Rattlesnake Canyon Prospect

The Rattlesnake Canyon Prospect is a mercury mine located in Humboldt county, Nevada at an elevation of 4,659 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Rattlesnake Canyon Prospect
Secondary: NBMG Sample Site 2419
Secondary: Carbonate Claims

Commodity

Primary: Mercury
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Iron

Location

State: Nevada
County: Humboldt
District: Red Butte District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: W. S. Low; Ray Mead
Home Office: Box 955, Ocean Shores, Wa. 98569
Years: 1984 -

Owner Name: Walter L. Low
Years: 1940 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1945
Discovery Year: 1909
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Hot-spring Hg

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Deer Creek Thrust

Type: L
Description: Shear Zones

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Clay Minerals, Calcite, Dolomite Associated W/Ore

Rocks

Name: Hornblendite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Hornblendite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Hornblendite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SAMPLE 2419 FROM CU-STAINED CONTACT ZONE BETWEEN ALTERED DIORITE AND LIMESTONE CONTAINS 5 % FE, 5 % MG, 20 % CA, 0-.1 % TI, + 5000 PPM MN, 3 PPM AG, 500 PPM B, +5000 PPM BA, 15 -PPM CO, 10 PPM CR, 7000 PPM CU, 10 PPM NI, 100 PPM PB, 500 PPM- SB, 7 PPM SC, 2000 PPM SR, 70 PPM V, 10 PPM Y, 1000 PPM ZN, 1-0 PPM ZR.

Materials

Ore: Cinnabar
Ore: Mercury
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Location): ON W. FLANK OF S. END JACKSON MTNS.

Comment (Workings): 2 SEMI-VERTICAL SHAFTS BOTH OPEN AND JUST OFF TOP OF HILL TO WEST. BOTH MAY TOTAL 100 FT OR SO IN DEPTH. 2 SHALLOW- SHORT OPEN CUTS LIE TO SOUTH OF SHAFTS AND SOMEWHAT DOWNHILL -FROM THEM; CUTS RUN E-W; CABIN; REMAINS OF 2-PIPE RETORT

Comment (Geology): CINNABAR FILLS FRACTURES NEAR SHEARS, AND IS DISSEMINATED WITHIN SHEARS, FORMS "STRAWBERRIES" IN CRACKS. ; GEOL.DESC: DEER CREEK THRUST BRECCIA (?)//LOWER PLATE (?)

Comment (Deposit): WESTERN HILL WORKINGS ARE ON THIN ANDESITE BRECCIA DIKES THAT CUT THIN-BEDDED LIMESTONE. EASTERN HILL WORKINGS LIE IN IGNEOUS BRECCIA CONTAINING LIMESTONE FRAGMENTS. DEPOSIT WAS DISCOVERED PRIOR TO 1909, AND WAS WORKED IN THE EARLY 1940'S BY WALTER L. LOW, WHO INSTALLED A SMALL RETORT AND RECOVERED SEVERAL FLASKS OF HG. THE WORKINGS LIE ON 2 HILLS 200 YDS. APART. ON THE EASTERN HILL, THERE IS A 50-FT SHAFT, A 20-FT SHAFT AND 3 TRENCHES, EXPLORING SHEAR ZONES. ON THE WESTERN HILL AREA 50-FT SHAFT AND 2 SMALL TRENCHES. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT; 3 FIELD OBSERV

Comment (Development): NO ACTIVITY IN 1984; CLAIMS STAKED BY MEAD JUNE 1981

Comment (Deposit): VEINS IN SHEAR ZONES

Comment (Production): "SEVERAL FLASKS" HG.

References

Reference (Deposit): WILLDEN, R., 1964, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF HUMBOLDT CO., NEV; NEV. BUREAU OF MINES BULL. 59

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1909, NOTES ON SOME MINING DISTRICTS IN HUMBOLDT CO., NEV; U.S.G.S. BULL. 414.

Reference (Deposit): WILLDEN, 1964, GENERAL GEOLOGY OF JACKSON MOUNTAINS, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NEVADA: USGS BULL. 1141 - D

Reference (Deposit): JONES, R. B., 17 AUG 84, NBMG FIELD EXAMINATION AND SAMPLE ANALYSIS.

Reference (Deposit): NBMG STAFF, 1985, NBMG OFR 85-3.

Reference (Production): USBM UNPUB DATA

Reference (Deposit): BAILEY, E.H. AND PHOENIX, D.A., 1944, QUICKSILVER DEPOSITS IN NEVADA; NEV. BUREAU OF MINES BULL. 41.

Nevada Gold

Nevada has a total of 368 distinct gold districts. Of the of those, just 36 are major producers with production and/or reserves of over 1,000,000 ounces, 49 have production and/or reserves of over 100,000 ounces, with the rest having less than 100,000 ounces. Read more: Gold Districts of Nevada.