Valley Chief Nos. 1-11 Claims

The Valley Chief Nos. 1-11 Claims is a silver mine located in Elmore county, Idaho at an elevation of 7,402 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

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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: Valley Chief Nos. 1-11 Claims
Secondary: Bayhorse Pass Prospects

Commodity

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

Location

State: Idaho
County: Elmore
District: Black Warrior 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: Boise National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Ray Cooper

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Sawtooth Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: VEINLETS

Structure

Type: R
Description: Montezuma Fault

Type: L
Description: Brecciation, Altered Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Chlorite, Silicification

Rocks

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ANOTHER DUMP SAMPLE ASSAYED : TRACE AU, 3.8 OZ AG/TON
Analytical Data: DUMP SAMPLE CONTAINED : 7.3 OZ AG/TON, 0.3% CU, 0.4% PB, 1.0% ZN
Analytical Data: SELECTED SAMPLE OF MINERAL FRAGMENTS FROM DUMP CONTAINED : 14.6 OZ AG/TON., 0.1% CU, 0.7% PB, 0.6% ZN, 0.07% BI.
Analytical Data: UP TO 12 OZ. AG/TON AND SEVERAL % ZN HAVE BEEN OBTAINED BY OWNERS IN PAST.

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Development): Econ.Com: Random Chip Sample Of Vein Assayed Trace Au, 0.7 Oz Ag/Ton; None Of Veins Minable At Present Costs And Prices

Comment (Deposit): Several Veins

Comment (Workings): Adits, Pits

Comment (Geology): 1 Altered Zone Strikes N 60 Deg W, Dips Steeply Ne, Another Strikes N 40 Deg E, Dips 78 Deg Se

Comment (Location): Sw. Side Of Montezuma Fault South Of Bayhorse Pass, NW Of The Graham Ranger Station

Comment (Development): 3 Unpatented Claims

Comment (Location): Original coordinates for line#1 were: lat/long NAD27 43-58-30N 115-14-23W (43.975 -115.23972); UTM N4870300 E641600 Z11N; PLSS line# 1: Meridian- Boise, TWNSHP 007N, RNG 010E, Sect 02, Sect_fract .

Comment (Commodity): Nine Collected Samples Around The Area Contained 0.02 To 500.2 Grams Silver, Zero To 0.03 Grams Gold Per Tonne, Tr To 0.1 Percent Copper, 0 To 0.7 Percent Lead,0 To 1.0 Percent Zinc, 0 To 0.07 Percent Bismuth And One Sample Contained A Trace Tin. Several Workings Lie Sw Of The Monumental Fault South Of Bayhorse Pass In Sec 2, T7n, R10e. Other Prospect Pits Occur In Sec 1,T7n,R10e In The Sawtooth Primitive Area.

References

Reference (Deposit): Green, W. R., 1967, Valley Chief Mine: Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Open - File Report

Reference (Deposit): Kiilsgaard, T. H., And Others, 1970, Mineral Resources Of The Sawtooth Primitive Area, Idaho: USGS Bulletin 1319-D, 174p., p. D79-D81.

Reference (Deposit): V.E. Mitchell, Et. Al, Mines And Prospects Map Series, 1981, Hailey Quad

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.