The Ophir Claim is a silver and gold mine located in Storey county, Nevada at an elevation of 6,079 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
Elevation: 6,079 Feet (1,853 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Gold
Lat, Long: 39.31417, -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.
Ophir Claim MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Ophir Claim
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Iron
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Zinc
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
Type: Underground
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1859
Discovery Year: 1859
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L
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
Structure
Type: R
Description: North-Trending Anticline; Regional Dip To West Or Northwest
Type: L
Description: Faults
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Propylitization, Oxidation,Pyritization
Rocks
Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): THIS DEPOSIT IS FOUND ON THE COMSTOCK VEIN PROPER, AND CONSISTS FO SILVER SULFIDE ORE WITH A SUBSTANTIAL GOLD CONTENT. THE DEPOSIT IS PART OF THE COMSTOCK LODE, EPITHERMAL PRECIOUS-METAL VEINS GENERALLY FOUND IN THE ALTA ANDESITE. THE MINE IS 2500 FEET DEEP AND EXPLORES THE COMSTOCK VEIN, OUTLIERS OF THE CONSOLIDATED VIRGINIA BONANZA, AND THE HARDY VEIN. SPORADIC PRODUCTION FROM 1859 TO 1873, BUT WELLOVER 40,000 TONS ORE AT FROM $8 PER TON TO $2500. PER TON PRODUCTION FROM 1874 TO 1925 WAS 439,137 TONS ORE AVERAGING $41.16 PER TON IN MOSTLY SILVER VALUES. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Comment (Development): PART OF THE COMSTOCK LODE PROPER; PRODUCED SPROADICALLY FROM 1959-1873, AND 1874-1928. THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF ORE IN VIRGINIA CITY WAS THE OUTCROP OF THE OPHIR BONANZA
Comment (Deposit): VEIN, COMSTOCK FAULT
Comment (Location): NORTH END OF VIRGINIA CITY
Comment (Production): 1859-1873 PRODUCTION WAS WELL OVER 40,000 TONS ORE FROM $8 TO $2500/TON.
Comment (Workings): SHAFT AND ASSOCIATED WORKINGS.
Comment (Geology): THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF ORE IN VIRGINIA CITY WAS THE OUTCROP OF THE OPHIR BONANZA.
References
Reference (Deposit): STODDARD, CARL, AND CARPENTER, J.A., 1950, MINERAL RESOURCES OF STOREY AND LYON COUNTIES, NEVADA: NBMG BULL 49.
Reference (Deposit): BONHAM, H.J., 1969, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF WASHOE AND STOREY COUNTIES, NEVADA:NBMG BULL 70
Reference (Deposit): BASTIN, E.S., 1922, BONANZA ORES OF THE COMSTOCK LODE, VIRGINIA CITY, NEV; USGS BULL 735-C
Reference (Deposit): WPA 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. AND CARPENTER, J.A., 1950.
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.
