Iron Hill Mine (Richmond Hill; Richmond Hill Manganese; Utica Lode), Spearfish, Lawrence County, South Dakota, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Iron Hill Mine (Richmond Hill; Richmond Hill Manganese; Utica Lode) | Mine |
| Spearfish | - not defined - |
| Lawrence County | County |
| South Dakota | State |
| USA | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
44° 24' North , 103° 51' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Central City | 130 (2017) | 7.2km |
| Lead | 2,999 (2017) | 8.6km |
| Deadwood | 1,258 (2017) | 9.9km |
| Spearfish | 11,283 (2017) | 10.1km |
| North Spearfish | 2,285 (2017) | 12.3km |
A lead mine. Ore is irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississippian Pahasapa Limestone.
Original location date not known, but incorporated in 1881. By 1883, the shaft was 225 feet deep but the mine closed due to excessive ground water.
The mine reopened in 1884. Difficulties with the local smelter (Hattenbach) forced the company to sack ore and ship it to Omaha, Nebraska. BY 1886, new investors and management (including Seth Bullock) expanded the operation with its own mill, purchase of the Hattenbach Smelter, Rubicon Gulch water rights and additional property. The shaft reached 300 feet. However, charcoal was in short supply and the company had to buy coke for $10 per ton. High arsenic concentrations sickened the mercury at the stamp mill and recovery dropped below 33%.
By 1886, the company was running out of ore amenable to amalgamation. The smelter closed after only ten months operation. The company extended the shaft to 400 feet and purchased a diamond drill for exploration. Exploration continued through 1889.
In 1890, the company purchased the Calumet gold mine in the Ruby Basin District and treated a mix of Iron Hill and Calumet ores. By 1891, all ore was shipped to Omaha, Nebraska due to excessive costs in South Dakota. By 1898, the entire property had been leased to W. M. Remer.
Sporadic exploration occurred until 1918, when an investment group began an adit in Silver Spring Gulch. By 1920, it broke into the flooded 300 foot level workings, dewatering all but the 400 foot level of the entire mine. However, the project was abandoned.
Original location date not known, but incorporated in 1881. By 1883, the shaft was 225 feet deep but the mine closed due to excessive ground water.
The mine reopened in 1884. Difficulties with the local smelter (Hattenbach) forced the company to sack ore and ship it to Omaha, Nebraska. BY 1886, new investors and management (including Seth Bullock) expanded the operation with its own mill, purchase of the Hattenbach Smelter, Rubicon Gulch water rights and additional property. The shaft reached 300 feet. However, charcoal was in short supply and the company had to buy coke for $10 per ton. High arsenic concentrations sickened the mercury at the stamp mill and recovery dropped below 33%.
By 1886, the company was running out of ore amenable to amalgamation. The smelter closed after only ten months operation. The company extended the shaft to 400 feet and purchased a diamond drill for exploration. Exploration continued through 1889.
In 1890, the company purchased the Calumet gold mine in the Ruby Basin District and treated a mix of Iron Hill and Calumet ores. By 1891, all ore was shipped to Omaha, Nebraska due to excessive costs in South Dakota. By 1898, the entire property had been leased to W. M. Remer.
Sporadic exploration occurred until 1918, when an investment group began an adit in Silver Spring Gulch. By 1920, it broke into the flooded 300 foot level workings, dewatering all but the 400 foot level of the entire mine. However, the project was abandoned.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Aragonite Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Atacamite Formula: Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| ⓘ Cerussite Formula: PbCO3 Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Chlorargyrite Formula: AgCl Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Leadhillite Formula: Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2 Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Matlockite Formula: PbFCl |
| ⓘ Mimetite Formula: Pb5(AsO4)3Cl Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Native Gold Formula: Au |
| ⓘ Plattnerite Formula: PbO2 Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Pyrargyrite Formula: Ag3SbS3 |
| ⓘ Pyromorphite Formula: Pb5(PO4)3Cl Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Vanadinite Formula: Pb5(VO4)3Cl Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite Formula: Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
| ⓘ Wulfenite Formula: Pb(MoO4) Description: Occurs in irregular replacement bodies along jasperized vertical fractures that transect Mississioppian Pahasapa Limestone. References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrargyrite | 2.GA.05 | Ag3SbS3 |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Chlorargyrite | 3.AA.15 | AgCl |
| ⓘ | Atacamite | 3.DA.10a | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| ⓘ | Matlockite | 3.DC.25 | PbFCl |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Plattnerite | 4.DB.05 | PbO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Aragonite | 5.AB.15 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Cerussite | 5.AB.15 | PbCO3 |
| ⓘ | Leadhillite | 5.BF.40 | Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Wulfenite | 7.GA.05 | Pb(MoO4) |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Vanadinite var. Arsenic-bearing Vanadinite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5[(V,As)O4]3Cl |
| ⓘ | Mimetite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| ⓘ | Pyromorphite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| ⓘ | Vanadinite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(VO4)3Cl |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Wyoming CratonCraton
- Wyoming DomainDomain
USA
- Black HillsMountain Range
- South Dakota
- Lawrence County
- Carbonate Mining DistrictMining District
- Lawrence County
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.






Iron Hill Mine, Spearfish, Lawrence County, South Dakota, USA