The Commonwealth Mine is a zinc, copper, and lead mine located in Skamania county, Washington at an elevation of 3,320 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: 3,320 Feet (1,012 Meters)
Commodity: Zinc, Copper, Lead
Lat, Long: 46.3, -122.06583
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.
Commonwealth Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Commonwealth Mine
Commodity
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Arsenic
Location
State: Washington
County: Skamania
District: St. Helens District - Spirit Lake Area
Land Status
Land ownership: National Monument
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 Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument In Gifford-Pinchot National Forest
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Type: Underground
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
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: VEIN
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: 3 ASSAYS FROM VEIN IN ADIT AND ON SURFACE: 0.04-0.14 OZ/TON AU, 0.60-3.70 OZ/TON AG, 0.50-1.75% CU, 0.25-6.0% PB, 0.50-5.0% ZN. AVERAGE CU CONTENT OF VEIN PROBABLY DOES NOT EXCEED 1.5%.
Materials
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Comments
Comment (Location): 0.75 MI EAST BY ROAD FROM META LAKE PARKING AREA. NEAR SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SECTION
Comment (Development): DEPOSIT WAS WORKED BETWEEN 1897 AND 1934, BUT PRODUCTION, IF ANY, WOULD HAVE BEEN SMALL
Comment (Deposit): SHEAR ZONE IN BASALT CONTAINS IRREGULAR LENSES OF QUARTZ FROM 1 IN.-2 FT THICK. GLASSY WHITE AND GRAY QUARTZ CONTAINS SPARSE SULFIDE MINERALS. ORE MINERALS ALSO OCCUR ALONG FRACTURES IN THE FOOTWALL. A SHAFT WAS SUNK 80 FT ON AN UNEXPOSED MINERALIZED QUARTZ VEIN IN DIORITE. QUARTZ FRAGMENTS ON DUMP OF SHAFT CONTAIN MINOR DISSEMINATED SULFIDES.
Comment (Workings): ADIT, SHAFT
Comment (Deposit): CONSISTS OF SEVERAL UNPATENTED MINING CLAIMS. LOCATION MAP AVAILABLE, MOEN (1977). ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT
References
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 77.
Reference (Deposit): MOEN, W.S., 1977, ST. HELENS AND WASHOUGAL MINING DISTRICTS OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES INFORMATION CIRCULAR 60, P. 17, 39.
Reference (Deposit): ASHLEY, R.P., AND PETERSON, J.A., 1991, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, FIELD EXAM
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.
