Idaho · Custer County
Past Producer

Empire Mine

Custer County, Idaho, United States
GoldCopperSilverZincMolybdenumTungstenLead
⌖ Show on mapUSGS source ↗
Commodities
PrimaryGold, Copper, Silver
SecondaryZinc, Molybdenum, Tungsten
TertiaryLead
Commodity typeM
Deposit
Deposit typeCu-Zn skarn deposit
Model53: Porphyry Cu
Deposit sizeS
WorkingsSurface/Underground
Orebody formLINEAR, IRREGULAR
Ore controlShear Zones, Contact Of Limestone And Intrusive Rocks
Materials
Ore mineralsBornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Cuprite, Galena, Malachite, Molybdenite, Scheelite, Sphalerite, Tenorite, Tetrahedrite, Powellite
GangueCalcite, Epidote, Fluorite, Gypsum, Magnetite, Pyrite, Pyroxene, Pyrrhotite, Quartz, Specularite, Wollastonite
Geology
Host rockSkarn (Tactite),Limestone · White Knob Limestone; Marble, Tactite, Skarn
Associated rockGranite · Leucogranite Porphyry;Dike-Basalt
StructureJointing, Faults
AlterationOxidation
Economic & production
Development statusPast Producer
First production1902
Discovery year1884
Identification
Deposit ID10089294
MRDS IDW015690
Alternate namesVaught, Phoenix, Sultana, Idaho Metals Co., White Knob, Empire Copper Co., Darlington Shaft, Alberta, Copper Bullion, Idaho Alta Drive, Cossack Tunnel
RegionNA
Data scoreA
Coordinates43.89197, -113.66932
References
Cook, E. F., 1956, Tungsten Deposits Of South-Central Idaho: Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 108, 40 P.Griner, W. C., 1974, Seventy-First Annual Report Of The Mining Industry Of Idaho For 1973-1974Leland, G. R., 1957, General Geology And Mineralization Of The Mackay Stock Area: Moscow, Idaho, Univ. Of Idaho, M. S. Thesis, 71 P.Ross, C. P., 1930, Geology And Ore Deposits Of The Seafoam, Alder Creek, Little Smoky And Willow Creek Mining Districts, Custer And Camas Counties, Idaho: Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 33, 26 P.Minobras, 1975, Idaho Industrial Minerals: MinobrasHobbs, S. W., 1964, Mineral Resource-Tungsten, Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Spec. Rept. No. 1, P. 223-233.Nelson, W. H., And Ross, C. P., 1968, Geology Of Part Of The Alder Creek Mining District, Custer County, Idaho: USGS Bull. 1252-A, 30 P.Umpleby, J. B., 1917, Geology And Ore Deposits Of The Mackay Region, Idaho: USGS Prof. Paper 97, 129 P.USBM, 1945-1951, Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, And Zinc In Idaho: USBM Mineral Yearbooks For 1943-19491917 Geolmap Umpleby, J. B., Prof. Paper 971930 Geolmap Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 331956 Recon Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 1081968 Geolmap Nelson, W. H. And Ross, C. P., Bull. 1252-AChang, Zahoshan, and Meinert, L.D., 2010, The Empire Mine, Idaho: Exploration implications of unusual skarn features related to high fluorine activity: Economic Geology v. 103, 909-938.Item 1, Cook, E. F., 1956, Idaho Bureau Of Mines And Geology Pamphlet 108; Items 2, 8-12, Leland, G. R., 1957, Univ. Idaho M. S. Thesis; Item 8 Grade, Umpleby, J. B., 1917, USGS Prof. Paper 97; Items 3-7, 13, Usbm, 1945-1951, Mineral Yearbooks For 1943-1949