High Climb Mine

The High Climb Mine is a feldspar, beryllium, mica, and lithium mine located in Custer county, South Dakota at an elevation of 6,030 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: High Climb Mine

Commodity

Primary: Feldspar
Primary: Beryllium
Primary: Mica
Primary: Lithium
Secondary: Tantalum

Location

State: South Dakota
County: Custer
District: Unorganized 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: Black Hills National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Gladys Wells And Fred Heidepriem

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1934
Discovery Year: 1932
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Interior Plains
Physiographic Province: Great Plains Province
Physiographic Section: Black Hills

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR-SHAPED DIKE

Structure

Type: R
Description: Black Hills Uplift

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Spodumene Is Highly Altered. Albite Has Replaced Microcline

Rocks

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Columbite
Ore: Amblygonite
Ore: Feldspar
Ore: Muscovite
Ore: Beryl
Gangue: Tourmaline
Gangue: Spodumene
Gangue: Uranophane
Gangue: Triphylite
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Uraninite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Cleavelandite

Comments

Comment (Location): NE 1/4, SW 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4

Comment (Development): SINGLE UNPATENTED LODE CLAIM - 20 ACRES

Comment (Deposit): INTERMEDIATE ZONE OF CLEAVELANDITE, QUARTZ, MUSCOVITE, AND AMBLYGONITE AND A CORE OF QUARTZ-SPODUMENE.

Comment (Workings): QUARRY AND THREE PROSPECT PITS.

Comment (Geology): THE PEGMATITE IS COARSE TO VERY COARSE GRAINED, UNEVENLY SEGREGATED PLUTONIC IGNEOUS ROCK OF MODIFIED GRANITIC COMPOSITION.

References

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, 1955, BLACK HILLS MINERAL ATLAS, SOUTH DAKOTA: PART 2, BUREAU OF MINES INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7707

Reference (Deposit): FISHER, D. JEROME, 1945, PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE MINERALOGY OF SOME PEGMATITES NEAR CUSTER, SOUTH DAKOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 50

Reference (Deposit): FISHER, D. JEROME, 1942, PRELIMINARY REPORT ON SOME PEGMATITES OF THE CUSTER DISTRICT, SOUTH DAKOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 44

Reference (Deposit): ROBERTS, W.L., AND RAPP, GEORGE, 1965, MINERALOGY OF THE BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN 18

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