Philips Lake

Region West, Northwest
States
Mineral systems
Deposit types
Critical minerals
Other minerals

Information leading to the delineation of this focus area

Basis for focus area MRDS occurrences.
Identified resources Historical production of beryllium (beryl).
Production Cannon mine: 6 tons of ore mined and stockpiled; average grade 4.2-6.21% BeO.
Status Past mining for beryllium (beryl).
Estimated resources Unknown.
Geologic maps Miller (1974), scale 1:62,000; Miller and others (1975), scale 1:62,000; Park and Cannon (1943), scale 1:96,000; Miller (2000), scale 1:100,000.
Geophysical data Inadequate aeromagnetic coverage and some adequate aeroradiometric coverage.
Favorable rocks and structures Pegmatite dike swarms related to the emplacement of two-mica granites of the Cretaceous Phillips Lake granodiorite.
Deposits Cannon mine (MRDS dep_id: 10042366), Railway Dike mine (MRDS dep_id: 10254032).
Evidence from mineral occurrences MRDS.
Geochemical evidence Cassiterite is the only Sn mineral and is disseminated in both types of pegmatite. Wolframite and scheelite (the most abundant W mineral) are found in quartz pegmatites and veins. An ore shoot ~100 ft by 20 ft, and 2-3 ft thick is estimated to contain approximately 3% metallic Sn (Page, 1942).
Geophysical evidence None.
Evidence from other sources None.
Comments Mostly national forest and state owned land (mineral leases). Some national wildlife refuge in west central portion in the study area and private ownership scattered throughout.
Cover thickness and description Exposed at the surface.
Authors Daniel W. Eungard.
New data needs High resolution geophysics and mapping, geochemistry, and lidar.
Geologic mapping and modeling needs Seven 1:24,000 scale quadrangles worth of area covered by focus area. Reconnaissance mapping to find dike swarms. Geochemistry to verify element enrichments in dikes.
Geophysical survey and modeling needs High-resolution, Rank 1 aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric surveys.
Digital elevation data needs Lidar complete over small portion of focus area.