Champion Mine

The Champion Mine is a copper and lead mine located in Custer county, Idaho at an elevation of 8,501 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: Champion Mine

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Silver

Location

State: Idaho
County: Custer
District: Alder Creek 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: Challis National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Joseph Ausich

Production

Year: 1955
Time Period: 1938-1955
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^8.8 - 13.2 % Pb, 1.4 - 5.3 % Zn, 0.12 - 0.85 % Cu, Au, Ag

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1895
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: White Knob Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation

Rocks

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Early Permian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Smithsonite
Ore: Anglesite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Calamine
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Wollastonite
Gangue: Jasper

Comments

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION INTERMITTENT

Comment (Development): 9 UNPATENTED CLAIMS

Comment (Workings): 3 LEVELS; ASSESSMENT WORK PRESENTLY

Comment (Location): SSE FROM EMPIRE MINE

Comment (Geology): SHEAR ZONES TREND NNW AND DIP ALMOST VERTICAL; WOLLASTONITE OCCURS IN CAVE TUNNEL; UMPLEBY (1917) REFERS TO QUARTZ MONZONITE AS GRANITE PORPHYRY AND RHYOLITE DIKES AS TRACHYTE PORPHYRY

References

Reference (Deposit): LELAND, G. R., 1957, GENERAL GEOLOGY AND MINERALIZATION OF THE MACKAY STOCK AREA: MOSCOW, IDAHO, UNIV. OF IDAHO, M. S. THESIS, 71 P.

Reference (Deposit): MINOBRAS, 1975, IDAHO INDUSTRIAL MINERALS: MINOBRAS

Reference (Deposit): NELSON, W. H., AND ROSS, C. P., 1968, GEOLOGY OF PART OF THE ALDER CREEK MINING DISTRICT, CUSTER COUNTY, IDAHO: USGS BULL. 1252-A, 30 P.

Reference (Deposit): UMPLEBY, J. B., 1917, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE MACKAY REGION, IDAHO: USGS PROF. PAPER 97, 129 P.

Reference (Deposit): 1917 GEOLMAP UMPLEBY, J. B., PROF. PAPER 97

Reference (Deposit): 1968 GEOLMAP NELSON, W. H. AND ROSS, C. P., BULL. 1252-A

Reference (Production): ITEMS 8-13, LELAND, G. R., 1957, UNIV. IDAHO, M. S. THESIS; ITEM 14, NELSON, W. H., AND ROSS, C. P., 1968, USGS BULL. 1252-A

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.