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Alteration and Mineralization in the Eastern Part of the Soldier Mountains, Camas County, Idaho By Reed S. Lewis U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2064-V Prepared in cooperation with the Idaho Geological Survey, Idaho State University, and the University of Idaho U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior Gale A. Norton, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Charles G. Groat, Director This publication is only available online at: http://geology.cr.usgs.gov/pub/bulletins/b2064-v/ Version 1.0 2001 Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government Published in the Central Region, Denver, Colorado Manuscript approved for publication January 5, 2001 Graphics by authors and Gayle M. Dumonceaux Photocomposition by Gayle M. Dumonceaux Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1 Lithology ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Structure ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Hydrothermal Alteration ............................................................................................................. 4 Muscovite-Quartz Alteration......................................................................................... 4 Potassic Alteration ......................................................................................................... 5 Propylitic Alteration ....................................................................................................... 5 Turbidization of Eocene Feldspar ................................................................................. 6 Mineralization ............................................................................................................................... 7 Texas Star (D. Marie) Mine .......................................................................................... 7 Richard Allen Mine ......................................................................................................... 7 Five Points (Perseverance) Mine ................................................................................ 7 Idaho Tungsten Mine (Soldier Mountain Deposit) ................................................... 9 Unnamed Mines and Prospects in Cretaceous Intrusive Rocks............................. 9 Unnamed Mines and Prospects in Eocene Intrusive Rocks.................................... 10 Mineralization and Lithology ...................................................................................................... 10 Mineralization and Structure...................................................................................................... 10 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 10 References .................................................................................................................................... 12 Figures 1. Index map showing the location of the Soldier Mountains study area, Camas County, south-central Idaho ................................................................................ 1 2. Simplified geologic map of the eastern part of the Soldier Mountains, Camas County, south-central Idaho ................................................................................ 3 3. Map of the uppermost adit of the Richard Allen mine .................................................. 9 4. Schematic cross sections illustrating characteristics of the hydrothermal alteration types of Cretaceous and Eocene age in the Soldier Mountains study area ............................................................................................................................ 11 Tables 1. Characteristics of alteration types in the eastern part of the Soldier Mountains, Camas County, Idaho ........................................................................................................ 4 2. Mineralized samples from the eastern part of the Soldier Mountains, Camas County, Idaho ......................................................................................................... 8 III Metric Conversion Factors Multiply By To obtain Miles 1.609 Kilometers Feet 0.3048 Meters Inches 2.54 Centimeters Tons 1.016 Metric tons Short tons 0.907 Metric tons Troy ounces 31.103 Grams Ounces 28.35 Grams IV Alteration and Mineralization in the Eastern Part of the Soldier Mountains, Camas County, Idaho By Reed S. Lewis Abstract U.S. Geological Survey. Mapping was followed by detailed pet- rographic study of samples of the plutons and their altered equivalents, chemical analysis of whole-rock samples, and deter- The eastern part of the Soldier Mountains in Camas mination of 18O/16O ratios of constituent minerals. County, south-central Idaho, is underlain principally by plutonic Previous geologic mapping in the study area was reconnais- rocks of Cretaceous and Eocene age that locally have undergone sance in nature. Piper (1924) studied ground water on Camas propylitic, potassic, and muscovite-quartz alteration. Musco- Prairie and distinguished between plutonic and volcanic rocks vite-quartz alteration is Cretaceous in age and is localized along north of Fairfield. As part of a study of the geology and ore joints and fractures, some of which are filled with quartz. Asso- deposits of the Little Smoky and Willow Creek mining districts, ciated veins have yielded minor amounts of gold. Potassic alter- which are mostly east and north of the study area, Ross (1930) ation is probably both Cretaceous and Eocene in age but is weakly developed and limited in extent. Propylitic alteration is Eocene in age and is pronounced around biotite granite plutons. Despite a clear association between plutons of biotite granite and 115° 114°45' r widespread propylitic alteration, mineralization associated with e v i these rocks was minimal. Mineralized areas within more mafic R e s i k o e e Eocene plutons are characterized by veins and (or) stock- B Big Peak r k C r y works(?) enriched in copper, molybdenum, and silver, but these o ok F m g S h i t B areas are restricted in size and have not been productive. ° u 43 37'30" o S L it tle Dollarhide S m Summit o k Introduction y C Iron r This report describes hydrothermal alteration and related Mountain mineralization in the eastern part of the Soldier Mountains of Camas County, Idaho (fig. 1). Reconnaissance of the area in a Couch SOLDI Smoky Summit two-day period during the summer of 1984 revealed a complex ER MOUNTAI Dome Cannonball series of plutonic rocks overlain in places by younger volcanic NS Mountain S rocks. The plutonic rocks are locally altered, as indicated by o l d i e pink zones adjacent to fractures in otherwise gray granodiorite. r C r e The alteration was thought at the time to be potassic and to have e BOUNDARY OF k potential for associated porphyry-type mineral deposits. Criss STUDY AREA (1981) and Criss and Taylor (1983) have shown that feldspar in ° 18 43 22'30" plutonic rocks in the study area was depleted in O, a depletion Fairfield that they attributed to exchange with heated meteoric waters. Camas Prairie Their reconnaissance study indicated that epizonal Eocene plu- tons, unmapped at that time, were probably responsible for cir- IDAHO BATHOLITH culation of the meteoric water and resultant feldspar alteration. Mount Bennett Hills Because of the complex intrusive relations and the associated alteration, it was clear that the area was well suited for a detailed investigation of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization IDAHO 0 5 KILOMETERS within a granitic terrane. STUDY This research originated as part of a Ph.D. study at Oregon AREA State University (Lewis, 1990). Geologic mapping and sampling were conducted during the summers of 1985 and 1986, in conjunction with the Hailey CUSMAP (Conterminous United Figure 1. Index map showing the location of the Soldier Mountains States Mineral Assessment Program) project undertaken by the study area, Camas County, south-central Idaho. 1 constructed a geologic sketch map that includes the eastern part volcanic rocks including rhyolite tuff that correlates with rhyo- of the study area. More recently, Cluer and Cluer (1986) investi- lite tuff of the Gwin Spring Formation, peralkaline rhyolite tuff gated the formation of Camas Prairie, which they concluded was of Cannonball Mountain, and a series of porphyritic olivine a late Cenozoic rift (graben) developed as a result of downwarp- basalt flows (Lewis, 1990). ing of the Snake River Plain. Gehlen (1983) and Darling (1987, 1988) mapped the Dollarhide Mountain 7.5-minute quadrangle, which adjoins the study area to the northeast, and Bennett (in Structure press ) mapped the quadrangles to the west. The studies by Dar- ling and Bennett were part of the Hailey CUSMAP project, and Two types of structures are prominent in the eastern part of results of their mapping are included on the geologic map of the Soldier Mountains: faults and swarms of dikes that follow Worl and others (1991). zones of structural weakness. The distribution