Mercur Mines

The Mercur Mines is a gold and arsenic mine located in Tooele county, Utah at an elevation of 7,001 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

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: Mercur Mines

Commodity

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

Location

State: Utah
County: Tooele
District: Mercur District

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

Owner Name: Getty Oil Co.

Owner Name: Consolidated Mercur Mines Co.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1879
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: Uinta Extension

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR

Form: IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Basin And Range

Type: L
Description: Fractures, Fissures, Faults And Folds

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Dolomitization, Limonitization, Sericitization, And Silicification

Rocks

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 2.02% A12O3
Analytical Data: 0.38% T.OZ
Analytical Data: ORE ANALYSIS: 89.29% 5.OZ
Analytical Data: 1.6% AS2O5
Analytical Data: 0.08% P2O5
Analytical Data: 0.44% SO2
Analytical Data: 1.72% H2O
Analytical Data: TRACE L.O
Analytical Data: 0.08% MA,O
Analytical Data: 0.47% K2O
Analytical Data: 0.23% MGO
Analytical Data: 0.72% BAO
Analytical Data: 0.45% CAO
Analytical Data: 0.02% FEO
Analytical Data: 1.45% FE203

Materials

Ore: Realgar
Ore: Stibnite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Orpiment
Ore: Cinnabar
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Talc
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Sericite

Comments

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1977)

Comment (Production): THE TOTAL GROSS VALUE OF ORE WAS ESTIMATED AS $16,500,000.

Comment (Deposit): MINERALIZED ZONE IS LOCATED IN ALTERED WALLROCKS. THE OXIDIZED ORE IS LIGHT COLOURED AND MORE FN'ABLE THAN THE UNOXIDIZED (BASE) ORE. IT LACKS SULFIDES AND CONTAINS SULFATES INCLUDING GYPSUM, SCORODITE, AND MELELTERITE.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS ARE ALL CAVED AND INACCESSIBLE; SEVEN ADITS (NAMELY, UNCLE SAM TUNNEL, NIMROD TUNNEL, NIMROD NO. 2 TUNNEL, MERCUR TUNNEL, APEX TUNNEL, RESOLUTE TUNNEL, AND RUBY TUNNEL); ONE VERTICAL SHAFT; SEVERAL PITS AND TRENCHES.

Comment (Deposit): GOLD IS NOT VISIBLE IN THE ORES, AND IS CONCENTRATED IN THE CARBON-RICH PORTIONS OF THE ALTERED ZONES. THE ORE IS SOFT AND PULVERIZED, LIGHT YELLOWISH OR GRAYISH IN COLOR. THE ORE IS FORMED BY THE IMPREGNATION AND REPLACEMENT OF THE WALLROCKS; AND THE FISSURE-FILLINGS ARE NEGLIGIBLE. NEVERTHELESS THESE FISSURES WERE OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE IN LOCALIZING THE DEPOSITS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT; 3 FIELD OBSERV

Comment (Geology): WALLROCKS ARE DEFORMED, CRUMPLED, AND ALTERED. LIMESTONES ARE DARK GRAY, CHERTY, DOLOMITIZED, SILICIFIED, ADN IMPREGNATED WITH QUARTZ, JASPEROID AND CALCITE VEINS. SHALES ARE GREENISH TO BLACK, CARBONACEOUS, SILICEOUS, SERICITIC, KAOLIMITIC AND PULVERIZED. EFFECTS OF LIMONITIZATION ARE COMMON ON HOST ROCKS. ORE MINERALS ARE INTIMATELY ASSOCIATED WITH JASPEROID AND QUARTZ VEINS.

References

Reference (Deposit): BISSELL,H.J.,ET. AL.,1959, GUIDEBOOK TO THE GEOLOGY OF UTAH, NO.14, UT. GEOL. SOC.: U.G.M.S. BULL.14,262P.

Reference (Deposit): GILLULY,J.,1932,GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE STOCKTON AND FAIRFIELD QUADRANGLES: U.S.G.S. PROF. PA.173,167P.

Reference (Deposit): BUTLER,B.S.,ET. AL.,1920, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF UTAH: U.S.G.S. PROF. PA. 111, 672P.

Reference (Deposit): SPURR,J.E.,1895, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE MERCUR MINING DISTRICT,UTAH: U.S.G.S. 16TH. ANN. REPT.,PT.2, 454P.

Reference (Production): GILLULY, J., 1932, P.137-138

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