Josephine Mine

The Josephine Mine is a gold, silver, and lead mine located in Jefferson county, Montana at an elevation of 7,500 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Josephine Mine

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Stone, Dimension
Tertiary: Arsenic
Tertiary: Uranium

Location

State: Montana
County: Jefferson
District: Basin (Cataract, Comet) District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: H. G. Mcclernan
Home Office: Butte, Mt.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1887
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidized

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SLIGHT RADIOACTIVITY UNDERGROUND, 2-3 TIMES BACKGROUND, RADIOACTIVE SHOOTS IN VEINS AND SOME IN WALL ROCK IN GENERAL.

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Tourmaline
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Development): FROST WEDGING OF THE RHYOLITE HAS PRODUCED A LARGE ACCUMULATION OF TALUS.

Comment (Workings): INCLINED SHAFT, VERTICAL SHAFT, ADIT, SHALLOW PITS AND SHAFTS . SEVERAL FT OF WORKINGS HAVE BEEN EXTENED FROM THE SHAFT ON THE 200, 300, AND 400 FT LEVELS.

Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: SULFIDES, HEMATITE.

Comment (Location): NEAR CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1954)

Comment (Production): TERTIARY RHYOLITE HAS BEEN QUARRIED W OF THE JOSEPHINE MINE. IT IS USED FOR DECORATIVE STONE.

Comment (Deposit): VEINS DIP VARIES FROM 55-70 N . THE VEIN IS CONCEALED AT THE SURFACE BY TERTIARY RHYOLITES. PRONOUNCED FLOW BANDING PRODUCES A PLEASING TEXTURE- AND A FRESH COLOR RANGES FROM PALE RED TO THE DOMINANT YELLOW GRAY. WEATHERED COLOR IS DARKER.

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS MAP MR-21, P. 13.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 94, P. 25.

Reference (Production): MBMG BULL 16, P. 32.MBMG BULL 94, P. 25.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 16, P. 16, 22, 25, 28, 32, 36, 103.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 1151, P. 109.

Principal Gold Districts of Montana

In Montana, 54 mining districts have each have produced more than 10,000 ounces of gold. The largest producers are Butte, Helena, Marysville, and Virginia City, each having produced more than one million ounces. Twenty seven other districts are each credited with between 100,000 and one million ounces of gold production. Read more: Principal Gold Districts of Montana.