Homestake Placer

The Homestake Placer is a gold mine located in Lemhi county, Idaho at an elevation of 3,150 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: Homestake Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Zirconium
Tertiary: Iron
Tertiary: REE

Location

State: Idaho
County: Lemhi
District: Clear Creek - Upper Big Deer 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: Salmon National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Morris, G. W.
Home Office: Idaho
Info Year: 1975

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Placer
Operation Type: Placer
Discovery Year: 1942
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: Salmon River Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Zircon
Ore: Magnetite

Comments

Comment (Location): Is on south bank of Salmon River.

Comment (Development): Work consisted of reconnaissance geologic mapping & geochemical sampling ; Econ.Com: gold values in high-bench gravels averaged $0.44/cy and in low-bench gravels, $0.31/cy; 592000 cubic meters overburden

Comment (Deposit): High And Low Bench Gravels Are Covered By Alluvial Fans. There Is 1,900,000 C.Y. Of Low-Bench Gravel And 360,000 C.Y. Of High-Bench Gravel, Whisch Occurs High On The Valley Wall. A Series Of Trenches Were Dug And Sampled In The Face Of Old Placer Workings At The Contact Of The High And Low Gravels. Gold Values In The High Bench Gravels Averaged 0.178g/M3. The Gold Value Of Samples From The Upper Section Of The Low Bench Gravel Averaged 0.126g/M3. Four Pits Were Dug In The Downstream Part Of The Lower Bench By USBM, No Au Or A. A Reconnaissance Pan Sample, Taken At The Small Bench Remnant About 30m East Of Pit 8 And About 60m Above Present River Level, As Found To Contain Several Small Flakes Of Gold.

Comment (Workings): Several pits

Comment (Commodity): Gravel contains black sands

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: EARLY 1940'S

References

Reference (Deposit): Cater, F.W., Pinckney, D.M., and Stotelmeyer, R.B., 1975, Mineral Resources Of The Clear Creek - Upper Big Deer Creek Area, Contiguous To The Idaho Primitive Area, Lemhi County, Idaho: USGS Bulletin 1391-C

Reference (Deposit): 1972 Other Cater, F.W., and Pinckney, D.M., Bulletin 1391-C

Reference (Deposit): 1972 Other USBM, USGS Bulletin 1391-C

Reference (Production): Cater, F.W., Pinckney, D.M. and Stotelmeyer, R.B.; 1975, USGS Bulletin 1391-C.

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.