Nevada · Lander County
Producer

Empire - Northern Lights Deposit

Lander County, Nevada, United States
GoldSilverCopper
⌖ Show on mapUSGS source ↗
Commodities
PrimaryGold, Silver, Copper
Commodity typeM
Deposit
Deposit typereplacement
Model75: Distal disseminated Ag-Au172: Carbonate-hosted Au-Ag
Deposit sizeS
Ore controlThe intersections of two steeply dippng, mineralized structures which trend NNW and WNW have acted to localize higher grade ore.
Materials
Ore mineralsGold
GangueQuartz, Chalcedony, Goethite, Jarosite, Hematite
Geology
Host rockSiltstone,Sandstone,Shale · Harmony Formation
Associated rockQuartz Monzonite
StructureNE-trending faults ad the Dewitt Thrust Fault
AlterationPredominant alteration types affecting host rocks are silicification, pyritization, argillization, d sericitization. Gold mineralization is associated with fine-grained silica (locally chalcedonic) and pyrite replacing formerly calcareous siltstone and sandstone of the Harmony Formation. Extensive bleaching and argillization are believed to be caused by the breakdown of pyrite and liberation of sulfur as sulfate to form acid-leach type conditions. Monzonite-granodiorite porphyritic sills exhibit strong argillization and, locally, sericitization.
Economic & production
Development statusProducer
First production1918
Discovery year1875
Identification
Deposit ID10310309
MRDS IDM231333
RegionNA
Data scoreB
Coordinates40.60601, -117.02983
References
Roberts, R.J. And Arnold, D.C., 1965, Ore Deposits of the Antler Peak Quadrangle, Humboldt and Lander Counties, Nevada: U.S.G.S. Prof. Paper 459-B.Stewart, J. H., Mckee, E. H., and Stager, H. K., 1977, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Lander County, Nevada, NBMG Bull. 88.Schmidt, K. W., Wotruba, P. R., and Johnson, S. D., 1988, Gold-Silver and Related Mineralization at Copper Basin, Nevada, in Gold Deposits Of North Central Nevada, Special Publication #8, the Geological Society of Nevada, Reno.Long, K.R., DeYoung, J.H., Jr., and Ludington, S.D., 1998, Database of significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in the United States; Part A, Database description and analysis; part B, Digital database: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-206, 33 p., one 3.5 inch diskette.Doebrich and Theodore, 1996.Geological Society of Nevada, 1999, Geology and Gold Mineralization of the Buffalo Valley Area, Northwestern Battle Mountain Trend; GSN Special Publication No. 31, 1999 Fall field trip Guidebook.Wendt, Clancy, 2004, Technical Report on the? ICBM/COPPER BASIN Property, Lander and Humboldt Counties, Nevada, Staccato Gold website, : http://www.staccatogold.com/i/pdf/icbm-43-101.pdf