Cle Elum Iron-Nickel Deposit

The Cle Elum Iron-Nickel Deposit is a iron, chromium, and nickel mine located in Kittitas county, Washington at an elevation of 2,887 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: Cle Elum Iron-Nickel Deposit
Secondary: Balfour Guthrie Group

Commodity

Primary: Iron
Primary: Chromium
Primary: Nickel

Location

State: Washington
County: Kittitas
District: Cle Elum District

Land Status

Land ownership: Mixed
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: Fee Ownership
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Burlington Northern Railroad
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Washington
Info Year: 1979

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1887
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Calcite
Unknown: Chalcopyrite
Unknown: Chlorite
Unknown: Serpentine
Unknown: Spinel
Unknown: Talc
Unknown: Gibbsite
Unknown: Hematite
Unknown: Magnetite
Unknown: Millerite
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Pyroxene
Unknown: Pyrrhotite
Unknown: Cliachite
Unknown: Clinozoisite
Unknown: Diaspore
Unknown: Dickite
Unknown: Boehmite

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): PUBLISHED RESOURCES ARE: MEASURED, INDICATED, AND INFERRED CATEGORIES - PLUS - A SEPARATE TOTAL = MEASURED + INDICATED + INFERRED. FE,CR2O3 ASSAY OF TOTAL DIFFERS FROM THAT OF M1C1, ( A WEIGHTED TOTAL) PRESUME A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR (SEE B-BIB R100-R102 P60).

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT IS SIMILAR TO LATERITES OF MAYARI DISTRICT, CUBA.

Comment (Economic Factors): THE ORE CANNOT BE BENEFICIATED BY ANY MEANS OTHER THAN DIRECT SMELTING. RAW ORE IS CRUSHED AND SMELTED IN A PARTIAL REDUCTION FURNACE TO PRODUCE 15% FERRONICKEL. THE 15% FERRONICKEL IS RESMELTED WITH ADDITIONAL ORE IN AN OXIDATION FURNACE TO PRODUCE 70% FERRONICKEL. SLAG IS RESMELTED WITH EXCESS CARBON TO PRODUCE LOW CHROME STEEL.

References

Reference (Production): NICKEL ORES, U.S.B.M. RI 4122, 39P.

Reference (Production): RAVITZ, S.F., 1947, ELECTRIC SMELTING OF LOW-GRADE

Reference (Reserve-Resource): ZOLDOK,S.W., 1948, CLE-ELUM IRON-NICKEL DEPOSITS, KITTITAS

Reference (Reserve-Resource): U.S.G.S. BULL 978-B, P 27-67.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): NICKELIFEROUS IRON DEPOSITS, KITTITAS COUNTY, WA.:

Reference (Reserve-Resource): LAMEY,C.A.; HOTZ,P.E., 1952, THE CLE ELUM RIVER

Reference (Reserve-Resource): EARTH SCIENCES: U.S.B.M. GRANT G0254002.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): SILVER IN WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIV OF GEOLOGY AND

Reference (Geology): INVESTIGATIONS 11, 63P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): LUCAS,J.M., 1975, THE AVAILABILITY OF NICKEL,CHROMIUM AND

Reference (Geology): COUNTIES, WA.: WASHINGTON DIV OF GEOLOGY REPORT OF

Reference (Geology): BLEWETT-CLE ELUM IRON ORE ZONE, CHELAN AND KITTITAS

Reference (Geology): LUPHER, R.L., 1944, STRATIGRAPHIC ASPECTS OF THE

Reference (Reserve-Resource): RECONNAISANCE OF A POSSIBLE NORTHERLY EXTENSION OF THE

Reference (Reserve-Resource): NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY, 1960, MAGNETIC

Reference (Reserve-Resource): COUNTY, WA.: U.S.B.M. RI 4189, 8P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): RAILWAY CO. UNPUBISHED REPORT.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): CLE ELUM NICKELIFEROUS IRON DEPOSITS: NORTHERN PACIFIC

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.