Mineral Creek

The Mineral Creek is a copper mine located in Kittitas county, Washington at an elevation of 2,851 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: Mineral Creek
Secondary: Durrwachter
Secondary: Liberty Lode

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Gold
Tertiary: Silver

Location

State: Washington
County: Kittitas
District: Lower Mineral Creek 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: In Wenatchee National Forest Adjacent To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Burlington Northern Railroad
Years: 1976 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
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

Model Name: Porphyry Cu

Orebody

Form: STOCKWORK VEINLETS

Form: STOCKWORK VEINLETS

Structure

Type: R
Description: Northeast-Trending Transverse Structures

Type: L
Description: Major Nothwest-Trending Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Potassic, Phyllic, Propylitic

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 0.5-1% CU VALUES. SAMPLES OF SULFIDE ZONE AVERAGE 0.33% CU, 0.06 OZ/TON AG, <0.01% MO

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Bornite
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Orthoclase
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): ON MINERAL CREEK

Comment (Reserve-Resource): SURFACE AND NEAR SURFACE MINERALIZED ROCK NEAR MAJOR DURRWACHTER WORKINGS

Comment (Development): PHELPS DODGE DRILLING PROGRAM IN 1970'S

Comment (Deposit): MINERALIZATION IS DISSEMINATED IN BRECCIATED ZONES AND PIPELIKE MASSES. MINERALIZED AREA COVERS 1.5 SQUARE MI. THERE ARE TWO MAIN BRECCIA ZONES

Comment (Geology): INTRUSIVE ROCKS MAY BE SATELLITIC TO THE SNOQUALMIE BATHOLITH

Comment (Production): 20 TONS SHIPPED PRIOR TO 1920

Comment (Workings): ADITS, DRIFT, WINZE

Comment (Deposit): MRDS RECORD M025868 HAS BEEN MERGED WITH THIS RECORD AND DELETED

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. 60.

Reference (Deposit): GUALTIERI, J.L., THURBER, H.K., MILLER, M.S., MCMAHAN, A.B., AND FEDERSPIEL, F.F., 1975, MINERAL RESOURCES OF ADDITIONS TO THE ALPINE LAKES STUDY AREA, CHELAN, KING, AND KITTITAS COUNTIES, WASHINGTON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 75-3, P. 81-85.

Reference (Deposit): GRANT, A.R., 1976, REPORT OF EVALUATION, MINERAL RESOURCE ANALYSIS STUDY ON UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE LAND, STATE OF WASHINGTON: PREPARED FOR U.S. FOREST SERVICE - REGION 6, CONTRACT NO. 004724N, P. 44.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): GUALTIERI AND OTHERS, 1975

Reference (Deposit): DERKEY, R.E., JOSEPH, N.L., AND LASMANIS, RAYMOND, 1990, METAL MINES OF WASHINGTON - PRELIMINARY REPORT: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES OPEN-FILE REPORT 90-18, P. 137.

Reference (Deposit): GRANT, A.R., 1969, CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CONTROLS FOR BASE METAL DEPOSITION IN THE CASCADE RANGE OF WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 58, P. 86-88.

Reference (Deposit): HOLLISTER, V.F., 1979, PORPHYRY COPPER-TYPE DEPOSITS OF THE CASCADE VOLCANIC ARC, WASHINGTON: MINERALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, V. 11, P. 34.

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.