WASHINGTON GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HENRY LANDES, State Geologist BULLETIN No. 23 THE METAL MINES OF WASHINGTON By ERNEST N. PATTY OLYMPIA, W.ASD. l!'R<I.NK M. LAMBORN ~ PUllLJO PR.INTER 1921 • .. BOARD OF GEOLOGlCAL SURVEY Governor Lou 1:; F. H..\RT, Chafrman. State 'l'reasnrcr ·w. ,,. S11 r,:n:r.rAN1 Secretary. President llENl'W SliZZALLO. President E1tl\'ES'r 0. ilOLLANn. lliNR\' L .\ NDEs, J 'late Geoloyist. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. Governor Lowis F. 1Ia11i. Chai1'1nam, and Menibers of the Board of Geological Survey : GENTLEMEN : I have the honor to submit herewith a re­ port entitled "Tl1e lVfetal lVIines 0£ Washington," by Ernest N. Patty, with the recommendation that it be printed as Bul­ letin No. 23 of the Survey reports. Very respectfully, lliJ:-.TRY L ANDES, State Geologist. University Station, Seattle, January 15, 1921. 'l'A.BLE OF COXTENTS PAR'l' I. Page INTRODUCTION . 13 Field work . 13 Scope of the report. and sources of iniormation . 13 Acknowlectgments .......................................... ' 14 Bibliography . 15 History of metal mining in Washington . 18 Metal production ...·. 21 GEOGRAPHY . 29 Topography . 29 Relief . 29 Drainage . 33 Climate . 33 Transportation . 35 Power . 35 GEOLOGY ..................................................... 37 Summary of the geologic history of the State . 37 Pre-Cambrian . 37 Paleozoic . 38 Mesozoic .. : . 38 Tertiary . 39 Quaternary . 40 ORE DEPOSITS . 41 ClassUlcatlon of the ore deposits of tbe State................. 41 Deposits formed by mechanical concentration . 41 Gold placers . 41 Deposits formed by chemical processes or concentration in bodies of surface waters . 43 Hematite·limonite deposits . 43 Manganese deposits . 43 Magnesium sulphat.e and sodium s\llphate deposits.. 43 Deposits formed by chemical concentration of material originally disseminated in the rock . 43 Magnesite deposits . 43 Deposits rormecl by concentration of substances introduced by igneous activity . 44 Deposils enclosed in intrusive rocks . 44 Localizing influences . 44 Functions of stocks and roof pendants. 45 Quartz-silver-lead-copper velns . 48 Silver veins . 50 Pegmatitic tungsten veins . 51 Copper veins . 51 Disseminated deposits of copper . 52 Gold-copper-arsenic veins . 62 Deposits formed by magmatic segregation. 52 Deposits enclosed in extrusi\re roclcs . 63 Fissure veins In andesile and quartz latite. 54 Breccialed zones in quartz latite and associated volcanics . 55 6 :Table of Contents Page Deposits enclosed in meatmorphlc sedimentary rocks 65 Influence of invaded formations on ore deposition 66 Veins in argillite . 51 Veins in quartzite . 67 Replacement deposits in limestone . 58 Contact metamorphic deposits . 60 Commercial Applications . 62: Introduction . 62 Application of geologic factors to prospecting . 66 Faulting . 64 Development and exploration . 65 Financing . 67 Mining methods .. ................ ·· . GS Concentration features . 69 PAR,T II. DESCRIPTION OF THE MINING DISTRICTS A.ND INDIVIDUAL ORE DEPOSITS , , , .. , . 73 P end Oreille Co unty . 73 Newport DistricL . 73 Location and general features . 73: Topography . 74 Geology . 75 Mines and prospects Bead Lal<e . ......... ... ... : . 75 Kootenai-Conquest . 79 Meteor . 80 Ries . 80 Metaline District . 81 General features . 81 Location and means of access . 81 Topography . 82 Geology . 83 Ore occurrences . 84 Mines and prospects Bella May ........... .. .. .. ................ 85 Diamond R . 86 Oriole . 87 Stevens County . 89 Northport District . 89 General features .. ... ....... : . 89 'l'opography . 89 Geology.. ............ .................... .. ...... 91 Mines and prospects Electric Point . 93 Gladstone . 102 Lead Tru.st . .. ..... ... .................... .. ... 104 Lead King . 106' Northport . 107 New England . 110 Gorien Zinc . ... .. .. ........... ............ 111 Frisco Standru·d . 112 United Treasurer . .... .. .............. ....... 114 Melrose ................... ........... ........ 116' Bonanza . 117 Young America . 119 Table of Contents 7 Page Chewelah District ...................................... 121 Location and general featu_res ...................... 121 Geology . 122 Mines and prospects United Silver-Copper ........................... 123 Copper King . 131 Amazon ........................................ 134 Kettle River District . 135 General features ................................... 135 Mines and prospects Daisy ................................. ........ 136 Tempest ....................................... 140 Silver Queen . 143 Deer Trail District . 144 Location and accessibility ........................... 144 Topography . ...................................... 145 Geology . ..