Giant Spar Mine

The Giant Spar Mine is a fluorine-fluorite mine located in Custer county, Idaho at an elevation of 6,201 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: Giant Spar Mine

Commodity

Primary: Fluorine-Fluorite
Tertiary: Silver
Tertiary: Gold

Location

State: Idaho
County: Custer
District: Stanley 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

Type: Minerals Only
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Alcoa - Aluminum Co. Of America
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Pittsburgh, PA
Info Year: 1976

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1942
Discovery Year: 1860
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Salmon River Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LINEAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Idaho Batholith

Type: L
Description: Fault With Attitude N 29 Deg E, 84 Deg Nw; Slickensides Plunging 18 Deg Sw On N Wall Of Vein

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Hydrothermal Alteration, Iron-Oxide Stains

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 18 LB SAMPLE CHIPPED FROM PORTAL ASSAYED AT : 71.5% CAF2, NO AU, NO AG
Analytical Data: 3 CHIP SAMPLES ACROSS 2 F VEINS AVG. : 76.26% CA F2.

Materials

Ore: Fluorite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Chalcedony

Comments

Comment (Location): 1/4 M S of the Salmon River. Near Mouths of Big and Little Casino Creeks.

Comment (Commodity): Fluorite Is Non Radioactive and Non-Fluorescent, But Is Triboluminescent.

Comment (Production): Total Production Consists of Several Truckloads of Fluorite Shipped During Or After World War II.

Comment (Development): The Group Is Adjoined On the Northeast By Gold Chance Claims and To the West and Southwest By Homestake Claims. 4 Patented Claims

Comment (Workings): The Workings Consist of A 150-Ft Adit, 19 Cuts, 6 Prospect Pits, 4 Diamond Drill Holes

References

Reference (Deposit): Choate, Raoul, 1962, Geology And Ore Deposits Of The Stanley Area: Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 126, 120 P.

Reference (Deposit): Tschanz, C. M., And Others, 1974, Mineral Resources Of The Eastern Part Of The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Custer And Blaine Counties, Idaho: USGS Open-File Rept., 648 P.

Reference (Deposit): 1962 Geolmap Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 126

Reference (Deposit): 1974 Recon Tschanz, C. M., And Others, Open-File Rept.

Reference (Deposit): Direxpl Alcoa, Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 126

Reference (Production): Choate, Raoul, 1962, Idaho Bur Of Mines And Geology, Pamphlet 126, P. 82

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Tschanz, C. M., And Others, 1974, USGS O.F. Rept., P. 594.

Reference (Deposit): Vannoy & Others, 1986, USGS Bulletin 1545e, P. 437, Pl. 3, No. 41

Reference (Deposit): Shawe & Others 1976 USGS Prof Paper 933 P 36-37

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.