Bernice Mine

The Bernice Mine is a antimony and silver mine located in Churchill county, Nevada at an elevation of 6,299 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: Bernice Mine
Secondary: Old Williams Mine

Commodity

Primary: Antimony
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Iron
Tertiary: Arsenic

Location

State: Nevada
County: Churchill
District: Bernice 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: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Williams, J. B.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1886
Year Last Production: 1890
Discovery Year: 1886
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silicification

Rocks

Name: Plutonic Rock
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Triassic

Name: Plutonic Rock
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Triassic

Name: Plutonic Rock
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SAMPLES CONTAINED UP TO 5% AS AND 0.5% SB.
Analytical Data: 3 SAMPLES CONTAINED 30, 150, AND 500 PPM AG

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Stibnite
Ore: Jamesonite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Feldspar

Comments

Comment (Development): GOODELL DEVELOPED THE PROPERTY SOON AFTER DISCOVERY AND BERNICE BECAME AFLOURISHING CAMP. THE PROPERTY WAS NEXT ACQUIRED BY BOTHWELL WHO BUILT A 10-STAMP MILL FOR IT. IT LATER PASSED TO EX-SENATOR J.P. WILLIAMS WHO OPERATED THE MINE AND MILL AND SHIPPED THE SILVER-GOLD BULLION TO THE CALIFORNIA BANK AT SAN FRNCISCO. THE MORE THAN 1/2 MILLION DOLLAR PRODUCTION WAS MADE MOSTLY FROM 1886 TO 1890. SINCE THEN THE CAMP HAS BEEN LARGELY DESERTED, THOUGH SOME DEVELOPMENT AND ALITTLE MINING HAVE BEEN DONE INTERMITTENTLY, ALMOST ANNUALLY. IN 1892, SOME OF THE DEPOSITS BEGAN TO BE WORKED FOR ANTMONY AND THEY HAVE BEEN OPERATED PERIODICALLY SINCE.

Comment (Deposit): VEIN CONSISTS OF QUARTZ AND CRUSHED, ALTERED, MINERALIZED FAULT BRECCIA, IN PART BANDED AND IN PART DRUSY.

Comment (Workings): ADITS ON 3 LEVELS, WITH EXTENSIVE STOPES & RAISES. UPPER TUNNEL IS STOPED TO THE SURFACE FOR 500 FEET.

Comment (Geology): ORE WAS MOSTLY FREE-MILLING ESPECIALLY

Comment (Deposit): THE TAILINGS PILE BELOW THE OLD MILLSITE CONTAINING ABOUT 6000 TONS WAS OWNED BY C.M. BEEGHLY AND L.T. ELLIS IN 1939. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Location): HIGH ON THE SOUTH SLOPE OF THE RIDGE THAT SEPARATES HOYT AND BERNICE CANYONS. ACCURACY +-50M ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1972)

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1886 OR 1870'S

Comment (Production): VALUES WERE MOSTLY IN SILVER BUT WITH GOLD ALSO RUNNING $5-$6 PERTON. VANDERBURG REPORTS $300,000 WORHT OF SILVER PRODUCTION.

References

Reference (Deposit): WILLDEN, R. AND R.C. SPEED, 1974, GEOLOGY MINERAL DEPOSITS OF CHURCHILL COUNTY, NEB.; NBMG BULL. 83.

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, F.C., 1947, CARSON SINK AREA; U.S.G.S. OPEN FILE REPORT

Reference (Deposit): VANDERBURG, W.O., 1940, RECONNAISSANCE OF MINING DISTRICTS IN CHURCHILL CO, NEV.; U.S.B.M.I.C. 7093

Reference (Production): SCHRADER, F.C. (1947); WILLDEN & SPEED, (1974)

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.