Mountain Beaver

The Mountain Beaver is a copper mine located in Okanogan county, Washington at an elevation of 5,098 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: Mountain Beaver
Secondary: Mount Beaver

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Bismuth

Location

State: Washington
County: Okanogan
District: Billy Goat Mountain Area

Land Status

Land ownership: National Wilderness
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: In Pasayten Wilderness Area In Okanogan National Forest

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Year: 1934
Material type: ORE
Description: Ap_Grade: ^4.1% Cu, 2.08 Oz/Ton Au, 1.9 Oz/Ton Ag

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Northern Cascade Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu-Au

Orebody

Form: STOCKWORK, DISSEMINATED

Structure

Type: L
Description: Steeply Dipping Northwest-Trending Faults And Fractures. Eight Mile Creek Fault

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Widespread Hydrothermal Alteration

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CRUDE ORE SHIPPED AVERAGE: 1.53 OZ/TON AU, 1.13 OZ/TON AG, 1.81% CU, MINOR BI. ANOTHER SHIPMENT (1934) YIELDED 4.1% CU, 2.08 OZ/TON AU, 1.9 OZ/TON AG

Materials

Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): UNSURVEYED. ON ISABELLA RIDGE ADJACENT TO BILLY GOAT CLAIMS. STAATZ AND OTHERS CONSIDERED MOUNTAIN BEAVER CLAIMS TO BE PART OF BILLY GOAT CLAIMS

Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO MRDS RECORD D000669

Comment (Commodity): BI HAS BEEN REPORTED FROM PROPERTY

Comment (Production): ANOTHER SMALL SHIPMENT CONTAINED 1.81% CU, 1.53 OZ/TON AU, AND 1.13 OZ/TON AG

Comment (Deposit): MINERALIZED AGGLOMERATE. QUARTZ VEINLETS ARE AS WIDE AS 2 IN.

Comment (Workings): 4 ADITS

Comment (Geology): ANDESITIC HOST ROCKS ARE PART OF AN ISLAND ARC. HOLLISTER INDICATES THAT THIS IS A CU-MO PORPHYRY

References

Reference (Deposit): STAATZ, M.H., WEIS, P.L., TABOR, R.W., ROBERTSON, J.F., VAN NOY, R.M., PATTEE, E.C., AND HOLT, D.C., 1971, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PASAYTEN WILDERNESS AREA, WASHINGTON: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1325, P. 114.

Reference (Deposit): GRANT, A.R., 1976, REPORT OF EVALUATION, MINERAL RESOURCE ANALYSIS STUDY ON UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE LAND, STATE OF WASHINGTON: PREPARED FOR U.S. FOREST SERVICE - REGION 6, CONTRACT NO. 004724N, P. 32.

Reference (Deposit): HOLLISTER, V.F., 1979, PROPHYRY COPPER-TYPE DEPOSITS OF THE CASCADE VOLCANIC ARC, WASHINGTON: MINERALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, V. 11, P. 34.

Reference (Deposit): HUNTTING, M.T., 1956, INVENTORY OF WASHINGTON MINERALS - PART II, METALLIC MINERALS: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 37, V. 1, P. 144.

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. 238.

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.