The Nickel Mountain is a nickel mine located in Douglas county, Oregon at an elevation of 2,904 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: 2,904 Feet (885 Meters)
Commodity: Nickel
Lat, Long: 42.96111, -123.43889
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.
Nickel Mountain MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Nickel Mountain
Secondary: Hanna Nickel Mine
Commodity
Primary: Nickel
Secondary: Cobalt
Secondary: Platinum
Secondary: Palladium
Tertiary: Rhodium
Tertiary: Iridium
Tertiary: Ruthenium
Location
State: Oregon
County: Douglas
District: Riddle District
Land Status
Land ownership: Private
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
Ownership
Owner Name: Glenbrook Nickel Co.
Years: 1992 -
Production
Year: 1979
Material type: NI
Description: Ap_Grade: ^1.38% Ni
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1882
Discovery Year: 1864
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Klamath Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Lateritic Ni
Orebody
Form: STRATIFIED BLANKET
Structure
Type: R
Description: See Comments
Type: L
Description: Rock Fault And Sring Fault Related To Saprolite Formation; Joints Related To Depth Of Saprolite; Former Water Table Related To Boxwork Ore.
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Sandstone
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pliocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: PRESUMED TO BE UNPUB. DATA OF N.J PAGE
Analytical Data: PARENT ROCKS RANGE FROM 0.52 TO 0.29% NI. AVERAGE CONCENTRATIONS (PPB) FOR 19 PGM SAMPLES: PT=18.78, PD=22.19, RH=11.53, IR=48.78, RU=156.22
Materials
Ore: Sepiolite
Ore: Chlorite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Chromite
Ore: Spinel
Ore: Garnierite
Ore: Ilmenite
Gangue: Chalcedony
Comments
Comment (Reserve-Resource): CORNWALL (1966) REPORTED SEVERAL OTHER DEPOSITS IN THE KLAMATH MOUNTAINS, INCLUDING EIGHT DOLLAR MOUNTAIN, WOODCOCK MT., RED FLATS, PINE FLAT MT., AND LITTLE RED MOUNTAIN, CONTAIN AN ESTIMATED 45 MILLION METRIC TONS OF LATERITE MATERIAL, BUT THE NICKEL CONTENT IN ALL THESE DEPOSITS IS LESS THAN 1%.
Comment (Location): DEPOSIT COVERS UPPER PART OF NICKEL MOUNTAIN
Comment (Deposit): THE DEPOSITS (OCCURRING AT OR NEAR FREDERICKTOWN), THAT CONTAIN MOSTLY GALENA AND SPHALERITE HAVE BEEN AND ARE BEING MINED AT A PROFIT (THIS AS OF 1966), BUT ATTEMPTS TO RECOVER COPPER, NICKEL, AND COBALT FROM DEPOSITS WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF THOSE METALS, THAT IS, THOSE WITH CHALCOPYRITE AND SIEGENITE, HAVE FAILED DUE TO METALLURGICAL PROBLEMS IN SEPARATING THE METALS (CORNWALL, 1966). SEVERAL DEPOSITS INCLUDING THOSE WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF CU, CO, AND NI MINERALS, OCCUR WHERE THE LAMOTTE SANDSTONE PINCHES OUT AGAINST THE PRECAMBRIAN PEAKS. THESE DEPOSITS ARE SINOUS LENSES, 0-40 FT. THICK, T0-250 FT. WIDE, SEVERAL HUNDRED FT. LONG, AND COMPARATIVELY FLAT AT DEPTHS OF 250-400 FT. BELOW THE SURFACE.
Comment (Deposit): UPDATE BY GLENN L. SHAFFER-1/75, ADDITIONAL GEOLOGIC DESCRIPTION ADDED. THIS SUBDISTRICT INCLUDES SEVERAL MINES SUCH AS MINE LAMOTTE, MADISON, HICKORY NUT, FLEMING, CATHERINE, RUTH. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Comment (Deposit): THREE LAYERS IN SOIL: BRICK RED SOIL (MOST CO HERE?), YELLOW LIMONITIC LAYER WITH SOME QUARTZ GARNIERITE BOXWORK, AND BOXWORK OF QUARTZ AND GARNIERITE IN NEARLY FRESH PERIDOTITE. ALL ZONES HAVE SOME NICKEL AND ARE MINED. LAYER (3) HAS HIGHEST GRADE. UPDATE BY GLENN L. SHAFFER-1/75, GEOLOGIC DESCRIPTION, PRODUCTION DATA, RESERVES AND POTENTIAL RESOURCES. SMELTER ANNUAL CAPACITY 11,800 M.T. SEE CUMBERLIDGE AND CHACE FOR GEOLOGIC MAPS AND ASSAY DATA. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO: MRDS M061616.
Comment (Production): AVERAGE GRADE OF ORE: 1.4%. ONLY DOMESTIC NICKEL PRODUCTION. SINCE 1957, ANNUAL PRODUCTION HAS BEEN 10-13,000 TONS; 1972 PRODUCTION FIGURES NOT AVAILABLE. CORNWALL (1966) REPORTED "PRODUCTION RECORDS FOR THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF OPERATION, PLUS CONSIDERATION OF PRESENT CAPACITY AND MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFITABLE EXPLORATION OF A METAL DEPOSIT, INDICATE THAT THE DEPOSIT IS LARGE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A PRODUCTION RATE OF 12,000 MET TONS PER YEAR FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 YEARS." 1973 MINE AND SMELTER OUTPUT WAS 11,735 M.T. NI, 1972 OUTPUT WAS 11,900 M.T. NI. MINING JOURNAL INDICATED 26 MILLION LB/YR MINED
Comment (Deposit): 500 ACRES OF DISCONTINUOUS MANTLE AVERAGING 50 FT THICK BUT VARYING FROM 5-200 FT. TWO MAIN ORE BODIES, ONE ON TOP OF NICKEL MOUNTAIN CALLED UPPER DEPOSIT, AND ONE ON TERRACE ON SOUTH SIDE OF MOUNTAIN CALLED LOWER DEPOSIT.
Comment (Workings): OPEN PIT, TRAM 250 TPH, SMELTER
Comment (Geology): SURFACE BLANKET DEPOSIT, FORMED BY TWO-STAGE LATERITIC WEATHERING OF PERIDOTITE ON FLATTER UPPER SURFACES OF MOUNTAIN. THE NI (AND CO?) ORIGINALLY IN OLIVINE. AMOUNT OF CO IN OLIVINE AND ORE NOT REPORTED
Comment (Commodity): ORES ARE CLASSIFIED IN GROUPS: SOIL (RED AND YELLOW), SAPROLITE (SOFT, HARD SAPROLIZED PERIDOTITE), AND BOXWORK. SOILS ACCOUNT FOR 20% OF ORE RESERVE AVERAGING 10 FT THICK (0-40 FT). SAPROLITE ACCOUNTS FOR 70% OF RESERVES. BOXWORK GROUP ACCOUNTS FOR REST OF RESERVE WITH AVERAGE GRADE OF 1.78% NI IN UPPER DEPOSIT AND 1.49% IN LOWER DEPOSIT.
Comment (Reserve-Resource): ITEM 2 GRADE CONT.: 0.46% NI. ABOVE FIGURES ARE MEASURED RESERVES; INFERRED MARGINAL RESOURCES ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL TIMES LARGER THAN THE MEASURED ESTIMATE. ATTEMPTS TO RECOVER CU,CO, AND NI HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF METALLURGICAL PROBLEMS IN SEPARATING THE METALS.
Comment (Commodity): MINE LAMOTTE AND OTHER MINES OF SE MISSOURI LEAD DISTRICT HAVE SIMILAR ORE. A 1949 ESTIMATE INDICATED THAT ABOUT 600,000 LBS. OF CO IS CONTAINED IN THE LEAD ORE MINED ANNUALLY 2N THE DISTRICT BUT NO ATTEMPT IS MADE TO SAVE IT. RECOVERY OF SOME OF THIS MIGHT BE POSSIBLE IF THE PROCESS USED BY NATIONAL LEAD COULD BE APPLIED TO THESE ORES.
Comment (Production): AMOUNT OF PRODUCTION UNKNOWN; LEAD DEPOSITS IN BASE OF BONNETERRE DOLOMITE AND TOP OF LAMOTTE SANDSTONE ARE LOCALIZED AROUND BURIED PRECAMBRIAN HILLS.
Comment (Geology): INTERBEDDED SANDSTONE SHALE AND DOLOMITE ; GEOL.DESC: PRECAMBRIAN GRANITE AND RHYOLITE PORPHIRY CROP OUT AS PEAKS AND RIDGES PROTRUDING THROUGH UPPER CAMBRIAN SEDIMENTARY ROCKS THAT HAVE BEEN DEPOSITED UNCONFORMABLY AROUND THEM.
References
Reference (Deposit): CORNWALL, H.R., 1973, NICKEL, IN BROBST, D.A., AND PRATT, W.P., EDS., UNITED STATES MINERAL RESOURCES: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 820, P.441; SEE ALSO VHAY, P. 148
Reference (Deposit): MINING JOURNAL OF LONDON, 1974, HANNA - FERRONICKEL PRICE UP: MINING JOURNAL OF LONDON, V. 282, NO. 7243, P. 489.
Reference (Deposit): PECORA, W.T., AND HOBBS, S.W., 1942, NICKEL DEPOSITS NEAR RIDDLE, DOUGLAS COUNTY, OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 931-I, P. 205-226.
Reference (Deposit): BOGERT, J.R., 1960, HOW FERRONICKEL IS PRODUCED FROM LOW GRADE LATERITE BY THE UGINE PROCESS: MINING WORLD, V. 22, NO. 11, P. 33-37.
Reference (Deposit): HOTZ, P.E., 1964, NICKELIFEROUS LATERITES IN SOUTHWESTERN OREGON AND NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 59, NO. 3, P. 356-396.
Reference (Deposit): CORNWALL, H.R., 1966, NICKEL DEPOSITS OF NORTH AMERICA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1223, P. 51-52.
Reference (Deposit): SKINNER, W.R., 1973, HANNA MINING COMPANY: FINANCIAL TIMES OF LONDON, MINING INTERNATIONAL YEARBOOK, P. 306-307.
Reference (Deposit): CUMBERLIDGE, J.T., AND CHACE, F.M., 1968, GEOLOGY OF THE NICKEL MOUNTAIN MINE, RIDDLE, OREGON, IN RIDGE, J.D., ED., ORE DEPOSITS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1933/1967, GRATON-SALES VOLUME: NEW YORK, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGICAL, AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERS, P. 1650-1972.
Reference (Deposit): RAMP, LEN, 1978, INVESTIGATIONS OF NICKEL IN OREGON: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES MISCELLANEOUS PAPER NO. 20, P. 9-15.
Reference (Deposit): HLADKE, F.R., 1993, MINING AND EXPLORATION IN OREGON DURING 1992: OREGON GEOLOGY, V. 55, NO. 2, P. 27-34.
Reference (Deposit): PAGE, N.J, JOHNSON, M.G., HAFFTY, JOSEPH, AND RAMP, LEN, 1975, OCCURRENCE OF PLATINUM GROUP METALS IN ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS OF THE MEDFORD-COOS BAY 2 DEGREE QUADRANGLES, SOUTHWESTERN OREGON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MISCELLANEOUS FIELD STUDIES MAP MF-694, SCALE 1:250,000.
Reference (Production): CORNWALL, 1966
Reference (Reserve-Resource): VHAY AND OTHERS, 1973
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.
