Commodities
PrimaryGold
TertiaryAntimony
Commodity typeM
Deposit
Deposit typecarbonate-hosted Au-Ag
Model173: Sediment-hosted Au
Deposit sizeN
Ore controlThere are two important sets of structures that localize ore at SSX. The older set of faults is partially occupied by the basalt dike, and strikes range from N70?W to N50?W with nearly vertical dips. The younger set of major faults cut the dike and its associated west-northwest trending faults and have strikes ranging from N10?E to N50?E, and dips ranging from 60 to 800 NW. The northeast-striking faults have normal offset, and share similar features (e.g. dolomitized wallrocks, carbon enrichment, arsenic and iron sulfides, silicification, and both tectonic and decarbonatization/collapse breccias). The ore mineralization/grade and alteration effects are more substantial with proximity to these structures. \nFissures and fractures
Materials
Ore mineralsGold, Orpiment, Realgar, Calcite
GangueStibnite
Geology
Host rockLimestone,Siltstone · Hanson Creek Fm.
Structurefracture zone
AlterationWallrock alteration of sedimentary rocks and the basalt dike was mapped in detail on three underground mine levels. Mapped alteration of sedimentary rocks included decarbonatization, dolomitization, silicification, carbon enrichment, and arsenic sulfide mineralization. Alteration of the dike progresses from deuteric to sericitic to argillic with proximity to northeast-striking faults. Silicification, also oxidation of antimony sulfides.
Economic & production
Development statusProducer
Identification
Deposit ID10310565
RegionNA
Data scoreB
Coordinates41.36379, -116.00091
References
Smith, R.M., Mineral Resources of Elko County, Nevada, USGS Open-File Report 1976-56.LaPointe and others, 1991, Mineral Resources of Elko County, Nevada, NBMG Bulletin 106.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.Dewitt, Alexander, 1999, Alteration, geochemical dispersion, and ore controls at the SSX Mine, Jerritt Canyon District, NV; abstr., GSN Newsletter, May, 1999.