Francis Virdin Park

The Francis Virdin Park is a gold mine located in Kittitas county, Washington at an elevation of 4,301 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: Francis Virdin Park

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver

Location

State: Washington
County: Kittitas
District: Swauk 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 Wenatchee National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

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: Epithermal vein, Sado

Orebody

Form: VEIN

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silicified Zone

Rocks

Name: Basalt
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Eocene

Name: Basalt
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Eocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Commodity): DEPOSIT CONTAINS LEAF GOLD, EXTRACTED FOR SPECIMEN VALUE

Comment (Production): SMALL WASHING PLANT OPERATING IN 1990 FOR SPECIMEN GOLD

Comment (Deposit): QUARTZ VEINS SUBPARALLEL TO BASALT DIKES IN AREA. SOME VEINS CUT DIKES AT LOW ANGLES. GOLD ORE OCCURS IN CENTER OF VEINS AND IS PARAGENETICALLY YOUNGER THAN QUARTZ AND CALCITE

Comment (Workings): SMALL WASHING PLANT (1990)

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. 132

Reference (Production): DERKEY AND OTHERS, 1990

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.