Custer) No. 2 Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack (Custer) No. 3 Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack (Custer) No. 4 Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack No. 5 Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack No. 6 (400 Level) Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Tamarack No. 7 (Mammoth No. 5) Adit
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Watson (Offset) Shaft
    Length 183
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Chesapeak Winze
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings No. 7 Level Raise
  • Type of workings Underground
    Name of workings Raise

Comments on the workings information

  • At the end of 1961 the mine had 39,265 meters of level workings to a depth of 1,463 meters.

Comments on development

  • 178 PATENTED CLAIMS, 3 PATENTED MILLSITES, 8 UNPATENTED CLAIMS. TAMARACK NO. 7 TUNNEL AND SURFACE FACILITIES REHABILITATED IN 1974 . TAMARACK CONNECTION WITH HUMMINGBIRD (HERCULES 5 LEVEL) COMPLETED IN 1976 . WORK IN 1976 INCLUDED 4700 FT DDH
  • Custer gravity concentration mill built 1890 and used until 1916.
  • Frisco gravity concentration mill purchased 1917, remodeled as a gravity-flotation mill, and used until ? Then used Hercules mill until?
  • Dorn flotation mill built 1940 near Tamarack No. 7 adit.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Umpleby, J.B., and Jones, E.L., Jr., 1923, Geology and ore deposits of Shoshone County, Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 732, 156 p.

  • Deposit

    Fryklund, V.C., Jr., 1964, Ore deposits of the Coeur d'Alene district, Shoshone County, Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 445, 103 p..

  • Deposit

    Bulla, Edward W., 1951, A mineragraphic study of ore from the Tamarack mine, Burke, Idaho: Moscow, Idaho, University of Idaho, M.S. thesis, 58 p.

  • Geology

    Griggs, A.B., 1952, Geology and notes on ore deposits of Canyon-Nine Mile creek area, Shoshone County, Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 52-55, 108 p.

  • Production

    CROSBY, G. M., 1969 , A preliminary examination of trace mercury in rocks, Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho: Colorado School of Mines Quarterly, v. 64, no. 1, p. 169-194.

  • Production

    Mitchell, V.E., and Bennett, E.H., 1983, Production statistics for the Coeur d'Alene mining district, Shoshone County, Idaho; 1884-1980: Idaho Geological Survey Technical Report 83-3, 33 p.

  • Production

    Long, K.R., 1998, Grade and tonnage models for Coeur d'Alene-type polymetallic veins: US Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-583, 28 p.

  • Deposit

    Stephens, E.C., 1946, Memorandum on the Day properties (Tamarack, Hercules, Amazon-Manhattan, Dayrock), Coeur d'Alene district, Shoshone County, Idaho: Butte, Montana, Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Geological Dept., 5 p. [Anaconda Archive #22019.01]

  • Deposit

    Gidel, M.H., 1929, Report on properties adjoining the Sunset GroupL Butte, Mont., Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Geological Dept., 23 p. [Anaconda Archive 21621.09]

  • Deposit

    Hollister, V.F., 1950, File memorandum, Tamarack mine, Placer Center Dist., Shoshone Co., Idaho, 2 p.

  • Deposit

    Shenon, P.J., and others, 1954, Geological study of the Custer Peak area, Beaver, Placer Center, Lelande, Hunter, and Summit mining districts, Shoshone County, Idaho, 138 p.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit 10 DIFFERENT ORE SHOOTS. TAMARACK - MARSH MINERAL SUBBELT ABOUT 12000 FT LONG. TAMARACK ORE SHOOTS STRIKE W TO N 73 DEG W, DIP 50 - 70 DEG E, 65 - 80 DEG N, 70 DEG W, 70 DEG S, AND VERTICALLY. DEPTHS TO TOP AND BOTTOM EXPRESSED IN ELEVATION
Deposit This record includes data from duplicate records 10120788 and 10192633 which have been deleted.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-75 Miller, Pat J U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 21-OCT-90 Ridenour, James U.S. Bureau of Mines
Updater 07-JAN-05 Keith R. Long U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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