Glacier Peak

The Glacier Peak is a molybdenum and copper mine located in Snohomish county, Washington at an elevation of 5,751 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

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Site Name

Primary: Glacier Peak
Secondary: Miners Ridge
Secondary: Calumet

Commodity

Primary: Molybdenum
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Tungsten
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold

Location

State: Washington
County: Snohomish
District: Glacier Peak

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.
Administrative Organization: Patented claims

Holdings

Type: Patented

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Glacier Peak Mining and Smelting
Years: 1907 - 1959

Owner Name: Bear Creek Mining Co.
Home Office: Washington
Years: 1953 -

Owner Name: Hanna Coal And Ore Corp.
Home Office: Ohio
Years: 1937 - 1952

Owner Name: International Smelting And Refining Co.
Years: 1943 -

Owner Name: America Metals Co.
Years: 1917 - 1918

Owner Name: Kennecott Copper Corp.
Percent: 100.0
Info Year: 1980
Years: 1970 -

Owner Name: Sampson Mining
Years: 1900 - 1907

Owner Name: Vogelsang Brothers (Mineral Separation Co.)
Years: 1917 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Deposit Type: porphyry copper
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1900
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Northern Cascade Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu-Mo

Orebody

Form: VEINLET STOCKWORK, DISSEMINATED

Structure

Type: R
Structure: Entiat Fault
Description: Northwest Projection Of Entiat Fault

Type: L
Structure: shear zone
Description: Major East-Northeast Trending Shear Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Propylitic

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Phyllic

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

Rocks

Name: Granitoid
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Age Old: Miocene

Name: Andesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: MOS2 AVERAGE GRADE = 0.03-0.1%
Analytical Data: CU AVERAGE GRADE = 0.6-1%

Materials

Ore: Copper
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Tennantite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Enargite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Cuprite
Ore: Marcasite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Azurite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Talc
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Tourmaline
Gangue: Arsenopyrite
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Mica
Gangue: Ankerite
Gangue: Ilmenite
Gangue: Realgar
Gangue: Kaolinite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Epidote

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): THIS RECORD REPLACES THE RECORD WITH U.S. Bureau of Mines MAS database SEQ # 0530610748 RESOURCES IN PLACE INSIDE GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS. RIDGE MINING CO OWNS THE 18 PATENTED LODE MINING CLAIMS. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS DROPPED. NO DEVELOPMENT OR DRILLING PLANNED. Bureau of Mines comment. Refers to 1967-1968 resources.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): THE 14.5 MILLION TONNES IN THE 3 TABULAR DEPOSITS ARE PROBABLY UNECONOMIC AT CURRENT PRICES BECAUSE OF HIGH UNDERGROUND COSTS AND LOW GRADE (ONLY 7.5 PERCENT HIGHER IN CU,MO THAN THE MAIN DEPOSIT). Bureau of Mines comment. Refers to 1967-1968 resources.

Comment (Deposit): MRDS RECORDS US53008, W002695, W017895 HAVE BEEN MERGED WITH THIS RECORD AND DELETED

Comment (Commodity): GEOCHEMICAL SIGNATURE INCLUDES STRONG ANOMALIES FOR AG, AS, BI, CU, MO, PB, AND W, MODERATE ANOMALIES FOR AU, IN, K, RB, TI, AND ZN, AND NEGATIVE ANOMALIES FOR AL, CA, NA, NI, AND SR.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): SEE DERKEY FOR ESTMATED TONNAGES AND GRADES OF INDIVIDUAL ORE BODIES. UNSUBSTANTIATED RESERVES OF 100 MILLION TONS AT 0.5% CU (HOLLISTER, 1979). LAST TWO ENTRIES ARE FOR MEASURED RESTRICTED RESERVES AND TOTAL IDENTIFIED RESOURCES

Comment (Location): UNSURVEYED. ON STEEP RIDGE OF PLUMMER MOUNTAIN ON NORTH SIDE OF MINERS CREEK

Comment (Development): 56,472 FT OF DIAMOND DRILLING IN 78 DRILL HOLES

Comment (Deposit): DIMENSIONS ARE OF MAIN ORE BODY. THERE ARE TWO OTHER ORE BODIES. ENTIRE MINERALIZED ZONE IS 10,000 X 2000 X 1200 FT. SYSTEM IS ACCOMPANIED BY BRECCIA PIPES

Comment (Workings): 6 ADITS, OPEN CUT

Comment (Geology): Derkey and others (1990, p. 347) The Cloudy Pass batholith granodiorite was sheared and then intruded by a quartz diorite plug aproximately 400 ft south of the gneiss contact. Fracturing, stockwork systems, and veining developed in the quartz diorite and adjacent granodiorite. Mineralization flooded the fracture systems; the majority of the ore is in quartz diorite; lesser amounts of ore are in granodiorite, and ore extends locally into the gneiss. Mineral zonation and alteration are consistent with porphyry copper-type models.

Comment (Orebody): Derkey and others (1990, p. 347) The Glacier Peak stockwork porphyry copper-molybdenum system consists of three deposits known as the main deposit, the northeast deposit, and the eastern area. These deposits are localized in a major shear zone cutting the Cloudy Pass granodiorite. The mineralized zone is 10,000 ft long and 2,000 ft wide and averages 1,200 ft thick. It contains 1.9 billion tons of rock averaging 0.334% Cu and 0.015% MoS2. A quartz diorite plug intruded into the shear zone in the main deposit. Both the surrounding granodiorite and the younger quartz diorite were fractured and then mineralized. In the northeast part of the main deposit there is a quartz plug 130 ft in diameter. At a depth of 630 ft, it splays out into a series of quartz veins. The main deposit contains a higher-grade core of 25.4 million tons averaging 0.735% Cu and 0.036% MoS2 or 56.0 million tons averaging 0.45% Cu and 0.025% MoS2. The adjoining tabular northeast deposit contains 16.0 million tons grading 0.67% Cu and 0.062% MoS2. On the basis of data from 13 drill holes, the eastern area contains 800 million tons averaging 0.10% Cu equivalent (October 1980 prices). (See Stotelmeyer, 1981, p. 84-105.)

Comment (Geology): Derkey and others (1990, p. 347) The deposits occur on the northwest projection of the Entiat fault that was intruded by the Cloudy Pass Pluton. A post-Cloudy Pass quartz diorite plug and associated mineralization were emplaced into a major shear zone. This shear zone trends east to northeast and is located 400 ft south of the gneiss-Cloudy Pass granodiorite contact. The stockwork porphyry deposits are spatially related to fracturing intensity and east-west sheeted fissures.

Comment (General): Derkey and others (1990, p. 348) The deposits have been outlined by 78 drill holes totaling 56,472 ft and six adits totaling 900 ft. In 1968 Ridge Mining Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Kennecott Copper Corp.) controlled 18 patented claims, 98 unpatented lode claims, and 180 mill site and placer claims. Since the creation of the Glacier Peak Wilderness area, Ridge Mining Corp. has retained ownership of the 18 patented claims only. Prior to Bear Creek's option (1954), the following groups explored the property: Sampson Mining Co. (1900); Glacier Peak Mining and Smelting Co. (1907-1959) as owners; Minerals Seperation Co. or Vogelsang Bros. (1917-1918); Hanna Coal and Ore Corp. (1937-1951); International Smelting and Refining Co., a subsidiary of The Anaconda Co. (1942-1943); Earl B. Crane (1952-1954); and Bear Creek Mining Co. until 1959 when Ridge Mining Corp. (Kennecott Copper Corp.) purchased the property.

References

Reference (Deposit): 1943 DIREXPL INTERNAT'L SMELT. & REFIN. CO.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): REED, G. C., 1967, ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT GLACIER PEAK PROJECT: PRIVATE COMPANY REPORT, BEAR CREEK MINING COMPANY, 7 P.

Reference (Deposit): 1937 DIREXPL M.A. HANNA CO.

Reference (Deposit): 1917 DIREXPL AMERICAN METALS

Reference (Deposit): STOTELMEYER, R.B., JOHNSON, F.L., MCHUGH, E.L., FEDERSPIEL, F.E., DENTON, D.K., JR., AND STEBBINS, S.A., 1982, MINERAL INVESTIGATION OF THE GLACKER PEAK WILDERNESS AND ADJACENT AREAS, CHELAN, SKAGIT, AND SNOHOMISH COUNTIES, WASHIGTON: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES OPEN-FILE REPORT MLA 89-82, P. 16.

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. 27,

Reference (Deposit): GRANT, A.R., 1982, SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY DATA FOR THE GLACEIR PEAK WILDERNESS, CHELAN, SNOHOMISH, AND SKAGIT COUNTIES, WASHINGTON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 82-408, P. 16-18.

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. 71-74.

Reference (Deposit): HOLLISTER, V.F., 1979, PORPHYRY COPPER-TYPE DEPOSITS OF THE CASCADE VOLCANIC ARC, WASHINGTON: MINERALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, V. 11, P. 28-29.

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. 347-348.

Reference (Deposit): PURDY, C.P. JR., 1954, MOLYBDENUM OCCURRENCES OF WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY REPORT OF INVESTIGATION 18, P. 63-64.

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. 84.

Reference (Workings): KENNECOTT COPPER CORPORATION, 1966, ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE GLACIER PEAK DEPOSIT: PRIVATE COMPANY REPORT.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. FOREST SERVICE, 1967, MINING IN THE GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS: FACT SHEET, 3 P.

Reference (Workings): KAISER ENGINEERS, 1967, GLACIER PEAK PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY: PRIVATE REPORT PREPARED FOR KENNECOTT COPPER

Reference (Geology): BEAR CREEK MINING COMPANY, 1957, FINAL REPORT GLACIER PEAK PROJECT SNOHOMISH COUNTY, WASHINGTON: PRIVATE COMPANY REPORT, 36 P.

Reference (Deposit): COLLINS, J. J., SCHOLZ, E. A., 1943, REPORT ON THE GLACIER PEAK COPPER AND MOLYBDENUM PROSPECT: U.S. GEOLOGIC SURVEY WAR MINERALS INVESTIGATION, 64 P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Stotelmeyer, R. B., Johnson, F.L. McHugh, E.L., Federspiel, F.E., Denton, D.K., Jr., and Stebbins, S.A., 1981, Mineral resources of the Glacier Peak Wilderness and adjacent areas, Chelan, Skagit, and Snohomish counties, Washington: U.S. Bureau of Mines unpublished report, 368 p., 3 plates, 27 figures. This report is in the Washington Department of Geology and Earth Resources library.

Reference (Ownership): ANDERSON, C. F., 1963, REPORT OF MINERAL EXAMINATION: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, PATENT APPLICATION NO. W-04504, 9 P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): REED, G. C., 1968, ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT GLACIER PEAK PROJECT: PRIVATE COMPANY REPORT, BEAR CREEK MINING COMPANY, 5 P.

Reference (Production): KAISER ENGINEERS, 1967, GLACIER PEAK PROJECT SITE SELECTION STUDIES: PRIVATE REPORT PREPARED FOR KENNECOTT COPPER CORPORATION.

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