Imperial Mine

The Imperial Mine is a silver and gold mine located in Storey county, Nevada at an elevation of 6,001 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

Name: Imperial Mine

State:  Nevada

County:  Storey

Elevation: 6,001 Feet (1,829 Meters)

Commodity: Silver, Gold

Lat, Long: 39.29389, -119.64528

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Imperial Mine

Imperial Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Imperial Mine
Secondary: Little Gold Hill Mines


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold


Location

State: Nevada
County: Storey
District: Comstock Lode


Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1864
Discovery Year: 1859
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Great Basin
Physiographic Detail: Basin And Mountains


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Epithermal vein, Comstock


Orebody

Form: TABULAR, V-SHAPED


Structure

Type: R
Description: Regional Dips To West And Northwest

Type: L
Description: Faults


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Propylitization, Oxidation, Pyritization


Rocks

Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Miocene


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Argentite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Deposit): THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF ORE IN PLACE IN THE COMSTOCK LODE WAS FREE-MILLING GOLD ORE ON A GROUP OF NARROW CLAIMS AT GOLD HILL. THE DEPOSIT IS Y-SHAPED WITH THE ORE OCCURRING ON THE HANGING WALL. THE FOOTWALL IS COMPOSED OF BARREN QUARTZ. ORIGINALLY STAKED IN 1859. CURRENTLY, PART OF LARGE OPEN-PIT MINE OPERATED BY HOUSTON OIL AND MINERALS ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Development): THIS WAS THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF ORE IN-PLACE ON THE COMSTOCK LODE. DEPOSIT IS NOW PART OF THE LARGE OPEN-PIT OPERATION OF HOUSTON OIL AND MINERALS

Comment (Deposit): ORE IS IN HANGING WALL WITH BARREN QUARTZ FOOTWALL

Comment (Workings): OPEN PIT, SHAFTS, DRIFTS


References

Reference (Deposit): STODDARD, CARL, AND CARPENTER, J.A., 1950, MINERAL RESOURCES OF STOREY AND LYON COUNTIES, NEVADA: NBMG BULL. 70.

Reference (Deposit): W.P.A. STATE WRITER'S PROJECT, 1940-41, INDIVIDUAL HISTORIES OF THE MINES OF THE COMSTOCK; UNPUBLISHED OPEN FILE REPORT - NEV. BUREAU OF MINES & GEOL.

Reference (Production): STODDARD, C.A., AND CARPENTER, J.A., 1950.


Nevada Gold

Gold Districts of Nevada

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.