Last Hope Group

The Last Hope Group is a silver and copper mine located in Skamania county, Washington at an elevation of 3,399 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: Last Hope Group

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Gold

Location

State: Washington
County: Skamania
District: St. Helens District - Ryan Lake Area

Land Status

Land ownership: National Monument
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: Mt. St. Helens National Monument

Holdings

Type: Located Claim

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Northern Cascade Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: BRECCIA MATRIX

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ASSAYS OF 15 SAMPLES SHOWED TR-11.22% CU, 0-0.06 OZ/TON AU, AND 0-7 OZ/TON AG, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 1.705% CU, 2.36 OZ/TON AG, AND 0.02 OZ/TON AU.

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Talc
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): Different PLSS described in Moen (1977), but he couldn't find the property. Location here probably supplied by USGS field exam and is considered the best location.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): 2,000 TONS OF ORE WAS REPORTED TO BE STOCKPILED AT THE PORTAL OF THE UPPER ADIT IN 1905

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT HAS BEEN GIVEN THE INFORMAL NAME OF A BRECCIA PIPE CU DEPOSIT, FOR WHICH THERE IS NO PUBLISHED MODEL. PYRITE AND CHALCOPYRITE OCCUR IN BRECCIATED AREA IN FINE-GRAINED GRANODIORITE. IN ADDITION TO CHALCOPYRITE BRECCIA MINERALIZATION, A 2-12 IN. QUARTZ VEIN CONTAINING GALENA IS PRESENT. QUARTZ VEIN NOT SEEN IN 1991

Comment (Workings): 2 ADITS. 79 FT UPPER ADIT WAS DRIVEN NORTH; AND 40 FT FROM PORTAL A DRIFT RUNS NORTHEAST FOR 30 FT. ABOUT 300 FT BELOW UPPER ADIT, LOWER ADIT WAS DRIVEN DUE NORTH 262 FT; LAST 12 FT OF ADIT EXPOSED QUARTZ CONTAINING ABUNDANT PYRITE AND CHALCOPYRITE

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN THE LITERATURE AS A VEIN DEPOSIT, BUT FIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF MATERIAL ON THE DUMP AND THE PRESENCE OF A BRECCIA EXPOSED ABOVE THE WORKINGS SUGGEST THAT THE DEPOSIT IS MORE LIKELY RELATED TO A BRECCIA

Comment (Deposit): LOCATION MAP AVAILABLE IN MOEN, (1977) P. 17

Comment (Location): ON SOUTH SLOPE OF GOAT MOUNTAIN BETWEEN MINNIE LEE AND POLAR STAR CLAIMS. NEAR NORTH EDGE OF BLAST ZONE FROM 1980 MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTION

References

Reference (Deposit): HUNTTING, M.T., 1956, INVENTORY OF WASHINGTON MINERALS - PART II, METALLIC MINERALS: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 37, V. 1, P. 77.

Reference (Deposit): ASHLEY, R.P., AND PETERSON, J.A., 1991, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, FIELD EXAM

Reference (Deposit): MOEN, W.S., 1977, ST. HELENS AND WASHOUGLA MINING DISTRICTS OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES INFORMATION CIRCULAR 60, P. 17, 24.

Washington Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Washington" 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 Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Washington.