Hecla Mine

The Hecla Mine is a silver and lead mine located in Shoshone county, Idaho at an elevation of 3,855 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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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: Hecla Mine

Commodity

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

Location

State: Idaho
County: Shoshone
District: Lelande

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: Hecla Mining Co. (Golconda ?)
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Years: 1891 -

Production

Year: 1983
Time Period: 1898-1969
Mined: 6973501.000 mt
Material type: Ore Treated

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: HYDROTHERMAL REPLACEMENT VEIN
Plant Type: Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant Subtype: Flotation
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Filled Stopes - Horiz Cut and Fill W/Waste Rock
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1897
Discovery Year: 1885
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: L

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Bitterroot Mountains - Coeur D'Alene Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Name: East Hecla 74
Form: PINCH AND SWELL

Name: East Hecla (Russell)
Form: PINCH AND SWELL

Name: Magazine
Form: PINCH AND SWELL

Name: Hecla
Form: PINCH AND SWELL

Name: Ore-Or-No-Go
Form: PINCH AND SWELL

Name: Hecla B
Form: PINCH AND SWELL

Structure

Type: L
Description: Host fault for the Hecla vein is a feather joint off a N-S shear, part of system of N-S shears that connect the Osburn and Thompson Pass faults.

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Cerussite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Pyrrhotite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Siderite
Trace: Covellite
Trace: Boulangerite
Trace: Pyromorphite

Comments

Comment (Commodity): IN THE REX-SNOWSTORM MINERAL BELT

Comment (Reserve-Resource): ITEM 2 GIVES HECLA'S SHARE OF RESERVES FROM SUNSHINE MINE IN 1968 . HECLA'S SHARE OF 1968 RESERVES FROM STAR - MORNING UNIT AREA GIVEN IN ITEM 3

Comment (Location): ON SECTION LINE S/2, SEC'S 9 & 10

Comment (Deposit): 6 MAIN ORE SHOOTS: HECLA, HECLA B, ORE-OR-NO-GO, MAGAZINE, EAST HECLA, EAST HECLA 74 . DEPTHS TO TOP, BOTTOM, ABOVE, EXPRESSED IN ELEVATION ON HECLA VEIN

Comment (Production): Production data from Mitchell and Bennett (1983) using data reported to the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Grade data from Long (1998).

Comment (Development): 100 PATENTED, 19 UNPATENTED CLAIMS

Comment (Geology): BURKE FORMATION BEDS STRIKE NW, DIP 80 DEG NE

Comment (Deposit): HECLA OWNS MAJOR INTEREST IN LUCKY FRIDAY, SUNSHINE UNIT AREA, SILVER SUMMIT, STAR UNIT AREA, AND MAYFLOWER MINE.

References

Reference (Production): Mitchell, V.E., and Bennett, E.H., 1983, Production statistics for the Coeur d'Alene mining district, Shoshone County, Idaho, 1884-1980: Idaho Geological Survey Technical Report 83-3, 33 p.

Reference (Production): Long, K.R., 1998, Grade and tonnage models for Coeur d'Alene-type polymetallic veins: US Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-583m 28 p.

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F. L., 1905 , ORE DEPOSITS OF THE COEUR D'ALENE DISTRICT, IDAHO: USGS BULL. 260 , P. 274 - 303 .

Reference (Deposit): GRIGGS, A. B., 1952 , GEOLOGY AND NOTES ON ORE DEPOSITS IN CANYON - NINE MILE CREEKS AREA, SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO: USGS OPEN-FILE REPT., 108 P.

Reference (Deposit): UMPLEBY, J. B., AND JONES, E. L., JR., 1923 , GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO: USGS BULL. 732 , 156 P.

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): RANSOM, F. L., AND CALKINS, F. C., 1908 , THE GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE COEUR D'ALENE DISTRICT, IDAHO: USGS PROF. PAPER 62 , 203 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.