Washington Basin Deposit

The Washington Basin Deposit is a silver, lead, and tungsten mine located in Custer county, Idaho at an elevation of 9,199 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: Washington Basin Deposit
Secondary: Empire Vein

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Tungsten

Location

State: Idaho
County: Custer
District: Summit Creek Area

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: Sawtooth National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
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: White Cloud Peaks

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Hydrothermal

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Mississippian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 1 REPLACEMENT BODY OF SCHEELITE ASSAYED 0.52% WO3 SAMPLES OF SURFACE EXPOSURES OF VEIN AVG. LESS THAN 0.01 OZ AU/TON, 0.59 OZ AG/TON, 0.28% PB, 0.40% AS, 0.01% WO3. 8 RANDOM CHIP SAMPLES OF VEIN TAKEN UNDERGROUND AVG. 0.33 OZ AG/TON, NO AU. 1 SAMPLE ASSAYED 0.74% AS. 8 RANDOM CHIP SAMPLES OF QUARTZITE AVG. 0.78 OZ. AG/TON

Materials

Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Diopside
Gangue: Pyrrhotite
Gangue: Pyrite

Comments

Comment (Workings): At Least One Trench On the Property 50 Ft Wide; 1 Adit, 3 Shafts, Several Pits and Trenches

Comment (Development): Abandoned Mining Camp

Comment (Reserve-Resource): 1 Million Tons S. Part of Vein, 1.5 Million Tons N. Part

Comment (Location): Close To Washington Peak, Up Germania Creek, 2 Mi S of the Meadow View Land Status Value Calculated 7-94 Using Gis Overlay Analysis With Usfs Land Ownership Boundaries, 1:126,720 Scale.

Comment (Deposit): Empire Vein Largest Vein

References

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

Reference (Deposit): Cook, E.F., 1956, Tungsten Deposits Of South-Central Idaho: Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 108, P. 21

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): Umpleby, J. B., 1914, Ore Deposits In The Sawtooth Quadrangle, Blaine And Custer Counties, Idaho: USGS Bull. 580 - K, P. 221 - 249.

Reference (Deposit): Hobbs, S. W., 1964, Mineral Resources - Tungsten, In Mineral And Water Resources Of Idaho: Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Spec. Rept. No. 1, P. 231.

Reference (Deposit): 1914 Geolmap Umpleby, J. B., Bull. 580 - K

Reference (Deposit): 1956 Recon Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 108

Reference (Deposit): 1964 Compile Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Spec. Rept. 1

Reference (Deposit): Vannoy & Others, 1986, USGS Bull.1545e, P.298, Pl.3, No.134

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.