Shi Shi Beach Placer

The Shi Shi Beach Placer is a gold mine located in Clallam county, Washington.

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: Shi Shi Beach Placer
Secondary: Lovelace

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Platinum
Tertiary: Osmium
Tertiary: Zirconium
Tertiary: Titanium, Metal
Tertiary: Iron
Tertiary: Iridium

Location

State: Washington
County: Clallam
District: Cape Flattery Area

Land Status

Land ownership: National Park
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

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: W. W. Lovelace
Years: 1908 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Beach Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1905
Year Last Production: 1904
Discovery Year: 1894
Discovery Method: Other
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Detail: Pacific Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Form: LINEAR STRATABOUND LAYER

Structure

Type: L
Description: Uplifted Beach Terrace

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AU=$558.09/TON (27 OZ/TON, 925 PPM), PT=$613.50/TON (20.45 OZ/TON, 700 PPM) IN CONCENTRATE. COMPOSITION OF BLACK SANDS AT SHI SHI (IN LB/TON): MAGNETITE 40, ILMENITE 1120, GARNET (PINK) 424, MONAZITE TRACE, ZIRCON 96, UNCLASSIFIED 120. PT:AU=1:5 TO 1:15

Materials

Ore: Monazite
Ore: Garnet
Ore: Zircon
Ore: Iridosmine
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Platinum

Comments

Comment (Commodity): GRAINS OF PT ONLY ABOUT 1/4 AS LARGE AS THOSE OF GOLD; ABOUT 10% OF PT GRAINS WERE FERROMAGNETIC.

Comment (Location): IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK. NEAR MOUTH OF PETROLEUM CREEK. LOCATION GIVEN IS MOUTH OF PETROLEUM CREEK

Comment (Production): OZETTE AND SHI SHI PLACERS COMBINED PRODUCED $15,000 PRIOR TO 1904

Comment (Deposit): BEACH DEPOSIT IN WHICH A THIN LAYER OF FINE HEAVY SAND RESTS ON A WAVE-CUT TERRACE IN SANDSTONE OVERLAIN BY 1-3 FT OF GRAVEL AND SAND. AU AND PT ARE FOUND IN THIN LAYER AND IN JOINTS AND FRACTURES IN BEDROCK.

Comment (Geology): PLACER MATERIAL IS OF GLACIAL ORIGIN. IT RESTS ON A WAVE CUT TERRACE

References

Reference (Deposit): DAY, D.T., AND RICHARDS, R.H., 1906, USEFUL MINERALS IN THE BLACK SANDS OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES, CALENDAR YEAR 1905, P. 1218-1219.

Reference (Deposit): HUNTTING, M.T., 1955, GOLD IN WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 42, P. 117.

Reference (Deposit): PARDEE, J.T., 1929, PLATINUM AND BLACK SAND IN WASHINGTON, IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 1928: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 805, P. 2-5.

Reference (Deposit): DERKEY, R.E., JOSEPH, N.L., AND LASMANIS, RAYMOND, 1990, METAL MINES OF WASHINGTON - PRELIMINARY REPORT: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES OPEN-FILE REPORT 90-18, P. 28.

Washington Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Washington" 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 Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Washington.