The Ophir Creek Placer is a gold mine located in Powell county, Montana.
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
Ophir Creek Placer MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Ophir Creek Placer
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Location
State: Montana
County: Powell
District: Ophir 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
Not available
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1865
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Placer Au-PGE
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: Boulder Batholith
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Gold
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Tourmaline
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Magnetite
Comments
Comment (Exploration): MINES: ESMERALDA MCKAY, BUMBLE BEE, VICTORY, COON'S TUNGSTEN, FAIRVIEW, DENVER, OPSATA, BUTTERFLY, AJAX, POTRATZ, CYCLONE, LITTLE DASIY, PRISE, FLAGSTAFF, SNOWSHOE, JACK PINE, CARPENTER CREEK, SNOWSHOE CREEK AND OPHIR CREEK PLACERS. ; ECON.COM: MINES FILLED WITH WATER
Comment (Deposit): PLACER DEPOSITS WERE FOUND IN TERRACE DEPOSITS. THE LIMESTONES HAVE BEEN ALTERED IN VARIOUS DEGREES BY THE BOULDER BATHOLITH. MANY PLACES THE GARNET TACTITES WERE HOSTS FOR THE LODE DEPOSITS. SOME LODES WERE DEPOSITED IN VEINS THAT WERE ON ORE NEAR THE CONTACT OF THE LIMESTONE AND THE QUARTZ MONZONITE.
Comment (Development): DAVE JOHNS WIFE FIRST STARTED TO PAN FOR AU, DAVE LATTER JOINING HER. BLACKFOOT CITY LATTER STARTED THERE.
Comment (Deposit): MUCH OF THE GRAVEL IN THE BED OF THE CR HAS NEVER BEEN WORKED DUE TO LACK OF GRADE FOR TAILING DISPOSAL ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Comment (Location): LAT LONG FOR MOUTH OF OPHIR CR. PLACER MINING CONTINUES FROM ITS MOUTH UP STREAM TO ABOUT 0.5 MI ABOVE BLACKFOOT CITY. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1958)
Comment (Workings): WORKED FOR A LENGTH OF 8 MILES.
References
Reference (Deposit): MBMG MEM NO 26, P.119, 127-8.
Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 842, P. 31.
Reference (Deposit): USGS PP 610, P. 168.
Reference (Production): MBMG MEM NO 26, P. 128.
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.
