Gold Quarry Mine Area

Site Name

Primary: Gold Quarry Mine Area
Secondary: Maggie Claims
Secondary: Mac
Secondary: Tusc
Secondary: Chukar
Secondary: Maggie Creek
Secondary: Maggie Creek Extension
Secondary: North Main Zone
Secondary: South Main Zone
Secondary: West of West (WOW)
Secondary: Deep Sulfide Feeder Zone Deep West Zone
Secondary: South Layback
Secondary: McPod
Secondary: Voodoo
Secondary: Dos Equis

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Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Barium-Barite
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Arsenic
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Mercury
Tertiary: Thallium
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Manganese
Tertiary: Nickel

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Location

State: Nevada
County: Eureka
District: Maggie Creek Subdistrict

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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.
Administrative Organization: Elko Administrative District

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Holdings

Not available

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Workings

Not available

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Ownership

Owner Name: Newmont, the Gold Company
Info Year: 2004

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Production

Not available

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Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: disseminated/shear zones
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Year First Production: 1936
Year Last Production: 2004
Discovery Year: 1925
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: L

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Physiography

Not available

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Sediment-hosted Au

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Orebody

Form: tabular

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Structure

Type: R
Description: The deposit is located at the SE corner of the Carlin Window in the Roberts Mountains thrust. The NW-striking Snowbird anticline and Alta anticline have folded host rocks in the pit area.

Type: L
Description: The Roberts Mountains Thrust, Good Hope Fault System, Gold Quarry Fault, and other fauls created a pervasive fracture system at Gold Quarry. Isoclinal folding of bedding is common. Fissures, fractures zones, faulting, folding all controlled ore deposition. The Less fault, a high-angle NE-striking structure was an ore-controlling structure in the original Maggie Creek pit.

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Alteration types consist of silicification and clay alteration. At the Gold Quarry deposit, in the central Carlin trend, Heitt (1992) reported K/Ar dates ranging from 28 to 27 Ma from supergene alunite veins that crosscut and postdate gold mineralization.

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Rocks

Name: Carbonate
Role: Host
Description: impure
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Ordovician

Name: Siltstone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Ordovician

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Ordovician

Name: Chert
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Ordovician

Name: Quartzite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Ordovician

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Kaolinite
Ore: Barite
Ore: Alunite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Illite
Ore: Montmorillonite
Gangue: Silica

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Comments

Comment (Commodity): Gangue Materials: silica, iron oxides, kaolinite, barite, alunite, pyrite, illite, montmorillonite

Comment (Economic Factors): Average annual gold production of Gold Quarry is 420,000 - 440,000 ounces; average recovery is 70% - 75% ; total cash cost is $250 - $260 per ounce. Reserves (2002) are 3.9 million ounces. Mineralized material not in reserves is 3.1 million tons at 0.049 opt. Refractory ore will be processed through the Carlin roaster or bio-mill facility. Flotation is a likely option to further improve the project economics. The oxide ore will be processed at the Carlin mills or on the leach pads depending on grade. Average mining rate is 90,000 tons of ore per day. The old Gold Quarry deposit contains a total endowment of 24 million ounces in past production and current reserves and resources.

Comment (Deposit): Gold Quarry is one of the largest gold deposits in North America. It is comprised of two stacked orebodies: an upper structural stockwork and a lower stratabound replacement. Overall strike of the main (upper) ore zone is N45E. It is bounded on the west by the Gold Quarry Fault and on the east by the Grey/Challenger fault systems. Mineralization is continuous over 6000 feet of strike. Mill grade ore zones crosscut this trend on a N-S to NW strike. The Deep West orebody is a silica replacement zone at the contact of footwall carbonate rocks and hanging wall siliciclastic rocks. It averages 250 feet in thickness, strikes N20E, dips 30-35 SE, and as known strike length of 2500 feet. Gold grade is double that of the Main (upper) ore zone. The Deep West ore zone is the down dip extension of the Maggie Creek South ore zone. Gold Quarry is one example of a Carlin trend gold deposit that exhibits primary northwest structural control. Mineralization is localized where the N45W Good Hope fault intersects the NE-trending Chukar-Alunite faults.

Comment (Commodity): Commodity Info: Gold grains range from <0.1 to 10.0 microns in size and usually occur associated with microfractures or disseminated in microcrystalline cherty matrix. Au:Ag ratio ranges from about 2:1 in mill grade ores to 1:3 in leach grade ores.

Comment (Commodity): Ore Materials: free gold

Comment (Workings): Historic development consisted of a 40 ft. adit and other scattered open cuts. Subsequently, Maggie Creek was originally divided into the Main pit and the West pit. Mining rate in 1980 was 16,000 tpd ore and waste. In 1986, operations were transferred to the Gold Quarry Mine. The Maggie Creek Mine then formed the west and southwest portions of the Gold Quarry pit. The current operation consists of an open pit mine, two milling facilities, a leach crushing plant, and three heap leach pads. The dimensions of the ultimate pit will be 1 mile by 3/4 mile in size, 1200 feet in depth. The total material in the ultimate pit is estimated at 576.3 million tons, which reflects a 1.3:1 strip ratio. The Chukar Footwall Underground mine workings are collared in the Gold Quarry open pit.

Comment (Development): The first claims in the mine area were staked in 1925 by A. Berning, who leased the property to Cuba Consolidated Mines Company. In 1936, Cuba Consolidated shipped 60 tons of ore averaging 0.417 ounces of gold per ton and 0.882 ounces of silver per ton. Newmont Corp.acquired the property in 1962 and conducted a drilling program in 1963-64 in the vicinity of what is now the northern limit of Gold Quarry. Drilling was centered SW of the jasperoid outcrop from which the 60 tons of ore was mined. Further drilling until 1970 delineated 340,000 tons grading 0.12 opt. The lease agreement was discontinued in 1970 due to low gold prices and discouraging metallurgical tests. The property was acquired by Roy Ash and Charles Thornton for $8000.00. After XRF-XRD studies of Gold Quarry drill cuttings suggested possible open ends of mineralization, the claims were reacquired by Newmont in 1972. After 1979, exploration drilling continued east of the Maggie Creek orebody and significant gold intercepts were encountered. Between 1979 and 1983, 550 conventional circulation holes were drilled on 100 ft. Centers to an average depth of 600 ft. Bulk metallurgical test samples of mill grade and leach grade material were mined in 1982-83. Pre-mining began in late 1983 and the first gold was poured in August 1985. After 5 years of intensive environmental analysis, the BLM in 2002 granted Newmont Mining Corp. permission to move ahead with its expansion of the Gold Quarry Mine. The Gold Quarry plan includes expanding the open pit 350 feet deeper, expanding heapleach facilities, and relocating old tailings and waste rock facilities. Newmont expected combined ore production for the expanded pit to be about 118 million tons, roughly 57 million tons of oxide ore and 61 million tons of low-grade sulfide ores. Gold Quarry ore will feed the roaster and Mill No. 5 at the Carlin Mine, and provide ore for leaching. Also, Newmont reports that there is new potential at the Gold Quarry expansion with the Dos Equis deposit. Another development project underway is the Gold Quarry South Layback (GQSL). GQSL was expected to begin production by year-end 2003 and ramp up to 420,000 to 440,000 ounces of gold per year at total cash costs of $250 to $260 per ounce. GQSL had reserves totaling 3.9 million ounces at year-end 2002. The current plan envisages a minimum six-year mine life.

Comment (Geology): Gold is present in a gossan in quartzite and chert. Many of the barite and base metal deposits in the Maggie Creek subdistricts are associated with the Good Hope fault system (e.g. Nevada Star mine, record #M232284). This fault system also appears to link Gold Quarry and Tusc deposits. The sense of movement on the Good Hope fault system is not established. North of the intersection of the Gold Quarry and Good Hope faults, an entire ridge of silicified Roberts Mountains Formation marks the margin of the Carlin Window. The jasperoid reportedly carries some gold. Gold Quarry and Maggie Creek mines are unusual in that ore is hosted at least in part by Paleozoic rocks of the upper plate of the Roberts Mountains Thrust.

Comment (Identification): This record encompasses the former Maggie Creek mine and deposits described individually by earlier records M232287, M242253, RE00036, as well as adjacent orebodies without earlier MRDS records.

Comment (Location): The Gold Quarry open pit adjoins the Maggie Creek open pit. UTM is to approximate center of open pit.

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References

Reference (Deposit): Ekburg, C., Rota, J., and Arkell, B., 1991, Geology and Mineral Deposits of the Maggie Creek Subdistrict, Carlin Trend, Eureka County, Nevada, in Raines, G.L., et al., eds., Geology and Ore Deposits of the Great Basin, The Geological Society of Nevada, Reno, p. 625-633.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Magazine, October, 1989, vol. 161, no. 4, P. 256-261.

Reference (Deposit): NBMG, 1989, The Nevada Minerals Industry - 1988, NBMG Special Publication MI-1988-MI-2002.

Reference (Deposit): NBMG, 1991, The Nevada Minerals Industry - 1990, NBMG Special Publication MI-1990.

Reference (Deposit): Ryneer, R., 1992, Economic History of The Carlin Trend, in Buffa, R. and Coyner, A., Geology and Ore Deposits of the Great Basin - Field Trip Guidebook Compendium, The Geological Society of Nevada, Reno, p. 838-843.

Reference (Deposit): Rota, J., 1987, Geology of Newmont Gold Company's Gold Quarry Deposit, Eureka County, Nevada, in Elliott, I. and Smee, B. eds. GeoExpo/86 - Exploration in the North American Cordillera, The Association of Exploration Geochemists, Rexdale, Ontario, p. 42-50.

Reference (Deposit): NBMG, 1994, MI-1993

Reference (Deposit): Rota, J.C., 1988, The Gold Quarry Mine: History and General Geology, in Schafer, R., et al., Bulk Mineable Precious Metal Deposits of the Western United States, The Geological Society of Nevada, Reno, p. 49-56.

Reference (Deposit): Rota, J.C., 1995, Gold Quarry: a geologic update, in Green, S.M., and Struhsacker, E., eds., Geology and Ore Deposits of the American Cordillera: Geological Society of Nevada Field Trip Guidebook Compendium, Reno-Sparks, Nevada, April 1995, p. 157-166.

Reference (Deposit): State Division of Mine Inspection, 1983, Directory of Nevada Mine Operations Active During Calendar Year 1983.

Reference (Deposit): Dames and Moore, 1983(?), Environmental Assessment of the Carlin Gold Quarry Project...

Reference (Deposit): Fortune, December 27, 1982, "The Huge Find in Roy Ash's Backyard".

Reference (Deposit): NBMG, 1988, The Nevada Minerals Industry - 1987, NBMG Special Publication MI-1987.

Reference (Deposit): Bonham, H.F., 1986, NBMG Map 91.

Reference (Deposit): NBMG Mining District File 116, numerous articles and news clippings.

Reference (Deposit): Santti, S. and Soltani, A., 1989, Large Scale Open Pit Gold Mining at Gold Quarry, in Bhappu, R. and Harden, R., eds., Gold Forum on Technology and Practices, "World Gold '89", Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., Littleton, Co, p. 147-154.

Reference (Deposit): Roberts, R.J. et al., 1967, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Eureka Co., Nevada, NBMG Bulletin 64

Reference (Deposit): USBM (Winnemucca) MILS No. 266, Reference No. 3201100159.

Reference (Deposit): Southern Pacific Co., 1964, Minerals for Industry.

Reference (Deposit): Vanderburg, W.O., 1938, Reconnaissance of Mining Districts in Eureka County, N

Reference (Deposit): , USBM Information Circular 7022.

Reference (Deposit): Bentz, J., Brooks, S., McFarlane, 1982, Field Examination Report, 5/27/82.

Reference (Deposit): Long, K.R., DeYoung, J.H., Jr., and Ludington, S.D., 1998, Database of significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in the United States; Part A, Database description and analysis; part B, Digital database: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-206, 33 p., one 3.5 inch diskette.Newmont Gold website, 2004.

Reference (Deposit): Adella Harding 2002, Elko Daily Free Press Mining Quarterly, 7/29/0210/21/02.

Reference (Deposit): Lewis Teal and Mac Jackson, 2002, Geologic Overview of the Carlin Trend Gold Deposits, in NBMG Bull 111, Gold Deposits of the Carlin Trend.

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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.