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Post Deposit

Producer in Eureka county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Arsenic
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Alteration
  9. Mineral occurrence model information
  10. Host and associated rocks
  11. Nearby scientific data
  12. Geologic structures
  13. Ore body information
  14. Controls for ore emplacement
  15. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  16. Mining district
  17. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Reserves and resources
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10084949
MRDS ID W700371
Record type Site
Current site name Post Deposit
Alternate or previous names Post Mine, Deep Post, Lower Post, Betze, Betze Deposit, Post/Betze, Upper Post
Related records 10125664, 10310437

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -116.34732, 40.97518 (WGS84)
Elevation 1695
Relative position ABOUT 37 KM (23 MILES) NORTHWEST OF CARLIN. ADJACENT TO GOLDSTRIKE. UTM IS IN AREA OF OPEN PIT.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Eureka(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Rodeo Creek NE(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Battle Mountain(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Winnemucca(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Middle Humboldt(hydrologic unit)

Humboldt(hydrologic accounting unit)

Black Rock Desert-Humboldt(hydrologic subregion)

Great Basin(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Nevada Eureka

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 36N 50E 29,20 Nevada

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary
Arsenic Critical Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • AU OCCURS AS MICRON TO SUBMICRON-SIZED PARTICLES ASSOCIATED WITH QUARTZ AND CLAYS IN THE OXIDE ZONES AND WITH PYRITE AND MARCASITE IN THE SULFIDE ZONES. SIMPLE REFRACTORY ORE IN THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE LOWER POST/BETZE OREBODY IS CHARACTERIZED BY SILICIFICATION WITH KAOLINITE & 5-10% DISSEMINATED PYRITE. CARBON FOUND DISTAL AND PROBABLY UNRELATED TO THE OREBODIES. INCREASING AU GRADES ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASING AMOUNTS OF PYRITE/MARCASITE.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Marcasite Ore
Alunite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Dickite Gangue
Goethite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Illite Gangue
Jarosite Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Orpiment Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Realgar Gangue
Sericite Gangue
Stibnite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Decarbonization; Argillic And Silicic Hydrothermal; Oxidation

Analytical data

Result AU IS PART OF THIN RIND OF ARSENIAN PYRITE SURROUNDING GRAINS OF ARSENIC-POOR PYRITE. 2 TYPES OFAU-BEARING ARSENIAN PYRITE OR MARCASITE: EITHER 200 MICRONS OR 10-20 MICRONS, SIZES OCCUR IN APPROX. EQUAL PROPORTIONS. APPROX. AU:AG RATIOS, FROM 79 DRILL HOLES= 3.1 (POST OXIDE)
Result 6.3 (LOWER POST/BETZE) (SEE LAUHA & BETTLES, 1993, FOR ADDITIONAL DRILLHOLE GEOCHEMISTRY).

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 172
USGS model code 26a
Deposit model name Carbonate-hosted Au-Ag
Mark3 model number 15

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Goldstrike Stock;Goldstrike Stock;Unknown;Latite Sill;Diorite Sill
    Rock description Goldstrike Stock;Goldstrike Stock;Unknown;Latite Sill;Diorite Sill
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Mudstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Argillite
    Rock unit name Vinini Formation;Popovich Formation/Rodeo Creek Unit;Popovich Formation;Popovich Formation;;Roberts Moutain Formation
    Rock description Vinini Formation;Popovich Formation/Rodeo Creek Unit;Popovich Formation;Popovich Formation;;Roberts Moutain Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Chemical Sediment > Chert

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Roberts Mountain Thrust
Type of structure Local
Structure description N-Nnw-Trending Zone Considered Main Hydrothermal Conduit; Nnw To N, And Ne-Striking Faults

Ore body information

  • General form STRATIFORM (APPROXIMATELY)
    Length 762M
    Depth to top 76.2M
    Depth to bottom 518.16M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Structurally Controlled Near Southern Terminus; Penetrative Farther North. High Angle Faults Control Higher Grade Au. Imbricate Thrusts Related To Roberts Mt. Thrust Or Later Event Influenced Ore Localization. Oxide Ore Generally Occurs In Vinini Fm.(Or Newmont'S Rodeo Creek Unit); Refractory Sulfide Ore Typically Occurs In Popovich & Roberts Mt. Formations. Plutonic Rocks Often Acted As Dams To Mineralizing Fluids.

Comments on the geologic information

  • AREHART, FOLAND, ET AL. (1993, LATEST PUB. ON THIS DEPOSIT) GIVES AGE OF MINERALIZATION AS 117 MA. OTHER POSSIBLE AGES OF MINERALIZATION ARE: 36-37 MA, 39 MA, OR 158 MA. THE LOWER POST, BETZE, AND DEEP POST DEPOSITS LIE BENEATH THE POST DEPOSIT AND SPACIALLY DISTINCT FROM POST. POST LIES ON THE UPPER PLATE OF THE ROBERTS MOUNTAIN THRUST; BETZE & LOWER POST ARE IN THE LOWER PLATE OF THIS THRUST. LOWER POST AND BETZE ARE A SINGLE OREBODY (AREHART ET AL). ASSOCIATED IGNEOUS ROCKS, SHOWN ABOVE, ALSO HOST ORE IN THE POST DEPOSIT. NNW TO N FAULTS AND SOME NE FAULTS SHOW MOVEMENT AFTER ORE FORMATION. FAULTING CAUSED BRECCIATION AND PREPARATION FOR HIGHER GRADE MINERALIZATION. COLLAPSE & HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS OF ABOVE-NAMED HOST ROCKS ALSO HOST ORE. MINOR AU MINERALIZATION FOUND IN GOLDSTRIKE INTRUSIVE, USUALLY ALONG FAULTS OR JOINTS. AMERICAN BARRICK AND NEWMONT USE DIFFERENT NAMES FOR THE SAME UNITS (SUCH AS ROBERTS MOUNTAIN FM.).

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1982
Discoverer Geologists Working For Western States Minerals Corporation
Year of first production 1986

Mining district

District name Lynn; Carlin Trend, Bluestar/Goldstrike Subdistrict

Land status

Ownership category BLM Administrative Area

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner American Barrick Resources Corp. (Barrick Goldstrike Mine)
    First year 1993
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Newmont Gold Co. (Newmont Mining Corp.)
    First year 1993

Comments on the production information

  • BARRICK AND NEWMONT EACH MINE PART OF THE DEPOSIT SEPARATELY.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Name BARRICK
    Estimate year 1983
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 2.823 g/mt Gold Major 1983
  • Type In-situ
    Name BARRICK
    Estimate year 1983
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.129 g/mt Gold Major 1983
  • Type In-situ
    Name BARRICK
    Estimate year 1986
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.552 g/mt Gold Major 1986
  • Type In-situ
    Name NEWMONT
    Estimate year 1987
    Total resources 4000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.694 g/mt Gold Major 1987

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • BONHAM, 1989 GIVES BREAKDOWN OF 1987 BARRICK RESERVES: POST OXIDE-1.4 MILLION OZ AU; DEEP POST/BETZE-7.3 MILLION OZ AU. ANNUAL RESERVE OR RESOURCE/RESERVE FIGURES ARE SHOWN IN THE ANNUAL EDITION OF THE NEVADA MINERAL INDUSTRY. ONLY THE EARLIEST 1983 FIGURES FROM THE 1989 EDITION ARE GIVEN HERE. 1992 FIGURES AS OF DEC 31, 1991. 1993 FIGURES, EXCEPTING * ARE PRESUMABLY ONLY FOR BARRICK'S ORE. * IS PRESUMABLY A TOTAL FOR BARRICK + NEWMONT RESERVES.

Comments on the workings information

  • OPEN PIT

Comments on development

  • ANOMALOUS GOLD DETECTED IN OUTCROPS; OREBODY ENCOUNTERED IN FIRST DRILL HOLE. WESTERN STATES MINERALS COMMENCED MINING IN 1986, AND SOLD THE POST DEPOSIT TO BARRICK GOLDSTRIKE IN JANUARY 1987. LOWER POST WAS DISCOVERED BY DEEP DRILLING IN 1987. FURTHER DRILLING IN 1987 DEFINED THE BETZE OREBODY, "THE LARGEST DEPOSIT DESCOVERED TO DATE IN THE CARLIN TREND" (LAUHA & BETTLES, 1993). THE POST OREBODY IS MINED BY BARRICK GOLDSTRIKE AS A MAJOR ORE SOURCE FOR THE GOLDSTRIKE MINE PROCESSING FACILITIES. MOST RESERVES (SEE 1992 FIGURES) TO BE MINED FROM BETZE PIT, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO REACH DEPTH OF APPROX. 1,600 FT, WITH A STRIPPING RATIO OF 1:7. REFRACTORY ORE WILL BE PROCESSED BY AUTOCLAVE , WHICH IS EXPECTED TO REACH A DAILY CAPACITY OF 15,000 TONS/DAY IN 1993. THE NEWMONT PORTION OF LOWER POST WILL BE MINED SOMETIME AFTER 1993. ; ECON.COM: CYANIDATION RELATIVELY UNSUCCESSFUL ON REFRATORY SUFIDE ORE, SO BARRICK PROCESSES SUCH ORES BY ROASTING OR PRESSURE OXIDATION, THEN CYANIDATION.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit HIGHER GRADE ORE GENERALLY FOUND ADJACENT TO FAULTS AND IN CRESTS OF FOLDS, BELOW IMPERMEABLE UNITS. DEPOSIT CONTAINS BOTH SULFIDE AND OXIDE ORE. LOWER POST AND BETZE ARE HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY ADJACENT PARTS OF THE SAME OREBODY, DISCOVERED AND THEN NAMED SEPARATELY. BETZE IS NW OF AND BELOW POST; LOWER POST IS DIRECTLY BELOW POST. SUPERGENE ALUNITE FROM POST K/AR DATED AT 8.48 TO 9.58 MA (AREHART, CITED IN LAUHA & BETTLES). POST OREBODY IS OXIDE, HOSTED BY VININI FM. LOWER POST/BETZE ARE REFRACTORY, HOSTED BY POPOVICH & TO LESSER EXTENT ROBERTS MT. FM. SECONDARY MINERALIZATION TREND AT LOWER POST/BETZE IS N40-70E. TOP, BOTTOM, AND LENGTH ARE MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS FOR ALL POST/BETZE OREBODIES, COMBINED.
Deposit THIS RECORD INCLUDES INFORMATION FROM MRDS RECORDS M242940 AND W700373, WHICH HAVE BEEN DELETED.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-AUG-1988 Paidakovich, Matthew E. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-SEP-1989 La Pointe, D.D. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Updater 01-APR-1993 Phinisey, J. D. (Marcus, S.) U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-AUG-1993 Moyer, Lorre A. (Marcus, S.M.) U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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Authoritative Nevada resources

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