Aurora Mine Area

Mineral County, Nevada, United States

GoldSilver

⌖ Show on map USGS source ↗

Description

J.M. Brawley, J.M. Corey, E.R. Hicks

Commodities

PrimaryGold, Silver

Commodity typeM

Deposit

Deposit typeepithermal vein, typically with little or no wallrock dissemination

Model150: Epithermal vein, Comstock

Deposit sizeL

Orebody formlenses and stringers

Ore controlNE-striking faults are occupied by quartz-adularia-gold-silver veins. Three stages of veining are recognized. Precious metal deposition is associated with the second stage of veining, probably during boiling of the hydrothermal fluid. Ore was deposited by hydrothermal fluids in open space fillings.

Materials

Ore mineralsGold, Tetrahedrite, Electrum, Acanthite, Naumannite, Bromargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Pyrite

GangueQuartz, Adularia, Calcite

Geology

Host rockAndesite,Latite

Associated rockRhyolite,Basalt,Granite

StructureA young, less than 3 Ma old, broad regional upwarp extends form the southwest of the Bodie Hills through the Bodie District to the area of the Aurora District. This upwarp may continue to the northeast, south of the Borealis mine., Steep N-S striking faults offset the mineralized NE-striking faults.

AlterationProgressive weak to strong propylitic alteration with quartz-illite alteration surrounding silicification in the mineralized faults.

Economic & production

Development statusProducer

Production years1860-1869; 1914-1918; 1930s, 1983, and 1988-1998 with minor production in intervening years

First production1860

Last production1998

Discovery year1860

Identification

Deposit ID10310395

MRDS IDW002908

Alternate namesEsmeralda, Cambridge, Old Humboldt Mine area, Humboldt West claim, Humboldt East claim, Humboldt vein, Prospectus vein, Martinez, Juniata Mine, Del Monte Mine, Wide West Mine, Johnson Mine, Pond Mine, Chihuahua Mine, Garibaldi Mine, Antelope Mine, Utah Mine, Silver Hill, Middle Hill, Last Chance Hill, Aurora Mine, Aurora Partnership Mine, Chesca Mine

RegionNA

Data scoreB

Coordinates38.28631, -118.90179

References

Ross, D.C., 1961, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Mineral County, Nevada: NBMG Bull 58Hill, J.M., 1915, Some Mining Districts in Northeastern California and Northwestern Nevada: USGS Bull 594Ferguson, H.G., 1929, The Mining Districts of Nevada: Econ Geol, v. 24, no. 2, p 115-48.Green, W.R., 1962, Structural Control of Mineralization at the Aurora Mining District, Mineral County, Nevada: M.S. Thesis, Univ. of Nevada.Vanderburg, W.O., 1937, Recon. of Mining Districts in Mineral County, Nevada: U.S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 6941, 79p.Koschmann, A.H. and Bergandahl, M.H., 1968, Principal Gold-Producing Districts Of The U.S.: USGS Prof. Paper 610, p.188.Lincoln, F.C. 1923, Mining Districts of Nevada: Reno, Nevada Newsletter Pub. Co. p.137-8.State Division of Mine Inspection, Dec. 1983, Directory of Nevada Mine Operations Active During Calendar Year 1983.NBMG Mining District Files, File 189, Press Clippings.Osborne, M.A., 1991, Epithermal Mineralization at Aurora, Nevada: Proceedings of the GSN 1990 Symposium, p. 1097-1110.NBMG, 1990, The Nevada Mineral Industry: NBMG Special Publication MI-1989-2004.Nevada Division of Minerals, Major Mines of Nevada 1989-2004.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.Metallic Ventures Gold Inc. press releases, 1/20/2004, 11/12/04.