Little Pittsburg Mine

The Little Pittsburg Mine is a zinc, lead, and silver mine located in Shoshone county, Idaho at an elevation of 3,241 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

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Site Name

Primary: Little Pittsburg Mine
Secondary: Mascot Silver Lead

Commodity

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

Location

State: Idaho
County: Shoshone
District: Coeur D' Alene District

Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Mascot Silver Lead Mines, Inc.

Owner Name: U.S. Antimony Corp., Intermtn. Mineral Engineers, Inc.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1929
Discovery Year: 1889
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: Bitterroot Mountains - St. Joe Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LENSES, STRINGERS, MASSES OR BANDS

Structure

Type: R
Description: Broad Anticlinorial Fold, Axis Of Which Strikes Nw-Se

Type: L
Description: Fault (Striking N 42 Deg W, Dipping 60 Deg Sw) Displaces Vein 12 Ft E In Upper Tunnel.

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Gouge

Rocks

Name: Slate
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Slate
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ASSAYS FROM 21-FT. FACE: 8 - 10 % ZN, 5 % PB. ANOTHER ASSAY: 16 % ZN, 12 % PB, 22 % FE. CONCENTRATES ASSAY 60 % PB, 24 OZ. AG/TON. 4 FT. VEIN OF LOW-GRADE SILVER ORE ASSAYED 45.6 % PB, 17 OZ. AG/TON.

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Pyrrhotite
Gangue: Ankerite
Gangue: Siderite

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): DIAMOND DRILLING HELPED OUTLINE $1.2 MILLION WORTH ZN-PB-AG ORE

Comment (Commodity): RATIO PB:ZN ABOUT 3:7 . RATIO PB:AG, 1 %: 0.5 - 0.6 OZ. A 2 - FT CUT RAN 6.2 OZ AG AND 13.5 % PB.

Comment (Deposit): WORK DONE FROM THE NABOB MINE WORKINGS

Comment (Reserve-Resource): PROBABLE 1972 RESERVES (H4) CONTAIN $1,117,139 ZN AND PB AND $79,020 AG.

Comment (Location): ON DENVER CREEK ABOUT 1.5 MI ABOVE JUNCTION WITH E. FK. PINE CREEK. 2000 FT. E OF NABOB MINE

Comment (Development): 4 DDH BY USBM. 150 - TON MILL. FIRST PROFITABLE MINING DONE IN 1942 . 12 CLAIMS, 2 MILLSITES, 5 OF WHICH ARE PATENTED, AND SURFACE RIGHTS TO THE DON NO. 2 CLAIM (LITTLE PITTSBURG MILLSITE).

Comment (Deposit): IN THE PINE CREEK MINERAL BELT. GREATER VEIN WIDTHS USUALLY WITH CROSS FAULTS

Comment (Geology): SLATE STRIKES N 45 DEG W, DIPS 65 DEG SW

Comment (Production): ITEMS 8 , 9 , 10 ARE RECOVERED METALS FROM 111,665 TONS MILLED. MINE YIELDED OVER $6000000 IN PB-ZN ORE BEFORE BEING SHUT DOWN IN 1954

References

Reference (Deposit): HERDLICK, J. A., 1947 , LITTLE PITTSBURG LEAD - ZINC MINE, SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO: USBM REPT. INV. 3999 , 8 P.

Reference (Deposit): FORRESTER, J. D., AND NELSON, V. E., 1944 , LEAD AND ZINC DEPOSITS OF THE PINE CREEK AREA, COEUR D' ALENE MINING REGION, SHOSHONE CO., IDAHO: USGS SMI OPEN - FILE REPT., 27 P.

Reference (Deposit): 5) SPOKANE CHRONICLE, AUG. 31 , 1972 ; MAY 17 , 1968 ; APRIL 22 , 1968 ; DEC. 2 , 1970 .

Reference (Deposit): 6) WESTERN MINING NEWS 1974 - 75 DIRECTORY OF MINES IN IDAHO (COEUR D' ALENES) AND WASHINGTON, P. 83 .

Reference (Deposit): 7) SPOKANE CHRONICLE, MAR. 4 , 1968 ; JAN. 8 , 1975.

Reference (Deposit): HUNDHAUSEN, R.J., 1948, MINING AND MILLING METHODS AND COSTS AT THE LITTLE PITTSBURG LEAD - ZINC MINE, SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7428, 21 P.

Reference (Deposit): 1920 RECON E. L. JONES, BULL. 710

Reference (Deposit): 1943 DIREXPL USBM

Reference (Deposit): 1944 OTHER FORRESTER & NELSON, SMI OF REPT.

Reference (Deposit): 1947 DIREXPL USBM, RI 3999

Reference (Deposit): 1964 OTHER V. C. FRYKLUND, PROF. PAPER 445

Reference (Deposit): 1970 DIREXPL SUNSHINE MIN. CO., DIAMOND DRILLING

Reference (Production): HUNDHAUSEN, R. J., 1948 , USBM I C 7428 , 21 P. { SPOKANE CHRONICLE, JUNE 29 , 1970

Reference (Reserve-Resource): SPOKANE CHRONICLE, SEPT. 13 , 1968

Reference (Deposit): FRYKLUND, V. C., JR., 1964 , ORE DEPOSITS OF THE COEUR D' ALENE DISTRICT, SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO: USGS PROF. PAPER 445 , 103 P.

Reference (Deposit): JONES, E. L., JR., 1920 , A RECONNAISSANCE OF THE PINE CREEK DISTRICT, IDAHO: USGS BULL. 710 , 36 P.

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.