Elkhorn Mine

The Elkhorn Mine is a silver, lead, and zinc mine located in Jefferson county, Montana at an elevation of 6,601 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

Name: Elkhorn Mine  

State:  Montana

County:  Jefferson

Gallery: View 9 Elkhorn Mine Photos

Elevation: 6,601 Feet (2,012 Meters)

Commodity: Silver, Lead, Zinc

Lat, Long: 46.2725, -111.94167

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Elkhorn Mine

Mine Description

The ore deposit known as the "Elkhorn" mine was located as the Holter lode on January 2, 1875, and was worked nearly continuously from that time until November, 1899. The general history of the property has already been mentioned in giving that of the Elkhorn Mining district district.

The New Elkhorn Mining Company stopped work in the mine in the autumn of 1899, and as the pumps were withdrawn, the surface machinery dismantled and sold, and the mine practically abandoned, it was generally understood that this great producer was worked out and the last chapter of its history completed.

The entire property, including such surface improvements as were of value, was sold to two successful mining operators for $20,000 early in 1900, and it was generally supposed at that time that only the dump heaps would be worked. The new owners decided, however, to reopen the upper levels of the mine, and the property is now (May, 1901) being equipped with the necessary machinery for working, and promises to again become a producing property.

The abandonment of the mine by the English corporation was primarily due to the exhaustion of the rich ore bodies, for although more or less ore remained, it was of too low grade to pay expenses, owing to the heavy expenditures necessary in pumping the mine, which were over $1,000 a week; this, and the small number of men scattered over so large a mine working the lowgrade patches and remnants of ore bodies left in previous years, made the cost per ton excessive. Thus the actual cost of mining exceeded $15 per ton, including all expenses. Milling cost $9, owing to baseness of the ore, and for a long time the reduction works were run on a profit of only 50 cents per ton, thus necessitating very close working.

Elkhorn Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Elkhorn Mine
Secondary: Holter


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Bismuth


Location

State: Montana
County: Jefferson
District: Elkhorn Mining District


Land Status

Not available


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: Walker, Laura

Owner Name: Development Operating Co.

Owner Name: Youlden, Charles And Martha

Owner Name: Henningsen, Anker


Production

Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 464988.870 mt
Material type: Cu
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 2170867.450 g
Material type: Au
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 1453504.540 mt
Material type: Zn
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 7419570.510 mt
Material type: Pb
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 468249065.40 g
Material type: Ag
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 800779.330 mt
Material type: ore


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Polymetalic Replacement
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Discovery Year: 1875
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M


Physiography

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


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement


Orebody

Form: IRREGULARLY TABULAR AND ALSO PIPE-LIKE


Structure

Type: R
Structure: INTRUDED BY QUARTZ MONZONITE AND APLITE

Type: R
Structure: MESOZOIC SANDSTONE, SHALE AND IMPURE LIMESTONE

Type: R
Structure: FOLDED AND FAULTED BELT SERIES SHALE, PALEOZOIC LIMESTONE, SHALE AND QUARTZ

Type: R
Structure: LATE CRET ANDESITIC BRECCIAS, TUFFS, AND LAVAS

Type: L
Description: Ore Is Localized In Anticlinal Arches Along Pilgrim Dolomite-Red Lion Contact


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Some Bleaching Of Slate Near Ore Bodies


Rocks

Name: Dolomite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVERAGE OF 7,000 TONS BETWEEN 1945 AND 1951 IS 0.0178 OZ AU/TON, 11.1 OZ AG/TON, 12.15% PB, 2.55% ZN, AND 0.14% CU


Materials

Ore: Silver
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Tetradymite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Bournonite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Development): THE ORE AGAINST THE SLATE CONTACT IS QUARTZOSE BUT WITHIN THE DOLMITE IS A SILVER-LEAD SMELTING ORE.

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED FROM A MAIN SHAFT INCLINED 30 DEG-50 DEG FROM WHICH 23 LEVELS WERE DRIVEN AT SLOPE INTERVALS OF ABOUT 100 FT. AND VERTICAL SOPHIA SHAFT FROM WHICH LEVELS WERE RUN AT DEPTHS OF 65 AND 110 FT.

Comment (Deposit): Merged data from Deposit ID's 10008099 (Elkhorn Mine), 10069273 (Elkhorn Jefferson Co.), 10048811 (Elkhorn), 10269978 (Elkhorn), 10245604 (Elkhorn Mine), and 10008981 (Elkhorn)

Comment (Reserve-Resource): IF ADDITIONAL ORE SHOOTS CAN BE FOUND UNDER OTHER ANTICLINAL FLEXURES ALONG SLATE-DOLOMITE CONTACT, POTENTIAL RESOURCES COULD EQUAL PAST PRODUCTION


References

Reference (Deposit): FOSTER, FESS, AND CHILDS, J.F., 1993, AN OVERVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT LODE GOLD SYSTEMS IN MONTANA, AND THEIR REGIONAL GEOLOGIC SETTING: EXPLORATION AND MINING GEOLOGY, V. 2, P. 217-244.

Reference (Deposit): KOSCHMANN, A.H., AND BERGENDAHL, M.H., 1968, PRINCIPAL GOLD-PRODUCING DISTRICTS OF THE UNITED STATES: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 610, P. 153.

Reference (Production): WEED, W.H., 1901, P. 415; KLEPPER ETAL, 1957, P. 67 AND OME FILES.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): OME FILES

Reference (Deposit): KLEPPER, M.R., WEEKS, R.A., RUPPEL, E.T., 1957, GEOLOGY OF THE SOUTHERN ELKHORN MOUNTAINS, JEFFERSON AND BROADWATER COUNTIES, MONTANA: USGS PROF. PAPER, P. 67-68

Reference (Deposit): WEED, W.H., 1901, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE ELKHORN MINING DISTRICT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, MONTANA: USGS 22ND ANN. RPT. PT. 2 P. 399-550

Reference (Deposit): 1896 GEOLMAP WEED, W.H., 22ND ANN. RPT.

Reference (Deposit): 1949 GEOLMAP KLEPPER, WEEKS, AND RUPPEL, PROF. PAPER 292


Principal Gold Districts of Montana

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.