Red Elephant Prospect

The Red Elephant Prospect is a chromium mine located in Baker county, Oregon.

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: Red Elephant Prospect
Secondary: Hiller Chrome Mine
Secondary: Lyons Mine

Commodity

Primary: Chromium
Tertiary: Nickel
Tertiary: Mercury

Location

State: Oregon
County: Baker

Land Status

Administrative Organization: Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

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: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Section: Blue Mountain Section

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Podiform chromite (minor)

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

Name: Andesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Middle Triassic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SILICA-CARBONATE ZONE AVERAGES 0.235% NI

Materials

Ore: Chromite
Ore: Cinnabar
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Serpentine

Comments

Comment (Location): LOCATED ON ADIT SYMBOL

Comment (Production): APPROXIMATELY 80 TONS OF 47% CR2O3 ORE WAS SHIPPED IN 1917-1918.

Comment (Deposit): RECORD (M014083) HAS BEEN MERGED WITH THIS RECORD AND DELETED FROM THE OREGON FILE

Comment (Geology): CHROMITE LENSES OCCUR IN A BLOCK OF SERPENTINIZED PERIDOTITE. SLIGHTLY ANAMOLOUS MERCURY AND NICKEL CONCENTRATIONS OCCUR IN SILICA-CARBONATE ZONES ALONG THE MARGINS OF THE SERPENTINE BODY.

References

Reference (Deposit): FREDERICK, F., 1945, STATE OF OREGON MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF QUICKSILVER DEPOSITS: OREGON DEPT. OF GEOL. AND MIN. INDUSTRIES, SCALE 1:1,000,000

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS, H. C., 1963, QUICKSILVER IN OREGON: OREGON DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES, BULL. 55, 223 P.

Reference (Deposit): MERCURY IN OREGON, 1945, USBM IC 8252

Reference (Deposit): LOWERY, W.D., 1968, GEOLOGY OF THE IRONSIDE MOUNTAIN QUADRANGLE, ODGMI OPEN FILE REPORT, P. 71. & 5)RAMP, L., 1978, INVESTIGATIONS OF NICKEL IN OREGON, ODGMI MISC. PAPER 20., P. 60.

Reference (Deposit): 1942 RECON ODGMI FILE REPORT

Reference (Deposit): 1963 COMPIL ODGMI REF. 1

Reference (Deposit): 1978 COMPIL ODGMI REF. 5

Reference (Production): ODGMI FILES

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.