Big Creek Mine

The Big Creek Mine is a copper mine located in Carbon county, Wyoming at an elevation of 7,759 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: Big Creek Mine
Secondary: BIg Creek Pegmatite Area
Secondary: Bonanza Lode Claims 1-6 and Copper King Lode (M.S. 118)

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Tertiary: Uranium

Location

State: Wyoming
County: Carbon
District: Big Creek District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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: American Mining and Development Co.
Home Office: Newcastle WY, and Washington, DC.
Info Year: 1953

Owner Name: R.H. Platt
Home Office: Encampment, WY
Info Year: 1953

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Wyoming Basin

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Pegmatites

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Malachite
Unknown: Fluorite
Unknown: Beryl

Comments

Comment (Deposit): "A 'pegmatite vein,' probably quartz, contains chalcocite, baronite. Chalcopyrite and azurite, and an occasional phantom smoky quartz crystal. Crystalized garnets have been found 'a short distance up the hill'." (Bull. 50, p. 45)

Comment (Identification): Site visit in Sept. 2009 by A. Wilson and W. Heran. "The Big Creek mine is erroneously listed as the Platt Mine on the Trent Creek topographic map" (Hausel and Sutherland, 2000, p. 217.

Comment (Location): "On Big Creek, southeast of Encmpment, on the Platt Ranch" (Bull. 50, p. 45) [erroneously labeled Platt Mine on Trent Creek topo]

Comment (Workings): At least 3 caved (as of 1953) adits. (DMEA-3092)

Comment (Deposit): "Some of the best copper specimens of massive chalcocite and bornite found in the state have come from this mine. The deposit occurs in a pink granite pegmatite. This pegmatite also contains common terminated quartz prisms. Much of the quartz is translucent, but specimens of excellent, trasnparent quartz similar to those found in Hot Springs County, Arkansas, are also found and relatively common." (Bull. 71, p. 217)

References

Reference (Deposit): Houston, R.S., 1961, The Big Creek pegmatite area, Carbon County, Wyoming: Geological Survey of Wyoming Preliminary Report No. 1., 11 p., 1 pl.
Pages: p. 10.

Reference (Deposit): R. E. PLATTE, ENCAMPMENT, WYO. 9-18-73

Reference (Deposit): AEC PRELIM.FIELD INV., AIRBORNE RA ANOMALIES

Reference (Deposit): DMEA Docket No. 3092, 51 p. http://minerals.usgs.gov/dockets/scans/wy/dmea/3092_DMEA.pdf
URL: http://minerals.usgs.gov/dockets/scans/wy/dmea/3092_DMEA.pdf

Reference (Deposit): Hausel, W.D., 1993, Guide to the geology, mining districts, and ghost towns of the Medicine Bow Mountains and Snowy Range Scenic Byway: Geological Survey of Wyoming Public Information Circular No. 32, 53 p.
Pages: p. 33..

Reference (Deposit): Hausel and Sutherland, 2000, WGS Bull. 71, 268 p.
Pages: p. 42-43, 217.

Reference (Deposit): Osterwald and others, 1966, WGS Bull. 50, p. 45.
Pages: p. 45.

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