Moly-Tonopah Mine

The Moly-Tonopah Mine is a tungsten mine located in Humboldt county, Nevada at an elevation of 5,732 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: Moly-Tonopah Mine
Secondary: Tonopah Tunnel
Secondary: Jacks
Secondary: NBMG Sample Site 2612
Secondary: Moly Mine

Commodity

Primary: Tungsten
Secondary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Iron

Location

State: Nevada
County: Humboldt
District: Potosi District; Getchell District

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Getchell Mine Inc. (Goldfield Corp.) (1940'S); Frm Co.
Years: 1984 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Contact Metamorphic
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: W skarn

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Reg.Struct: Getchell Fault

Type: L
Description: Folds, N-Trending Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silication; Silicification; Bleaching And Marbleization

Rocks

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

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cambrian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SAMPLE 2612 OF GARNET SKARN WITH SCHEELITE AND MOLYBDENITE, CONTAINS 20% FE, 1.5% MG, 15% CA, 0.07% TI, 50 PPM B, 1.5 PPM BE, 20 PPM BI, 30 PPM CO, 100 PPM CU, 1000 PPM MO, 70 PPM NI, 50 PPM PB, 15 PPM SN, 300 PPM V, 500 PPM W, 15 PPM Y, 300 PPM ZN.

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Gangue: Pyroxene
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Epidote
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Development): THIS IS PROBABLY THE JACK MINE MENTIONED BY HESS AND LARSON IN 1921 AS BEING PROSPECTED FOR CU AND MO. THE MOLY-TONOPAH NAME WAS DERIVED FROM 2 NAMES APPLIED TO SEPARATE AREAS OF THE DEPOSIT; THE MOLY WORKINGS ARE ON THE SE SIDE OF THE DEPOSIT, IN THE FOOTWALL OF THE GETCHELL SOUTH PIT GOLD MINE, AND ARE AMONG THE OLDEST IN THE DISTRICT, DATING BACK TO ABOUT 1915, WHEN IT WAS KNOWN AS THE JACKS MINE. THE TONOPAH NAME WAS APPLIED TO THE NORTH END OF THE DEPOSIT WHERE A SMALL OPEN PIT WAS STARTED ABOUT 1943. BECAUSE OF LOW-GRADE AND PRESENCE OF MOLYBDENUM, TUNGSTEN PRODUCTION FROM THE DEPOSIT WAS LOW. IN 1950-51 AND AGAIN IN 1955-56, THE GETCHELL MINE INC. MINED ABOUT 43000 TONS OF ORE THAT AVERAGED ABOUT 0.29% WO3. MOST OF THIS ORE WAS MINED FROM THE OPEN PIT. PROPERTY WAS INACTIVE AT TIME OF EXAMINATION IN 1984, BUT HAD BEEN EXTENSIVELY DRILLED IN 1975-1976, AT WHICH TIME A POTENTIAL 1 TO 1.5 MILLION TONS OF 0.4% WO3 ORE WAS DETERMINED FOR THE MOLY-TONOPAH AREA.

Comment (Workings): ADIT TO UNDERGROUND LEVELS (2), INTERNAL SHAFT, OPEN PIT, STOPES

Comment (Deposit): SCHEELITE OCCURS IN ATACTITE ZONE ABOUT 1000 FT LONG ALONG E SIDE OF OSGOOD GRANODIORITE IGNEOUS CONTACT IS GENERALLY CONFORMABLE WITH SEDIMENTARY BEDS, AND BOTH STRIKE NW, DIP 30-45 NE. TACTITE EXTENDS DOWN-DIP IN TABULAR BODIES CONTINUOUS TO THE 650 LEVEL THAT IS 300 FT BELOW SURFACE. ORE SHOOTS AND THICKER TACTITE APPEAR TO HAVE FORMED AT ROLLS AND INDENTATIONS IN THE CONTACT. AT DEPTH, BENEATH THE OUTCROP, THE CONTACT DIPS EAST AND THEN REVERSES TO A WEST DIP, THEN AGAIN REVERSES TO DIP EAST. WHERE THE WESTERN DIP CROSS CUTS THE LIMESTONE, THICK SECTIONS OF TACTITE OCCUR. TACTITE AT THIS MINE IS BANDED, FINE-GRAINED, AND CONTAINS MORE SULFIDE THAN MOST OTHER DEPOSITS IN THE DISTRICT. BEST ORE IS COMPOSED MAINLY OF FINE-GRAINED GARNET, EPIDOTE AND QUARTZ, WITH LARGE CLOTS OF PYRITE, PYRRHOTITE AND MOLYBDENITE, AND SCHEELITE. AWAY FROM THE CONTACT ZONE, UP SECTION TO THE EAST, TACTITE GIVES WAY TO SILICATED LIMESTONE INTERBEDDED WITH CALC-SILICATE HORNFELS, THEN TO BLEACHED AND

Comment (Deposit): MARBLEIZED LIMESTONE.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): DELINEATED BY GEOLOGIC MAPPING AND DRILLING.

Comment (Location): ON EAST SIDE OF OSGOOD RANGE ABOUT 0.5 MILE SW OF GETCHELL MILL, INFOOTWALL OF GETCHELL SOUTH PIT GOLD MINE

References

Reference (Deposit): STAGER, H.K., IN PREPARATION, 1986, NBMG BULL ON TUNGS TEN DEPOSITS OF NEVADA.

Reference (Deposit): TINGLEY, J.V., 5 SEP 84, NBMG FIELD EXAMINATION AND SAMPLE ANALYSIS.

Reference (Deposit): TINGLEY, J.V., 1978, UNPUB. REPORT ON THE GETCHELL TUNGSTEN AREA, ON FILE AT NBMG.

Reference (Deposit): SCHILLING, JOHN, 1979, NBMG OFR 79-3 ON MOLYBDENUM IN NEVADA.

Reference (Deposit): WILLDEN, R., 1964, NBMG BULL 59.

Reference (Deposit): HOTZ, P.E. AND WILLDEN, R., 1964, USGS P.P. 431.

Reference (Deposit): HOBBS, S.W. AND CLABAUGH, S.E., 1946, NBMG BULL 44.

Reference (Deposit): HESS, F.L. AND LARSEN, E.S., 1921, USGS BULL 725-D.

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

Reference (Production): STAGER, H.K., (IN PREP. 1986); SCHILLING, 1979.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): NBMG FILES

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.