The Surprise Lode Claim is a gold, silver, tungsten, iron, copper, and manganese mine located in Madison county, Montana at an elevation of 8,501 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
Elevation: 8,501 Feet (2,591 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver, Tungsten, Iron, Copper, Manganese
Lat, Long: 45.56667, -111.96667
Map: View on Google Maps
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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.
Surprise Lode Claim MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Surprise Lode Claim
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Primary: Tungsten
Primary: Iron
Primary: Copper
Primary: Manganese
Location
State: Montana
County: Madison
District: Potosi
Land Status
Not available
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: E. Roy Grigg
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1952
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Form: IRREGULAR
Structure
Type: R
Description: Tobacco Root Batholith
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: {{ SAMPLE 5062 COMPOSITE OF DEV. CUTS NO. 2 - 3. SENT FOR EVALUATION 1969 - 3.1% IRON AND 0.77% MANGANESE AND MOSTLY WAD AND LIMONITE
Analytical Data: {{ 1968 - SAMPLES RECALCULATED ACCORDING TO 1968 MARKET PRICES.
Analytical Data: {{ SAMPLE 681 FROM DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 4 - IRON: 2.8%, INSOL: 85.7%, SILVER: TRACE, V205: TRACE, MANGANESE: 0.93 LTU, 48% GRADE
Analytical Data: {{ SAMPLE 2011 FROM DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 4 - GOLD: TRACE, SILVER: 0.10 OZ. PER TON, MANGANESE: 0.568 LTU, 48% GRADE
Analytical Data: {{ SAMPLE 2012 FROM DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 3 - GOLD: TRACE, SILVER: TRACE, COPPER: TRACE, MANGANESE: 1.14 LTU, 48% GRADE
Analytical Data: {{ ASSAY REPORT FOR 1965 { SAMPLE 682 FROM DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 3 - SILVER: 0.01 OZ. PER TON, GOLD: TRACE, COPPER: 1.1 LB PER TON, V205: TRACE, MANGANESE: 1.19 LTU, 48% GRADE, TUNGSTEN: 0.0615 STU, 65% GRADE
Analytical Data: {{ SAMPLE 681 FROM DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 4 - 1961: SILVER - TRACE, MANGANESE - 0.492%, 1962: IRON - 2.8%, INSOL - 85.7%, MANGANESE - 0.38%, 2ND 1962: V205 - TRACE
Analytical Data: GOLD - TRACE, SILVER - 0.01 OZ. PER TON, MANGANESE - 0.631%, TUNGSTEN - 0.04%, 1962: COPPER - 0.06%, IRON - 2.2%, INSOL - 88.4%, MANGANESE - 0.48%, 2ND 1962: V205 - TRACE, COPPER - 0.05%
Analytical Data: ASSAY REPORT { SAMPLE 682 FROM DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 3 - 1961:
Materials
Not available
Comments
Comment (Location): ALL LOCATIONS ESTIMATED FROM SECTION CORNERS; GOOD TO WITHIN ONE MILE OF EXACT LOCATION.
Comment (Commodity): SAMPLES FROM DEVELOPMENT CUTS NO. 3 AND NO. 4; COMMODITIES PRESENT ALSO INCLUDE VANADIUM PENTOXIDE.
Comment (Workings): IMPROVEMENTS ON THE CLAIM { DISCOVERY CUT NO. 1 - 15 FEET LONG BY 7 FEET WIDE BY 4 FEET DEEP AND HAS A COURSE OF N. 65 DEG E., THENCE IT IS 8 FEET LONG BY 7.5 FEET WIDE BY 1.5 FEET DEEP ON A COURSE OF S. 65 DEG W. {{ DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 2 - 55 FEET LONG BY 15 FEET WIDE BY 8 FEET DEEP. {{ DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 3 - DOZER TRENCH, 200 FEET LONG BY 30 FEET WIDE AND HAS A FACE OF 10 FEET. {{ DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 4 - 110 FEET LONG BY 26 FEET WIDE AND HAS ABOUT A 15 FOOT FACE. {{ IMPROVEMENTS ON CLAIM AS OF 1965 { DEVELOPMENT CUT NO. 3 (TRENCH) - 150 FEET LONG BY 30 FEET WIDE BY 15 FEET DEEP AT THE FACE, PARTICALLY SLOUGHED.
Comment (Geology): TOBACCO ROOT BATHOLITH: THIS BATHOLITH HAS INTRUDED THE PRE - BELTIAN, PRECAMBRIAN METAMORPHIC ROCKS AND PALEOZOIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS DURING LARAMIDE OROGENY. WHICH OCCURED IN THIS AREA DURING LATE CRETACEOUS OR EARLY EOCENE TIME. {{ SEDIMENTARY FORMATIONS: PLEISTOCENE MORAINE AND RECENT STREAM ALLUVIUM WHICH COVER THE CANYON FLOOR. {{ METAMORPHIC ROCKS: MADE UP OF THOUSANDS OF FEET OF DARK - COLORED GNEISSES AND SCHISTS BELONGING TO THE PONY SERIES OF PRECAMBRIAN AGE. {{ IGNEOUS ROCKS: THE TYPICAL IGNEOUS ROCKS ARE QUARTZ - MONZONITE COMPOSED OF ABOUT 20% QUARTZ, 30% ORTHOCLASE, 40% PLAGIOCLASE, FLEDSPARS, LESS THAN 3% BIOTITE, AND 1% HORNBLENDE. ACCESSORY MINERALS ARE ABOUT 2% SPHENE, 1% APATITE, AND 2% MAGNETITE AND SULFIDES (PYRITE).
References
Reference (Deposit): 1961 DIREXPL USFS
Reference (Deposit): 1965 DIREXPL USFS
Reference (Deposit): 1968 DIREXPL USFS
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.