Mother Lode Mine

The Mother Lode Mine is a silver and gold mine located in Shoshone county, Idaho at an elevation of 2,999 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: Mother Lode Mine
Secondary: Yosemite
Secondary: Daddy
Secondary: Treasure Box
Secondary: Occident
Secondary: Meade

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Tungsten
Tertiary: Arsenic

Location

State: Idaho
County: Shoshone
District: Coeur D'Alene District

Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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: Idaho Goldfields ?

Owner Name: E. F. Mc Cann

Production

Year: 1891
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^Avg 4.6 Oz/Ton Au
Year: 1935
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^2.631 Oz/Ton Au And 1.87 Oz/Ton Ag

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1887
Discovery Year: 1883
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: Bitterroot Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Description: Shearing And Gouge; Layering In Meade Vein

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Ankerite, Sericite, Albite, Chlorite

Rocks

Name: Quartzite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Quartzite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVG TRACE TO 1 OZ/TON AU

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Apatite
Gangue: Specularite
Gangue: Rutile
Gangue: Pyrite

Comments

Comment (Production): TREASURE BOX PRODUCED $10,000 PER WEEK IN 1887. YOSEMITE MINE HAD PRODUCED $500,000 AS OF 1908.

Comment (Development): FLOTATION MILL; COMPRESSOR HOUSE; BLACKSMITH SHOP; STAMP MILLS. 7 - 11 CLAIMS

Comment (Deposit): MEADE VEIN STRIKES N TO N 20 DEG E, DIPS 70 - 90 DEG E; WHISTLER VEIN STRIKES N, OCCIDENT VEIN STRIKES NE; DIPS RANGE 15 - 25 DEG W.

Comment (Workings): NUMEROUS DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS

References

Reference (Deposit): SHENON, P. J., 1938 , GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS NEAR MURRAY, IDAHO: IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 47 , 44 P.

Reference (Deposit): RANSOM, F. L., AND CALKINS, F. C., 1908 , THE GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE COEUR D'ALENE DISTRICT, IDAHO: USGS PROF. PAPER 62 , 203 P.

Reference (Deposit): WESTERN MINING NEWS, 1974 - 75 DIRECTORY OF MINES IN IDAHO (COEUR D'ALENES) AND WASHINGTON, P. 90

Reference (Deposit): SPOKANE CHRONICLE, SEPT. 30 , 1968 ; AUG. 7 , 1973

Reference (Deposit): 1908 GEOLMAP RANSOM AND CALKINS, PROF. PAPER 62

Reference (Deposit): 1938 GEOLMAP IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 47

Reference (Deposit): 1953 GEOLMAP J. W. HOSTERMAN, BULL. 1027 - P

Reference (Production): SHENON, P. J., 1938 , IDAHO BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PAMPHLET 47 ; RANSOME, F. L., AND CALKINS, F. C., 1908 , USGS PP 62

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.