Smoky Valley Mine

The Smoky Valley Mine is a silver and lead mine located in Lander county, Nevada.

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

Name: Smoky Valley Mine  

State:  Nevada

County:  Lander

Elevation:

Commodity: Silver, Lead

Lat, Long: 39.37306, -117.01222

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.


Satelite image of the Smoky Valley Mine

Smoky Valley Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Smoky Valley Mine
Secondary: Smoky
Secondary: Big Smoky


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Gold


Location

State: Nevada
County: Lander
District: Birch Creek District


Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

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


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: Polymetallic veins


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Silver
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Graphite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Deposit): THIS IS THE LARGEST MINE IN THE DISTRICT. IT CONSISTS OF A CROSSCUT ADIT, SEVERAL SHAFTS, AND MORE THAN 1,000 FEET OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS ON THE RIDGE SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF BIRCH CREEK. A 20-STAMP MILL WAS CRECTED AT THE MOUTH OF BIRCH CREEK TO TREAT ORE FROM THIS MINE. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Location): RIDGE SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF BIRCH CREEK

Comment (Production): BETWEEN $5,000 TO $100,000 WAS PRODUCED TO 1969.

Comment (Deposit): A QUARTZ VEIN IN SHALE; ALONG A QUARTZ MAONZONITE CONTACT

Comment (Workings): A CROSSCUT ADIT, SEVERAL SHAFTS, AND MORE THAN 1,000 FT OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS

Comment (Geology): THE DEPOSIT OCCURS IN A QUARTZ VEIN THAT STRIKES N 65DGE E AND DIPS STEEPLY NORTHWEST IN SHALE ALONG A QUARTZ MONZONITE CONTACT. THE VEIN IS 15 TO 20 FT THICK AND CONTAINS SPARSE ARGENTIFEROUS TETRAHEDRITE, GALENA, SPHALERITE, AND ARSENOPYRITE, WITH TRACES OF NATIVE SILVER.


References

Reference (Deposit): STEWART, J.H., MCKEE, E.H., AND STAGER, H.K., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF LANDER COUNTY, NEVADA: NBMG BULL. 88.

Reference (Deposit): VANDERBURG, W.O., 193., RECONNAISSANCE OF MINING DISTRICTS IN LANDER COUNTY, NEVADA: US BUREAU OF MINES INF. CIRC. 7043.


Nevada Gold

Gold Districts of Nevada

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.