Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a lead and zinc mine located in Washoe county, Nevada at an elevation of 5,000 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: Commonwealth
Secondary: Union
Secondary: Galena
Secondary: Washoe

Commodity

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

Location

State: Nevada
County: Washoe
District: Galena 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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Cascade-Sierra Mountains
Physiographic Section: Sierra Nevada

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Walker Lane Fault System

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Calamine
Ore: Smithsonite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Malachite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Chlorite

Comments

Comment (Workings): A.J. AND R.S. HATCH ORGANIZED DISTRICT IN 1860, MILL AND SMELTER ERECTED, BOTH FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY, INTEREST RENEWED 1906-07, ORE SHIPPED TO UTAH DURING 1924-26, AGAIN WORKED 1929-30, 14,624 TONS ORE SHIPPED 1943-45, SMALL LOTS ORE MINED THROUGH 1956, IDLE SINCE 1957. MINE NOW BEING USED AS A STUDENT MINE BY MACKAY SCHOOL OF MINES. MINE LOCATED ON UNION PATENTED CLAIM (PATENT # 37,1874), OTHER CLAIMS: PROTECTOR, PROTECTOR NO. 2, WHY NOT, GALENA, FRANKLIN, FURNACE, FULTON, PLUS 10--ACRE MILLSITE (IN 1936) ALSO LAKEVIEW PATENT (M.S. 3551) OLD REPORTS ON FILE IN NBM&G FILES.

Comment (Geology): MINERALIZED ZONE UNCONFORMABLY OVERLAIN BY KATE PEAK ANDESITE

References

Reference (Deposit): OVERTON, T.D., MINERAL RESOURCES OF DOUGLAS, ORMSBY, WASHOE CO, NEV. BUREAU OF MINES BULL 46, 1947

Reference (Deposit): BONHAM, H.F., GEOL. AND MINERAL DEP., WASHOE, STOREY COUNTIES, NEV, NBM&G BULL 70, 1969.

Reference (Deposit): GEEHON, R.W., INVES. OF THE UNION LOAD-ZINC MINE, WASHOE CO, NEV, USBM RI 4623, 1950

Reference (Deposit): THOMPSON, G.A., & WHITE, D.E., REGIONAL GEOL, STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AREA..., U.S.G.S. PROF. PAPER 458-A, 1964

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.