Crater Mountain

The Crater Mountain is a molybdenum and copper mine located in Park county, Wyoming.

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

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Site Name

Primary: Crater Mountain
Secondary: Needle Creek Porphyry

Commodity

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

Location

State: Wyoming
County: Park
District: Stinkingwater

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Deposit Type: Porphyry Cu
Operation Type: Underground
Discovery Year: 1893
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu

Orebody

Form: HYDROTHERMAL STOCK, DISSEMINATED; HYDROTHERMAL VEIN; SUPERGENE ENRICHMENT

Structure

Type: L
Structure: NORTHEAST AND NORTHWEST FRACTURES

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: POTASSIC (SECONDARY BIOTITE), PHYLLIC THEN PROPYLITIC

Rocks

Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Description: andesitic to dacite in composition and porphyritic andesite to rhyodacite
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene
Age Old: Eocene

Name: Dacite
Role: Host
Description: porphyritic light-to medium-gray rhyodacite and dacite
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Granodiorite
Role: Host
Description: fine-to medium-grained light-to dark-gray phaneritic rocks ranging in composition from diorite to granodiorite.
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Eocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Epidote
Gangue: Muscovite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Siderite

Comments

Comment (Workings): NUMEROUS PROSPECT ADITS SHAFTS ON VEIN DEPOSITS

Comment (Deposit): DISSEMINATED PORPHYRY STYLE MINERALIZATION IS SURROUNDED BY QUARTZ VEIN AND SHEAR ZONE HOSTED CU-PB-ZN-AG DEPOSITS. VEINS ARE USUALLY 1-2 IN BUT MAY BE UP TO 1 FT THICK. CLASSIC PORPHYRY ZONING WITH POTASSIC (SECONDARY BIOTITE) SURROUNDED BY PHYLLIC THEN PROPYLITIC ALTERATION. DISSEMINATED MINERALIZATION IN PORPHYITIC NEEDLE MOUNTAIN GRANODIORITE SURROUNDED BY VEINS AT PERIPHRY. POTASSIC ZONE PATCHY IN THE DISSEMINATED ZONE. WELL DEVELOPED RADIAL DACITE DIKES

Comment (Geology): The following is from Fisher, 1972: In the Stinkingwater region at least three periods of Tertiary intrusive emplacement took place. Intrusive rocks all cut the layered rock of the region and include two stocks named the Needle Mountain Granodiorite and the Crater Mountain Dacite, and numerous dikes and some sills. The Needle Mountain Granodiorite, the oldest and largest, intrudes the Trout Peak Trachyandesite and the Wiggins Formation. It is well exposed on both Needle and Crater Mountains. The stock is composed primarily of fine-to medium-grained light-to dark-gray phaneritic rocks ranging in composition from diorite to granodiorite. The Crater Mountain Dacite is exposed in two seperate stocks, on Needle and Crater Mountains. Both stocks have been emplaced largely within the Needle Mountain Granodiorite. These stocks are porphyritic light-to medium-gray rhyodacite and dacite. Many dikes that are related to the Needle Mountain Granodiorite, form a radial pattern around it. Most of these dikes are andesitic to dacite in composition. Other dikes in the area which may be related to the Crater Mountain Dacite are most random and range from porphyritic andesite to rhyodacite. A third group, crosscut all other intrusive units, and are mainly hornblende andesite and pyroxine andesite.

References

Reference (Deposit): FISHER, F.S., 1972, USGS BULLETIN 1332-C

Reference (Geology): Hausel, W. D., 1997, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Molybdenum, and Associated Metal Deposits of Wyoming: Wyoming State Geological Survey, Bull 70, 229 p.

Reference (Deposit): Lukanuski, J.N., 1969, Progress report on the Needle Creek property, Park County, Wyoming: Phelps Dodge Corporation report, Geological Survey of Wyoming mineral files. 62 p.

Reference (Deposit): Hausel, W. Dan, Miller, David R., Sutherland, Wayne M., 2000, Economic Diversification Through Mineral Resources, in Classical Wyoming Geology in the New Millennium; 51st Field Conference Guidebook, 2000 Pages 209-225.
URL: http://payperview.datapages.com/data/wga/data/064/064001/209_wga0640209.htm

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