Sunshine Mine

The Sunshine Mine is a silver and tungsten mine located in Deer Lodge county, Montana at an elevation of 7,720 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

Name: Sunshine Mine  

State:  Montana

County:  Deer Lodge

Elevation: 7,720 Feet (2,353 Meters)

Commodity: Silver, Tungsten

Lat, Long: 46.10778, -113.25528

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Sunshine Mine

Sunshine Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Sunshine Mine
Secondary: Tarlach Mine
Secondary: Tungstar Mine


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Tungsten
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Zinc
Tertiary: Antimony


Location

State: Montana
County: Deer Lodge
District: Anaconda Range 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.


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Type: Underground


Ownership

Owner Name: Val A. Galle And Earl Foster, Anaconda, Mt

Owner Name: R. R. Wallace, Anaconda, Mont.


Production

Year: 1910
Material type: AG ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^5.18 Oz/Ton Ag


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1957
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: Anaconda Range


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Form: LNESES


Structure

Type: L
Description: Mine On East Limb Of Syncline, Mine On Tarlach Reverse Fault Which Strikes N 50 E To N 70 E; Dips 70 S; Philipsburg Batholith


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SAMPLES CONTAIN 0.05 TO 0.3 PERCENT WO3. ORE AVERAGE 0.6 PERCENT WO3 AND 5.8 OZ AG PER TON.


Materials

Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Geology): JEFFERSON LIMESTONE NEAR MORRISON VEIN CONTAIN DISSEMINATED SCHEELITE CRYSTALS 90 FT INTO FT WALL OF TARLOCK FAULT. HOST ROCKS STRIKE N35E, AND DIP 20-35 NW. SEDIMENTARY FORMATIONS HAVE BEEN INTRUDED AND METAMORPHOSED BY SEVERAL SMALL GRANODIORITE STOCKS, OFFSHOOTS OF THE PHILIPSBURG BATHOLITH.

Comment (Deposit): 4 DEPOSITS IN ROUGH ECHELON PATTERN OVER AT STRIKE LENGTH OF 4000 FT. AU IN LIMESTONE. E MOST VEIN (TARLACH) IS A BEDDING PLANE LENS WITH A DIP OF 60 S AND HAS FINELY DISSEMINATED SCHEELITE CRYSTALS. THE CROSS VEIN (NEXT) IS A REPLACEMENT DEPOSIT OF A HIGH-GRADE SCHEELITE-BEARING QUARTZ LENS AT LEAST 20 FT LONG AND 3.5-4 FT WIDE. THE MORRISON VEIN CONTAINS ONLY A TRACE OF SCHEELITE. THE AUGUST VEIN ON THE W END OF THE FAULT ZONE IS 2.5-5 FT WIDE. SCHEELITE AND SMALL QUANTITIES OF S LFIDES ARE FOUND IN THE VEINLETS IN THE FAULT ZONE. SCHEELITE CAN BE FOUND AS EVENLY DISSEMINATED; IRREGULAR COARSE BANDS AND CLUSTERS; THIN DARK LIMESTONE BANDING.

Comment (Workings): MAIN WORKINGS AT THE AUGUST INCLINE SHAFT, 210 FT DEE WITH DRITS ON THE 35, 50 AND 200 FT LEVELS. TUNGSTEN TAKEN AT 200 FT LEVEL.

Comment (Commodity): WO3 RECOVERY 89%

Comment (Production): 40 TONS OF WO3 SENT IN 1950'S, ASS. 0.5% WO3.

Comment (Location): LOCATION OF AUGUST SHAFT ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1971)


References

Reference (Deposit): USBM REP INVES 5612, P. 2, 27, 29, 35-39.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 10, P. 16.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 46, P. 9.

Reference (Deposit): USGS-USBM MINERAL YEARBOOKS, 1953, 1956.

Reference (Deposit): 1958 GEOLMAP USBM WALKE

Reference (Production): WALKER USBM R. I. 5612


Principal Gold Districts of Montana

Principal Gold Districts of Montana

In Montana, 54 mining districts have each have produced more than 10,000 ounces of gold. The largest producers are Butte, Helena, Marysville, and Virginia City, each having produced more than one million ounces. Twenty seven other districts are each credited with between 100,000 and one million ounces of gold production. Read more: Principal Gold Districts of Montana.