Snake River Range Combined

Site Name

Primary: Snake River Range Combined
Secondary: Big Hole Mountains
Secondary: Northwestern Snake River Range
Secondary: Snake River Range
Secondary: Northeastern Snake River Range
Secondary: Southern Teton Range
Secondary: Southern Snake River Range
Secondary: Snake River Range #1-#5

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Commodity

Primary: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Tertiary: Uranium

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Location

State: Wyoming
County: Teton
District: Western Phosphate

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Land Status

Land ownership: Mixed
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.

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Holdings

Type: Other

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Workings

Type: Underground

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Ownership

Owner Name: U.S. Government
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Dist Of Columbia
Info Year: 1979

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Production

Not available

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Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Milling Method: Flotation
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

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Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Middle Rocky Mountains

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Phosphate, upwelling type

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Orebody

Not available

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Structure

Not available

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Alterations

Not available

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Rocks

Not available

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Unknown: Montmorillonite
Unknown: Dolomite
Unknown: Feldspar
Unknown: Fluorite
Unknown: Gypsum
Unknown: Illite
Unknown: Kaolinite
Unknown: Limonite
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Sphene
Unknown: Tourmaline
Unknown: Zircon
Unknown: Calcite
Unknown: Apatite

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Comments

Comment (Ownership): PHOSPHATE LANDS MAY BE LEASED FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO ACTIVE LEASES OR PROSPECTING PERMITS WITHIN THE AREA INCLUDED IN THIS DEPOSIT. FUTURE LEASABILITY OF THE RARE II LANDS IS UNCERTAIN, BUT NATIONAL FOREST LANDS ARE LEASABLE.

Comment (Geology): THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IS SUBDIVIDED INTO FIVE MEMBERS BY MCKELVEY (BIBLIOGRAPHY REF. L010), TWO OF WHICH (THE MEADE PEAK AND RETORT MEMBERS) CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS. IN UTAH AND SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING, THE MEADE PEAK MEMBER, AND IN CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN WYOMING, THE RETORT MEMBER CONTAIN THE DEPOSITS OF POTENTIAL INTEREST. THE PARK CITY FORMATION OF UTAH AND CENTRAL WYOMING AND THE SHEDHORN SANDSTONE OF NORTHWESTERN WYOMING ARE STRATIGRAPHIC EQUIVALENTS OF AND INTERTONGUE WITH THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION. THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION AND EQUIVALENT FORMATIONS ARE UNDERLAIN BY EITHER THE TENSLEEP SANDSTONE, WEBER QUARTZITE, WELLS FORMATION, OR DIAMOND CREEK SANDSTONE AND ARE OVERLAIN BY EITHER THE WOODSIDE OR DINWOODY FORMATIONS.

Comment (Production): RECOVERIES IN THE YIELD DATA SET FOR TWO-PRODUCT MILLS ARE CALCULATED FROM THE TOTAL FEED TO THE MILL AND ARE NOT ACTUAL RECOVERIES WITHIN EACH ORE STREAM. WITHIN-ORE-STREAM RECOVERIES FOR TWO-PRODUCT MILLS PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION ARE 92.0% PERCENT FOR MILL K1, DEV SCH 1&2; 88.0 % FOR MILL K2, DEV SCH 1&2; 87.0 PERCENT FOR MILL K3, DEV SCH 1; 77.0 PERCENT FOR MILL K3, DEV SCH 2; 83.0 PERCENT FOR MILL K4, DEV SCH 1; 57.0 PERCENT FOR MILL K4, DEV SCH 2. EXACT RECOVERIES USED IN CALCULATING PRODUCT OUTPUT TONNAGES FOR TWO PRODUCT MILLS PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION ARE 63.3295 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT A, DEV SCH 1&2; 28.6705 PER CENT FOR PRODUCT F, DEV SCH 1&2; 63.6277 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT B, DEV. SCH 1&2; 24.3723 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT G, DEV SCH 1&2; 44.9168 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT C, DEV SCH 1; 42.0832 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT H, DEV SCH 1; 39.7540 PER- CENT FOR PRODUCT C, DEV SCH 2; 37.2460 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT H, DEV SCH 2; 55.5347 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT D, DEV SCH 1; 27.4653 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT I, DEV SCH 1; 38.1383 PERCENT FOR PRODUCT D, DEV SCH 2; 18.8617 PER- CENT FOR PRODUCT I, DEV SCH 2.

Comment (Location): With current coordinates, location is very poor. Plots about 15 km north of Lincoln County, in Teton County. ABWilson changed county to Teton because that is where the Snake River Range is. The mountains in Lincoln County are mostly not part of the Snake River Range.

Comment (Names): OTHER NAMES:BIG HOLE MNT,NE SNK RIV RANGE,S TETON RNG,MW SNK RIV RNG.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): PROPERTY HAS BEEN SPLIT INTO 5 SEPARATE DEPOSITS FOR SUPPLY ANALYSIS WITH SEQUENCE NOS. 0560230166, 0560230167, 0560230168, AND 0560230170 WHICH CORRESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING NAMED DEPOSITS: SNAKE RIVER RANGE NO 1 (SURFACE MINE), SNAKE RIVER RANGE NO 2 (SURFACE MINE), SNAKE RIVER RANGE NO 3 (UNDERGROUND MINE), SNAKE RIVER RANGE NO 4 (UNDERGROUND MINE), AND SNAKE RIVER RANGE, (UNDERGROUND MINE). THE SNAKE RIVER RANGE COMBINED DEPOSIT IS BEING SPLIT INTO 5 SEPARATE DEPOSITS. REFER TO THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SEQUENCE NOS FOR AN EXPLANTION ON HOW THE COMBINED DEPOSIT IS BEING SPLIT-UP. [A.B. Wilson deleted these 5 records as they are duplicates as entered at this time. They all have the same coordinates, nor are there are any references. Without individual coordinates and references, these records are not useful.]

Comment (Deposit): THIS MINERALS AVAILABILITY SYSTEM EVALUATION WAS DONE AS PART OF A 1980 STUDY OF UTAH AND WYOMING PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS BY THE INTERMOUNTAIN FIELD OPERATIONS CENTER, DENVER, COLORADO. THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE RANGE EXTENDS INTO TETON COUNTY. DOMAIN - CLASSIFICATION IS AS FOLLOWS WITH APPROXIMATE PER- CENTAGES OF OUTCROP AREA IN EACH CATEGORY SHOWN IN PAR- ENTHESES: POTENTIALLY UNAVAILABLE ROADLESS AREA REVIEW AND EVALUATION (RARE II) LANDS (70), RARE II LANDS RECOMMENDED FOR WILDERNESS (25), AND NATIONAL FOREST LANDS (5). MINERAL HOLDINGS.

Comment (Production): PHOSPHATE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE SNAKE RIVER RANGE AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, BUT THE EXACT DATE IS UNKNOWN. EXPLORATION HAS OCCURRED SPORADICALLY SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, BUT NO PRODUCTION HAS OCCURRED. EARLY PROSPECTING FOR COAL OCCURRED IN SOME OF THE PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE BLACK COLOR OF THE PHOSPHATE ROCK.

Comment (Workings): ABBREVIATION FOR MINING DISTRICT: WEST. PHOSPHATE = WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD.

Comment (Economic Factors): Mining and beneficiation costs for each proposed operation were obtained by applying one of 34 basic mine models and 5 basic mill models developed for evaluating Utah and Wyoming phosphate deposits. Site-specific cost adjustments were made for land acquisition, infrastructure, unusual haulage distance to mill, the presence of multiple beds requiring mining of waste, and mill feed grade and recovery. All costs are in January 1980 dollars. The schedule of costs is based on the assumption that each proposed operation will be independently developed as soon as technically possible after the official January 1979 base date for the current phosphate study. Thus, land acquisition, exploration, and infrastructure capital costs are assumed to begin in 1979. Mine and mill capital costs include a contingency allowance of 15 percent of all other capital costs except working capital. Mine and mill working capital is estimated at 60 days of operating cost. A Bureau costing manual (bibliography data set ref. I030) was used to estimate surface and underground mine exploration, development, reclamation, plant, and equipment capital costs; underground mine operating costs; capital and operating costs for the calcining-hydration mill (if used) and for the flotation sections of other mills; costs of transporting products from proposed mills to existing final processing plants; and access road construction cost. Surface mine operating costs are size-scaled, using scaling factors from Bennett (bibliography data set ref. I001), and others (U.S. office of audit and investigation) for Idaho phosphate mines in 1976 and 1977. Infrastructure capital costs assigned to each proposed mine consist of only those railroad, transmission line, and access road costs which are needed for development of each mine. Railroad cost is estimated by the Richardson rapid construction cost estimating system (bibliography data set ref. I020). Transmission line cost is estimated from typical industry costs (A.W. Watts, 1980, Water and Power Resources Services, personal communication). Access road costs are estimated by using the capital and operating cost estimating handbook (bibliography data set ref. I030). Land acquisition costs are based on typical competitive bids for leases in southeastern Idaho, adjusted for specific deposit grade and thickness. Lease rentals and royalties are based on current rates for federal leases in the western phosphate field. Capital and operating costs for all mills, excepting the calcination-hydration mill (if used) and flotation sections of other mills, are size-scaled, using scaling factors from Bennett (bibliography data set ref. I001), from costs given for a sizing and calcining mill described by de Voto, et al. (bibliography data set ref. R030), vol. 2, appendix d. Site-specific cost adjustments for mill feed grade and recovery are made, using relative cost factors calculated from average cost and recovery curves for altered and unaltered ores (bibliography data set ref. I010).

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVE RECORD 1 INCLUDES RESOURCES IN THE IDAHO PORTION OF THE TETON RANGE, AND ON THE IDAHO SIDE OF THE NORTHWEST TREND SOUTH OF TETON PASS; EXCLUDES RESOURCES IN THE WYOMING PORTION OF ONE IDAHO-WYOMING BLOCK IN THE NORTHWEST SNAKE RIVER RANGE. RESERVE RECORDS 2 AND 5 CONSIST OF RESOURCES IN THE RENDEZVOUS PEAK QUADRANGLE ONLY. RESERVE RECORD 4 INCLUDES RESOURCES IN THE IDAHO PORTION OF THE TETON RANGE, AND ON THE IDAHO SIDE OF THE NORTHWEST TREND SOUTH OF TETON PASS. RESERVE RECORD 6 INCLUDES RESOURCES IN THE IDAHO PORTION OF THE TETON RANGE. RESERVE RECORD 3 CONSISTS OF RESOURCES IN THE FERRY PEAK QUADRANGLE ONLY.

Comment (Production): PRODUCTS A,B,C,D, AND E, WHERE PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION, ARE ACID GRADE PRODUCTS, AND PRODUCTS F,G,H,I, AND J, ARE FURNACE GRADE PRODUCTS. NOT ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE USED IN THIS EVALUATION.

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References

Reference (Production): RULE, A. R., KIRBY, D. E., AND DAHLIN, D. C., 1978, RECENT ADVANCES IN BENEFICIATION OF WESTERN PHOSPHATES: MIN. ENG., JAN. 1978, P. 37-40.

Reference (Production): PARTIALLY ALTERED PHOSPHATE ROCK OF THE PHOSPHORIA

Reference (Production): RULE, A. R., KIRBY, D. E., AND DAHLIN, D. C., 1977, RECENT ADVANCES IN BENEFICIATION OF WESTERN PHOSPHATES, PAPER PRESENTED AT S.M.E. FALL MEETING AND EXHIBIT, ST. LOUIS MO., OCT. 19-21, 1977, 17 P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): DE VOTO, R. H., AND STEVENS, D. N., ED., 1979, URANIFEROUS PHOSPHATE RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS OF URANIUM RECOVERY FROM PHOSPHATE RESOURCES, UNITED STATES AND FREE WORLD: SUBCONTRACT 78-177-S TO DEPT. OF ENERGY CONTRACT 50-54-5903 (BENDIX FIELD ENG. CORP.) BY EARTH SCIENCES INC., 1396 P. PLUS PLATES.

Reference (Production): RULE, A. R., DAHLIN, D. C., AND FERGUS, A. J., 1978, FLOTATION OF CARBONATE AND SILICATE MINERALS FROM PARTIALLY ALTERED PHOSPHATE ROCK OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION, PAPER PRESENTED AT ISMA TECHNICAL/ECON. CONF.; ORLANDO, FLA., OCT. 23-27, 1979, 11 P.

Reference (Production): GOKHALE, K. V. G. K., RAO, T. C., AND BISWAS, A. K., 1975, BENEFICIATION STUDIES ON A HIMALAYAN LEAN PHOSPHATE DEPOSIT WITH CALCAREOUS GANGUE, IN SEMINAR ON BENEFICIATION OF LEAN PHOSPHATE WITH CARBONATE GANGUE, 11TH INTERNAT. MINERALS PROCESSING CONGRESS, KAGLIARI, ITALY, APRIL 23-24, 1975, P. 53-54.

Reference (Geology): SCHROEDER, M. L., 1969, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE TETON PASS QUADRANGLE, TETON COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOL. QUADRANGLE MAP GQ-793.

Reference (Geology): LOVE, J. D., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE TETON VILLAGE QUADRANGLE, TETON COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE MAP 75-335, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Geology): LOVE, J. D., REED, J. C., JR., CHRISTIANSEN, R. L., AND STACEY, J. R., 1972, GEOLOGIC BLOCK DIAGRAM AND TECTONIC HISTORY OF THE TETON REGION, WYOMING - IDAHO: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MISC. INV. MAP I-730.

Reference (Geology): LOVE, J. D., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE GROS VENTRE JUNCTION QUADRANGLE, TETON COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE REPT. 75-334, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Geology): LINES, G. C., AND GLASS, W. R., 1975, WATER RESOURCES OF THE THRUST BELT OF WESTERN WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HYDROL. INV. ATLAS MAP HA-539.

Reference (Geology): LANE, D. W., 1973, THE PHOSPHORIA AND GOOSE EGG FORMATIONS IN WYOMING: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WYO., PRELIM. REPT. 12, 24 P.

Reference (Geology): HORBERG, LELAND, NELSON, VINCENT, AND CHURCH, VICTOR, 1949, STRUCTURAL TRENDS IN CENTRAL WESTERN WYOMING: GEOL. SOC. OF AMERICA BULL., V. 60, P. 183-216.

Reference (Reference): HARRIS, R. A., DAVIDSON, D. F., AND ARNOLD, B. P., 1954, BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 1018, 89 P.

Reference (Geology): GULBRANDSEN, R. A., 1967, SOME COMPOSITIONAL FEATURES OF PHOSPHORITES OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION, IN INTERMOUNTAIN ASSOC. OF GEOL. 15TH ANN. FIELD CONF., P. 99-102.

Reference (Geology): GARDNER, L. S., AND ANDERSON, A. L., 1944, PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS OF THE TETON BASIN AREA, IDAHO AND WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 944-A, P. 1-36, 22 PLATES.

Reference (Deposit): GARRAND CORPORATION, 1975 (?), PHOSPHATE RESERVES OF SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO: U.S. DEPT. OF AGR. CONTRACT NO. 50-820, 1102 P.

Reference (Deposit): HALE, L. A., ED., 1967, ANATOMY OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD: INTERMOUNTAIN ASSOC. OF GEOL. 15TH ANN. FIELD CONF., 287 P., 3 PLATES.

Reference (Ownership): U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, 1978, STATE OF WYOMING LAND STATUS: U.S. BUR. OF LAND MANAGEMENT MAP, 1:500,000-SCALE, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Geology): MCKELVEY, V. E., 1959, THE PHOSPHORIA, PARK CITY, AND SHEDHORN FORMATIONS IN THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 313-A, P. 1-47, 3 PLATES.

Reference (Geology): CHENEY, T. M., SHELDON, R. P., WARING, R. G., AND WARNER, M. A., 1954, STRATIGRAPHIC SECTIONS OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IN WYOMING, 1951: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRC. 324, 22 P.

Reference (Geology): ALBEE, H. F., AND CULLINS, H. L., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ALPINE QUADRANGLE, BONNEVILLE COUNTY, IDAHO, AND LINCOLN COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOL. QUADRANGLE MAP GQ-1259.

Reference (Geology): ALBEE, H. F., 1973, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE OBSERVATION PEAK QUADRANGLE, TETON AND LINCOLN COUNTIES, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOL. QUADRANGLE MAP GQ-1081.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1960, MINERAL AND WATER RESOURCES OF WYOMING: U.S. CONGRESS - SENATE, DOC. 76, P. 14-16, 145-147.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1955, DRIGGS, IDAHO; WYOMING, 1-DEGREE BY 2-DEGREE TOPOGRAPHIC MAP: U.S. GEOL. SURVEY, 1:250,000-SCALE MAP, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Deposit): CLABAUGH, P. S., 1946, PERMIAN PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS OF MONTANA, IDAHO, WYOMING, AND UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STRATEGIC MINER. INV. PRELIM. MAP 3-198, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Production): GOOD, P. C., 1976, BENEFICIATION OF UNWEATHERED INDIAN CALCAREOUS PHOSPHATE ROCK BY CALCINATION AND HYDRATION: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES REPT. INV. 8154, 17 P.

Reference (Production): NEUBERGER, R., 1968, PHOSPHATE ROCK CALCINATION IN ISRAEL: PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM, NO. 35, MAY/JUNE 1968, P. 11-21.

Reference (Production): EBERL, E., 1970, BENEFICIATION OF CALCIUM PHOSPHATE BY CALCINATION, THE MATERIAL BALANCE: RUDARSKO - METALURSKI ZBORNIK, NO. 2-3, 1970, P. 275-283.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): SHELDON, R. P., 1963, PHYSICAL STRATIGRAPHY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF PERMIAN ROCKS IN WESTERN WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 313-B, P. 49-273, PLATES.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): COFFMAN, J. S., AND SERVICE, A. L., 1967, AN EVALUATION OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY AND ITS RESOURCES - PART 4, WYOMING AND UTAH: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES REPT. INV. 6934, 158 P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): JOBIN, D. A., 1972, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE FERRY PEAK QUAD RANGLE, LINCOLN COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOL. QUADRANGLE MAP GQ-1027.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): SCHROEDER, M. L., 1972, 1973, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE RENDEZVOUS PEAK QUADRANGLE, TETON COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOL. QUADRANGLE MAP GQ-980.

Reference (Production): DUNCAN, W. E., AND FISK, H. G., 1957, CENTRAL WYOMING PHOSPHATE ROCK - CHARACTER, PROCESSING, AND ECONOMICS: UNIV. OF WYO. NAT. RES. RESEARCH INST. BULL. 6, 60 P.

Reference (Geology): PAMPEYON, E. H., SCHROEDER, M. L., SCHELL, E. M., AND CRESSMAN, E. R., 1967, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE DRIGGS QUADRANGLE, BONNEVILLE AND TETON COUNTIES, IDAHO, AND TETON COUNTY, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MIN. INV. FIELD STUDIES MAP MF-300.

Reference (Geology): SHELDON, R. P., 1957, PHYSICAL STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IN NORTHWESTERN WYOMING: U.S. GEOL. SURVEY BULL. 1042-E, P. 105-185, PLATES.

Reference (Geology): SHELDON, R. P., 1956. STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IN THE JACKSON HOLE REGION, WYOMING, IN WYOMING GEOL. ASSOC. 11TH ANN. FIELD CONF. (JACKSON HOLE), P. 66-69.

Reference (Geology): SCHULTZ, A. R., 1918, A GEOLOGIC RECONNAISSANCE FOR PHOS PHATE AND COAL IN SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO AND WESTERN WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 680, 84 P.

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