Elk Mountain Mining and Milling Company

The Elk Mountain Mining and Milling Company is a copper mine located in Carbon county, Wyoming at an elevation of 8,100 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: Elk Mountain Mining and Milling Company
Secondary: Elk Mountain Prospect
Secondary: M & M Elk Mountain Mine
Secondary: Elk Mountain District
Secondary: Elk Mountain mine
Secondary: M & M's Elk Mountain mine

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold

Location

State: Wyoming
County: Carbon
District: Elk Mountain District

Land Status

Land ownership: State
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

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1902
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian
Age Old: Mississippian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Chalcopyrite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): A.B. Wilson and W. Heran attempted to visit this site on Aug. 5, 2010. Amazinigly, the FS road shown on the topo immediately east of Brush Creek was open and not posted or gated. However, we found little, if any evidence of a mine at this site, only evidence that is has been used as a hunting camp. There were round nodules of chert or chalcedony (not calcareous--they do not fizz with acid) in a limestone matrix in float in what is left of the road. A tougher off road vehichle might have been able to drive all the way to the site (we stopped about 1/2 mi away). We found several collapsed piles of wood but were unable to determine if these had been buildings or were remnants from saw mill. As we were unable to find anything resembling a mine or prospect, we did not take any geochemical samples.

Comment (Deposit): Citing references from 1905 and earlier, Hausel (1980 and 1997), summarizes this as a copper-and iron-stained gossan. Based on those early reports, Hausel (1997) describes the site as follows: "Located in secs. 22, 23, and 26, T19N, R82W. Operated by the Elk Mountain Mining and Milling Company, the property was discovered as a copper- and iron-stained gossan [...]. The deposit lies on the north side of Pass Creek in a series of north-trending fractures along the contact between Madison Limestone and Precambrian schist and granite. Two feet of limestone breccia containing iron oxides, copper oxides, and copper carbonates were discovered. Bunches and streaks of gold- and silver-bearing chalcocite varied from mere specks to masses weighing several hundrd pounds [...]. Chalcopyrite was discovered below the chalcocite [...]. According to Beeler {..], more than 300 feet of drifts and shafts were dug by 1902, and smelter returns showed a shiopment of 15.75 tons of ore yielded 4380.21 poiunds of copper (14% Cu)."

Comment (General): Wilson (USGS Field notes, Aug. 5, 2010) concluded "that the M&M, if either of these sites was the M&M Elk Moutain, is/was very small and long gone." This record falls into the category of abandoned mine.

Comment (Location): Moved location to location suggested by Terry Klein. Within 1 mile accuracy. Although Wilson and Heran found this location, based on lat/long coordinates, we were unable to confirm that there was any mine at this site.

Comment (Production): Cu 14%; smelter returns on 15.75 tons of ore reported by Beeler, 1902 (in Hausel, 1997).

References

Reference (Deposit): Harris, Hausel, and Meyer, 1985, Metallic and industrial minerals map of Wyoming: Geological Survey of Wyoming Map Series 14, scale 1:500,000.

Reference (Deposit): Hausel, 1997, Copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, and associated metal deposits of Wyoming: WGS Bull. 70, p. 119.

Reference (Deposit): Osterwald and others, 1959, Mineral Resources of Wyoming: Geological Survey of Wyoming Bull. 50, p. 40, 157.

Reference (Deposit): Hausel, 1989, The geology of Wyoming's precious metal lode and placer deposits: Geological Survey of Wyoming Bull. 68, p. 108-109.

Reference (Deposit): Osterwald and others, 1966, Mineral Resources of Wyoming: Geological Survey of Wyoming Bull. 50 [revised ed.], p. 43, 119, 174.

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