Surprise Mine

The Surprise Mine is a silver, lead, and zinc mine located in Shoshone county, Idaho at an elevation of 3,281 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: Surprise Mine
Secondary: Surprise No. 1 and No. 2
Secondary: Highland
Secondary: Highland-Surprise Mine

Commodity

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

Location

State: Idaho
County: Shoshone
District: Yreka

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

Type: Patented
Type: Located Claim

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Highland-Surprise Consolidated Mining Co.
Home Office: Idaho
Info Year: 1975
Years: 1975 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Year First Production: 1912
Discovery Year: 1900
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Comment (Deposit): THIS MINE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MSHA.DBF (1995) #1000499.

References

Reference (Deposit): MSHA.DBF, 1995.

Reference (Deposit): SHANNON 1923 US NATL MUSEUM BULL 131 P 98-100

Reference (Deposit): Hobbs, S. W., And Others, 1965 , Geology Of The Coeur D'Alene District, Shoshone County, Idaho: USGS Prof. Paper 478 , 139 P.

Reference (Deposit): FRYKLUND AND HARNER 1955 ECON GEOL VOL 50 NO 3 P 339-344

Reference (Deposit): FORRESTER AND NELSON 1945 USGS OP-FILE REP: PB-ZN DEP PINE C

Reference (Deposit): FORRESTER 1945 USGS OP-FILE MAPS: MAPS OF HIGHLAND-SURPRISE

Reference (Deposit): JONES 1920 USGS BULL 710-A P 1-36

Reference (Deposit): UMPLEBY AND JONES 1923 USGS BULL 732 156P

Reference (Deposit): FRYKLUND (WITH A SECTION BY WEIS) 1964 USGS PROF PAPER 445

Reference (Deposit): US BUREAU OF MINES INFO CIRC 7560 BUTNER 1950 11P

Reference (Deposit): ARNOLD,COLEMAN,FRYKLUND 1962 ECON GEOL V 57 NO 8 P 1163-1174

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.