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Pine Creek Tungsten Mine & Mill

Plant in Inyo county in California, United States with commodities Copper, Gold, Molybdenum, Silver, Tungsten
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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. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10236233
MRDS ID D001058
MAS/MILS ID 0060270008
Record type Site
Current site name Pine Creek Tungsten Mine & Mill
Alternate or previous names Pine Creek Mine, Black Monster, Snow Queen
Related records 10188014, 10008713

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -118.70425, 37.36164 (WGS84)
Elevation 2350
Location accuracy 10(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Inyo(county)

California(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Mount Tom(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Bishop(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Mariposa(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Crowley Lake(hydrologic unit)

Mono-Owens Lakes(hydrologic accounting unit)

Northern Mojave-Mono Lake(hydrologic subregion)

California(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Inyo 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 California Inyo

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 007 S 030 E 05 SWSWNW California

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Secondary
Gold Tertiary
Molybdenum Secondary
Silver Tertiary
Tungsten Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Unknown
Chalcocite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Covellite Unknown
Molybdenite Unknown
Powellite Unknown
Scheelite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -118.70425, 37.36164
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 1036M
    Length 4572M
    Width 23M
    Area 50HA
    Depth to top 0M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 IRREGULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 REPLACEMENT
    Type of Orebody #3 OTHER
    Primary mode of Origin CONT METASOMATIC
    Secondary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Primary Ore Control CONTACT ZONE
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. SLIGHT
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 CARBONATE SILIC
    Strike And Dip N10W:
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 50
    Date of Last Modification 960710

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1916
Mining method Open Stope
Year of first production 1925
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Bishop

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented
Type of mineral rights Located Claim
Type of mineral rights Private Lease

Land status

Ownership category National Forest

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Pine Creek Tungsten Mining Llc
    Interest 100
    Home office Australia
    Year 1995
    First year 1995
  • Type Owner
    Owner Avocet Ventures Inc.
    Interest 50
    Home office Canada
    Year 1995
    First year 1995
  • Type Owner
    Owner U.S. Tungsten Corp.
    ID 0400899
    Interest 50
    Home office California
    Year 1995
    Last year 1995

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1945
    Measured 464486mt ore
    Indicated 310262mt ore
    Demonstrated 774748mt ore
    Total resources 774748mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.823 wt-pct Molybdenum Minor 1945
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Demonstrated 1360777mt ore
    Total resources 1360777mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Tungsten Wo3 0.51 wt-pct Tungsten Major 1995

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • PRODUCTION AT MINE SHOULD RESUME IN 1996 ACCORDING THE COMP. OFFICIALS. SEE BIBLI "R" 002. PRODUCING SCHEELITE, AUG. 79, AT RATE OF 3.5 M LB/YR CONTAINED TUNGSTEN. UNK AS OF AUG. 1995.
  • RESOURCES AS OF 08/95.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 52500M
    Overall depth 300M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OTHER OPEN STOPE METHODS
    Swell Factor .61
    Percent Waste Rock 10
    Percent Recovery 100
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING MAY BACK SLAB
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 5
    Length of Inclines (m) 240
    Slope of Inclines 80
    Number of Inclines 50
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 2867
    Number of Adits 15
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 1361
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 25.71
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 260
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1981

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    CAL. JOUR. MINES AND GEOL., V.41 NO.4, PP. 231-49.

  • Reserve-Resource

    THE MINING RECORD, VOL106 #35, P3.

  • Deposit

    BATEMAN, P.C., 1945, PINE CREEK AND ADAMSON TUNGSTEN MINES,

  • Deposit

    INYO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA JOURNAL OF MINES AND

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGY, V. 41, NO. 4, PP. 231-249.

  • Deposit

    BATEMAN, P.C., 1956, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE BISHOP TUNGSTEN

  • Deposit

    DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF MINES

  • Deposit

    SPECIAL REPORT. 47, 87 PP.

  • Deposit

    BATEMAN, P.C., 1965, GEOLOGY AND TUNGSTEN MINERALIZATION OF

  • Deposit

    THE BISHOP DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF.

  • Deposit

    PAPER 470, 280 PP.

  • Deposit

    BATEMAN, P.C., ERICKSON, M.P., AND PROCTOR, P.D., 1950,

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGY AND TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS OF THE TUNGSTEN HILLS, INYO

  • Deposit

    COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: CALIFORNIA JOURNAL OF MINES AND

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGY, V. 46, NO. 1, PP. 23-42.

  • Deposit

    BEHME, R.L., 1953, UNITED STATES VANADIUM'S TUNGSTEN MINE IN

  • Deposit

    CALIFORNIA: THE EXPLOSIVES ENGINEER, MARCH-APRIL 1953,

  • Deposit

    PP. 39-41.

  • Deposit

    BUTNER, D.W., 1948, BLASTHOLE DIAMOND DRILLING IN CALIFORNIA

  • Deposit

    MINES: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES I.C. 7451.

  • Deposit

    CHAPMAN, R.W., 1937, THE CONTACT-METAMORPHIC DEPOSIT OF

  • Deposit

    ROUND VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY, V. 45, NO.

  • Deposit

    8, PP. 859-871.

  • Deposit

    ENGEL, A.L., AND SHEDD, E.S., 1954, TREATMENT TESTS OF

  • Deposit

    SCHEELITE ORES FROM CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, AND UTAH: U.S.

  • Deposit

    BUREAU OF MINES R.I. 5087.

  • Deposit

    GRIFFITH, R.E., 1970, "TUNGSTEN": U.S. BUREAU OF MINES

  • Deposit

    BULL. 650, MINERAL FACTS AND PROBLEMS, PP. 399-415.

  • Deposit

    HOBBS, W.S., AND ELLIOTT, 1973, "TUNGSTEN": U.S. GEOL.

  • Deposit

    SURVEY PROF. PAPER 820, UNITED STATES MINERAL RESOURCES,

  • Deposit

    PP. 667-678.

  • Deposit

    KERR, P.F., 1946, TUNGSTEN MINERALIZATION IN THE UNITED

  • Deposit

    STATES: GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA MEMOIR 15, 241 PP.

  • Deposit

    KNOPF, A., 1917, TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS OF NORTHWESTERN INYO

  • Deposit

    COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 640-L, PP.

  • Deposit

    229-255.

  • Deposit

    LEMON, D.M., 1941, TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS IN THE TUNGSTEN HILLS,

  • Deposit

    INYO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 922-Q,

  • Deposit

    PP. 497-514.

  • Deposit

    LEMMON, D.M., 1941, TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA

  • Deposit

    NEAR BISHOP, CALIFORNIA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 931-E,

  • Deposit

    PP. 79-104.

  • Deposit

    LENHART, W.B., 1941, MILLING SCHEELITE AT TUNGSTAR MINE:

  • Deposit

    MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, V. 27, NO. 4, PP. 67-71.

  • Deposit

    MCKINLEY, H.L., HOLMES, T.W., AND SAUSA, L.E., 1951,

  • Deposit

    BOOSTING TUNGSTEN OUTPUT AND U.S.V.'S MOUNTAIN-TOP MINE,

  • Deposit

    NO. 1 U.S. PRODUCER: REPRINT FROM ENGINEERING AND MINING

  • Deposit

    JOURNAL, V. 152, NO. 5, 11 PP.

  • Deposit

    MCKINLEY, H.L., AND WRIGHT, L.A., 1957, MINING METHODS AT

  • Deposit

    THE PINE CREEK MINE: MINING ENGINEERING, OCTOBER 1957,

  • Deposit

    PP. 1099-1102.

  • Deposit

    PAZOUR, D.A., 1978, UNION CARBIDE INCREASES TUNGSTEN

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION WITH NEW NEVADA MINE: MINING WORLD, MARCH 1978

  • Deposit

    PP. 58-59.

  • Deposit

    POSNER, R.H., SENIOR MINE GEOLOGIST, PINE CREEK MINE, UNION

  • Deposit

    CARBIDE CORPORATION, ORAL COMMUNICATION, OCTOBER 1980.

  • Deposit

    STAFFORD, P., U.S. BUREAU OF MINES TUNGSTEN COMMODITY

  • Deposit

    SPECIALIST, ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUN. JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1981

  • Deposit

    VANDERBURG, W.O., 1935, MINING AND MILLING TUNGSTEN ORES:

  • Deposit

    U.S. BUREAU OF MINES I.C. 6852.

  • Deposit

    VOELKER, D.E., DEPARTMENTAL METALLURGIST, PINE CREEK CUSTOM

  • Deposit

    MILL, UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, ORAL COMMUN., OCTOBER

  • Deposit

    1980.

  • Deposit

    WHARTON, M., 1943, TUNGSTEN FROM THE HIGH SIERRAS-UNITED

  • Deposit

    STATES VANADIUM CORPORATION WORKS LOFTY MINE FOR CRITICAL

  • Deposit

    WAR METALS: THE EXPLOSIVES ENGINEER, MAY-JUNE 1943, PP.

  • Deposit

    79-85, 100-102.

  • Deposit

    WRIGHT, L.A., 1964, PILLAR BLASTING AT THE PINE CREEK MINE:

  • Deposit

    MINING ENGINEERING, MAY 1964, PP. 79-83.

  • Deposit

    ZABRA, J.B., 1959, MILLING AND PROCESSING OF TUNGSTEN: U.S.

  • Deposit

    BUREAU OF MINES I.C. 7912.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MAS PROPERTY FILE INCLUDES PINE CREEK MILL; MSHA.DBF #0404599 NO MSHA DBF # LISTING FOR MINE, (SAME AS ABOVE). WITH THE CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, IN 1995, THIS # WILL CHANGE

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 24-SEP-1996 Wetzel, Nicholas 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 08/05/2019
MSHA mine ID0400899
Mine name (MSHA)PINE CREEK MINE
Current operatorAvocet Tungsten Inc
Current controller (parent)Avocet Mining Plc
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.

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative California resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.