THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF IDAHO 267 
 
Table 13.—Mine production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc,
in the Coeur d'Alene 
region, Shoshone County, in terms of recoverable metals 
Year 
Mines 
producing 
—————— 
Lode Placer 
Material 
sold or 
treated 1 
(thou- 
sand 
short 
tons) 
Gold, 
lode and placer (troy. 
ounces) 
~ 
Silver, 
lode and 
placer 
(thou- 
sand 
troy 
ounces) 
Copper 
(short 
tons) 
Lead 
(short 
tons) 
Zinc 
(short 
tons) 
Total 
value 
(thousands) 
1963         
1964         
1965         
1966         
1967         
16       
18       
21       
21       
26       
1,463 
1,482 
1,592 
1,786 
1,595 
3,427 
2,952 
2,713 
2,775 
2,444 
16,523 
16,122 
17,918 
19,092 
16,483 
3,332 
3,336 
3,540 
3,454 
2,714 
74,794 
69,586 
63,474 
67,891 
57,587 
63,118 
58,054 
56,443 
58,877 
54,807 
$53,980 
57,146 
62,054 
64,880 
59,008 
1884—1967 
 2 
115,969 
449,542 
738,915 
122,184 
6,958,983 
2,498,993 
2,213,518 
1 Does not include gravel washed. 
2 Complete data not available 1884—1904. 
 
 Placer Center District (Shoshone County) —The main shaft of the Dayrock
mine was deepened 200 feet, new station and pocket facilities were established
at the 1450 level, and a 775-foot crosscut was driven to the Ohio vein. Production
came from development of the 1450 level and limited stoping above the 1250
level. According to the Day Mines, Inc., annual report, production totaled
19,758 tons of ore averaging 6.6 percent lead, 6.5 ounces of silver per ton,
and 0.7 percent zinc. Ore reserves at the end of the year were estimated
at 86,000 tons. 
 Yreka District (Shoshone County) 
The Bunker Hill Co. in its annual report to stockholders disclosed that 1967
production at the Bunker Hill mine was 366,025 tons of ore containing 25,331
tons of lead, 21,803 tons of zinc, and 1,440,471 ounces of silver. Ore reserves
were estimated to be 4,483,576 tons. At the metallurgical units, production
of lead, zinc, and sulfuric acid was an alltime high, and inventories remained
adequate for capacity operations. 
 
 Mcrcury.—Production of mercury fell 21 percent, but the value declined
only 
12 percent as the average market price rose to $489 per flask from $442 in
1966. As in the previous year, production was largely from the Idaho-Almaden
mine near Weiser, although ore also was mined and processed at the Hermes
property in Valley County. 
 
 Silver.—Silver production continued high through the first part of
the year in response to strong demand; further impetus was added when the
Treasury Department removed its $1 .29-per-ounce 
ceiling price in July, and the price rose over 45 percent. The effect of
the copper strike in mid-July, however, cut into production, and as a result,
the yearly total output dropped 14 percent to 17 million ounces. Mines in
the Coeur d'Alene mining region yielding substantial quantities of silver
included the Sunshine, Galena, Lucky Friday, Bunker Hill, Star-Morning Unit,
Crescent, Page, and Silver Summit. The Clayton mine, Custer County, yielded
over 200,000 ounces of silver. 
 In the Coeur d'Alene region, the silver price increase spurred exploration
activity. At the "Coeur Project" on the Rainbow property near Wallace, American
Smelting and Refining Company (Asarco) continued deepening the shaft beyond
4,000 feet. Plans were announced to explore the property with a lateral at
the 3,475-foot station to connect with a lateral driven into the southern
portion of the property by Hecla Mining Co. from its Silver Summit mine.
Plans to increase the milling capacity at the Galena mine from 500 to 800
tons daily and to deepen the No. 3 shaft from the 3700 level to the 4600
level were interrupted by the strike. Installation of a new 1,750-horsepower
hoist for the No. 3 shaft was completed. 
 Sunshine Mining Co. increased silver production at the Sunshine mine to
7.7 million ounces of silver compared with 7.4 million ounces in 1966, and
maintained its position as the largest single silver producer in the United
States. A new administration building was occupied in May, and a 14,400-volt
powerline was tied in to the Sunshine mine in June as part of its long-range
expansion program.