Latitude: 47°6'42"N
Longitude: 88°35'53"W
Commodities (Major) - Copper
Deposit Type: Lode
Development Status: Past Producer
Deposit Model: 96: Native Cu
Host Rock Unit: Portage Lake Volcanics
An underground copper mine consisting of one shaft located west of Houghton. The Naumkeag Mining Company was organized in 1859 to explore the Pewabic Lode on the south side of Portage Lake. At this location, the Lode was buried deep under soil which forced the company to sink a sand shaft, which proved to be a dangerous and unprofitable proposition. In 1912, the company reorganized and purchased more land from the Pacific Mining Company in hopes this new land would make it more profitable to mine. The company sank a new shaft on the Lode in 1913 and company reports state in 1920 of men working the shaft and straightening the adit; however, all work stopped at the mine in 1920. Copper Range bought the Naumkeag in 1931 but conducted no work on the property. The Naumkeag is a perfect case of a mine where rich copper is known to exist at depth, but too costly and dangerous to recover. Today, very little of the original minesite exists. What piles remain can produce some very nice analcime groups.
References
BUTLER, B.S., AND BURBANK, W.S., 1929, THE COPPER DEPOSITS OF MICHIGAN: USGS PROF PAPER NO. 144, 238 PP.
WHITE, W.S., 1956, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE CHASSELL QUADRANGLE, MICHIGAN: USGS MAP MF-43, SCALE 1:24000
Kaminski-Hamka, T., 2011, Copper Mines of Houghton County, Michigan. Copperlady Press, 120 pp.
DeGood, L., 2011, Michigan Copper Mining Stocks and Bonds. 401 pp.
Mineral List
6 entries listed. 5 valid minerals.
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