Claimed a mine

[IDAu]

I just claimed an old mine that I found had expired. I can't find any history on it other than asking around the small town. One guy remembers going in it as a child and said it goes way back. Apparently an old timer owned and worked it by himself for decades. It appears he died the year before last and the family let it expire. Records show him transferring it to a family member or two before dying, and they let it go.

The adit looks like it's in great condition. Lots of newer pressure treated 8x8s, tracked, and two ore carts. An old air line that is unusable. It did have a collapse 25-50' in that looks like I can clear fairly easily in the Spring after I retimber a spot or two.

A spot like this around here is hard to come by even if it doesn't turn out good. ESPECIALLY one I can drive right up to with supplies. I can't believe I was able to grab it. So far I found a few colors sampling off the wall before the collapse, but nothing near worth running. No online history and for the most part it sounds like he kept it under wraps.

I know the only way I'll know is to sample and assay. But considering the amount of work and money he put into it, what do you think the chances are it'll turn out to be a workable vein with decent grade ore?

Regardless, it will be a fun project. But I'm curious to hear opinions on how much time and money you would personally put into opening it back up before even getting to the end for a viable sample.

 

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[Crow]

I just claimed an old mine that I found had expired. I can't find any history on it other than asking around the small town. One guy remembers going in it as a child and said it goes way back. Apparently an old timer owned and worked it by himself for decades. It appears he died the year before last and the family let it expire. Records show him transferring it to a family member or two before dying, and they let it go.

The adit looks like it's in great condition. Lots of newer pressure treated 8x8s, tracked, and two ore carts. An old air line that is unusable. It did have a collapse 25-50' in that looks like I can clear fairly easily in the Spring after I retimber a spot or two.

A spot like this around here is hard to come by even if it doesn't turn out good. ESPECIALLY one I can drive right up to with supplies. I can't believe I was able to grab it. So far I found a few colors sampling off the wall before the collapse, but nothing near worth running. No online history and for the most part it sounds like he kept it under wraps.

I know the only way I'll know is to sample and assay. But considering the amount of work and money he put into it, what do you think the chances are it'll turn out to be a workable vein with decent grade ore?

Regardless, it will be a fun project. But I'm curious to hear opinions on how much time and money you would personally put into opening it back up before even getting to the end for a viable sample.

Firstly anyone having ago at hard rock mining earns my admiration. It can be back breaking and dangerous.

Sadly I cannot answer if its paying mine or just dead hole in the ground. There plenty of dead holes in ground around. But who knows you might have cash cow or not?

Is the mine a high sulfide deposit or low sulfide deposit?

First things is establish the stability of tunnels shafts? No gold is worth a trip to morgue for.

Is there cross flow ventilation? Then look to if there is any water flow. Is the mine partly flooded? IF so you may need to dewater the mine. Then you have control run off from the mine.

Then check mine tailing the waste rock and take sample from several site to make an average.

Depending on type of deposit past mining techniques some times old timers over look fine particle of gold in waste rock. This might help work out how many grams of gold per ton. of waste rock removed.

Then you have to work out how are going process the ore. Is in host rock or in quartz veins only. Your going to need a rock crusher and then sluice system and water to support it.

Sounds with air hose the late owner was using an air compressor rum a jack hammer. If worth mining and your going with the idea using compressor make sure all lines are secure with safety clips. Then be aware of fumes from a petrol air compressor. Better to be a live poor miner than dead rich miner?

The two carts and rails will come in handy. You can PM me if you wish if give more details on the location. Maybe I can find our more on history of deposit or perhaps the geology area concerned?

Cheers Crow

 

[IDAu]

Firstly anyone having ago at hard rock mining earns my admiration. It can be back breaking and dangerous.

Sadly I cannot answer if its paying mine or just dead hole in the ground. There plenty of dead holes in ground around. But who knows you might have cash cow or not?

Is the mine a high sulfide deposit or low sulfide deposit?

First things is establish the stability of tunnels shafts? No gold is worth a trip to morgue for.

Is there cross flow ventilation? Then look to if there is any water flow. Is the mine partly flooded? IF so you may need to dewater the mine. Then you have control run off from the mine.

Then check mine tailing the waste rock and take sample from several site to make an average.

Depending on type of deposit past mining techniques some times old timers over look fine particle of gold in waste rock. This might help work out how many grams of gold per ton. of waste rock removed.

Then you have to work out how are going process the ore. Is in host rock or in quartz veins only. Your going to need a rock crusher and then sluice system and water to support it.

Sounds with air hose the late owner was using an air compressor rum a jack hammer. If worth mining and your going with the idea using compressor make sure all lines are secure with safety clips. Then be aware of fumes from a petrol air compressor. Better to be a live poor miner than dead rich miner?

The two carts and rails will come in handy. You can PM me if you wish if give more details on the location. Maybe I can find our more on history of deposit or perhaps the geology area concerned?

Cheers Crow

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure where the cutoff is for low vs high sulfides. It's an epithermal deposit. Out of 20 pounds of ore I had a tablespoon or two of sulfides, if that helps determine it.

I have a very experienced hard rock miner who's trying to come down in the spring to look it over and help, but so far he said it looks stable. I might get away with one set of 8x8s in one spot.
The collapse 25-50' back has airflow coming down, along with a vent hole about halfway between the collapse and portal.

I have a small sample crusher, sluice and cube. None of it will be efficient enough. Took me a couple of hours just to crush a 20 pound sample for a few colors.

I have a 4 gas detector and battery powered hammer drill for smaller samples right now.


It's in the southern half of Idaho surrounded by many old mines. From what I see on USGS reports the veins shoot up from the Idaho batholith through the invaded host rocks. Nothing below the contact zone, referred to as the "dead line."


Samples from near the portal appear to be smokey quartz and heavily oxidized limonite. I just wish I knew what to target for samples. The limonite? Just the quartz? The contact line? The colors are so sparse in there it's hard to know just yet.

 

[southfork]

I'm not a hard rock miner but I work a lot of tailings, looks dangerous to me a lot of warping / bowing of the timbers. I would bet there's pressure on the side walls behind all that cribbing I hope it's just the photos.

 

[southfork]

I'm not a hard rock miner but I work a lot of tailings, looks dangerous to me a lot of warping / bowing of the timbers. I would bet there's pressure on the side walls behind all that cribbing I hope it's just the photos.

Don't be offended by my observations maybe the old guy bought some sale pressure treated lumber. Pre bent / warped its sure as hell better than nothing somebody spent a lot of money Happy mining

 

[IDAu]

Don't be offended by my observations maybe the old guy bought some sale pressure treated lumber. Pre bent / warped its sure as hell better than nothing somebody spent a lot of money Happy mining

So my buddy, who is a framer said that it’s safe and that bending is because of the giant knot at the top. You’re probably right that it was already bent. But I am definitely not an expert.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I'm not a hard rock miner but I work a lot of tailings, looks dangerous to me a lot of warping / bowing of the timbers. I would bet there's pressure on the side walls behind all that cribbing I hope it's just the photos.

Naw that’s just modern crappy timber that bowed at the knot. I wouldn’t have used that one..not if my life depended on it.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

So my buddy, who is a framer said that it’s safe and that bending is because of the giant knot at the top. You’re probably right that it was already bent. But I am definitely not an expert.

Looks like there is some infrastructure. I’d be very careful to document the tailings and any drainage features as they were when got it claimed so you can’t be stuck with any cleanup due to a previous claim owners activities. It’s a real risk when there is impounded water or free flowing water in the audits. Around here the surface management will not allow you to backfill barren audits with tailings if they have water flow. Barren audits are a great place to get rid of tailings so they are not subject to surface control if you know what I mean. They also provide a way to shore up the weight above.

 

[IDAu]

Looks like there is some infrastructure. I’d be very careful to document the tailings and any drainage features as they were when got it claimed so you can’t be stuck with any cleanup due to a previous claim owners activities. It’s a real risk when there is impounded water or free flowing water in the audits. Around here the surface management will not allow you to backfill barren audits with tailings if they have water flow. Barren audits are a great place to get rid of tailings so they are not subject to surface control if you know what I mean. They also provide a way to shore up the weight above.

Thanks for the tip about reclaimation. As soon as the snow melts ill grab pictures of it all

 

[Crow]

I am a little perplexed. usually with limonite it will leach out in rusty iron oxides in the water in the floor of mines. Yet the water in picture look clear? Maybe the limonite was from much deeper in the shaft. out of the picture?

They say Bog iron ore and limonite mudstones are mined as a source of iron. Iron caps or gossans of siliceous iron oxide typically form as the result of intensive oxidation of possible high sulfide ore deposits. These gossans were used by prospectors as guides to buried ore. Limonite was mined for its ancillary gold content. ( So we could possibly for now assume that you site is perhaps of High sulfide deposit?)

This will create a few problems. High sulfide deposits are lower-grade and higher-tonnage than low sulfide deposits, and they tend to have higher gold contents. They are characterized by a high metal to sulfur ratio in the sulfide minerals, and they are associated with strongly acidic conditions. in short microscopic gold impregnated into host rock. virtually invisible to see. But can be treated with or acid leaching process or mercury to separate gold particles out of rock. ( this is why big mining company have tailing dams and water treatment plants for mining high sulfide ores as creates a lot of acidic waste that toxic to fish. They tend to favor mining High sulfide deposits deposits because of higher gold content in host rock per ton of ore remove.

Low sulfide deposits are typically higher-grade and lower-tonnage than high sulfide deposits. They are characterized by sulfide mineralogy such as pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite, and they are associated with near neutral wall rock alteration. In short gold is not in the host rock rather concentrated in quartz fractures and veins. ( much easier for small miners to mine and process as you are following quartz veins. )

For you have decide amigo the cost ratio of mining and processing host rock on gold content recovered in grams per ton. One thing that works in your favor is high price of gold at present. But processing ore will in tail being exposed either mercury vapors or Acid treatment vapors. being a small mine doing the treatment yourself is cheaper than sending the ore away to be processed. That is you if can find a nine with processing plant to treat it with for you? ( depends on economy of scale say 10 tons of ore depending how many grams per ton? You only going know with sampling in which you should get an average from many samples.) or if you are going to be smaller operation your going have to be using retorts.

The water looks quite clean? Perhaps that is water flowing in from the outside and not filtering through host rock or .Limonite. It would pay to check drainage around the mouth of the mine to make sure rain waters is not flowing into mine.

Anyway I hope it is of some help.

Crow

 

[Reed Lukens]

Someone put a lot of money & hard work into that tunnel. Looks great to me 😎🍻👍👍

 

[IDAu]

I am a little perplexed. usually with limonite it will leach out in rusty iron oxides in the water in the floor of mines. Yet the water in picture look clear? Maybe the limonite was from much deeper in the shaft. out of the picture?

View attachment 2182848
They say Bog iron ore and limonite mudstones are mined as a source of iron. Iron caps or gossans of siliceous iron oxide typically form as the result of intensive oxidation of possible high sulfide ore deposits. These gossans were used by prospectors as guides to buried ore. Limonite was mined for its ancillary gold content. ( So we could possibly for now assume that you site is perhaps of High sulfide deposit?)

This will create a few problems. High sulfide deposits are lower-grade and higher-tonnage than low sulfide deposits, and they tend to have higher gold contents. They are characterized by a high metal to sulfur ratio in the sulfide minerals, and they are associated with strongly acidic conditions. in short microscopic gold impregnated into host rock. virtually invisible to see. But can be treated with or acid leaching process or mercury to separate gold particles out of rock. ( this is why big mining company have tailing dams and water treatment plants for mining high sulfide ores as creates a lot of acidic waste that toxic to fish. They tend to favor mining High sulfide deposits deposits because of higher gold content in host rock per ton of ore remove.

Low sulfide deposits are typically higher-grade and lower-tonnage than high sulfide deposits. They are characterized by sulfide mineralogy such as pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite, and they are associated with near neutral wall rock alteration. In short gold is not in the host rock rather concentrated in quartz fractures and veins. ( much easier for small miners to mine and process as you are following quartz veins. )

For you have decide amigo the cost ratio of mining and processing host rock on gold content recovered in grams per ton. One thing that works in your favor is high price of gold at present. But processing ore will in tail being exposed either mercury vapors or Acid treatment vapors. being a small mine doing the treatment yourself is cheaper than sending the ore away to be processed. That is you if can find a nine with processing plant to treat it with for you? ( depends on economy of scale say 10 tons of ore depending how many grams per ton? You only going know with sampling in which you should get an average from many samples.) or if you are going to be smaller operation your going have to be using retorts.

The water looks quite clean? Perhaps that is water flowing in from the outside and not filtering through host rock or .Limonite. It would pay to check drainage around the mouth of the mine to make sure rain waters is not flowing into mine.

Anyway I hope it is of some help.

Crow

So what you're looking at in that picture is 6+ inches of ice. I imagine all the oxides would have settled to the bottom, and that's why it looks clear?

So I definitely have chalcopyrite. I got 14 more pounds of samples today. No color, but under the scope it looks like chalcopyrite (this fooled me into thinking I had gold for a long time, when the light hits parts of it a certain way). A good two tablespoons of sulfide from the sample. However, I do not know how much of the material is metal filings from my chain mill.

Due to what few nearby mine histories I can find, I'm guessing it would be lower grade if anything. A mine within a couple miles is listed as a "low sulfide gold quartz vein" and there highest assay was 0.85 oz/tn. I know a few others nearby were substantially more, but nothing like I see from Colorado etc.

King Solomon Prospect

The King Solomon Prospect is a silver, platinum, and gold mine located in Boise county, Idaho at an elevation of 4,400 feet

westernmininghistory.com

Also within a couple miles, 1.4 oz/tn

Mattie Group Prospect

The Mattie Group Prospect is a gold and silver mine located in Boise county, Idaho at an elevation of 3,999 feet

westernmininghistory.com

Others nearby report just in total USD recovered. Adjusted for inflation, most are in the millions in 2024.

What can one guy expect to move and process if it's free milling with the right equipment? Good shaker table and crusher can I maybe get 1 ton a week, or is that a pipe dream? I feel like 1/2 oz/tn and I'd be perfectly happy mining my days away....

 

[IDAu]

Here are some pictures on the inside of the portal walls, and a couple tiny pieces of color from it.

 

[Crow]

Thanks for the pictures it can be deceptive but Its looking more of characteristics of porphyry copper-gold deposits:. Samples you take may confirm this?

As the name suggests, high sulphide deposits tend to be more sulphide-rich, containing pyrite (iron sulphide) and enargite (copper-arsenic sulphide) as well as gold and silver. They appear to be genetically and spatially linked to deep seated porphyry copper-gold deposits. High sulphide deposits form in a similar manner to low sulphide deposits, just at a greater depth with a more direct link to the underlying magma.

Here are some characteristics of porphyry copper-gold deposits: Formation: These deposits are formed when fluids of magmatic origin precipitate copper, gold, and molybdenum at shallow crustal levels. Location: They can be found in continental and island-arc settings, such as the Andes, western USA, New Guinea, and the western Pacific. Idaho would fall under western United states?

I have seen this Lihir Island in New Guinea, and in Peru and at The Cadia and Goonumbla districts in Australia. They can be hundreds to thousands of millions of tonnes in size. They have a low to medium grade, typically 0.3 to 1.5% copper. Gold-rich porphyry deposits typically contain 0.3 to 1.6 g/t gold.

Looking at grains gold you can see its cluster of microscopic specks very much in characteristic that can dispersed through host rock with copper and silver and other metals.

So amigo you really need to take as much samples from different parts of the mine. In which you will get aggregate. I would be looking to see if the mining leases are vacant around this mine.

First make the site safe. It looks like a better constructed tunnel from you latest photos. You just need to continue sampling from all areas of the mine.


Crow

 

[Crow]

Hello Amigo

It is interesting to note Chalcopyrite can contain gold, though it's rare. A variant of chalcopyrite that contains gold in the form of tiny inclusions, along with pyrrhotite. it is known as Auriferous chalcopyrite.

To complex the issue High-temperature chalcopyrite Can incorporate gold into its structure under conditions similar to those where porphyry copper and gold deposits form. But at the end of day we cannot make calculations with out accurate assay of multiple samples with in the tunnel. Each sample should be recorded from what part of the tunnel. Each sample will vary in assay. At the end of the day that will be average taken.

So before you make too many plans you have know what your dealing with.

Cheers Crow

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I am a little perplexed. usually with limonite it will leach out in rusty iron oxides in the water in the floor of mines. Yet the water in picture look clear? Maybe the limonite was from much deeper in the shaft. out of the picture?

View attachment 2182848
They say Bog iron ore and limonite mudstones are mined as a source of iron. Iron caps or gossans of siliceous iron oxide typically form as the result of intensive oxidation of possible high sulfide ore deposits. These gossans were used by prospectors as guides to buried ore. Limonite was mined for its ancillary gold content. ( So we could possibly for now assume that you site is perhaps of High sulfide deposit?)

This will create a few problems. High sulfide deposits are lower-grade and higher-tonnage than low sulfide deposits, and they tend to have higher gold contents. They are characterized by a high metal to sulfur ratio in the sulfide minerals, and they are associated with strongly acidic conditions. in short microscopic gold impregnated into host rock. virtually invisible to see. But can be treated with or acid leaching process or mercury to separate gold particles out of rock. ( this is why big mining company have tailing dams and water treatment plants for mining high sulfide ores as creates a lot of acidic waste that toxic to fish. They tend to favor mining High sulfide deposits deposits because of higher gold content in host rock per ton of ore remove.

Low sulfide deposits are typically higher-grade and lower-tonnage than high sulfide deposits. They are characterized by sulfide mineralogy such as pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite, and they are associated with near neutral wall rock alteration. In short gold is not in the host rock rather concentrated in quartz fractures and veins. ( much easier for small miners to mine and process as you are following quartz veins. )

For you have decide amigo the cost ratio of mining and processing host rock on gold content recovered in grams per ton. One thing that works in your favor is high price of gold at present. But processing ore will in tail being exposed either mercury vapors or Acid treatment vapors. being a small mine doing the treatment yourself is cheaper than sending the ore away to be processed. That is you if can find a nine with processing plant to treat it with for you? ( depends on economy of scale say 10 tons of ore depending how many grams per ton? You only going know with sampling in which you should get an average from many samples.) or if you are going to be smaller operation your going have to be using retorts.

The water looks quite clean? Perhaps that is water flowing in from the outside and not filtering through host rock or .Limonite. It would pay to check drainage around the mouth of the mine to make sure rain waters is not flowing into mine.

Anyway I hope it is of some help.

Crow

That is a little premature to make those statements. The evidence is there that a small miner obviously found something to keep them going recently.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I would use Google Books search engine and set it to filter by date.
California had something called the annual state mineralogist report that was published during the gold rush(s). It has a lot of information on even the smallest hole in the ground. Perhaps Idaho had the same?

I would also search newspaper archives if you can find some online. Any possibility of a new gold mine was usually reported in the local paper.

Go here to access the USGS TopoView web app ->
https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#4/40.01/-100.02

Look at some of the older mapping to see if it shows up with a name. Also to see the names of surrounding mines.

Somewhere you will find a description of the type of ore near your audit and what the production rates were. Good luck!

By the way, now you are the responsible party for that mineshaft. Better build a door first if it doesn’t already have one to keep folks out that might get hurt or killed playing around in the audit.

 

[IDAu]

Hello Amigo

It is interesting to note Chalcopyrite can contain gold, though it's rare. A variant of chalcopyrite that contains gold in the form of tiny inclusions, along with pyrrhotite. it is known as Auriferous chalcopyrite.

To complex the issue High-temperature chalcopyrite Can incorporate gold into its structure under conditions similar to those where porphyry copper and gold deposits form. But at the end of day we cannot make calculations with out accurate assay of multiple samples with in the tunnel. Each sample should be recorded from what part of the tunnel. Each sample will vary in assay. At the end of the day that will be average taken.

So before you make too many plans you have know what your dealing with.

Cheers Crow

Considering a mine within a couple of miles is 1.4 OPT, I'm guessing it's not that low grade porphyry copper deposit but maybe.

Other than one cross section they seemed to skip putting new timber on that is rotten and fallen, it appears safe from professionals opinion. I just hope after the collapse that trend continues!

So as I understand it can be bound at the molecular level. I'm not exactly sure how I would test my sulfides chemically. The last time I tried putting them in aqua regia the whole mess turned black, and I couldn't test with stannous chloride. I did roast them and re pan, but no gold.

That is a little premature to make those statements. The evidence is there that a small miner obviously found something to keep them going recently.

I'm not familiar with the map you posted, but mine dat and no other resource seems to show it's existence. In a town with a population of 500, I've asked around and talked to people that grew up there. No one has any leads. Just that the guy was big in the church, worked it for decades, and is now deceased. No family contacts or anything.

Kind of strange to me, but I guess if he was doing well he kept it tight lipped.


Appreciate the tips on liability. It has a strong metal door I chained and locked, and put up my claim signs and no trespassing. Also put an open pit danger sign in front of the topside of the collapse. In spring I'll fence it off. I'm wondering if starting an LLC would be a good idea.

 

[russau]

Thanks Tesorodeoro for posting the USGS addy for the States. They changed their addy sometime ago and I never got it , BUT thanks to you I'm back on board with this ! I've past the old USGS addy to many people over the years and now I can keep it up !

 

[IDAu]

Look at some of the older mapping to see if it shows up with a name. Also to see the names of surrounding mines.

Somewhere you will find a description of the type of ore near your audit and what the production rates were. Good luck!

I'm not sure it you saw but I posted links to very nearby mines above with production rates. I'm confused on their minerology. One ore is listed as argantite, which is the silver. The other lists granite as the host rock and the ore as "gold." Does that mean the granite contact a regular quartz vein that itself was the ore? I thought host rock meant that you were actually processing. Another mine lists quartz monzonite. This looks similar to granite, so is that what they were processing, or just the rocks that the actual quartz vein was in?