Glass Buttes

The Glass Buttes is a mercury and gold mine located in Lake county, Oregon.

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: Glass Buttes
Secondary: Polaris
Secondary: Ryan

Commodity

Primary: Mercury
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Oregon
County: Lake
District: Glass Buttes

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Galactic Services, Inc.

Owner Name: Jackson Mountain Mining Co.
Years: 1968 -

Production

Year: 1968
Time Period: 1956-1968
Material type: HG
Description: Cp_Grade: ^Recovered From 61000 Tons Of Ore

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1956
Year Last Production: 1968
Discovery Year: 1933
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Section: Harney Section
Physiographic Detail: High Lava Plains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Description: Opalized Zones Are Along Nw Trending Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Opalization Of Host Rocks

Rocks

Name: Tuff
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Tuff
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Cinnabar

Comments

Comment (Geology): THE PRINCIPLE ORE BODIES OCCUR IN AN INTENSELY CRUSHED OPALITE BRECCIA WHICH HAS BEEN RECEMENTED BY SILICA AND CINNABAR. OPALITE DERIVED FROM GLASSY SILICIC LAVAS AND TUFF.

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION INCLUDES 119 FLASKS FROM GLASS RIDGE MINE, 368 FL FROM THE RYAN GROUP AND 109 FL FROM THE POLARIS PROPERTY

Comment (Development): DMEA CONTRACT RECOMMENDED DENIED IN 1955

Comment (Workings): RYAN & GLASS RIDGE ORE BODIES BY OPEN PIT; POLARIS DEPOSIT IS DEVELOPED BY ABOUT1000 FT OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS. PRODUCTION INCLUDES 119 FLASKS FROM GLASS RIDGE MINE, 368 FL FROM THE RYAN GROUP AND 109 FL FROM THE POLARIS PROPERTY

Comment (Reserve-Resource): ESTIMATED RESERVES ARE SMALL

References

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H. C., 1963, QUICKSILVER IN OREGON: OREGON DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, BULL. 55, 223 P.

Reference (Deposit): MERCURY IN OREGON, 1965, USBM IC 8252

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H. C., 1968, GLASS BUTTES MERCURY: ODGMI UNPUBLISHED REPORT

Reference (Deposit): REED, G.C., 1946, EXPLORATION OF GLASS BUTTES MERCURY DEPOSIT, LAKE COUNTY, ORE.: USBM RI 3926

Reference (Deposit): 5) ROSS, C.P., 1941, SOME QUICKSILVER PROSPECTS IN ADJACENT PARTS OF NEVADA, CALIFORNIA, AN

Reference (Production): USBM AND COMPANY RECORDS VIA BROOKS, 1968

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.