Nevada · Lander County
Past Producer

Copper Basin Open Pit Mine Area

Lander County, Nevada, United States
CopperGoldMolybdenumSilverLeadZinc
⌖ Show on mapUSGS source ↗
Commodities
PrimaryCopper, Gold
SecondaryMolybdenum, Silver, Lead, Zinc
Deposit
Deposit typereplacement, fracture fillings; secondarily-enriched.
Model58: Porphyry Cu, skarn-related
Deposit sizeS
Orebody formirregular, blanket, tabular
Ore controlA fracture set trending N70 degrees west is a dominant ore control
Materials
Ore mineralsChalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Sphalerite, Galena, Gold, Silver, Molybdenite, Bismuthinite, Malachite, Azurite, Turquoise
GangueArsenopyrite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Marcasite, Garnet, Tremolite, Epidote
Geology
Host rockSandstone,Siltstone,Limestone,Shale · "Harmony Formation", "Battle Formation", "Antler Peak Formation"
Associated rockGranodiorite,Quartz Monzonite,Porphyry
StructureNorth-south-trending fractures exert minor control on mineralization. Low angle NNE-and NNW-trending-faults have been important in localizing supergene ore bodies., Major deformation of the Paleozoic rocks occurred during the Mississippian Antler and Late Permian -Early Triassic Sonoma orogenies before the intrusive and mineralization events occurred.
AlterationStrong-potassic, silicic, sericitic, propylitic, pyretic alteration of host granodiorite to quartz monzonite porphyry
Economic & production
Development statusPast Producer
First production1875
Discovery year1875
Identification
Deposit ID10310327
MRDS IDW002666
Alternate namesCopper Queen Mine, part of the current ICBM/Copper Basin property, Copper King Mine, Sweet Marie Mine, Widow Mine, Contention Mine, Carissa Mine
RegionNA
Data scoreA
Coordinates40.61212, -117.0365
References
Theodore, T.G., Silberman, M.L., and Blake, D.W., 1973, Geochemistry and potassium-argon ages of plutonic rocks in the Battle Mountain mining district, Lander County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 798?A, 24 p.Blake, D W; Theodore, T.G.; Batchelder, J.N; and Kretschmer, E.L.; 1979; Structural Relations of Igneous Rocks and Mineralization in the Battle Mountain Mining District, Lander Co., Nev.; in Papers on Mineral Deposits of Western North America; NBMG Report 33.Sayers, R.W., Tippett, M.C., and Fields, E.D, 1968, The Ore Deposits at Copper Canyon and Copper Basin, Lander County, Nevada: Paper Delivered At The Annual AIME Meeting, N.Y.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 CR 459-B.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.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.pdfTheodore T G, Blake D W, Kretschmer E L 1983 - Geology of the Copper Canyon porphyry copper deposits: in Titley S R 1983 Advances in Geology of the Porphyry Copper Deposits, Southwestern North America University of Arizona Press, Tucson pp 543-550\nWotruba P R, Benson R G, Schmidt K W, 1988 - Geology of the Fortitude gold-silver skarn deposit, Copper Canyon, Lander County, Nevada: in Schafer R W, Cooper J J, Vikre P G (Eds), 1988 Bulk Mineable Precious Metal Deposits of the Western United States Geol Soc of Nevada, Reno, pp 159-171\nBlake, D.W., Kretschmer, E.L., and Theodore, T.G., 1978, Geology and mineralization of the Copper Canyon deposits, Lander County, Nevada, in Shave, D.R., ed., Guidebook to mineral deposits of the Central Great Basin: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology RepDoebrich, J.L., and Theodore, T.G., 1996, Geologic history of the Battle Mountain mining district, Nevada, and regional controls on the distribution of mineral systems, in Coyner, A.R., and Fahey, P.L., eds., Geology and ore deposits of the American Cordillera.Ivosevich, S.W., and Theodore, T.G., 1996, Weakly developed porphyry system at Upper Paiute Canyon, Battle Mountain mining district, Nevada, in Coyner, A.R., and Fahey, P.L., eds., Geology and ore deposits of the American Cordillera: Reno, Geological Society of AmericaTheodore, T.G., Blake, D.W., Loucks, T.A., and Johnson G.A., 1992, Geology of the Buckingham stockwork molybdenum deposit and surrounding area, Lander County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 798?D, 24 p.