Riddle Mine

The Riddle Mine is a nickel, iron, and cobalt mine located in Douglas county, Oregon at an elevation of 2,740 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: Riddle Mine
Secondary: Nickel Mountain

Commodity

Primary: Nickel
Primary: Iron
Primary: Cobalt

Location

State: Oregon
County: Douglas
District: Riddle District

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Hanna Mining Co.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1954
Year Last Production: 1983
Discovery Year: 1864
Discovery Method: Serendipity
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Section: Klamath Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Tropical Weathering Of Ultramafic Rocks

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Laterization

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Comment (Development): NON-GEOLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON DEVELOPMENT OR EXPANSION IN 1-5 YRS. ( LABOR; ENERGY; X; WORLD NICKEL PRICE; LOCAL ENERGY COSTS.). DEVELOPMENT(NO); EXPLORATION(NO); ASSESSMENT(MINE WAS SHUT DOWN IN 1982 DUE TO HIGH ENERGY COSTS AND LOW NICKEL PRICE, BUT WAS REOPENED 3 DEC 83 WITH REDUCED W-AGE CONTRACT. OPERATES USING SPECIAL OFF-PEAK RATES.); PRODUCES FERRONICKEL. ; ECON.COM: MINE WAS SHUT DOWN IN 1982 DUE TO HIGH ENERGY COSTS AND LOW NICKEL PRICE, BUT WAS REOPENED 3 DEC 83 WITH REDUCED W-AGE CONTRACT. OPERATES USING SPECIAL OFF-PEAK RATES.

Comment (Geology): UPLIFT, FAULTING, SLUMPING; PLEIS-RECENT; GRNR + LMON + SRPN; JUR OPHIOLITE WEATHERED IN MIO. WEATHERING STOPPED IN PLEIS DEPOSIT UPLIFTED. PARTS WERE SLUMPED OFF FLANK OF UP-LIFT. FRACTURES ARE ZONES OF DEEPER WEATHERING AND HAVE RICH -GARNIERITE ORE.

Comment (Location): 7 KM WEST OF RIDDLE, OREGON

Comment (Reserve-Resource): VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE BY GUSTAFSON, 1958. NO OFFICIAL FIGURES REPORTED.

Comment (Production): 14,000 MT/YR 14,000 MT/YR1984 GOAL: 7121 MT NI METAL

Comment (Deposit): THIS RECORD WAS COMPILED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY. THE DATA WERE USED IN PREPARATION OF THE USGS CIRCULAR 930 SERIES OF REPORTS. MINERAL RESOURCE CATEGORIES AND CODES HEREIN ARE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR MINERAL RESOURCES. (SEE NATIONAL RESOURCES FORUM, V. 4, NO. 3, P. 307-313.). SURFACE 3-12 M REFINED, SMELTED TO FERRONICKEL

References

Reference (Production): PA1: RF5, P. 107; PA2-PA4: RF4, 1972-81; PA8: RF6. PC1: RF4, 1955-1981; RF5, P. 107.

Reference (Deposit): GUSTAFSON, J.R., 1958, THE RIDDLE NICKEL PROJECT: PAPER PRESENTED AT AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGICAL -AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION MEETING. -(RR1)

Reference (Deposit): ROWE, W.A., MEJIA, V.M., CUMBERLIDGE, J.T., AND MATTSON, L.A., 1976, GEOLOGY OF THE NICKEL MOUNTAIN MINE, RIDDLE, -OREGON, IN WEISS, ALFRED. ED., WORLD MINING AND METALS TECHNOL-OGY, PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOINT MMIJ-AIME MEETING, DENVER, COLO.-, P. 25-46.

Reference (Deposit): CHACE, F.M., CUMBERLIDGE, J.T., CAMERON, S.L., AND VAN NORT, S.D., 1969, APPLIED GEOLOGY AT THE NICKEL MOUNTAIN MI-NE, RIDDLE, OREGON: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 64, NO. 1, P. 1-16.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, 1955-1981, MINERALS YEARBOOK (NICKEL CHAPTER): WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OF-FICE. (A2-PA4, PC1)

Reference (Deposit): SIBLEY, S.F., 1983, NICKEL, IN U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, MINERAL COMMODITY SUMMARIES--1982, P. 106-107. (PA1, PC1)

Reference (Deposit): PETERS, H., 1984, HANNA NICKEL TRIES AGAIN: METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY, NO. 161 [MAY], P. 51-59. (PA8)

Oregon Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Oregon" 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 Oregon. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Oregon.