White Whale Group

The White Whale Group is a tin mine located in Pennington county, South Dakota at an elevation of 5,161 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: White Whale Group
Secondary: White Whale No. 1
Secondary: La Grande
Secondary: Mewanitoc
Secondary: Colossal

Commodity

Primary: Tin

Location

State: South Dakota
County: Pennington
District: Hill City District

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: Black Hills National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Harney Peak Co.

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: Interior Plains
Physiographic Province: Great Plains Province
Physiographic Section: Black Hills

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: DIKE

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Cassiterite
Gangue: Mica

Comments

Comment (Geology): SMALL GRAINS OF CASSITERITE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH FELDSPAR AND MICA

Comment (Deposit): 4 PATENTED CLAIMS TOTALLING 40 ACRES. THE COLOSSAL PART OF THE DIKE WAS 10 - 15 FT WIDE. THE MEWONITOC AVERAGES 8 FT AND THE WHITE WHALE NO. 1 WAS 15 FT WIDE AND 200 FT LONG.

Comment (Workings): THE COLOSSAL WAS DEVELOPED BY A 20 FT SHAFT AND A 75 FT ADIT. THE MEWONITOC HAD A 300 - 400 FT DRIFT, 40 FT SHAFT, AND AN OPENCUT. THE WHITE WHALE NO. 1 HAD A 75 FT INCLINED SHAFT.

Comment (Production): FROM THE MEWONITOC

References

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, 1955, BLACK HILLS MINERAL ATLAS, SOUTH DAKOTA: PART 2, BUREAU OF MINES INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7707.

Reference (Deposit): ROBERTS, W.L., AND RAPP, GEORGE, 1965, MINERALOGY OF THE BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN 18

Reference (Production): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, 1955, BLACK HILLS MINERAL ATLAS, SOUTH DAKOTA: PART 2, BUREAU OF MINES INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7707

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