South Mountain Mine

The South Mountain Mine is a phosphorus-phosphates mine located in Lincoln county, Wyoming at an elevation of 8,530 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

Name: South Mountain Mine  

State:  Wyoming

County:  Lincoln

Elevation: 8,530 Feet (2,600 Meters)

Commodity: Phosphorus-Phosphates

Lat, Long: 41.98185, -110.58060

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the South Mountain Mine

South Mountain Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: South Mountain Mine
Secondary: Top of the World Mine
Secondary: Commisary Ridge


Commodity

Primary: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Secondary: Uranium


Location

State: Wyoming
County: Lincoln


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

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: Phosphate Fertilizer, Inc
Home Office: Kemmerer, WY
Info Year: 1966
Years: 1948 - 1949


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: Middle Rocky Mountains


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Permian
Age Old: Permian


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: Sample from a pit in Sec. 9 contained 33.9% B.P.I.


Materials

Not available


Comments

Comment (Workings): "Phosphate Fertilizer, Inc., of Kemmerer operated an underground phosphate mine on Commissary Ridge during 1948-1949. The company installed a mill with a capacity of 200 tons of phosphate rock per day." (WGS Bull. 50, p. 147). Said mill, was probably in the flat spot just below the location of the now reclaimed adit on the 1985 provisional 24k Sublet topo.

Comment (Location): ALSO LOCATED IN SECTION 9,T23 N,R 116 W ALSO LOCATED IN SECTION 16,T23 N,R 116 W Main area is limited to S2 of SE4 Sec. 9. No evidence of any other workings, and no sign of prospects on the west side of the ridge. Sublet Provisional 1985 24k Topo map labels top of ridge as "Strip Mine". (Wilson, site visit 7-aug-2010)

Comment (Deposit): Mine is a Phosphate deposit but there are reports of uraniferous phosphate in the Meade Peak Member of the Phosphoria Formation.

Comment (General): Entire area has been completely reclaimed, probably in the past decade (as of site visit by Wilson and Heran, USGS, 7-Aug-2010). Only hints remain of the dump at the adit on the topo. Upper slopes have been graded and reseeded.

Comment (Identification): South Mountain formerly known as Top of the World. (Top of the World was also in MAS, but as of 14-JUL-10 was not in newMRDS). At some point the records were probably recognized as duplicates and consolidated.


References

Reference (Deposit): Osterwald and others, 1966, WGS Bull. 50, p. 147.

Reference (Deposit): MINOBRAS, 1976, URANIUM GUIDEBOOK FOR WYOMING, APPENDIX A-15


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