Hecla Mines

The Hecla Mines is a silver and lead mine located in Beaverhead county, Montana at an elevation of 8,560 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: Hecla Mines
Secondary: Bryant

Commodity

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

Location

State: Montana
County: Beaverhead
District: HECLA (BRYANT) 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

Type: Patented

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 1737827.580 mt
Material type: Zn
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 51021152.950 mt
Material type: Pb
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 3751724.180 mt
Material type: Cu
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 567638.520 g
Material type: Ag
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 416311446.41 g
Material type: Ag
Year: 1965
Time Period: 1873-1965
Mined: 723201.990 mt
Material type: ore

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Polymetallic Veins
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Structure: BASALT DIKES; NORMAL FAULTS

Type: L
Structure: GREAT FAULT

Type: R
Structure: WISE RIVER THRUST

Type: R
Structure: DOME WITH OVERTURNED FOLDS, THRUSTING, AND TEAR FAULTS

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: SERITICIZATION, OXIDATION

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Description: QUARTZ MONZONITE
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Tertiary

Name: Carbonate
Role: Host
Description: DOLOMITE, LIMESTONE
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Devonian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Pyrite

Comments

Comment (Geology): GREAT FAULT (NORTHWEST-TRENDING, STEEP NORTH DIPPING) (CROWLEY, 1972); BASALT DIKES; NORMAL FAULTS (?GARY LIVELY? FAULT, AND ?BIG? FAULT OF GIGNOUX, 2000); ?TWO MAJOR FAULTS ALONG DIKES ARE THE MOUNTAIN SHEEP AND THE ATLANTUS; THE ATLANTUS FAULT-DIKE TERMINATED THE ATLANTUS ORE BODY DOWNDIP.? CROWLEY, 1972. THE DIKES WERE INTERPRETED BY CROWLEY AS POST-MINERAL.

Comment (Workings): EXTENSIVE UNDERGROUND WORKINGS IN CLEVE AND LION MTNS. MAIN WORKING WAS 3000 FT LION TUNNEL. MANY WORKINGS OPEN IN 1972. 20 MILES OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS ON LION MOUNTAIN (CROWLEY, 1972).

Comment (Deposit): Merged data from Depodit ID's 10245151 (Lion Mountain), 10197094 (True Fissure Mine), 10070486 (Hecla-Silver King Group) 10221038 (Silver King Mine).

Comment (Deposit): LION MTN. ORE BODIES ARE OFFSET STEP-WISE TO NE. ?AG-PB-ZN REPLACEMENT DEPOSITS WHICH FORMED AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF THRUST FAULTS AND FAVORABLE BEDS? (GIGNOUX, 2000)

Comment (Exploration): THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY WAS TAKEN FROM GEACH, 1972: 1872 - WILLIAM SPURR LOCATED THE FOREST QUEEN CLAIM. 1873 - FIRST ORE SHIPPED TO SWANSEA, WALES. 1874 - 40-TON LEAD SMELTER BUILT AT GLENDALE, 10 MILES DOWN THE VALLEY. 1877 - HECLA CONSOLIDATED MINING COMPANY PURCHASES MOST MAJOR MINING PROPERTIES. 1881 TO 1901 - $15 MILLION IN GROSS METAL VALUE PRODUCED. 1913 TO 1915 - PENOBSCOT MINING COMPANY PRODUCED ORE WORTH $243,427. 1916 TO 1922 - $902, 878 IN METALS PRODUCED AT GLENDALE SMELTER. 1923 - PROPERTIES SOLD TO THE HECLA DEVELOPMENT SYNDICATE. 1926 AND ONWARD- LESSORS WORK THE MINES. 1928 - G.B. CONWAY PURCASES THE MINES. HE SELLS THEM TO THE FOUNDATION COMPANY OF UTAH. 1930 - PROPERTIES REVERT TO CONWAY. 1930 TO 1945 - $1,656,991 PRODUCED FROM DISTRICT. 1942 AND ONWARD - PROPERTIES HELD BY L.H. FOREMAN, DILLON AND THEN LEONARD LIVELY, MELROSE. MINING ACTIVE 1873-1920, BUT DECLINED AFTER 1904. SMALL, INTERMITTENT PRODUCTION IN 1920'S. ACTIVE AGAIN 1934-1949. SMALL PRODUCTION 1954-1965

Comment (Economic Factors): $20 MILLION IN ORE PRODUCED (GEACH, 1972).

Comment (Deposit): 4 MAIN MINE GROUPS - LION MTN., CLEVE-AVON, HECLA-SILVER KING, AND KEOKIRK-ELM ORLU (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE). HECLA MINING CO. PRODUCED $15 MILLION FROM 1881-1901. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Geology):

References

Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 111, 1979, P. 2.

Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 85, 1972, P. 111.

Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. IC 20, 1957, P. 5.

Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 25, 1948.

Principal Gold Districts of Montana

In Montana, 54 mining districts have each have produced more than 10,000 ounces of gold. The largest producers are Butte, Helena, Marysville, and Virginia City, each having produced more than one million ounces. Twenty seven other districts are each credited with between 100,000 and one million ounces of gold production. Read more: Principal Gold Districts of Montana.