The Hecla Mines is a silver and lead mine located in Beaverhead county, Montana at an elevation of 8,560 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: 8,560 Feet (2,609 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Lead
Lat, Long: 45.6039, -112.93170
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
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Hecla Mines MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Hecla Mines
Secondary: Bryant
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Gold
Location
State: Montana
County: Beaverhead
District: HECLA (BRYANT) DISTRICT
Land Status
Land ownership: Private
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
Type: Patented
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Not available
Production
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 1737827.580 mt
Material type: Zn
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 51021152.950 mt
Material type: Pb
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 3751724.180 mt
Material type: Cu
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 567638.520 g
Material type: Ag
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 416311446.41 g
Material type: Ag
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 723201.990 mt
Material type: ore
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Polymetallic Veins
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Polymetallic veins
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: L
Structure: BASALT DIKES; NORMAL FAULTS
Type: L
Structure: GREAT FAULT
Type: R
Structure: WISE RIVER THRUST
Type: R
Structure: DOME WITH OVERTURNED FOLDS, THRUSTING, AND TEAR FAULTS
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration: SERITICIZATION, OXIDATION
Rocks
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Description: QUARTZ MONZONITE
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Tertiary
Name: Carbonate
Role: Host
Description: DOLOMITE, LIMESTONE
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Devonian
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Pyrite
Comments
Comment (Geology): GREAT FAULT (NORTHWEST-TRENDING, STEEP NORTH DIPPING) (CROWLEY, 1972); BASALT DIKES; NORMAL FAULTS (?GARY LIVELY? FAULT, AND ?BIG? FAULT OF GIGNOUX, 2000); ?TWO MAJOR FAULTS ALONG DIKES ARE THE MOUNTAIN SHEEP AND THE ATLANTUS; THE ATLANTUS FAULT-DIKE TERMINATED THE ATLANTUS ORE BODY DOWNDIP.? CROWLEY, 1972. THE DIKES WERE INTERPRETED BY CROWLEY AS POST-MINERAL.
Comment (Workings): EXTENSIVE UNDERGROUND WORKINGS IN CLEVE AND LION MTNS. MAIN WORKING WAS 3000 FT LION TUNNEL. MANY WORKINGS OPEN IN 1972. 20 MILES OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS ON LION MOUNTAIN (CROWLEY, 1972).
Comment (Deposit): Merged data from Depodit ID's 10245151 (Lion Mountain), 10197094 (True Fissure Mine), 10070486 (Hecla-Silver King Group) 10221038 (Silver King Mine).
Comment (Deposit): LION MTN. ORE BODIES ARE OFFSET STEP-WISE TO NE. ?AG-PB-ZN REPLACEMENT DEPOSITS WHICH FORMED AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF THRUST FAULTS AND FAVORABLE BEDS? (GIGNOUX, 2000)
Comment (Exploration): THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY WAS TAKEN FROM GEACH, 1972: 1872 - WILLIAM SPURR LOCATED THE FOREST QUEEN CLAIM. 1873 - FIRST ORE SHIPPED TO SWANSEA, WALES. 1874 - 40-TON LEAD SMELTER BUILT AT GLENDALE, 10 MILES DOWN THE VALLEY. 1877 - HECLA CONSOLIDATED MINING COMPANY PURCHASES MOST MAJOR MINING PROPERTIES. 1881 TO 1901 - $15 MILLION IN GROSS METAL VALUE PRODUCED. 1913 TO 1915 - PENOBSCOT MINING COMPANY PRODUCED ORE WORTH $243,427. 1916 TO 1922 - $902, 878 IN METALS PRODUCED AT GLENDALE SMELTER. 1923 - PROPERTIES SOLD TO THE HECLA DEVELOPMENT SYNDICATE. 1926 AND ONWARD- LESSORS WORK THE MINES. 1928 - G.B. CONWAY PURCASES THE MINES. HE SELLS THEM TO THE FOUNDATION COMPANY OF UTAH. 1930 - PROPERTIES REVERT TO CONWAY. 1930 TO 1945 - $1,656,991 PRODUCED FROM DISTRICT. 1942 AND ONWARD - PROPERTIES HELD BY L.H. FOREMAN, DILLON AND THEN LEONARD LIVELY, MELROSE. MINING ACTIVE 1873-1920, BUT DECLINED AFTER 1904. SMALL, INTERMITTENT PRODUCTION IN 1920'S. ACTIVE AGAIN 1934-1949. SMALL PRODUCTION 1954-1965
Comment (Economic Factors): $20 MILLION IN ORE PRODUCED (GEACH, 1972).
Comment (Deposit): 4 MAIN MINE GROUPS - LION MTN., CLEVE-AVON, HECLA-SILVER KING, AND KEOKIRK-ELM ORLU (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE). HECLA MINING CO. PRODUCED $15 MILLION FROM 1881-1901. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Comment (Geology):
References
Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 111, 1979, P. 2.
Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 85, 1972, P. 111.
Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. IC 20, 1957, P. 5.
Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 25, 1948.
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.
