| Deposit ID | 10045494 |
|---|---|
| MRDS ID | M233252 |
| Record type | Site |
| Current site name | Mineral Soap Mine |
| Alternate or previous names | Elko Soap Mine |
| Geographic coordinates: | -115.71451, 40.5663 (WGS84) |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1646 |
| Relative position | 24 MILES S. OF ELKO |
Political divisions (FIPS codes)
Elko(county)
Nevada(state)
United States(country)
North America(continent)
Land(continent)
USGS map quadrangles
West of Lee(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)
Elko(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)
Elko(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)
Hydrologic units (watersheds)
South Fork Humboldt(hydrologic unit)
Humboldt(hydrologic accounting unit)
Black Rock Desert-Humboldt(hydrologic subregion)
Great Basin(hydrologic region)
| Country | State | County |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Nevada | Elko |
| Meridian | Township | Range | Section | Fraction | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Diablo | 031N | 056E | 18 | Nevada |
| Commodity | Importance |
|---|---|
| Bloating Material | Primary |
| Materials | Type of material |
|---|---|
| Montmorillonite | Ore |
| Plagioclase | Gangue |
| (1) | -115.71451, 40.5663 |
|---|
| General form | TABULAR |
|---|---|
| Dip | 30E |
| Thickness | 0.61M |
| Length | 274.32M |
| Width | 0.91M |
| Development status | Past Producer |
|---|---|
| Commodity type | Non-metallic |
| Deposit size | Small |
| Significant | No |
| Discovery year | 1875 |
| Discoverer | Senator Shepard |
| Year of first production | 1875 |
| Type of workings | Underground |
|---|---|
| Length | 54.86M |
| Agency | Database name | Acronym | Record ID | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USGS | Mineral Resources Data System | MRDS | M233252 |
PAPKE, KEITH G., (1970) MONTMORILLONITE, BENTONITE, AND FULLER'S EARTH DEPOSITS IN NEVADA, NBM BULL. 76
WHITEHILL, H. R., (1877), BIENNIAL REPORT AT THE STATE MINERALOGIST OF THE STATE OF NEVADA FOR THE YEARS 1875 AND 1876, CARSON CITY
"SILVER STATE", APRIL 21, 1914 (WINNEMUCCA, NEVADA)
| Subject category | Comment text |
|---|---|
| Deposit | THE FAMOUS MINERAL SOAP MINE WAS DISCOVERED BY SENATOR SHEPARD AT THE S FORKS OF THE HUMBOLDT RIVER AND SMITH CREEK, NOT FAR FROM THE STAGE ROAD TO HAMILTON, NEV., FROM ELKO, IN OCTOBER OF 1875. A VEIN OF SOAP IN SANDSTONE THAT WAS 2'-3' WIDE, WITH A 900' EXPOSURE-IT WAS SOFT AND CRUMBLY. IT WAS REPORTED TO BE SUCH A FINE SOAP, THAT IT WAS USED ON THE SPRR PULLMAN CARS FOR OVER A YEAR-BUT IT PROVED TO BE SUCH A NOVELTY THAT THE RAILROAD COMPANY SOLD SO MUCH OF THE SOAP, IT BECAME IMPRACTICAL TO USE IT ANY MORE. IN 1914 A SAN FRANCISCO FIRM OPTIONED THE PROPERTY FOR $250,000. THE PROPERTY WAS OPERATED AGAIN IN 1927 WHEN A CALIFORNIA COMPANY SHIPPED SEVERAL CARLOADS TO THE WEST COAST. AGAIN IN 1940 ADDITIONAL WORK AND LABORATORY TESTING WAS POSSIBLY DONE. THE DEPOSIT IS ABOUT 24 MILES BY ROAD S. OF ELKO IN SW 1/4 SEC. 18, T31N, R56E. IT IS A THIN BED OF MONTMORILLONITE WITHIN A SERIES OF ROCKS OF THE MIOCENE HUMBOLDT FORMATION. THE CLAY FORMS AN UNDULATING BED A FEW INCHES TO 2 |
| Deposit | FEET THICK. FINE GRAINED SANDSTONE UNDERLIES IT, AND A CONGLOMERITIC SANDSTONE OVERLIES IT. THE UPPER HALF OF THE MONTMORILLONITE IS HIGH QUALITY AND OFTEN SHOWS SLICKENSIDES. THE MONTMORILLONITE HAS BEEN EXPLORED FOR 175 FT - 3 ADITS IN ALL - 75', 45', 60'. THE MATERIAL IS GOOD, BUT THE THINNESS OF THE BEDS PREVENTED MAJOR DEVELOPMENT. THE CLAY IS NEARLY WHITE AND WAXY. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT |
| Deposit | VEIN OF SOAP IN SANDSTONE, WAS SOFT & CRUMBLY, REPORTED TO BE SUCH FINE SOAP IT WAS USED ON SPRR PULLMAN CARS FOR OVER A YEAR. A THIN BED OF MONTMORILLONITE, VERY WHITE AND WAXY. |
| Type | Date | Name | Affiliation | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reporter | 01-JUL-1979 | Tingley, J.V. | Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology |
Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.
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