20210204 ================================================================== Mines and Prospects of Idaho ================================================================== Database of the Mines and Prospects of Idaho Compiled by Christopher A. Tate, Victoria E. Mitchell, and Loudon R. Stanford Digital Database 1 in the Idaho Geological (IGS) Digital Data series (DD-1) Version 1.2021 February 2021 ------------------------- HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT ------------------------- This ReadMe document will help you get the most out of the database, and should be consulted with other metadata and support documents. Please contact us if you should encounter any problems with the database. To view Readme.txt onscreen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad window or select the Word Wrap option under Format in the toolbar. To print Readme.txt, open it in Notepad or another word processor, and then use the Print command on the File menu. 'Database,' 'Mines and Prospects,' and 'DD-1' might be used interchangeably when referring to the working database, the database in the DD-1 download bundle, and the database driving the Mines and Prospects web app. Names in brackets, such as [Mines], refer to tables in the database. Names in brackets seperated by a period, such as [Mines].[Foo] refers to field [Foo] in the table [Mines]. Included With this Data Set =========================== 1. Access 2000 data in a relational database formatted as an ESRI personal geodatabase. 2. Geodatabase point feature class as WGS84. 2. A Shapefile made from xy event in ArcGIS 10.5.1 using [Mines].[lon_WGS84] and [Mines].[lat_WGS84] fields. 3. Metadata. 4. A KMZ file for import into Google Earth or other applications. 5. MXD files for ArcGIS versions 10.1-10.5 that includes symbology used in the Idaho Geological Survey's Mines web application. Table of Contents ================= 1. System Requirements 2. Introduction a. Information Included b. Compilation History 3. Key to Abbreviations used in the Mines and Prospects Digital Database a. References b. Products 4. Total Production Figures 5. Key to the structure of the Mines and Prospects Digital Database 6. Contact Information 7. Appendix of Metadata Resources for DD-1 8. Appendix of Data Limitations 1. System Requirements ======================= Microsoft Access 2000 or later, and Geographical Information System (GIS) software for opening the shapefile. ArcGIS 10.8.1 was used to process data and create the MXD files. 2. Introduction ================ The Idaho Geological Survey's Mines and Prospects digital database contains information on nearly 9000 mining properties in Idaho. This inventory of mining activity and production is a valuable research tool, particularly for mineral exploration and land management. All available sources have been used to compile and correct this information, including published and unpublished reference materials, the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), and the U.S. Bureau of Mines' Mineral Industry Location Subsystem (MILS). Every effort has been made to make the database complete and accurate; however, any additions or corrections should be directed to the Idaho Geological Survey. Periodic revisions of this database will be issued as new information is added. 2A. Information Included Each mine or prospect is identified by its map location number, [*].[SequenceNumber], which is also the property number in the IGS's Mineral Property Files. In the Mines table, the [Mines].[latitude] and [Mines].[longitude] fields (NAD27) are the best available location for the property as plotted. WGS84 locations are included for use in Google Map, Google Earth, and ESRI map services (see online search tool at: http://www.idahogeology.org/webmap/). Other useful location information (such as county in which the deposit occurs; its township, range, section, quarter section; the land owner; etc.) are also shown and updated for this version (1.2018.1). A shapefile (MinesAndProspects.shp) and ESRI feature class (Mines_FC) built from the WGS84 coordinates that includes attributes from the[Mines] table, with data from other tables for convenience. a PDF file containing ArcMap export and [DataDictionary] table, a PDF file(MinesAndProspects_Metadata.pdf), this ReadMe file (ReadMe.txt), and the Mines and Prospects database MinesAndProspects_1.2018.1). The References field originally contained the single reference with the best information for spatially locating the property. Ongoing updates are slowly expanding the references for each property. These and other changes were recorded in the Z-updates field, which documents each change made to the database. If more detailed comments are needed, these are to be found in the Annotations field. For the version 1.2051.1, a TrackChange table has been added to note changes to property locations and attributes for the database re-work 2014-15. Production figures were compiled from U.S. Bureau of Mines' unpublished records. For lode mines, the total amounts of ore produced and old tailings reprocessed (if any) are reported in tons; where tailings were reprocessed, these numbers are listed after a slash (i.e., ore/tailings). For placer mines, the production is given in yards of material processed. Production tonnage (or yardage) is most useful for determining the relative size of a deposit. For an individual deposit, caution should be used in comparing the tons of ore or yards of gravel mined with the metals obtained from the ore, because for some years the total amount (tons or yards) mined may be unknown or the data may be incomplete. For the commodities, gold and silver are in troy ounces; copper, lead, and zinc are in pounds. Reliable production data are not available for other commodities. To protect mining company confidentiality, single letters represent broad ranges in the amounts of ore and commodities produced (see below). For comparison purposes, many entries contain selected fields from the U.S. Bureau of Mines MILS database and the U.S. Geological Survey's MRDS database. This is information taken from the 1991 version of these databases and has not been compared with the current online version of the combined databases (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/). The MILS and MRDS databases will remain unchanged and are used simply as a reference. 2B. Compilation History. The Mines and Prospects database has been an ongoing IGS research project for 25 years (as of 2015)! It has been curated by multiple individuals through it's lifetime, and currently there is not a single metadata or support document source yet compiled that can 'tell the whole story.' Users are urged to consult ALL metadata sources and support documents to refine understanding of the products. An appendix at the end of this document has been added for version 1.2016.1 to assist locating information. The first editions of the Mines and Prospects Map Series were funded jointly under contracts and cooperative agreements between the Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology (now the Idaho Geological Survey) and the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Bureau of Mines (now defunct), the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. For the second editions, the maps and property listings incorporated corrections and new data accumulated since the original maps were published. This revision was done as part of the Idaho Initiative Mapping Program, a cooperative research project between the Idaho Geological Survey, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Preparation of these digital publications is an on going process. The compilers for the various editions of the Mines and Prospects for Idaho were Victoria E. Mitchell, Ruth E. Vance, William B. Strowd, Gail S. Hustedde, Julie A. Copeland, Margaret H. Ott, Earl H. Bennett, B. Benjamin E. Studer, Loudon R. Stanford, and Christopher A. Tate. The original Mines and Prospects Map Series was compiled by referring to the best available reference for a site (preferably a map) and cross-checking that location against the information in MILS and MRDS. One opening was selected to represent each mine, and points were plotted as accurately as possibly on 1:250,000 maps. Each dot used to plot a site covered about a quarter of a section. When these maps were digitized, the accuracy of each point was 0.25 miles (400 m) or less. In 1994, the Idaho Geological Survey began the first of a series of field programs in co-operation with the U.S. Forest Service (Regions 1 and 4) and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to inspect inactive and abandoned mines in Idaho. These programs ran through 2005, and the results of most of them have been published as Idaho Geological Survey Staff Reports. When a site was visited, a detailed map of the site's features was made on a 1:24,000 map. The location of the largest and/or most significant feature was later digitized and updated into the database. Some of the later studies included the use of GPS units; these locations were entered directly into the database. In 2008 in a project funded by the USGS under the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program, the Idaho Geological Survey began updating the locations of all the properties for which it has a mineral property file. These updated locations were plotted in National Geographic's TOPO! program at a scale of 1:24,000. The improved coordinates were then uploaded into the database. Several projects funded by USGS and the Idaho Department of Lands resulted in a substantial re-work of the database 2009-2015 and culminated in re-release of DD-1 as version 1.2015.1. This included development of a Mines and Prospects web app, scanning of maps and other documents in the IGS archives to be hyperlinked for download, and 'cleaning up' the data and structure of the database. More information about the procedural changes for the 1.2015.1 version can be found in [mines_mdb_tracking_mdat]. This ReadMe was also updated. For the 1.2016.1 version release, several significant database and product changes were implemented, as well as continous scanning and entering Mineral Property Files to be accessed through the web app this database drives. The MinesAndProspects database was migrated to an ESRI Personal Geodatabase. This format does not interfere in any way with Access functionality. It does ease database maintenance, and is convenient for users interested in using the data in ArcGIS. Point feature classes were developed and an ESRI map document was included for convenience. Work was begun on conforming references to the Idaho Geological Survey's established publication format. Portfolios (unique and physically bound collections of maps and other documents) were made a subset of Mineral Property File data. ZIP code and Mining District attributes were added to the [Mines] table. A KMZ file was added to this release. For the 1.2018.1 version release, infrastructure to accomodate Idaho State Mine Inspector Report and Idaho Geological Survey annual mining reports (Regional Development) material was developed. The ability to record company name data for document sources was included, and a table that includes records of mine property names and commodities was developed to create feature classes and the KMZ file. For the 1.2021 version we began capture of data indicating placer activity, underground workings, surface (pit) mining, exploration-only, commodity production, and ore processing facilities on-site. The data are current to the date on the version. 3. Key to Abbreviations used in the Mines and Prospects Digital Database ========================================= 3A. References 1. Agency BLM - U.S. Bureau of Land Management DOE - U.S. Department of Energy DMA - Defense Minerals Administration DMEA - Defense Minerals Exploration Administration IBMG - Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology IGS - Idaho Geological Survey MSHA - Mining Safety and Health Administration OME - Office of Mineral Exploration USBM - U. S. Bureau of Mines USDA - U. S. Department of Agriculture USFS - U. S. Forest Service USGS - U. S. Geological Survey WFOC - Western Field Operations Center 2. Publication B - Bulletin CR - County Report IC - Information Circular MILS - Mineral Inventory Location Subsystem MLA - Mineral Land Assessment MPF - Mineral Property File MR - Miscellaneous Report MRDS - Mineral Resources Data System OFR - Open-File Report P - Pamphlet PP - Professional Paper RI - Report of Investigation SR - Special Report 3B. Products 1. Metallic Ag - silver Au - gold Ba - barium Be - beryllium Bi - bismuth Ca - calcium Cd - cadmium Ce - cerium Co - cobalt Cu - copper Fe - iron Hg - mercury Mg - magnesium Mn - manganese Mo - molybdenum Nb - niobium Ni - nickel P - phosphorous Pb - lead Pt - platinum PGM - platinum group metals RE - rare earths Sb - antimony Si - silica Sn - tin Th - thorium Ti - titanium U - uranium V - vanadium W - tungsten Yt - yttrium Zn - zinc Zr - zirconium 2. Nonmetallic abr - abrasives bar - barite bk-sd - black sand cal - calcite cin - cinnabar cly - clay coal - coal cor - corundum dit - diatomaceous earth dol - dolomite eva - evaporites fld - feldspar F - fluorite gar - garnet gas - gas gem - gemstones graph - graphite gyp - gypsum lst - limestone mic - mica mon - monazite oil - oil opl - opal perl - perlite pho - phosphate pum - pumice qtz - quartz S - sulfur sil - silica stn - stone Ta - tantalum vol - volcanic rocks zeo - zeolites 4. Total Production Figures ============================ The following alphabet is used to protect the confidentiality of the production figures for the mines where data are known. These values are also included in the "ProductionCodes" table in the database. The amounts are given, as applicable, in ounces, pounds, tons, or yards. A - less than 50 B - 51-100 C - 101-500 D - 501-1,000 E - 1,001-5,000 F - 5,001-10,000 G - 10,001-50,000 H - 50,001-100,000 I - 100,001-500,000 J - 500,001-2,000,000 K - 2,000,001-4,000,000 L - 4,000,001-6,000,000 M - 6,000,001-8,000,000 N - 8,000,001-10,000,000 O - 10,000,001-12,000,000 P - 12,000,001-15,000,000 Q - 15,000,001-20,000,000 R - 20,000,001-30,000,000 S - 30,000,001-40,000,000 T - 40,000,001-50,000,000 U - 50,000,001-75,000,000 V - 75,000,001-100,000,000 W - 100,000,001-150,000,000 X - 150,000,001-200,000,000 Y - 200,000,001-250,000,000 Z - 250,000,001-300,000,000 AA - 300,000,001-500,000,000 BB - 500,000,001-750,000,000 CC - 750,000,001-1,000,000,000 DD - 1,000,000,001-1,500,000,000 EE - 1,500,000,001-2,000,000,000 FF - 2,000,000,001-3,000,000,000 GG - 3,000,000,001-4,000,000,000 HH - 4,000,000,001-5,000,000,000 5. Key to the (revised format) structure of the Mines and Prospects Digital Database ============================================== The details for the fields are available by viewing the accompanying "MinesAndProspects_Metadata.pdf" file, or checking the [DataDictionary]. 6. Contact Information: ======================== To report bugs, discrepancies, or problems, please contact: Idaho Geological Survey ATTN: Christopher A. Tate Morrill Hall Third Floor Idaho Geological Survey University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Dr. MS 3014 Moscow, ID 83844-3014 E-mail: ctate@uidaho.edu Phone: (208) 885-7540 Idaho Geological Survey Web Site https://www.idahogeology.org IGS Mines and Prospects web application https://www.idahogeology.org/webmap/ Idaho Geological Survey E-Mail: igs@uidaho.edu 7. Appendix of Metadata Sources =============================== There are multiple sources for metadata and support documentation. After consulting the sources below, if questions remain, please contact the Survey for assistance. 1. Metadata_Overview.pdf 2. [mines_mdb_tracking_mdat] 3. [DataDictionary] 4. [Z-annotations] 5. [Z-updates] 6. Web app help file MPHelp.pdf (especially the FAQ) 8. Appendix of Data Limitations =============================== This list is not exhaustive. It is important to understand that data limitations can be inherited and compounded, so may be impacted variably depending on framework of a given analysis. This resource should be used in conjunction with sources in Appendix of Metadata Sources, as well as metadata for source data used to derive Mines and Prospects attributes utilizing a GIS. The DD-1 publication is provided as-is. The Idaho Geological Survey does not imply that any data in DD-1 is free of errors, or that it is suitable for every or any possible analysis. However, the Idaho Geological Survey may be able to assist with questions about the suitability of DD-1 data for paticular analyses. 1. Location of mine sites: Initially, location data was derived largely by using 1:250,000 scale maps. Through time, some locations have been refined using 1:24,000 maps, GPS, remote sensing, and other resources. Location data is updated as new and/or more accurate information becomes available. It should be kept in mind that DD-1 uses a static point-data model to represent four-dimensional data. This simplification also has impact on the resolution of mine location descriptions. 2. Production data: This was compiled from multiple sources and the methodolgy was not well documented. There is evidence that historically reported production was at least occasionaly falsified, either higher or lower than actual production, by some reporting parties. Historic production data is provided as a range to protect proprietary information provided to the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The Idaho Geological Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey publish limited production data for current and recent operating mining interests that are not yet represented in Mines and Prospects (https://www.idahogeology.org/current-historic-mining-activity). 3. Public Land Survey System (PLSS): PLSS data was estimated using a GIS and data from the Bureau of Land Management. It is not a legal description, and has limitations beyond location of mine sites. It is provided for general reference only. 4. Mining Districts: Mining district data in DD-1 is from only one source with limited verification. Users should keep in mind that some district borders were never completley established or surveyed, some districts were split and/or combined, may have been established under a territory or after statehood, and that the pedigree for the source data for this attribute is not entirely clear. Digitization quality is no better than 1:1,000,000 scale. It is provided for general reference only, and without a date that could be used to help establish the boundaries or names being valid as they are described. 5. References: The references for properties are an important component, and are in the process of being revised to match Idaho Geological Survey publication guidelines. Because of a lack of title etc. currently, they may be difficult to acquire. The Survey may be able to provide some assistance with documents such as U.S. Bureau of Mines publications. 6. Download vs. Web App: Because the Mines and Prospects Working database that is used for the DD-1 download and for driving the Idaho Geological Survey's Mines web app is being updated, there may be discrepancies between the two datasets. This is because the web app is updated frequently, and the download package generally updated as a re-release of DD-1, which includes support documentation and metadata updates with substantial changes to the database, as well as other products released with DD-1. The Mines web app is often more up-to-date than the downloadable package. Contact Idaho Geological Survey to request a copy of the DD-1 working database, or other products associated with this publication. ============ ================================================================= This readme file was last updated 3-4-2021 for Digital Database version 1.2021.