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Gold Hill Mine, Slate Creek Mining District, Whatcom County, Washington, USAi
Regional Level Types
Gold Hill MineMine
Slate Creek Mining DistrictMining District
Whatcom CountyCounty
WashingtonState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
48° 40' 7'' North , 120° 48' 27'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
48.66889,-120.80750
GeoHash:
G#: c2dhfgysv
GRN:
N33W58
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
Dsc : Dry-summer subarctic climate
Mindat Locality ID:
28932
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:28932:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Northern Cascade Mine; Peterson Mine; Sandusky Mine; Iron Mountain Mine


A small silver mine just north of the Skagit county line on the East Fork of Granite Creek. It worked mineralized shear zones 2'-8' thick in late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Jack Mountain phyllite. There were multiple veins, but the most developed by far was the Blue Vein. Development includes 4 adits totaling about 4,000', some open cuts, and a 20' shaft. It produced 1.8 tons of ore in 1936 that was shipped to Kellogg, Idaho which assayed 0.07 oz/ton Au, 93.25 oz/ton Ag, 29.4% Pb, and 9.2% Zn. This was likely from a high grade pod. Assays from ASARCO on this same vein ran at highest 4.88 oz/ton Ag.

Structure: Northwestward Trending Asymmetrical Anticline

Tectonics: Cascade Volcanic Arc

Deposit: Ore is in several well-developed shear zones 2-8 ft thick in argillite and quartzite. Attitudes are of shear zones. Deposit consists of 4 main lodes and several cross leads. The iron mountain, genevieve, and gouge lodes trend e-w. The virginia lode trends n-s. Lodes are co-extensive with some of main lodes of azurite group. Iron mountain lode is 5-7 ft thick with quartz (bluish-gray to white or rust color), talc, and some calcite. Oxidized part of lode is 700 x 200 ft and contains two leads. Main lead is 5-15 ft thick; other two are 30-36 in. Thick. Genevieve lode (continuous with main trend of monster lode of azurite group) is a quartz matrix with silver and gold in sulfides. Gouge lode to the north is similar; the vein is 4-30 ft thick. Virginia lode is 3.5-5 ft thick with well-defined walls; vein filling is rusty and white quartz with fine sulfides. Plan map of adits, available, moen, 1967. 40 unpatented claims, 2 millsites ; info.src : 1 pub lit mrds record d001671 has been merged with this record and deleted

Deposit type: Polymetallic veins

Geology: The area near mine has been intruded by golden horn batholith and also contains felsite, aplite, and andesitic dikes As much As 20 ft wide.

Rock formation(s): Golden Horn Batholith;;;
Jack Mountain Phyllite;Jack Mountain Phyllite;Jack Mountain Phyllite


Ore(s): Shear Zones

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


14 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Acanthite
Formula: Ag2S
ⓘ Anglesite
Formula: PbSO4
ⓘ Arsenopyrite
Formula: FeAsS
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Native Gold
Formula: Au
ⓘ Native Silver
Formula: Ag
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ Stibnite
Formula: Sb2S3
ⓘ Talc
Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Gold1.AA.05Au
ⓘNative Silver1.AA.05Ag
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘAcanthite2.BA.35Ag2S
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘPyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘStibnite2.DB.05Sb2S3
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘArsenopyrite2.EB.20FeAsS
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAnglesite7.AD.35PbSO4
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘTalc9.EC.05Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
OOxygen
Oⓘ AnglesitePbSO4
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
SSulfur
Sⓘ AcanthiteAg2S
Sⓘ AnglesitePbSO4
Sⓘ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
Sⓘ StibniteSb2S3
CaCalcium
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
FeIron
Feⓘ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
CuCopper
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
Asⓘ ArsenopyriteFeAsS
AgSilver
Agⓘ AcanthiteAg2S
Agⓘ Native SilverAg
SbAntimony
Sbⓘ StibniteSb2S3
AuGold
Auⓘ Native GoldAu
PbLead
Pbⓘ AnglesitePbSO4
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10047762

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate

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.

References

Valentine, Grant M., Huntting, Marshall T. (1960) Part II - Metallic Minerals, in Inventory of Washington Minerals. Vol II. Bulletin 37, Washington Geological Survey.
Moen, W. (1969) Mines and Mineral Deposits of Whatcom County, Washington. Washington Division of Mines and Geology Bulletin 57, 134 pages.
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