North Pole-Columbia Lode

The North Pole-Columbia Lode is a silver, copper, and gold mine located in Baker county, Oregon at an elevation of 5,899 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: North Pole-Columbia Lode
Secondary: From Ne To Sw South Pole
Secondary: North Pole
Secondary: E & E
Secondary: Taber Fraction
Secondary: Columbia
Secondary: Golconda
Secondary: Mountain Belle
Secondary: Amazon
Secondary: Analulu
Secondary: Bunker Hill
Secondary: Eureka & Excelsior

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Copper
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Arsenic
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Tellurium
Tertiary: Mercury

Location

State: Oregon
County: Baker
District: Cracker Creek

Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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.
Administrative Organization: Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Brooks Minerals Inc
Years: 1980 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Section: Blue Mountain Section
Physiographic Detail: Elkhorn Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Blue Mountain Uplift Trends N 30 Deg E. Major Thrust Fault Trends East-West

Type: L
Description: Shear Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silicification

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): LODE RUNS CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH TEN CLAIMS

Comment (Reserve-Resource): OMEGA MINES (1968) REPORTED AN AVERAGE OF 0.086 OZ/TON AU AND 0.30 OZ/TON AG OVER A SAMPLE WIDTH OF 17.5 FEET ALONG 1357 FEET OF STRIKE ON THE NORTH POLE 5600 FOOT LEVEL. THEIR DIAMOND DRILLING INDICATES THAT THE LODE CONTINUES TO AT LEAST 200 FEET BELOW THIS LEVEL.

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION RECORDS FOR THE SOUTH POLE, MOUNTAIN BELLE, AMAZON, ANALULU, AND BUNKER HILL MINES NOT AVAILABLE.

Comment (Development): THE NORTHERN PART OF THE LODE IS NOW BEING DEVELOPED BY BROOKS MINERALS INC. (1981)

Comment (Deposit): THE NORTH POLE, COLUMBIA, EUREKA AND EXCELSIOR, AND TABER FRACTION ARE OWNED BY THE CRACKER CREEK MINING COMPANY. THE GOLCONDA IS UNDER SEPARATE OWNERSHIP

Comment (Workings): LODE IS A COMPOSITE IMBRICATE SELVAGE VEIN SYSTEM. AVG. WIDTH ABOUT 25 FT. 2100 FT. VERTICAL INTERVAL MINED. STOPES UP TO 2500 FT. LONG & AVG. 4 FT. WIDE. NO PRODUCTION RECORDS FOR THE SOUTH POLE,MOUNTAIN BELLE,AMAZON,ANALULU, & BUNKER HILL MINES

Comment (Geology): THE LODE FILLS A HIGH ANGLE FAULT WHICH CUTS THRUST FAULT CONTACTS BETWEEN ARGILLITE AND METAGABBRO. BOTH UNITS ARE HORNFELSED BY THE PRE-MINERALIZATION EMPLACEMENT OF THE BALD MOUNTAIN BATHOLITH.

Comment (Deposit): A HIGHLY ALTERED PORPHYRY DIKE IS FOUND DISCONTINUOUSLY WITHIN THE LODE

References

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H. C., AND RAMP, L., 1968, GOLD AND SILVER IN OREGON: OREGON DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES BULL. 61, P. 59-62

Reference (Deposit): PARDEE, J. T., 1909, FAULTING AND VEIN STRUCTURE IN THE CRACKER CREEK GOLD DISTRICT, BAKER CO., OREGON: USGS BULL. 380, P. 85-93

Reference (Deposit): PARDEE, J. T., AND HEWETT, D. F., 1914, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SUMPTER QUADRANGLE: OREGON BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, MIN. RES. OF ORE. 1(8): 92

Reference (Deposit): LORAIN, S. H., 1938, GOLD MINING AND MILLING IN EASTERN OREGON: U.S.B.M. INFO. CIRC. 7015 & 5) LINDGREN, W., 1901, THE GOLD BELT OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN OREGON; USGS ANN. REPT. NO.

Reference (Deposit): 1909 PARDEE, J.T.; BULL. 380

Reference (Deposit): 1914 GEOLMAP ORE. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY

Reference (Deposit): 1916 COMPILE ORE. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY

Reference (Deposit): 1980 GEOLMAP ODGMI REFERENCE 8

Oregon Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Oregon" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in Oregon. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Oregon.