Minidoka

The Minidoka is a gold mine located in Blaine county, Idaho at an elevation of 4,199 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: Minidoka
Secondary: Sweetzer-Burroughs Dredge

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Platinum

Location

State: Idaho
County: Blaine
District: Snake River Area

Land Status

Land ownership: Federal
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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Section: Snake River Plain

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Form: STREAM SEDIMENT DEPOSITS

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Allanite
Ore: Zircon
Ore: Garnet
Ore: Gold
Ore: Olivine
Ore: Platinum
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Augite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Obsidian

Comments

Comment (Location): AREA NOW COVERED BY LAKE WALCOTT BEHIND MINIDOKA DAM. LOCATION IS ESTIMATED IN LAKE AREA

Comment (Commodity): GOLD IS FINE AND FLAKY. PLATINUM IS ASHY GRAY METALLIC PARTICLES FOUND IN THE AMALGAMATION OF GOLD (MICROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION), ABOUT SAME SIZE AS GOLD PARTICLES. SUPPOSEDLY 0.25 OZ OF PT IN POSESSION OF LEWEIS SWEETZER. SHANNON ATTRIBUTES ONE OF DAY'S SAMPLES TO MINIDOKA AREA - POSSIBLY THE ONES WE USED FOR BLACKFOOT AREA, WHICH MAY NOT CONTAIN PT.

References

Reference (Deposit): SHANNON, E.V., 1922, MINERALOGY OF SOME BLACK SANDS FROM IDAHO, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODS USED FOR THEIR STUDY: PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, V. 60, ART. 3, 33 P.

Reference (Deposit): HILL, J.M., 1916, NOTES ON THE FINE GOLD OF SNAKE RIVER, IDAHO, IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONIMIC GEOLOGY 1915: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 620, P. 271-294.

Idaho Gold

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