The Muscovite Mine is a mica and beryllium mine located in Latah county, Idaho at an elevation of 4,180 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: 4,180 Feet (1,274 Meters)
Commodity: Mica, Beryllium
Lat, Long: 46.8897, -116.57830
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.
Muscovite Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Muscovite Mine
Commodity
Primary: Mica
Primary: Beryllium
Tertiary: Uranium
Location
State: Idaho
County: Latah
District: Avon Mining 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
Type: Surface/Underground
Ownership
Owner Name: Slette, Orville
Owner Name: Idaho Beryllium And Mica Corp.
Production
Year: 1910
Time Period: 1888-1910
Description: Hand Cobbed Mica, 1888-1910 725700 Kilograms
Year: 1942
Time Period: 1911-1942
Description: Hand Cobbed Mica, 1911-1942 Few T Be, Carloads Mica
Year: 1945
Time Period: 1943-1945
Description: Beryl Production, 1943-1945 453 Kilograms
Year: 1954
Time Period: 1946-1954
Description: Beryl Production, 1946-1954 2100 Kilograms
Year: 1959
Time Period: 1955-1959
Description: Beryl Production, 1955-1959 729 Kilograms
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Milling Method: Handsort
Year First Production: 1888
Discovery Year: 1888
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Form: LENS, TABULAR, PIPELIKE
Form: PEGMATITE
Structure
Type: L
Structure: Close Folds In Bedding And Schistosity
Type: R
Structure: Steeply Dipping W Limb Of Anticline Of Great Width
Type: R
Structure: Belt Supergroup
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Tourmalinization
Rocks
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: 0.028 TO 1.4% BE IN 1942 SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS. PARTS OF SMALLER ZONES EST TO CONTAIN 25-35% BERYL. BRYANT (1939) COMPOSITE PEGMATITE SAMPLE: 84.6% SIO2, 6.1% AL2O3, 6.65% K2O, NA2O, 1.8% FEO, 0.58% BEO, 0.27 CA
Materials
Ore: Beryl
Ore: Muscovite
Gangue: Apatite
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Tourmaline
Comments
Comment (Production): HISTORY OF PRODUCTION: HPUNI IS "A FEW TONS BERYL AND SEVERAL SEVERAL CARLOADS MICA. STERRETT IN STOLL, 1950.
Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVES BELOW # 4 LEVEL (STOLL, 1950). RESERVES ABOVE #4 LEVEL (STOLL, 1950). RESERVES IN OLD MINE DUMPS (PATTEE. ET. AL., 1968). RESERVES FOR THE ENTIRE DEPOSIT.
Comment (Workings): UNDERGROUND WORKINGS CONSIST OF 2 ADITS AND 3 LEVELS.
Comment (Geology): THREE MAJOR BODIES, THE EAST, WEST, AND CENTRAL PEGMATITES, PLUS NUMEROUS SMALLER LENSES HAVE BEEN MINED
Comment (Development): WORKINGS ON PATENTED CLAIM ; ECON.COM: CRYSTALS TOO SMALL, TOO FRACTURED. HEAVY TIMBERING REQUIRED IN CLAYEY GROUND
Comment (Location): ON AND NEAR CREST OF LONG RIDGE THAT EXTENDS S FROM MICA MTN
Comment (Production): MUCH GOOD GRADE BOOK MICA PRODUCED ALL RUBY-STAINED OR BETTER
References
Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, A.L., MICA DEPOSITS OF LATAH COUNTY, IDAHO, IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. PAMP. 14, P.8, 1923
Reference (Deposit): STERRETT, D.B., MICA DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED STATES U.S.G.S. BULL. 740, P. 89, 1923.
Reference (Deposit): STOLL, W.D., MICA AND BERYL PEGMATITES IN IDAHO AND MONTANA, U.S.G.S. PROF. PAPER 229, P.37, 1950.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): STOLL. W.D., MICA AND BERYL PEGMATITES IN IDAHO AND MONTANA, U.S.G.S. PROF. PAPER 229, P. 46-48, 1950.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): FINAL REPORT, MUSCOVITE MINE (MICA) D.M.E.A. DOCKET NUMBER 2607, LATAH CO., IDAHO (CONFIDENTIAL).
Reference (Reserve-Resource): STOLL, W.D., MICA AND BERYL PEGMATITES IN IDAHO AND MONTANA U.S.G.S. PROF. PAPER 229, P.46-48, 1950.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): USBM RI 7148, P. 38, 1968.
Reference (Deposit): PATTEE, E.C., RONALD M. VAN NOY, AND ROBERT D. WELDIN, BERYL RESOURCES OF IDAHO, WASHINGTON, MONTANA, AND OREGON USBM RI 7148, P. 28-39, 1968.
Reference (Deposit): RANEY, RUSSELL G., MUSCOVITE MINE, LATAH COUNTY, IDAHO. MAS PROPERTY EVALUATION FILE REPORT (BERYLLIUM) CONFIDENTIAL UNPUBLISHED REPORT, MAY, 1983.
Reference (Deposit): U.S.G.S. PROF PAPER 229. P. 36-49, 1950.
Reference (Deposit): 1923 RECON D.B. STERRETT, BULL. 740
Reference (Deposit): 1925 RECON IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPH 14
Reference (Deposit): 1942 GEOLMAP L.R. PAGE, DETAILED SURVEY
Reference (Deposit): 1943 GEOLMAP W.C. STOLL, PROF. PAPER 229
Reference (Deposit): 1957 OTHER IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY CO. REPT. 2
Reference (Deposit): 1959 RECON IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY OPEN-FILE REPT.
Reference (Deposit): HUBBARD, C.R., 1957, MINERAL RESOURCES OF LATAH COUNTY: IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
Reference (Deposit): CHOATE, R., 1959, IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY OPEN-FILE REPT, 3 P.
Reference (Deposit): BRYANT, B.L., 1939, CONCENTRATION OF LATAH COUNTY BERYL: MOSCOW, IDAHO, UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO, MS THESIS, 15 P.
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.
