Free Gold Claim

The Free Gold Claim is a gold mine located in Albany county, Wyoming at an elevation of 9,600 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: Free Gold Claim
Secondary: Billy Waters
Secondary: Centennial Ridge District

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Platinum

Location

State: Wyoming
County: Albany
District: Centennial Ridge 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.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: VEIN

Structure

Type: R
Description: Mullen Creek-Nash Fork Shear Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Amphibolite Is Decomposed

Rocks

Name: Schist
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Schist
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: VEIN SAMPLE: AU=2.7-87 PPM (CONVERTED FROM OZ/TON)

Materials

Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): DISSEMINATED IN 2 FT WIDE GRAY QUARTZ VEIN. LIMONITE BOXWORKS COMMON; UNPUBLISHED MODEL NAME: NEW RAMBLER CU-AU-PGE.

Comment (Commodity): UNVERIFIED REPORT OF PT

Comment (Location): NEAR TOP OF CENTENNIAL RIDGE

Comment (Workings): 30 FT SHAFT, 800 FT OF TRENCHES

Comment (Deposit): "The Free gold claim, originally known as the Billy Waters, is situated on top of Centennial Ridge. Narly 800 feet of surface workings have been developed along a two foot wide gray quartz vein that parallels schistosity of the surrounding hornblendic and chloritic schists of the Mafic Series. The quartz carries oxidized pyrite and free gold and reportedly at least 100 tons of ore was milled (Hess, 1926, p. 129)." (McCallum, 1968, p. 10)

References

Reference (Deposit): HAUSEL, W.D., 1989, THE GEOLOGY OF WYOMING'S PRECIOUS METAL LODE AND PLACER DEPOSITS: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WYOMING BULLETIN 68, P. 95.
Pages: p. 95.

Reference (Deposit): HESS, F.L., 1926, PLATINUM NEAR CENTENNIAL, WYOMING: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 780-C, P. 129.
Pages: p. 129.

Reference (Deposit): HAUSEL, W.D., 1980, GOLD DISTRICTS OF WYOMING: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WYOMING REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 23, P. 34.
Pages: p. 34.

Reference (Deposit): MCCALLUM, M.E., 1968, THE CENTENNIAL RIDGE GOLD-PLATINUM DISTRICT, ALBANY COUNTY, WYOMING: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WYOMING PRELIMINARY REPORT 7, P. 8, 10.
Pages: p. 10, pl. 1.

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