The Middle Sulphur Canyon Proposed Mine is a phosphorus-phosphates mine located in Caribou county, Idaho at an elevation of 7,201 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: 7,201 Feet (2,195 Meters)
Commodity: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Lat, Long: 42.6481, -111.46170
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.
Middle Sulphur Canyon Proposed Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Middle Sulphur Canyon Proposed Mine
Secondary: Middle Sulphur Canyon Mining Plan
Secondary: Sulphur Canyon #2
Secondary: Middle Sulphur Canyon #2
Commodity
Primary: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Tertiary: Fluorine-Fluorite
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Uranium
Tertiary: Vanadium
Location
State: Idaho
County: Caribou
District: Soda Springs 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: Caribou National Forest
Holdings
Type: Patented
Type: Federal Lease
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: J. R. Simplot Co.
Info Year: 1978
Years: 1978 -
Owner Name: Federal Government-Bureau Of Land Management/USFS
Percent: 100.0
Info Year: 1978
Years: 1978 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Washing
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Great Basin
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Phosphate, upwelling type
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Structure: Trail Creek Syncline
Type: L
Structure: Minor Faults And Folds
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Chert
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian
Name: Shale
Role: Host
Description: Phosphatic Shale
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: 7 SAMPLES OVER 11.9 FT. THICKNESS IN SECTION 9 GAVE 12.8 % P2O5 MAX
Analytical Data: 25 SAMPLES OVER 69.4 FT THICKNESS IN SECTION 8 GAVE 28.8 % P2O5 MAX
Analytical Data: 8 SAMPLES OVER 17.1 FT THICKNESS IN SECTION 8 GAVE 32.8 % P2O5 MAX
Materials
Unknown: Calcite
Unknown: Dolomite
Unknown: Feldspar
Unknown: Limonite
Unknown: Sericite
Comments
Comment (Workings): 343 ACRES WILL BE EFFECTED ACCORDING TO EIA, 113 ACRES OF PITS, 57 ACRES OF DUMPS, 173 ACRES OF ROADS, BUILDINGS AND OTHER FACILITIES. THE MINE AREA HAS A RELIEF OF 500 FT. ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT LIVE IN THE AREA ARE:PERGRINE FALCON, PRAIRE FALCON, GOLDEN EAGLE, BALD EAGLE
Comment (Exploration): EXPLORATORY DRILLING HAS BEEN DONE ON SIMPLOTS PATENTED LAND SIMPLOT IS NOW DRILLING 88 HOLES AND PUTTING IN 5 TRENCHES ON THE LEASEABLE LAND. ORE GRADE DATA WILL BE COMPUTED WHEN THIS WORK IS COMPLETE
Comment (Geology): THE SOUTH END OF THE BIG PIT IS MARKED BY FAULTS. THE MEADE PEAK MEMBER IS 160 FT THICK. THE LOWER AND UPPER ORE ZONES TOTAL 30 FT THICK. THE SMALL PIT WILL BE 1108 FT LONG, 300 FT WIDE AND 100 FT DEEP. THE BIG PIT WILL BE 4200 FT LONG, 1100 FT WIDE, AND 350 FT DEEP. G SET FOR MIC3 IS THE AVERAGE OF THESE 2 PITS
Comment (Reserve-Resource): MATRIX1 COL 3 IS FROM EIS. PHOSPHATE GRADE WAS NOT GIVEN BUT IT IS STATED THAT THE ORE IS OF UNUSUAL THICKNESS AND GOOD QUALITY, THE MAIN BED (FOOTWALK) IS ESPECIALLY THICK, AVERAGING 8.5 FT. COMPLETE INFO ON THE INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER ZONES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTILL THE EXPLORATION DRILLING PROGRAM IS COMPLETE TONNAGE IS COMBINED FIGURE FOR BIG AND SMALL PITS CROSSECTIONS 19B,20B, JOHNSON CREEK QUAD. 75% PROB FIGURE IS FOR A 3.5:1 STRIPPING RATIO. TONNAGE IS FROM CROSSECTIONS 19B,20B. 16820 CUBIC YDS OF WASTE WOULD BE MOVED TO GET THE ORE. 25% PROB FIGURE IS FOR A 8.9:1 STRIPPING RATIO. TONNAGE IS FROM CROSSECTION 20B,19B. 75049 CUBIC YDS OF WASTE WOULD BE MOVED TO GET THE ORE. THE 25% FIGURE INCLUDES THE ORE AND WASTE TONNAGE FROM THE 3.5:1 STRIPPING RATIO.
Comment (Deposit): SIMPLOT MINING PLAN INVOLVES 2 MINING PANELS ON FEDERAL PHOSPHATE LEASE I-01603 (688 ACRES). THE 2 PANELS COVER 74 ACRES MINING WILL BE ON THE WEST LIMB OF THE TRAIL CREEK SYNCCINE THE AREA IS A DIP-SLOPE OUTCROP WITH A THICK CAPPING OF REX CHERT. THIS THICKNESS TENDS TO OFFSET THE LOW STRIPPING RATIO WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE BE EXPECTED. THICKCHERT MUST BE DRILLED AND BLASTED, WHICH GREATLY INCREASES THE COST OF OVER BURDEN REMOVAL DEPOSIT EXTENDS SOUUTH INTO THE NW 1/4 OF SECTION 17 MINING WILL INVOLVE 2 PITS. THE PIT MINED FIRST WILL BE IN A SMALL FAULT BLOCK OF ORE LOCATED 300 FT DUE WEST OF THE MAIN PIT. THIS BLOCK HAS BEEN DOWNTHROWN AND DIPS 45 DEG E THIS BLOCK CONTAINS 200000 ST OF ORE, 300000 BANK CUBIC YDS OF WASTE WILL BE PRODUCED FROM IT THE LARGER PIT WILL PRODUCE 5 MILLION ST OF ORE AND 17 MILLION CUBIC YDS OF WASTE. THIS BIG PIT MAY GO DEEPER IF WATER PROBLEMS ARE NOT TOO GREAT ORE WILL BE SENT BY TRUCK OR SLURRY TO THE MILL AT CONDA LOCATED ON U.S.FOREST SERVICE LANDS. DRILLED OUT AND LEFT BY SIMPLOT. MAYBE 50 YEARS OR SO.
Comment (Development): 688.08 ACRE LEASE ( 1975 )
Comment (Workings): 2 PROPOSED PITS, 1 WILL BE 1100 FT LONG 300 FT WIDE, AND 100 FT DEEP; 2ND WILL BE 4200 FT LONG, 1100 FT WIDE, 350 FT DEEP; 3 DIAMOND DRILL HOLES BY USBM IN SECTIONS 8 AND 9
References
Reference (Deposit): 1975 RECON DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, V. 2 , PT. 10.2
Reference (Deposit): 1966 RECON USBM REPT. INV. 6801
Reference (Deposit): FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT VOL. 11, DEVELOPMENT OF PHOSPHATE RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN IDAHO, USGS, BLM, FOREST SERVICE, 1977
Reference (Deposit): GARRAND, LEONARD, 1975, PHOSPHATE STUDY OF SE IDAHO FOR USDA -FOREST SERVICE
Reference (Deposit): SERVICE, A.L., 1966, AN EVALUATION OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY AND ITS RESOURCES, PART 3, IDAHO. US BUREAU OF MINES REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 6801
Reference (Deposit): USGS, 1975 , DEVELOPMENT OF PHOSPHATE RESOURCES IN SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO: DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, V. 2 , PT. 10.2 , P. 30 - 62
Reference (Deposit): MC KELVEY, V. E., AND OTHERS, 1953 , STRATIGRAPHIC SECTIONS OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IN IDAHO, 1947 - 1948 , PART 1 : USGS CIRC. 208 , 49 P.
Reference (Deposit): 1910 DIREXPL SAN FRANCISCO CHEMICAL CO., USBM REPT. INV. 6801
Reference (Deposit): 1948 DIREXPL USBM, USGS CIRC. 208
Reference (Deposit): 1953 COMPILE V. E. MC KELVEY AND OTHERS, CIRC. 208
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.
