The Elkhorn Mine is a silver, lead, and zinc mine located in Jefferson county, Montana at an elevation of 6,601 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: 6,601 Feet (2,012 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Lead, Zinc
Lat, Long: 46.2725, -111.94167
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
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Mine Description
The ore deposit known as the "Elkhorn" mine was located as the Holter lode on January 2, 1875, and was worked nearly continuously from that time until November, 1899. The general history of the property has already been mentioned in giving that of the Elkhorn Mining district district.
The New Elkhorn Mining Company stopped work in the mine in the autumn of 1899, and as the pumps were withdrawn, the surface machinery dismantled and sold, and the mine practically abandoned, it was generally understood that this great producer was worked out and the last chapter of its history completed.
The entire property, including such surface improvements as were of value, was sold to two successful mining operators for $20,000 early in 1900, and it was generally supposed at that time that only the dump heaps would be worked. The new owners decided, however, to reopen the upper levels of the mine, and the property is now (May, 1901) being equipped with the necessary machinery for working, and promises to again become a producing property.
The abandonment of the mine by the English corporation was primarily due to the exhaustion of the rich ore bodies, for although more or less ore remained, it was of too low grade to pay expenses, owing to the heavy expenditures necessary in pumping the mine, which were over $1,000 a week; this, and the small number of men scattered over so large a mine working the lowgrade patches and remnants of ore bodies left in previous years, made the cost per ton excessive. Thus the actual cost of mining exceeded $15 per ton, including all expenses. Milling cost $9, owing to baseness of the ore, and for a long time the reduction works were run on a profit of only 50 cents per ton, thus necessitating very close working.
Elkhorn Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Elkhorn Mine
Secondary: Holter
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Bismuth
Location
State: Montana
County: Jefferson
District: Elkhorn Mining District
Land Status
Not available
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: Walker, Laura
Owner Name: Development Operating Co.
Owner Name: Youlden, Charles And Martha
Owner Name: Henningsen, Anker
Production
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 464988.870 mt
Material type: Cu
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 2170867.450 g
Material type: Au
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 1453504.540 mt
Material type: Zn
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 7419570.510 mt
Material type: Pb
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 468249065.40 g
Material type: Ag
Year: 1957
Time Period: 1875-1957
Mined: 800779.330 mt
Material type: ore
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Polymetalic Replacement
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Discovery Year: 1875
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Elkhorn Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Polymetallic replacement
Orebody
Form: IRREGULARLY TABULAR AND ALSO PIPE-LIKE
Structure
Type: R
Structure: INTRUDED BY QUARTZ MONZONITE AND APLITE
Type: R
Structure: MESOZOIC SANDSTONE, SHALE AND IMPURE LIMESTONE
Type: R
Structure: FOLDED AND FAULTED BELT SERIES SHALE, PALEOZOIC LIMESTONE, SHALE AND QUARTZ
Type: R
Structure: LATE CRET ANDESITIC BRECCIAS, TUFFS, AND LAVAS
Type: L
Description: Ore Is Localized In Anticlinal Arches Along Pilgrim Dolomite-Red Lion Contact
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Some Bleaching Of Slate Near Ore Bodies
Rocks
Name: Dolomite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: AVERAGE OF 7,000 TONS BETWEEN 1945 AND 1951 IS 0.0178 OZ AU/TON, 11.1 OZ AG/TON, 12.15% PB, 2.55% ZN, AND 0.14% CU
Materials
Ore: Silver
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Tetradymite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Bournonite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Development): THE ORE AGAINST THE SLATE CONTACT IS QUARTZOSE BUT WITHIN THE DOLMITE IS A SILVER-LEAD SMELTING ORE.
Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED FROM A MAIN SHAFT INCLINED 30 DEG-50 DEG FROM WHICH 23 LEVELS WERE DRIVEN AT SLOPE INTERVALS OF ABOUT 100 FT. AND VERTICAL SOPHIA SHAFT FROM WHICH LEVELS WERE RUN AT DEPTHS OF 65 AND 110 FT.
Comment (Deposit): Merged data from Deposit ID's 10008099 (Elkhorn Mine), 10069273 (Elkhorn Jefferson Co.), 10048811 (Elkhorn), 10269978 (Elkhorn), 10245604 (Elkhorn Mine), and 10008981 (Elkhorn)
Comment (Reserve-Resource): IF ADDITIONAL ORE SHOOTS CAN BE FOUND UNDER OTHER ANTICLINAL FLEXURES ALONG SLATE-DOLOMITE CONTACT, POTENTIAL RESOURCES COULD EQUAL PAST PRODUCTION
References
Reference (Deposit): FOSTER, FESS, AND CHILDS, J.F., 1993, AN OVERVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT LODE GOLD SYSTEMS IN MONTANA, AND THEIR REGIONAL GEOLOGIC SETTING: EXPLORATION AND MINING GEOLOGY, V. 2, P. 217-244.
Reference (Deposit): KOSCHMANN, A.H., AND BERGENDAHL, M.H., 1968, PRINCIPAL GOLD-PRODUCING DISTRICTS OF THE UNITED STATES: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 610, P. 153.
Reference (Production): WEED, W.H., 1901, P. 415; KLEPPER ETAL, 1957, P. 67 AND OME FILES.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): OME FILES
Reference (Deposit): KLEPPER, M.R., WEEKS, R.A., RUPPEL, E.T., 1957, GEOLOGY OF THE SOUTHERN ELKHORN MOUNTAINS, JEFFERSON AND BROADWATER COUNTIES, MONTANA: USGS PROF. PAPER, P. 67-68
Reference (Deposit): WEED, W.H., 1901, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE ELKHORN MINING DISTRICT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, MONTANA: USGS 22ND ANN. RPT. PT. 2 P. 399-550
Reference (Deposit): 1896 GEOLMAP WEED, W.H., 22ND ANN. RPT.
Reference (Deposit): 1949 GEOLMAP KLEPPER, WEEKS, AND RUPPEL, PROF. PAPER 292
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.
