The Lower Owl Creek Placer is a gold mine located in Lemhi county, Idaho at an elevation of 3,150 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: 3,150 Feet (960 Meters)
Commodity: Gold
Lat, Long: 45.3139, -114.45940
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.
Lower Owl Creek Placer MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Lower Owl Creek Placer
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Iron
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Zirconium
Location
State: Idaho
County: Lemhi
District: Clear Creek - Upper Big Deer Creek Area
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: Salmon National Forest
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Placer
Operation Type: Surface
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Salmon River Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: SAMPLES CONTAINED VALUES OF LESS THAN $0.01/C.Y.
Materials
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Zircon
Comments
Comment (Deposit): Deposit Contains High And Low Benches Covered By Alluvial - Fan Detritus. A Depth To Bedrock Of 35 - 40 Ft., About A Third Of Which Is Due To Overburden. Contains 40 Acres Contains 40 Acres
Comment (Location): On Side Of Salmon R. Opposite Mouth Of Owl Cr.
Comment (Development): Work Consisted Of Reconnaissance Geologic Mapping & Geochemical Sampling ; Econ.Com: 283000 Cubic Meters Overburden
Comment (Production): Some Evidence Of Past Mining Activities
Comment (Commodity): Gravel Contains Black Sands
Comment (Deposit): Lower Owl Creek Placer Includes About 12 Ha Of Low Bench Gravel As Much As 8 M Above River Level Which Is Covered By A Thick, 30m, Layer Of Alluvial Fan Detritus. Depth Of Bedrock In Low Area Between Two Principle Fan Is 10-12m. About One-Third The Thickness Is Probably Nearly Barren Overburden. Volume Of Low Bench Deposit Is About 1,100,000 M3, Of Which Approximately 770,000 M3 Is Gravel. Only Minor Gold Was Recovered From The Samples, Including Reconnaissance Pan Samples Taken From Shallow Holes On The Beach. The Gravel Probably Contains Values Similar To The Upper Owl Creek Deposit, Sequence Number 0160590186. A Remnant Of Gravel In A High Bench Is 30 M Or More Above The Present River Level The High Bench Covers About 4.7 Ha And Estimated To Contain Nearly 460,000 M3 Of Gravel. Value Of Sample From The One Test Pit In High Bench Gravel Was Less Than 0.004g/M3.
References
Reference (Deposit): Cater, F.W., Pinckney, D.M., and Stotelmeyer, R.B., 1975, Mineral Resources Of The Clear Creek - Upper Big Deer Creek Area, Contiguous To The Idaho Primitive Area, Lemhi County, Idaho: USGS Bulletin 1391-C, P. 26
Reference (Production): Cater, F.W., Pinckney, D.M., and Stotelmeyer, R.B., 1975, USGS Bulletin 1391-C.
Idaho Gold
"Where to Find Gold in Idaho" 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 Idaho. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Idaho.
