Copper Cliff Mine

The Copper Cliff Mine is a copper mine located in Missoula county, Montana at an elevation of 5,000 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: Copper Cliff Mine

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Arsenic

Location

State: Montana
County: Missoula
District: Copper Cliff District

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Armada Corp.
Home Office: P. O. Box 3415, Missoula, Mt 59801

Production

Year: 1910
Time Period: 1891 - 1910
Material type: AG
Description: Cp_Grade: ^About 2 Toz/St
Year: 1910
Time Period: 1891 - 1910
Material type: CU
Description: Cp_Grade: ^About 12 %

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1890
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Garnet Range

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Bearmouth Overthrust, Deep Creek Anticline

Type: L
Description: Series Of Generally Ne Trending Faults Within A 1000 Ft. Belt (Forms "The Cliff")

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation

Rocks

Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: RICHEST SHIPMENT 15 TON OF 22% CU FROM BLACK ORE BODY ABOUT50 FT BELOW THE SURFACE. OPEN PIT AVERAGED 2.5% CU.
Analytical Data: 9.5-22% CU, 0.5-1 OZ/TON AG, $0.25-2.30/TON AU (1900)

Materials

Ore: Copper
Ore: Enargite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Iron
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): U.T.M. COORDINATES TAKEN ON SHAFT - MINE DEVELOPMENT CURRENTLY LISTED AS OPEN PIT

Comment (Production): ESTIMATED FROM DISTRICT PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION RECORDS. SOME PRODUCTION IN 1970'S.

Comment (Deposit): LODE OCCUPIES NE FAULT FISSURE THAT DIPS 60NW

Comment (Workings): 150 FT SHAFT WITH ADITS RUNNING TOWARDS IT FROM POINTS 300 AND 700 FT DOWNSTREAM, AND 80 AND 200 FT LOWER. A SHORT ADIT IS RUN NORTHWARD FROM THE GULCH AT A POINT 40 FT LOWER THAN THE SHAFT COLLAR. SEVERAL DRIFTS AND CROSS CUTS.

Comment (Location): Political location in record is Missoula county. Lat/long fall in the same county but MRDS location-problem GIS test found a location problem, probably because it is 450m from the Granite county line. Original coordinates were: lat/long NAD27 46-48-32N 113-27-14W (46.80889 -113.45389); UTM N5186640 E312785 Z12; PLSS line# 1: Meridian- Montana Principal, TWNSHP 012N, RNG 015W, Sect 11, Sect_fract . The duplicate record 10270170 has very similar coordinates. The Copper Cliff mine is shown on the Union Peak quad. Geonames lat/long is 46.8079860 -113.4545269 (464829N 1132716W). Both this record and the duplicate are located about 150m S of the Geonames topo sheet location. However, since the duplicate Location Accuracy is said to be 10 meters, no change was made.

References

Reference (Production): PARDEE, 1918, U.S.G.S. 660-F MBMG BULL 8, P. 11-15

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 660, P. 220-223.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 8, P. 11-15, 28-31.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 108, P. 15.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG MEM NO 39, P. 28.

Principal Gold Districts of Montana

In Montana, 54 mining districts have each have produced more than 10,000 ounces of gold. The largest producers are Butte, Helena, Marysville, and Virginia City, each having produced more than one million ounces. Twenty seven other districts are each credited with between 100,000 and one million ounces of gold production. Read more: Principal Gold Districts of Montana.