Mac Ridge Deposit

The Mac Ridge Deposit is a gold mine located in Elko county, Nevada at an elevation of 9,350 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: Mac Ridge Deposit
Secondary: Big Springs
Secondary: Mesona Claims
Secondary: Jack Creek Project
Secondary: Bull Run

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Nevada
County: Elko
District: Independence Mountains

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

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Freeport Gold Co./Bull Run Gold Mines, Ltd.

Owner Name: Freeport

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Carbonate-hosted Au-Ag

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Development): EXTENSIVE DRILLING BY FREEPORT, MAPPING, SAMPLING, CONSTRUCTION OF ACCESS ROADS (BY 1982) PLACED IN PRODUCTION SEPT, 1987; FULLY OPERATIONAL OCT, 1987 WITH INITIAL PRODUCTION FROM HEAP-LEACHING, BUT SECOND PHASE CONSTRUCTION WILL PROVIDE FLUID-BED ROASTING SYSTEM AND CONVENTIONAL ORE-MILLING FACILITIES. ON COMPLETION, FREEPORT PLANS TO PROCESS 400,000 TONS/YEAR FROM THE THREE DEPOSITS AT BIG SPRINGS TO PRODUCE ABOUT 60,000 OZ/YEAR GOLD.

Comment (Workings): DRILLING, OPEN PITS, HEAP-LEACHING FACILITY. THE MAC RIDGE PIT IS PLANNED TO BE 500 FT. IN DIAMETER.

Comment (Deposit): MAC RIDGE IS ONE OF THREE DEPOSITS WHICH COMPRISE THE BIG SPRINGS MINE DEVELOPED BY FREEPORT-MCMORAN GOLD CO. (NOW INDEPENDENCE MINING CO.). SEE RECORDS W700398 (NORTH SAMMY CREEK DEPOSIT) AND W700399 (SOUTH SAMMY CREEK DEPOSIT) FOR THE OTHER TWO.

Comment (Location): IN NORTH PART OF INDEPENDENCE MTS. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1972); PREVIOUS QUAD DESIGNATION = WELLS (1970) 1:250000

References

Reference (Deposit): NBMG MI-1986, THE NEVADA MINERAL INDUSTRY, 1986.

Reference (Deposit): EIS REPORT - BIG SPRINGS PROJECT, ON FILE AT NBMG

Reference (Deposit): USDA FOREST SERVICE, 1987, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT - BIG SPRINGS PROJECT, ELKO COUNTY, NEVADA.

Reference (Deposit): LAPOINTE, D. D., TINGLEY, J. V., JONES, R. B., 1991, MINERAL RESOURCES OF ELKO COUNTY, NEVADA, NBMG BULLETIN 106.

Reference (Deposit): BONHAM, H.F., 1986, NBMG MAP 91.

Reference (Deposit): PROSPECTUS - FREEPORT GOLD, CO. 1985.

Reference (Deposit): 1983 ANNUAL REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS OF BULL RUN GOLD MINES, LTD.

Reference (Deposit): NBMG, 1988, MI-1987.

Reference (Deposit): NUMEROUS PRESS RELEASES, NBMG MINING DISTRICT FILE 79-A.

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.