Iron Mountain Mine

The Iron Mountain Mine is a zinc, lead, silver, gold, and copper mine located in Mineral county, Montana at an elevation of 3,520 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: Iron Mountain Mine

Commodity

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

Location

State: Montana
County: Mineral
District: Iron Mountain District (Keystone)

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.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
Years: 1960 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1889
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Coeur D'Alene Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LINEAR TO IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: The Montana Lineament Is North Of The Mine

Type: L
Description: On Southwest Limb Of Keystone Syncline

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Boulangerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Marcasite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Production): NO PRODUCTION REPORTED 1919, 1931-33, AND 1936-46. NO COPPER REPORTED PRIOR TO 1928 AND FOR 1935. NO GOLD REPORTED, 1909-1911, 1914-1921, 1923-1926, 1935-1948, 1951, 1953. NO ZINC REPORTED 1920-1924, 1935.

Comment (Deposit): 2 MAIN ORE SHOOTS CONTAINING 2 VEINS STRIKING FROM N50W TO N70W AND DIPPING 75 TO 85 NE AND NEARLY PARALLEL TO PREDOMINANT CLEAVAGE. VEINS REPORTED 2 TO 15 FT WIDE, BUT AVERAGE 3 TO 5 FEET.

Comment (Workings): LENGTH OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS APPROXIMATED AND DOES NOT INCLUDE 5000 FT OF ADIT LENGTH ASSOCIATED WITH THE 1600 FT LEVEL. THE IRON MOUNTAIN MINE CONTAINS SEVERAL ADITS AND WORKINGS ON THE 400, 500, 600, 700, 900, 1000, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1750, 1850, 2000, AND 2200 LEVELS. SHAFTS AND RAISES INTERCONNECT MANY OF THE WORKINGS ON SEVERAL LEVELS. MUCH OF MINE IS CURRENTLY UNSAFE AND THEREFORE INACCESSIBLE DUE TO CAVING AND LACK OF OXYGEN.

Comment (Geology): WALLACE FMT IN THE MINE AREA VARIES FROM PHYLLITE TO A PHYLLITE DESCRIBED AS CALCAREOUS ON THE 700 LEVEL TO SLIGHTLY DOLOMITIC ON THE 1600 LEVEL. GALENA AND BOULANGERITE INTIMATELY INTERLOCKED. SPHALERITE IN SMALL ROUNDED GRAINS THROUGHOUT GALENA AND BOULANGERITE.

References

Reference (Deposit): YOUNG, F. M., CROWLEY, F. A., AND SAHINEN, U. M., 1962 , MARKETING PROBLEMS OF SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ENGAGED IN LEAD AND ZINC MINING, MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL BULLETIN 30 P. 31

Reference (Deposit): CAMPBELL, A. B., 1960 , GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE ST. REGIS - SUPERIOR AREA MINERAL COUNTY, MONTANA; U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1082 - I P. 589 - 590 (INCLUDES MINE MAPS)

Reference (Production): CAMPBELL, A.B., 1960 , GEOL. AND MIN. DEP. ST. REGIS-SUPERIOR AREA, MIN. CO., MONT.

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.