CHAPTER III
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

GENERAL STATUS OF MINING

Mineral deposits were discovered in Bear River valley in 1898 by
prospectors searching for placer deposits. Staking of mineral claims began
in 1898, but did not attain great proportion until 1908, when, owing to
relatively extensive development work by the Portland Canal Mining Com-
pany, an influx of prospectors took place. Nearly all available ground in
the valley was staked by 1910 and has since been held or restaked. The

_ Marmot River part of the area was prospected about 1910, but vacant
ground still exists. Mountain slopes in Marmot valley are extremely steep
and this fact no doubt discouraged early prospectors. Marmot River val-
ley is, however, much nearer to Portland canal than the northern half of
Bear River valley and if other conditions are equal may afford, therefore,
a better chance of profitable mining. Since the time of the first mineral
strike in the area the attention of prospectors has been confined almost
entirely to lode mining; although in 1912 small-scale placer mining was
attempted on Bitter creek, but unsuccessfully.

Optimism was the keynote for several years after 1908. In 1911 the
Canadian Northeastern railway completed the Portland Canal Short Line
railway, a standard gauge railroad, from Stewart to the Red Cliff mine at
the mouth of American creek. This railway was never much used and is
now beyond repair.

Production began in a small way in 1909 and has been continued inter-
mittently by several properties. The total production from Bear and Mar-
mot rivers up to and including the year 1926 is approximately 5,000 tons
of ore, from which the following quantities of metals were extracted.

1,000 ounces gold,
220,000 ounces silver,
830,000 pounds lead,
50,000 pounds zine,
70,000 pounds copper,
several hundred pounds molybdenite.

The production was worth some $200,000 which is a very low figure
considering the length of time the area has been known and the amount
of money expended on prospecting and development. Most of the produc-
tion has come from four properties, the Portland Canal, Red Cliff, Dun-
well, and Porter Idaho mines. The L and L mines rank next in produc-
tive importance. Fifteen other properties have made small ore shipments.
Physical conditions have been a severe handicap, costs of materials high,
and transportation burdensome. Though the past mining record of Bear
River valley is somewhat discouraging at the present time the outlook for
profitable mining is decidedly encouraging.