Spafford Prospect

The Spafford Prospect is a silver and gold mine located in Whatcom county, Washington at an elevation of 6,558 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

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: Spafford Prospect
Secondary: Homestake Group, Homestake Prospect
Secondary: Claims: Homestake Nos. 1 and 2, Glory Be Lodes Nos. 1and 2,
Secondary: Ricky Lodes 1 Through 6, Ridge Lode No. 1

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Copper

Location

State: Washington
County: Whatcom
District: Slate Creek 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.
Administrative Organization: In Pasayten Wilderness Area In Okanogan National Forest And In Mount Baker National Forest At County, Forest, And Wilderness Boundary, All Of Which Coincide

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: E. H. Spafford, Seattle, Wash.
Years: 1969 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Northern Cascade Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Form: VEINS IN SHEAR ZONE

Structure

Type: L
Description: Shear Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Host Rocks Bleached, Silicified

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: MAX. VALUES ARE 3.8% PB, 8% ZN, 1.92 OZ/TON AG, 0.25 OZ/TON AU, 0.01% CU
Analytical Data: SPORADIC GOLD VALUES FROM $10-100/TON AU. TYPICAL VEIN CONTAINED 0.06 OZ/TON AU, 0.66 OZ/TON AG. SEVERAL ANALYSES IN STAATZ AND OTHERS

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Iron

Comments

Comment (Location): UNSURVEYED

Comment (Deposit): IRON-OXIDE STAINED LENTICULAR QUARTZ VEINS ALONG SHEAR ZONE

Comment (Workings): 500 FT TRENCH, OTHER TRENCHES, 3 PITS, 2 ADITS, INCLINED SHAFT 50 FT LONG. MOST OF WORK WAS DONE ON HOMESTAKE NO. 1 CLAIM.

Comment (Geology): HOST ROCK DESCRIBED AS WELL BEDDED, FINE-GRAINED QUARTZITE, STRIKE N35W, DIP 40NE. 1000 FT SOUTH OF WINDY PASS, INTRUDED BY DIORITE STOCK 2,500 FT ACROSS . HOST ROCKS LIE NEAR CONTACT OF HARTS PASS FORMATION AND VIRGINIAN RIDGE FORMATION/WINTHROP SANDSTONE UNDIVIDED AND COULD BE THE LATTER.

Comment (Deposit): 11 UNPATENTED CLAIMS ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

References

Reference (Deposit): STAATZ, M.H., WEIS, P.L., TABOR, R.W., ROBERTSON, J.F., VAN NOY, R.M., PATTEE, E.C., AND HOLT, D.C., 1971, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PASAYTEN WILDERNESS AREA, WASHINGTON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1325, P. 155-158.

Reference (Deposit): STOFFEL, K.L., AND MCGRODER, M.F., 1990, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ROBINSON MTN. 1:100,000 QUADRANGLE, WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES OPEN-FILE REPORT 90-5, SCALE 1;100,000.

Reference (Deposit): HUNTTING, M.T., 1956, INVENTORY OF WASHINGTON MINERALS - PART II, METALLIC MINERALS: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 37, V. 1, P. 177.

Reference (Deposit): MOEN, W. S., 1969, MINES AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 57, P. 117-118.

Washington Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Washington" 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 Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Washington.