.., 00 . A, Economic Geology, 47 Professional Paper No. 38 - Series < ^ . (B, Descriptive Gwlogy, 59 DEPARTMENT OK THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHAKLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE BINGHAM MINING DISTRICT, UTAH By JOHN MASON BODTWELL WITH A SECTION ON AREAL GEOLOGY By ARTHUR KEITH AND ** AN INTRODUCTION ON GENERAL GEOLOGY" By SAMUEL FRANKLIN EMMONS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIOB 1905 I A, Economic Geology, 4? Professional Paper No. 38 Series 4 . (B, Descriptors Geology, 59 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR < UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE BINGHAM MINING ^DISTRICT, UTAH By JOHN MASON BOUTWELL WITH A SECTION OE" AEEAL GEOLOGY By ARTHUR KEITH AND AST rPTTBODUOTIOX O^ GENEEAL GEOLOGY Bv SAMUEL FRANKLIN EMMONS 59055 WASHINGTON OOVEBNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 CONTENTS.. Page. LETTER of TBANSMITTAI, . - -.. ...--................-..-----.-...-------- ---- -, --- - 15 INTRODUCTION, ON GENERAL GEOLOGY, BY SAMUEL FRANKLIN EMMONS. Field work.......-.......-...-......---.----..-.-.-...-- --..------- - ----- ---------- - 19 General features of the region..........._._______._..._...---....---....-.--.-..----.----.-.- 20 Stratigraphy............................................................................... 21 Igneous rocks........___........-...-- ....-.-..----...-.......---.-----------...----...- -. 24 Area and age of the intrusives. .......:................................................... 24 Connection of the igneous rocks with ore deposits..............-....--...-.---------........ 25 PART I. AREAL GEOLOGY OF THE BINGHAM DISTRICT, BY ARTHUR KEITH. Geography...............--.........................-.....-.----......------..----.....-... 29 Topography..-......-.-----........-..............-........---------....-.--..----...---... 30 General features........................................................................ 30 Direction of run-off lines................................................................. 30 Running water......................................................................... 30 Stream grades.......................................................................... 31 Forms of the surface.................................................................... 31 Cliffs and ledges. .............................. ..^...................................... 32 Vegetation. ............................................................................. 32 Geology................................................................................... 33 Stratigraphy........................................................................... 33 Character and age of rocks........................................................... 33 Sedimentary rocks.................................................................. 33 Bingham quartzite.............................................................. 33 Butterfield limestone member.................................................... 37 Lenox limestone member........................................................ 37 Jordan limestone member........................................................ 38 Commercial limestone member.................................................... 40 Highland Boy limestone member.................................................. 41 Yampa limestone member........................................................ 43 Tilden and Phoenix limestone lentils ............................................. 44 Other limestone lentils........................................................... 45 Recent deposits................................................................. 45 Igneous rocks...................................................................... 50 Monzonite and monzonite-porphyry............................................... 50 Andesite and andesite-porphyry.................................................. 55 3 4 CONTENTS. Page. Geology Continued. Structure.............................................................................. 56 Folds.............................................................................. 56 Faults..........--.--..--.--....--.--...........-.....-.-..--...-..--.............. 57 Fiasarea..........................................................:................ 59 Joints............---.-.----.----.---.....--......-....--....---.-.-............... 61 Metamorphism......................................................................... 62 Types of alteration.................................................................. 62 Alterations of monzonite..-..---..--.-..-................-..--.--...--............... 63 Alterations of quartzite.............................................................. 65 Alteration of limestone.............................................................. 66 PART II. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE BINGHAM MINING DISTRICT, UTAH, HY JOHN MASON BOUTWELL. Introduction............................................................................... 73 Field work and acknowledgments................................'.........,......_........ 73 General sketch of economic geology. ...................................................... 74 Chapter I. History and development- -..--...-..---.--.,--.-.-..-....-.-..................... 79 General history......................................................................... 79 Mining industry in Utah............................................................. 79 Mining industry in the Oquirrh Range:..........................'...................... 80 Mining industry in Bingham district................................................... 80 History of the Bingham mining district.................................................... 81 Early conditions.................................................................... 81 Discovery of ore.................................................................... 81 Formation of first mining district..................................................... 81 Other early locations................................................................ 82 Early development.......................................................... '........ 82 Revision of mining laws.....--...---..--.......-.--.............-....-.....--....... 82 Discovery of placer gold................................'............................. 83 First shipment of ore................................................................ 83 Improved conditions; renewed activity................................................ 83 Epoch of lead mining................................................................ 84 Epoch of oxidized gold ore........................................................... 84 Continuation of lead mining. .......................................................... 85 Epoch of copper mining............................................................. 85 Processes of mining..................................................................... 86 Methods of exploration.............................................................. 86 Methods of working deposits-........................................................ 87 Mining machinery................................................................... 88 Processes of reduction................................................................... 89 Early smelters.......................i.............................................. 89 Gold stamp mills.................................................................1... 90 Leaching operations........-.....--.............--....-.-......-..-....-...--.-..... 91 Present smelters.................................................................... 93 Concentration mills................................................................. 95 Production........................ ..................................................... 96 Summary of history of the district- ..-......--...*...........................-...---....... 98 Bibliography........................................................................... 99 CONTENTS. O Page. Chapter II- Character of the ores..........-...-.-...--------------------------------------:- 103 General features. .......--.......-..-.--.-..---.--------- - ------------ ---------- ---- 103 Types of ore. ................-...---...- -^ ------ - ---- ----- -- ---- ----- - 103 Mineralogical features....................... '. ...-.....-.---------------------------- 103 Grades of ores............................---.--.--..------------------------------- 104 Mineralogy of the ores..................I....-.---.--.-...----- ---- ------------------ 104 Ore minerals. ................. -----... --------- -- ---- --- - -- r - ------- 104 Gangiie minerals. .........................-...------- -- --- ------ ------- ---- -- H° Values...............-.......-....-.---...:.----.--------------- ----------------- 120 Copper..........----...-.-.----------.- ----------------------------------- - - I20 Lead.....-......----...-..--.-..-:..----..-------------;------------------- 121 Silver...........A---.....-...-.---.----------- 121 Gold.......:.........-..-...------------------------------------------------- 121 Chapter III. Occurrence of the ores... ...... .. .-.-.--- .------. --------------------- 123 Areal distribution............-... -...-. -. -- ------.----- -- ----------------- 123 Geological distribution...................................................... ........... 123 Character of country rock.,............... .. .-.-.-. -..-- -----.-- .--- . 123 Age of country