Little Chief Prospect

The Little Chief Prospect is a silver, gold, and copper mine located in Snohomish county, Washington at an elevation of 3,350 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: Little Chief Prospect

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Primary: Copper
Tertiary: Cobalt
Tertiary: Nickel

Location

State: Washington
County: Snohomish
District: Sultan 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: In Mount Baker National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
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: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Form: VEINS IN SHEAR ZONE

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 3% CU, 0.15 OZ/TON AU, 3.5 OZ/TON AG, TRACE NI

Materials

Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Copper
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): NEAR COPPER LAKE ON SLOPE OF LITTLE CHIEF PEAK

Comment (Deposit): PRESENCE OF CO AND NI SUGGEST A MAGMATIC SEGREGATION IN ROCKS OF EASTERN MELANGE BELT ( BUT GEOLOGIC MAP DOES NOT INDICATE ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS IN AREA) OVERPRINTED WITH VEIN DEPOSITS

Comment (Workings): 2 ADITS

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT CONSISTS OF QUARTZ VEINS ALONG FRACTURES IN QUARTZITE AND CONGLOMERATE. OTHER ROCKS IN THE VICINITY INCLUDE GREENSTONE, SCHIST, AND AMPHIBOLITE

Comment (Reserve-Resource): 900,000 TONS OF ORE RESERVES ESTIMATED IN 1942.

References

Reference (Deposit): TABOR, R.W., BOOTH, D.B., VANCE, J.A., FORD, A.B., AND ORT, M.H., 1988, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SAUK RIVER 30 BY 60 MINUTE QUADRANGLE, WASHINGTON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 88-692, SCALE 1:100,000.

Reference (Deposit): CARITHERS, WARD, AND GUARD, A.K., 1945, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE SULTAN BASIN, SNOHOMISH COUNTY, WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 36, P. 49-50.

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. 87.

Reference (Deposit): BROUGHTON, W.A., 1942, INVENTORY OF MINERAL PROPERTIES IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY, WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 6, P. 48-49.

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.