Great Excelsior Mine

The Great Excelsior Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Whatcom county, Washington at an elevation of 1,949 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: Great Excelsior Mine
Secondary: Lincoln Mine
Secondary: President Mine, Excelsior

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Arsenic
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Copper

Location

State: Washington
County: Whatcom
District: Mount Baker 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

Owner Name: Steelhead Gold
Years: 1988 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1903
Year Last Production: 1916
Discovery Year: 1900
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: BRECCIA PIPE, STOCKWORKS

Structure

Type: R
Description: West-Plunging Syncline Superimposed On West Limb Of Regional North-Trending Anticline

Type: L
Description: Strong Shears

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Andesite Is Silicified And Sericitized

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: LOWER TUNNEL: TR AU, 0.38 OZ/TON AG.
Analytical Data: BIG STOPE: 0.010 OZ/TON AU, 1.73 OZ/TON AG
Analytical Data: ASSAYS FROM EARLY PRODUCTION: TR-0.08 OZ/TON AU (AVG 0.02-0.03 OZ/TON). IN SOME SAMPLES AG AVG=2.0 OZ/TON. HIGH AU ASSAY FROM RESERVES: 0.54 OZ/TON (AVG 0.09 OZ/TON)
Analytical Data: BLACKSMITH TUNNEL: 0.014 OZ/TON AU, 1.70 OZ/TON AG
Analytical Data: HIGH SILVER ASSAY: 117.7 OZ/TON (AVG 3.44 OZ/TON). MILL LEVEL TUNNEL: 0.024 OZ/TON AU, 4.34 OZ/TON AG

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Silver
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT IS SULFIDE-CEMENTED BRECCIATED VEINS ALONG A SHEAR ZONE. THE MAIN FRACTURES ARE ABOUT 4,000 FT LONG. DIMENSIONS ARE OF BRECCIATED ZONE. DIP GIVEN IS THAT OF EAST BORDER.

Comment (Development): IN 1902, A 20 STAMP MILL WAS CONSTRUCTED. DRILLED BY HANNA MINING CO. (1975), QUINTANA EXPLORATION CO. (1976). U.S. BORAX AND CHEMICAL CORP. (1977-1981), AND STEELHEAD GOLD (1984-1987)

Comment (Workings): DRIFTS, CROSSCUTS, AND OPEN STOPES

Comment (Deposit): PROPERTY CONSISTS OF 10 CLAIMS AND 2 FRACTIONS. MAP OF MINE WORKINGS IN MOEN (1969, PL. 7). ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO MRDS RECORD M700409

Comment (Location): UNSURVEYED. ON WEST SIDE OF WELLS CREEK, 0.5 MI ABOVE JUNCTION WITH NOOKSACK RIVER

Comment (Reserve-Resource): MILLING TESTS SHOW THAT 85% OF THE GOLD AND SILVER CAN BE RECOVERED (MOEN).

References

Reference (Deposit): DERKEY, R.E., JOSEPH, N.L., AND LASMANIS, RAYMOND, 1990, METAL MINES OF WASHINGTON - PRELIMINARY REPORT: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES OPEN-FILE REPORT 90-18, P. 557.

Reference (Deposit): HUNTTING, M.T., 1956, INVENTORY OF WASHINGTON MINERALS - PART II, METALLIC MINERALS: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 37, P. 177.

Reference (Deposit): MOEN, W.S., 1969, MINES AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 57, P. 86-87.

Reference (Production): MOEN, 1969; HUNTTING, 1956; DERKEY AND OTHERS, 1990

Reference (Reserve-Resource): DERKEY AND OTHERS

Reference (Deposit): MOEN, W.S., 1976, SILVER OCCURENCES OF WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES BULLETIN 69, P. 160.

Reference (Deposit): GRANT, A.R., 1976, REPORT OF EVALUATION, MINERAL RESOURCE ANALYSIS STUDY ON UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE LAND, STATE OF WASHINGTON: PREPARED FOR U.S. FOREST SERVICE - REGION 6, CONTRACT NO. 004724N, P. 26.

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.