Silk Worm Mine

The Silk Worm Mine is a lead, zinc, and silver mine located in Elko county, Nevada at an elevation of 7,119 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

Name: Silk Worm Mine  

State:  Nevada

County:  Elko

Elevation: 7,119 Feet (2,170 Meters)

Commodity: Lead, Zinc, Silver

Lat, Long: 41.60528, -114.65750

Map: View on Google Maps

Satelite View

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Satelite image of the Silk Worm Mine

Silk Worm Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Silk Worm Mine


Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Silver


Location

State: Nevada
County: Elko
District: Contact (48)


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
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1930
Discovery Year: 1926
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Columbia Plateau
Physiographic Section: Snake River Plain


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement


Orebody

Form: TABULAR


Structure

Type: L
Description: Grandiorite Stock With Assoc. Faults, Fractures Replacement


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation, Replacement


Rocks

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


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Cerargyrite
Ore: Zincite


Comments

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT WAS DISCOVERED BY GLEN MOORE ABOUT 1926. BY 1930 40 TONS OF GOOD GRADE PB-AG ORE HAD BEEN SHIPPED. THE SILKWORM GROUP COMPRISES 13 CLAIMS IN A COMPACT AREA. IT IS DEVELOPED BY A 400-FT. CROSSCUT TUNNEL AND A 50-FT SHAFT (250 FT. ABOVE THE FACE OF THE TUNNEL.) THE SHAFT IS SUNK ON THE VEIN, WHICH IS ABOUT 2 FEETWIDE AND DIPS 80 DEG NW. TO THE RIGHT OF THE TUNNEL IS A SECOND VEIN WHICH STRIKES N. AND DIPS STEEPLY E. GANGUE MATERIAL IS QUARTZ AND JASPER. THE ORE SHIPPED ASSAYED: 20% PB, 20% ZN, 20 OZ/TON AG (SCHRADER, 1935, P-40-41) ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Location): 3 MI. SW OF SILVER KING MINE

Comment (Production): 40 TONS ORE BY 1930, AVERAGED 20% PB, 20% ZN, 20 OZ/TON AG. PRODUCTION LESS THAN$5,000.

Comment (Development): BY 1930, 40 TONS OF GOOD-GRADE PB-AG ORE HAD BEEN SHIPPED FROM THE 13 CLAIMS

Comment (Deposit): VEIN

Comment (Workings): 400-FT CROSSCUT TUNNEL; 50 FT. SHAFT

Comment (Geology): ORE IS MOSTLY OXIDIZED AND STAINED RED-BROWN WITH IRON OXIDE AND LEAD CARBONATE


References

Reference (Deposit): SMITH, R.M.(1976) MINERAL RESOURCES OF ELKO CO., NEV: USGS OFR 76-56, P 39-45.

Reference (Deposit): HOPE, R.A.: COATS, R.R. (1976) PRELIM. GEOLOGIC MAP OF ELKO CO., NEV: USGS OFR 76-779

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, F.C. (1935) THE CONTACT MINING DISTRICT, NEVADA: USGS BUL. 847-A. SILK WORM MINE


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.