Blue Bird

The Blue Bird is a copper mine located in Elko county, Nevada at an elevation of 5,801 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: Blue Bird

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Silver

Location

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

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Nevada Copper Co.
Years: 1967 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1910
Discovery Year: 1884
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

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR, PINCH & SWELL

Structure

Type: L
Description: Granodiorite Stock With Assoc. Faults & Fractures

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Malachite
Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Chalcocite

Comments

Comment (Production): 100 TONS ORE PRIOR TO 1910, AVG. 17-32% CU, 20 OZ/T AG; $2.00 AU/TON, PRINCIPAL SHIPMENTS MADE IN 1928. ORE SINCE 1910 HAS AVERAGED 6% CU AND 3 OZ AG/TON: TOTAL PRODUCTION LT $5000 WORTH.

Comment (Development): PATENTED CLAIM. SOME PRODUCTION PRIOR TO 1910 (100 TONS) BUT PRINCIPAL PRODUCTION WAS IN 1928.

Comment (Deposit): VEIN

Comment (Deposit): THE MINE IS LOCATED IN META-SEDIMENTS ABOUT 1000 FT. N OF GRANODIORITE CONTACT. THE VEIN (MOSTLY PINCHED AND INTERRUPTED) IS AN EASTERN CONTINUATION OF THE MAIN VEIN OF THE NEVADA-BELLEVIEW MINE. THE VEIN AVERAGES 4 FEET IN WIDTH. THE MINE WAS LOCATED IN 1884. FIRST PRODUCTION WAS PRIOR TO 1910 (100 TONS AVERAGING 17-32% CU, 20 OZ. AG AND $2.00 AU TO THE TON). SINCE 1910, ORE HAS AVERAGED 6% CU AND 3 OZ. AG PER TON. PRINCIPAL SHIPMENTS WERE IN 1928 (SCHRADER, 1935, P 26-8; AND 1912, P 113.) MINERAL SURVEY 3959 ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

References

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

Reference (Production): SCHRADER, F.C. (1935); SMITH, R.M. (1976)

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, F.C. (1912) A RECONN. OF THE JARBIDGE, CONTACT, AND ELK MT. MINING DISTRICTS, ELKO COUNTY, NEVADA: USGS BUL 497.

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

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

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.