The Riddle Mine is a nickel, iron, and cobalt mine located in Douglas county, Oregon at an elevation of 2,740 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: 2,740 Feet (835 Meters)
Commodity: Nickel, Iron, Cobalt
Lat, Long: 42.96389, -123.44222
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.
Riddle Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Riddle Mine
Secondary: Nickel Mountain
Commodity
Primary: Nickel
Primary: Iron
Primary: Cobalt
Location
State: Oregon
County: Douglas
District: Riddle District
Land Status
Not available
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: Hanna Mining Co.
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1954
Year Last Production: 1983
Discovery Year: 1864
Discovery Method: Serendipity
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Klamath Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: Tropical Weathering Of Ultramafic Rocks
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Laterization
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Not available
Comments
Comment (Development): NON-GEOLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON DEVELOPMENT OR EXPANSION IN 1-5 YRS. ( LABOR; ENERGY; X; WORLD NICKEL PRICE; LOCAL ENERGY COSTS.). DEVELOPMENT(NO); EXPLORATION(NO); ASSESSMENT(MINE WAS SHUT DOWN IN 1982 DUE TO HIGH ENERGY COSTS AND LOW NICKEL PRICE, BUT WAS REOPENED 3 DEC 83 WITH REDUCED W-AGE CONTRACT. OPERATES USING SPECIAL OFF-PEAK RATES.); PRODUCES FERRONICKEL. ; ECON.COM: MINE WAS SHUT DOWN IN 1982 DUE TO HIGH ENERGY COSTS AND LOW NICKEL PRICE, BUT WAS REOPENED 3 DEC 83 WITH REDUCED W-AGE CONTRACT. OPERATES USING SPECIAL OFF-PEAK RATES.
Comment (Geology): UPLIFT, FAULTING, SLUMPING; PLEIS-RECENT; GRNR + LMON + SRPN; JUR OPHIOLITE WEATHERED IN MIO. WEATHERING STOPPED IN PLEIS DEPOSIT UPLIFTED. PARTS WERE SLUMPED OFF FLANK OF UP-LIFT. FRACTURES ARE ZONES OF DEEPER WEATHERING AND HAVE RICH -GARNIERITE ORE.
Comment (Location): 7 KM WEST OF RIDDLE, OREGON
Comment (Reserve-Resource): VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE BY GUSTAFSON, 1958. NO OFFICIAL FIGURES REPORTED.
Comment (Production): 14,000 MT/YR 14,000 MT/YR1984 GOAL: 7121 MT NI METAL
Comment (Deposit): THIS RECORD WAS COMPILED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY. THE DATA WERE USED IN PREPARATION OF THE USGS CIRCULAR 930 SERIES OF REPORTS. MINERAL RESOURCE CATEGORIES AND CODES HEREIN ARE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR MINERAL RESOURCES. (SEE NATIONAL RESOURCES FORUM, V. 4, NO. 3, P. 307-313.). SURFACE 3-12 M REFINED, SMELTED TO FERRONICKEL
References
Reference (Production): PA1: RF5, P. 107; PA2-PA4: RF4, 1972-81; PA8: RF6. PC1: RF4, 1955-1981; RF5, P. 107.
Reference (Deposit): GUSTAFSON, J.R., 1958, THE RIDDLE NICKEL PROJECT: PAPER PRESENTED AT AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGICAL -AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION MEETING. -(RR1)
Reference (Deposit): ROWE, W.A., MEJIA, V.M., CUMBERLIDGE, J.T., AND MATTSON, L.A., 1976, GEOLOGY OF THE NICKEL MOUNTAIN MINE, RIDDLE, -OREGON, IN WEISS, ALFRED. ED., WORLD MINING AND METALS TECHNOL-OGY, PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOINT MMIJ-AIME MEETING, DENVER, COLO.-, P. 25-46.
Reference (Deposit): CHACE, F.M., CUMBERLIDGE, J.T., CAMERON, S.L., AND VAN NORT, S.D., 1969, APPLIED GEOLOGY AT THE NICKEL MOUNTAIN MI-NE, RIDDLE, OREGON: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 64, NO. 1, P. 1-16.
Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, 1955-1981, MINERALS YEARBOOK (NICKEL CHAPTER): WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OF-FICE. (A2-PA4, PC1)
Reference (Deposit): SIBLEY, S.F., 1983, NICKEL, IN U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, MINERAL COMMODITY SUMMARIES--1982, P. 106-107. (PA1, PC1)
Reference (Deposit): PETERS, H., 1984, HANNA NICKEL TRIES AGAIN: METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY, NO. 161 [MAY], P. 51-59. (PA8)
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.
