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White Pine

Producer in Ontonagon county in Michigan, United States with commodities Copper, Silver
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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. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Mineral rights holdings
  13. Land status
  14. Ownership information
  15. Production statistics
  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 10170366
MAS/MILS ID 0261310001
Record type Site
Current site name White Pine
Alternate or previous names Copper Range

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -89.46259, 46.7633 (WGS84)
Elevation 260
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Ontonagon(county)

Michigan(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Green(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)

Federal lands

Ottawa National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Michigan Ontonagon

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Michigan 050 N 042 W 04 SWNENW Michigan

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Silver Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Unknown
Calcite Unknown
Chalcocite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Copper Unknown
Covellite Unknown
Cuprite Unknown
Feldspar Unknown
Gold Unknown
Malachite Unknown
Mica Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Silver Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -89.46259, 46.7633
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 2M
    Length 8000M
    Width 4000M
    Area 2090HA
    Depth to top 708M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 SEDIMENTARY
    Primary mode of Origin OTHER
    Secondary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control FAULTING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 48.8
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 2090
    Date of Last Modification 830628

Comments on the geologic information

  • DEPTH TO MINERALIZATION IS AN ESTIMATE. DEPTH VARIES FROM 0 TO 1067 METERS, BUT NOT IN A UNIFORM MANNER DUE TO FAULTING. DIP IS VARIABLE DUE TO THE FOLDED NATURE OF THE DEPOSIT, IT VARIES FROM 0 TO 35 DEGREES. THE THICKNESS OF THE ORE BEARING ZONE RANGES FROM 1 TO 9.8 METERS. ORE IS FISSURED, WITH LITTLE TO MODERATE H2O. MODE OF ORIGIN IS SYNGENETIC OR VERY EARLY DIAGENETIC.
  • COPPER OCCURS AS COPPER SULFIDES AND NATIVE COPPER.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1865
Mining method Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Year of first production 1953
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Michigan Native Copper Belt

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Private Lease
Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership
Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Copper Range Co.
    ID 2000371
    Home office Michigan
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Inmet Mining Corp.
    Interest 80
    Home office Canada
    Year 1995
  • Type Owner
    Owner Employee Ownership
    Interest 20
    Home office Michigan
    Year 1995

Comments on the ownership information

  • COPPER OCCURS AS COPPER SULFIDES AND NATIVE COPPER. ECHO BAY PURCHASED WHITE PINE COPPER FROM LOUISANA LAND & MINERALS COMPANY IN 1985. A FORMER EMPLOYEE GROUP AND A MAN- AGMENT GROUP PURCHASED THE MINE IN OCTOBER 1985 FROM ECHO BAY FOR $3.7 AND $20 MILLION (ON VALUE OF AG IN RESERVES). METALL MINING CORP ACQUIRED ALL OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF COPPER RANGE IN 1989 FOR $83 MILLION. THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN ALLOWS THE EMPLOYEES TO HOLD UP TO 20% OF THE TOTAL STOCK IN COPPER RANGE (@ PRESENT THE ESOP IS AT 13.5%) MINE & OPERATING CO. ADDRESS: COPPER RANGE CO. P.O. BOX 100 WHITE PINE, MI 49971 CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ADDRESS: METALL MINING CORP. P.O. BOX 19 TORONTO, ON M5K 1A1

Production statistics

  • Year 1973
    Description 8060000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1974
    Description 7531000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1975
    Description 8142000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1976
    Description 3322000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1977
    Description 3184000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1978
    Description 2849000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1979
    Description 3320000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1980
    Description 3081000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1981
    Description 3768000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1982
    Description Mine Shutdown In 1982 1875000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1985
    Description Mine Reopened In Nov 1985 111210 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1986
    Description 28411 Mt Cu Cathode Produced
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Copper Copper 28411mt
  • Year 1986
    Description 3512390 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1987
    Description 53258 Mt Cu Cathode Produced
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Copper Copper 53258mt
  • Year 1991
    Description 46,989 Kgs Cu Produced 5231000 Mts Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Copper Copper 46.98mt
  • Year 1992
    Description 49,465 Kgs Cu Produced 5054000 Mts Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Copper Copper 49.46mt
  • Year 1993
    Description 47,129 Kgs Cu Produced 5154000 Mts Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Copper Copper 47.12mt

Comments on the production information

  • PRECISE RECOVERIES ARE: COPPER = 87.5%
  • DEPTH TO MINERALIZATION IS AN ESTIMATE. DEPTH VARIES FROM 0 TO 1067 METERS, BUT NOT IN A UNIFORM MANNER DUE TO FAULTING. DIP IS VARIABLE DUE TO THE FOLDED NATURE OF THE DEPOSIT, IT VARIES FROM 0 TO 35 DEGREES. THE THICKNESS OF THE ORE BEARING ZONE RANGES FROM 1 TO 9.8 METERS. ORE IS FISSURED, WITH LITTLE TO MODERATE H2O. MODE OF ORIGIN IS SYNGENETIC OR VERY EARLY DIAGENETIC. PRODUCTION DATA IN 1985 & 1986 PROVIDED BY COMPANY 1987 DATA PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Indicated 164000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 164000000mt ore
    Total resources 164000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.12 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 132000000mt ore
    Total resources 132000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1 wt-pct Copper Major 1994

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • COPPER PRIORITY. ADIT UPDATE 1993: CAPACITY HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM MODERNIZATION, REORGANIZATION, AND NEW EQUIPMENT. UPDATED RESERVES ARE SHOWN IN Q-MATRIX 2. AS OF 9-95, COPPER RANGE SUSPENDED ITS CONVENTIONAL MINING OPERATIONS. THE SOLUTION MINING PILOT PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE.
  • RESERVES AT THE 90% PROBABILITY ARE THE MEASURED OWNED AND LEASED RESERVES. RESERVES IN THE OTHER PROBABILITIES INCLUDE MEASURED AND INDICATED, OWNED AND LEASED RESERVES. GRADES RECORDED ARE CALCULATED AVERAGES

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 478M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method ROOM AND PILLAR 10-34
    Swell Factor .55
    Percent Recovery 57
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. OTHER
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 3
    Length of Inclines (m) 91.4
    Slope of Inclines 11
    Number of Inclines 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    2nd Condition of Workings PART ACCESSIBLE
    Capacity 13608
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 7.51
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 304
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1988

Comments on the workings information

  • LABOR SUPPLY IS DRAWN FROM UP TO 80 MILES AWAY.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MINING RECORD, V 106/N 29, 7/17/95, P.5.

  • Reserve-Resource

    METALL MINING CORP., 1989 ANNUAL REPORT, P.8.

  • Reserve-Resource

    METALL MINING CORP., 1990 ANNUAL REPORT, P.8.

  • Reserve-Resource

    METALL MINING CORP., 1991 ANNUAL REPORT, P.9.

  • Reserve-Resource

    METALL MINING CORP., 1993 ANNUAL REPORT, P.7.

  • Reserve-Resource

    METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY, 2/94, P.70.

  • Reserve-Resource

    ROCKY MOUNTAIN PAY DIRT, 5/94, P.17B.

  • Deposit

    BINGHAM, E.R., AND J.R. SUFFRON. TAILINGS AREA RECLAMATION

  • Deposit

    AT WHITE PINE COPPER COMPANY. PROC. OF THE JOINT MIN.

  • Deposit

    AND MET. INST. OF JAPAN - AIME: WORLD MIN. AND MET.

  • Deposit

    TECHNOL., DENVER, COLORADO, SEPT. 1-3, 1976, PUBLISHED

  • Deposit

    BY AIME, NEW YORK, 1976, V. 2, PP. 741-753.

  • Deposit

    COMPRESSED AIR MAGAZINE. REAWAKENED GIANT. MAY 1968,

  • Deposit

    PP. 10-16.

  • Deposit

    COPPER RANGE COMPANY. THE WHITE PINE STORY. COMPANY

  • Deposit

    PUBLICATION, OCTOBER 1968, 19 PP.

  • Deposit

    COPPER RANGE COMPANY. WHITE PINE, AN INTRODUCTION TO WHITE

  • Deposit

    PINE COPPER DIVISION, COPPER RANGE COMPANY. COMPANY

  • Deposit

    PUBLICATION, JANUARY 1982, 4 PP.

  • Deposit

    ENSIGN, C.O., ET AL. COPPER DEPOSITS IN THE NONESUCH

  • Deposit

    SHALE, WHITE PINE, MICHIGAN. CH. IN ORE DEPOSITS OF

  • Deposit

    THE UNITED STATES, 1933-1967, V. 1, ED. BY J.D. RIDGE.

  • Deposit

    AIME, NEW YORK, 1968, PP. 462-488.

  • Deposit

    HAMILTON, W.A., AND V. LESSELS. THE WHITE PINE CONCENTRA-

  • Deposit

    TOR. MIN. ENG., V. 8, MAY 1956, PP. 510-516.

  • Deposit

    HAYS, R.M., J.R. SUFFRON, D.Z. SKOLASINSKI, AND J.B.

  • Deposit

    WAKELEE. WHITE PINE COPPER - AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND

  • Deposit

    ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT. PRES. AT 108TH ANNUAL MEETING,

  • Deposit

    AIME, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, FEB. 18-22, 1979, AIME

  • Deposit

    PREPRINT NO. 79-59, 19 PP.

  • Deposit

    LEONE, R.J., R.W. SEASOR, AND T.J. ROHRBACHER. GEOLOGY OF

  • Deposit

    THE WHITE PINE AREA. CH. IN GUIDEBOOK FOR FIELD CON-

  • Deposit

    FERENCE, MICHIGAN COPPER DISTRICT, SEPTEMBER 30 -

  • Deposit

    OCTOBER 2, 1971, ED. BY W.S. WHITE. MICHIGAN TECH.

  • Deposit

    UNIV., HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN, 1971, PP. 44-64.

  • Deposit

    RAMSEY, R.H. WHITE PINE COPPER. ENG. AND MIN. J., V. 154,

  • Deposit

    NO. 1, JANUARY 1953, PP. 72-87.

  • Deposit

    THOMPSON, R.J. DEVELOPMENT MINING AT WHITE PINE (A CASE

  • Deposit

    STUDY). PROC. 2ND SYMP. ON RAPID EXCAVATION, OCT.

  • Deposit

    16-17, 1969, PAPER NO. 8, 22 PP.

  • Deposit

    TIEN, J., AND J. BJORK. COMPUTER HELPS VENTILATION PLANNING

  • Deposit

    AT WHITE PINE COPPER MINE. ENG. AND MIN. J., V. 168,

  • Deposit

    NO. 8, AUGUST 1976, PP. 70-73.

  • Deposit

    WHILTON, R.W. PROGRAMMED MAINTENANCE BOOSTS MINE PRODUCTIV-

  • Deposit

    ITY, CONSERVES LUBRICANTS. MIN. CONG. J., V. 61,

  • Deposit

    NO. 6, JUNE 1975, PP. 38-41.

  • Deposit

    WHITE, W.S., AND J.C. WRIGHT. THE WHITE PINE COPPER DEPOS-

  • Deposit

    IT, ONTONAGON COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ECON. GEOL., V. 49,

  • Deposit

    NOVEMBER 1954, PP. 675-716.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', COPPER RANGE INCREASING COPPER PRODUCTION AT

  • Deposit

    WHITE PINE OPERATION TO HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE ITS REOPENING

  • Deposit

    IN 1985, 1/11/92, P.24-26.

  • Deposit

    FISCOR, STEVE, COPPER RANGE IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY AND LOWER

  • Deposit

    COSTS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF MINING IN THE 90,

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 2/92, P.C26,C27.

  • Deposit

    DILLARD, GARY, METALL, USING COPPER RANGE, PLANS TO BE MAJOR

  • Deposit

    COPPER PLAYER, SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, 9/93, P.14A-18A.

  • Deposit

    METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY, COPPER RANGE STUDIES IN-SITU

  • Deposit

    LEACHING, 2/94, P.70.

  • Deposit

    MINING RECORD, METALL MINING ANNOUNCES INCREASED COPPER

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION, V 106/ N 11, 3/15/95, P.13.

  • Deposit

    PAY DIRT, 10-95, P.19B.

  • Deposit

    MINING RECORD, V 106 N29, 7-19-95, P.5.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, 2-2-91, P.7.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, 8-25-90, P.4.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 2-10-89, P117.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, 1-21-89, P.7.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 1-90, P.C47.

  • Deposit

    MINING ENGINEERING, VOL 49, #4, APRIL, 1997, PP. 62-67 & PP.

  • Deposit

    68-72.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit DATABASE AND DEPOSIT REPORT WERE UPDATED DURING MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, FY 1983. ORIGINAL EVALUATION WAS AUGUST 1977 AND HAD BEEN REVISED AUGUST 1978. COPPER CONCENTRATE IS PROCESSED AT AN ON-SITE ELECTROLYTIC REFINERY WHICH PRODUCES A COPPER METAL AND A TANKHOUSE SLIME. TANKHOUSE SLIME IS A CONCENTRATE CONSISTING MOSTLY OF SILVER. THERE IS NO GOLD ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY. PROPERTY UPDATE BY RENA GEROYAN NOV 1988 THERE ARE 20 PEOPLE IN THE MANAGEMENT GROUP. FOUR FORM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE REST ARE PAID ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS IN THE LA SET THE MANAGEMENTS WAGE IS AN AVERAGE OF SALARIES AND FEES. BURDEN FOR THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IS 5.33% THE MANAGEMENT GROUP IS PROPORTIONED EQUALLY TO THE FOUR FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPANY: MINE, MILL, SMELTER, AND REFINERY. IN THE LA SET USWA = UNITED STEEL WORKERS OF AMERICA. MAJOR EQUIPMENT LIST IS BASED ON THE 1983 UPDATE REPORT.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-OCT-1996 Geroyan, Rena 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)

StatusAbandoned since 08/29/2001
MSHA mine ID2000371
Mine name (MSHA)WHITE PINE MINE
Current operatorCopper Range Company
Current controller (parent)Inmet Mining Corp
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.

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