Abandoned and Inactive Mines
The data below represent everything available in the MBMG Abandoned and Inactive Mines (AIM) database.
| AIM Id | Name | Alternate Name | District | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LN004174 | SNOWSHOE GROUP/SNOWSHOE QUARTZ | RUSTLER//PORCUPINE/CHINOOK | LIBBY | LINCOLN |
| MRDS | AMLI | MILS | Latitude | Longitude | Datum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W014727 | 27-005 | 300530007 | 48.205 | -115.6447 |
| Township | Range | Section | QSection | UTM Northing | UTM Easting | UTM Zone | UTM Datum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28N | 32W | 7 | BADA | 5339754 | 600698 | 11 |
| Average Elevation | Elev Units | Land Owner | 250K Quad | 100K Quad | 24K Quad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4700 | F | KALISPELL | LIBBY | SNOWSHOE PEAK |
| Property Type | Update Date | Who Updated |
|---|---|---|
| LODE/MILL | PAH |
| Commodities Identified |
|---|
|
GOLD LEAD SILVER ZINC |
| Information |
|---|
|
Agency: NF Region District: R1 Ranger District: LIBBY Forest Service Tract: Watershed Code: 17010213 Forest or Resource Area: KOOTENAI Owner: M Impact: Report: The Snowshoe mine is located in BADA section 07, T28N, R31W and the Snowshoe Peak 7.5- min. quadrangle at an elevation of a little less than 4,600 feet. The adits are at higher elevations. The mine can be found at the terminus of a four-wheel drive road that follows Snowshoe Creek up the valley. The site lies less than 1.5 miles from the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness boundary. Associated with the Snowshoe fault, the Snowshoe mine was one of the largest metals producers in the area. The four patented claim names associated with this mine are the Chinook, Rustler, Snowshoe, and Porcupine (Johns, 1970). The claims were first explored in the1870's and were intermittently worked until recently. Recorded production from 1901 to 1945 was 54,194 tons although estimates using the mine maps and stopes equaled 250,000 tons of ore (MBMG mineral property files). At least five adits were driven and one shaft sunk, with a cumulative footage of 6,500 feet of drifting along the Snowshoe fault. The workings totaled over 8,000 ft. The same mineral property files described the ore as consisting of argentiferous galena in white quartz and quartzite. The mining method used combined open-stulled stope, and cut and fill. The geology of the area is dominated by the Snowshoe fault, striking N12 W with a near-vertical dip and in places, producing a shear zone averaging six feet wide (Gibson, 1948). The fault places Ravalli sandstones and argillites to the east adjacent to the Wallace Formation's shales and limestones. Ore minerals include chiefly galena and sphalerite with lesser pyrite and sparse chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite. Gibson (1948) reported that a personal account by one of the owners estimated that up to 40% of the concentrates were lost by poor milling methods. An article from the Spokesman Review from April 25, 1943 (MBMG mineral property files) stated that the original mill (250-tpd capacity) made no attempt to recover the zinc in the ore, resulting in metal-rich tailings at the Snowshoe site. A portion of the area was recently reclaimed by DSL-AMRB and the USFS (approximately 1989). The area downhill from the adits appeared to have been recontoured and reseeded. Rills and deeper gullies running to the creek had already started to form on the slope. Downstream from the flat area formed by the mill site, Snowshoe Creek was actively eroding the partly indurated waste that lined its banks. Large slabs of iron-cemented waste with abundant visible chunks of galena were being undermined by the creek. A covering of a fine-grained clay (lime?) capping also was being eroded. |
| Sample Id | Sampler | pH | SC | Date | TempC | Flow Rate | Flow Units | Flow Method | Source | Ind No | Veg | Stain | Salt | Sulf | Turb | Location Related to Stream | Stream | Sedimention | Photos Available? | Photo Numbers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSNS10L | PAH | 8.1 | 62 | 7/30/1998 | 17.7 | 1 | CFS | ESTIMATED | STREAM | N | N | N | N | N | UP | SNOWSHOE CREEK | NO | Y | 63-13 | SAMPLE TAKEN WHERE WATER CASCADES OVER ROCKS AND LOG. | |
| SSNS20L | PAH | 7.57 | 81 | 7/30/1998 | 15.9 | 1.13 | CFS | METER | STREAM | N | Y | Y | Y | N | DOWN | SNOWSHOE CREEK | NO | Y | 63-14;15;16 | PARTLY CEMENTED TAILINGS AND WASTE UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM | |
| SSNS30L | PAH | 7.39 | 88 | 7/30/1998 | 7.4 | 30 | GPM | ESTIMATED | STREAM | N | Y | Y | Y | N | UP | SPRING | NO | Y | 63-20 | THIS FLOW IS PROBABLY A SPRING THAT STARTS APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET UP FROM THIS SITE. |
| Information |
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Mill Tailings: Y Adit Discharge: Metal Leaching: Y Water Erosion: Y Residence: Hazardous Materials: Open Adit: Y Visit: Y Comments: PIONEER TECHNICAL SERVICES REPORT (1995); TAILINGS AND WASTE IN FLOOD PLAIN. |
| Sample Id | Source | Date | Sampler | Sample Type | L Transect | Soil Interval | Indicator of contamination | Path | Veg | Color | Salt | Photos Available? | Photo Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSND10H | 7/30/1998 | MDK | COMP | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||
| SSND20H | 7/30/1998 | MDK |
| Information |
|---|
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Investigator: P. HARGRAVE Date: 7/30/1998 Photos Available?: Y Access: 4W Nearest Wetlands/Bog: 1 Drainage Basin: SNOWSHOE CREEK Water Contact Stream: Y Nearest Surface Water Intake: Number of Surface Water Intake(s) observed within 15 miles downstream: Uses of Surface Water Intake(s) observed within 15 miles downstream: Nearest Wells (miles): Number of Wells within 4 miles: Uses of Wells within 4 miles: Nearest Dwelling (miles): Number of Months Occupied: Number of Houses within 2 miles: Recreational Usage on Site: Nearest Recreational Area (miles): Name or Type of Recreational Area: Safety Risk from Open Adit/Shaft: Y Safety Risk from Highwall or Unstable Slopes: Safety Risk from Unstable Structures: Safety Risk from Chemicals: Safety Risk from Solid Waste (includes sharp rusted items): Safety Risk from Explosives: Sensitive Environments within 2 miles of Site or 15 miles Downstream: Population within 0-0.25 miles: 0 Population within 0.25-0.5 miles: Population within 0.5-1 miles: 0 Population within 1-2 miles: 0 Population within 2-3 miles: 0 Population within 3-4 miles: Public Interest: M |
End of report. Retrieved 5/1/2024 1:04:03 AM.
The preceding materials represent the contents of the databases at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology at the time and date of the retrieval. The information is considered unpublished and is subject to correction and review on a daily basis. The Bureau warrants the accurate transmission of the data to the original end user at the time and date of the retrieval. Retransmission of the data to other users is discouraged and the Bureau claims no responsibility if the material is retransmitted. There may be data in the request area that are not recorded at the Bureau.