Gold Canyon, Gold Circle, Gold Crater, Gold Point Districts

Publication Info:
Nevada Mining Districts (Compiled Reports)
The Districts Described in This Section are from the following publications:

Mining Districts of Nevada - Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Report 47 (updated 1998); Placer Gold Deposits of Nevada - USGS Bulletin 1356 (1973)

Table of Contents

Gold Canyon District

Overview

Other Names: Egan Canyon, Cherry Creek

County: White Pine

Discovered: 1863

Organized: 1863

Commodities: gold, silver

Comments

This district is located in Egan Canyon and the northern part of the Egan Range, 5 miles west of Cherry Creek. The area is sometimes included in the Cherry Creek district.

References

Stretch, 1867, p. 102; White, 1871, p. 79; Whitehill, 1875, p. 88; Whitehill, 1877, p. 166; Angel, 1881, p. 653; Hill, 1912, p. 227; Lincoln, 1923, p. 242; Stoddard, 1932, p. 87; Hose and others, 1976, p. 47

Gold Circle District

Overview

Other Names: Midas, Summit

County: Elko

Discovered: 1907

Commodities: gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, mercury

Comments

The Gold Circle district covers the southeastern slope of the Owyhee Bluffs, between Midas and Fraziers Creeks. The original district name was Gold Circle and included the town of Rosebud. The town name was later changed to Gold Circle, and then to Midas. The district is commonly referred to as Midas.

References

Stuart, 1909, p. 115; Hill, 1912, p. 204; Lincoln, 1923, p. 45; Rott, 1931, p. 710; Stoddard, 1932, p. 31 Granger and others, 1957, p. 64; Smith 1976, p. 71 LaPointe and others, 1991, p. 162

Gold Circle (Midas) Placer District Description

Location

Location: North of Squaw Valley between Midas Greek and Squaw Creek, T. 39 N., R. 46 E.

Topographic Maps

Midas 7 1/2 -minute quadrangle.

Geologic Maps

Rott, 1931, Geologic map of the Gold Circle mining district, Elko County, Nevada (pi. 1), scale 1 in.=l,000 feet.

Access

From Winnemucca, Humboldt County, 18 miles east on Interstate 80 to junction with State Highway 18; from the junction, Midas is 42 miles northeast on State Highway 18. Numerous light-duty and dirt roads lead from Midas to the mining area.

Extent

The location and extent of the placers are unknown. They are probably in the vicinity of the lode mines, in the low hills south and east of Midas (SWy4 T. 39 N., R. 46 E.).

Production History

The recorded production from the Gold Circle district occurred during the periods 1911-12 and 1920-21 and in 1941. The deposits and the mining methods were not described.

Source

The placer gold was probably eroded from the gold-silver veins that occur in volcanic rocks in the area. The ore deposits in the volcanic rocks formed about 15 m.y. (million years) ago (Miocene). Without accurate locations of the placers, it is impossible to ascertain which veins were the probable source.

Literature

Rott, 1931: Describes lode mines in the district in detail.

Roberts and others, 1971: Dates mineralization in the district.

Gold Crater District

Overview

County: Nye

Discovered: 1904

Commodities: gold, silver, lead

Comments

The Gold Crater district is about 10 miles east of the summit of Stonewall Mountain and lies south of Stonewall Flat.

References

Hill, 1912, p. Stoddard, 1932, p. 66; 1972, p. 37

Gold Point District

Overview

Other Names: Hornsilver, Lime Point, Stateline, Morning Star

County: Esmeralda

Discovered: 1866

Commodities: gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, tungsten, uranium

Comments

Located along Slate Ridge southwest from Jackson Mountain, about 10 miles from Lida district and 14 miles from the Cuprite district. Once considered to be part of the Tokop district, to the south. Originally known as Lime Point, then Hornsilver or Gold Point. Gold Point district also includes the Stateline area, 6 miles south of Gold Point. A Morning Star district “situated south of the line between Stonewall and Lida and about 5 miles north of Tokop” may have been in the vicinity of the present Gold Point district.

References

Goldfield News, April 21, 1905; Stuart, 1909, p. 60; Hill, 1912, p. 207; Lincoln, 1923, p. 73; Stoddard, 1932, p. 38; Gianella, 1945, p. 55, 61; Albers and Stewart, 1972, p. 69; Garside, 1973, p. 52-53; Bonham, 1976; Stager and Tingley, 1988, p. 68

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