Sultana Project

Prospect in Custer county in Idaho, United States with commodities Copper, Gold, Silver, Molybdenum
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. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Mineral rights holdings
  17. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Reserves and resources
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10193063
MAS/MILS ID 0160370073
Record type Deposit
Current site name Sultana Project

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -113.67517, 43.88977 (WGS84)
Elevation 2300
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Custer(county)

Idaho(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Mackay Reservoir(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Arco(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Idaho Falls(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Big Lost(hydrologic unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Salmon-Challis 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 Idaho Custer

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Boise 007 N 023 E 36 Idaho

Comments on the location information

  • MILS LAT/LONG FOR TOWN OF MACKAY, IDAHO. PROJECT AREA POSSIBLY LOCATED 3.5 MILES SW OF TOWN, UP RIO GRANDE CANYON TOWARDS THE EMPIRE MINE. SITE ALSO ON USGS MACKAY 15 MIN TOPO SHEET, 1960.
  • The Sultana property covers an area of 600 hectares comprising by 100 mining claims, 24 of which are patented. The property lies about six km west of the town of Mackay, itself located 100 km northwest of Idaho Falls.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Gold Primary
Silver Primary
Molybdenum Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Covellite Ore
Cuprite Ore
Galena Ore
Malachite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Scheelite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tenorite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Powellite Ore
Calcite Gangue
Epidote Gangue
Fluorite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Pyroxene Gangue
Pyrrhotite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Specularite Gangue
Wollastonite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) oxidation

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 53
USGS model code 17
Deposit model name Porphyry Cu
Mark3 model number 4
Model code 64
USGS model code 18f
Deposit model name Skarn Au
Mark3 model number 82

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name White Knob Limestone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Skarn (Tactite)

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -113.67517, 43.88977

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Local
Structure name joints, faults

Controls for ore emplacement

  • shear zone
  • limestone-intrusion contact

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes

Mining district

District name Alder Creek District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented

Land status

Ownership category Unknown

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Cambior Inc.
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1996
    First year 1996
  • Type Operator
    Owner Cambiex Exploration
    Home office Canada
    Year 1996
    First year 1996

Comments on the ownership information

  • OWNER ALSO KNOWN AS EXPLORATION CAMBIEX.

Comments on the production information

  • SOME PRODUCTION FOR PIT IN 1968.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Total resources 16000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.75 g/mt Gold Major 1996
    Copper Cu 0.48 wt-pct Copper Major 1996

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CAMBIEX HAS CALCULATED A GEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE OF 15 MILLION TONNES AT 0.42% CU AND AN ADDITIONAL 8 MILLION TONNES AT 0.45% CU AND 0.5G AU/T. THE ESTIMATE IS BASED ON RESULTS OBTAINED FROM EXPLORATION. ABOUT 90% OF THE AU RESOURCE AND 70% OF THE CU RESOURCE STATED ABOVE ARE POTENTIALLY MINEABLE BY OPEN PIT METHOD WITH A STRIP RATIO OF LESS THAN 1:1 (4-97).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
General Copied from thefreelibrary website:
A highly oxidized, vertically-dipping skarn zone mineralized with copper and gold occurs within the patented claim block. In the southern part of this zone, previous small-scale mining and drilling (77 vertical holes) have outlined a resource of 16 million tonnes averaging 0.48 percent leachable copper. Gold grades in the 0.5 to 1.0 g Au/t range are indicated from nine assayed drill holes. This represents potential reserves equivalent to 150 million pounds of copper and between 250,000 and 500,000 ounces of gold. This mineral resource lies within only a portion of the skarn zone, which has an average width of 300 meters and has been traced in the past by surface stripping, drilling and underground workings over a distance of 2.0 km. The resource has been identified from surface to a maximum depth of 200 meters and is open in all directions. The deposit could be mined by open pit at a low stripping ratio and the ore could be leached on site. The property lies at the site of the former Empire mine, where 700,000 tonnes grading 3.6 percent Cu, 1.6 g Au/t and 54 g Ag/t were selectively mined over a distance of 1.8 km from 1912 to 1928.

The potential to increase the mineral resource to more than 90 million tonnes is excellent. Surface exploration work, to begin in the second quarter of 1996, will consist of drilling along sections. This work is intended to establish grade and tonnage figures for the deposit. Cambiex has undertaken to finance this work through staged investments of up to US $5 million over a maximum period of 2.5 years in order to acquire up to 50 percent in the property, which will be managed by Cambior out of its Reno office. Should Cambiex decide not to participate further after it has invested US $5 million in the property, its interest will revert to a 30 percent net proceeds royalty.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 29-MAY-97 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Updater 23-JUL-09 Causey, J. Douglas U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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