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Chimney Creek Mine

Producer in Humboldt county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Sand and Gravel, Construction
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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 10084981
MRDS ID W700409
Record type Site
Current site name Chimney Creek Mine
Alternate or previous names Chimney Creek Prospect
Related records 10037801

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -117.15763, 41.27961 (WGS84)
Elevation 1585
Relative position 10 KM NE OF THE GETCHELL DEPOSIT IN THE DRY HILLS NORTHERN OSGOOD MTS., 90 KM NE OF WINNEMUCCA, NV., AND ADJACENT TO RABBIT CREEK MINE (THEY MAY EVENTUALLY CONNECT).

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Humboldt(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Dry Hills North(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Osgood Mountains(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

McDermitt(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 Humboldt

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 39N 43E 05,06,07,08 Nevada

Comments on the location information

  • LAT/LONG PROVIDED BY CHIMNEY CREEK MINE AND CONVERTED TO UTM'S BY MRDS STAFF.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary
Sand and Gravel, Construction Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • MICROSCOPIC AU. PRELIMINARY METALLURGICAL TESTS INDICATE THAT THE ORE WOULD BE AMENABLE TO CONVENTIONAL GOLD-MILLING PROCESSES WITH RELATIVELY HIGH RECOVERIES.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Albite Gangue
Augite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Epidote Gangue
Fluorite Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Sericite Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Hydrothermal: Sericite, Kaolinite, Monite, Dickite, Alunite, Natroalunite. A Zone Of Phyllic Alteraion, 50 M Wide Around Feeder Zone, Contains Ore Grade Mineralization. Carbonate Dissolution Zones; Two Generations Of Silicification (Jasperoid); Propylitic Basalts.

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 Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Dacite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt
    Rock unit name Gough'S Canyon Formation;Osgood Mountains Granodiorite
    Rock description Gough'S Canyon Formation;Osgood Mountains Granodiorite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Dolomite
    Rock unit name Etchart Formation;Etchart Formation;Etchart Formation;Etchart Formation
    Rock description Etchart Formation;Etchart Formation;Etchart Formation;Etchart Formation

Nearby scientific data

(1) -117.15763, 41.27961
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Reg.Struct: Roberts Mountain Thrust (Below) And The Golconda Thrust (Above), Intruded By The Mid-Cretaceous Osgood Mt. Granodiorite And Related Trachyandesite Dikes.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Low Angle Unconformity Developed In The Gough'S Canyon Formation. The Chimney Creek Deposit Occurs Along A Northeasterly Range Front Lineament That Is Probably An Extension Of The Getchell Fault. Host Rocks Strike Ne, Dip 21-32 Nw.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR
    Strike NE
    Dip 21-32 NW
    Thickness 50M
    Length 487.68M
    Width 243.84M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Bedding In The Lower Member Of The Etchart Limestone. Complex Tectonics, Stratigraphy And Alteration.

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE CHIMNEY CREEK DEPOSIT IS STRATIGRAPHICALLY AND TECTONALLY COMPLEX. THE DEPOSIT IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE MID-PALEOZOIC ROBERTS MOUNTAIN THRUST AND THE PERMO-TRIASSIC GOLCONDA THRUST. ALTERATION AND MINERALIZATION RE CHANNELED INTO THE THICK BEDDED LOWER MEMBER OF THE ETCHART LIMESTONE ALONG HIGH ANGLE FAULT FEEDER ZONES IN THE GOUGH'S CANYON FORMATION AND SPREAD OUT LATELLY ALONG BEDDING TO FORM A CONFORMABLE SEDIMENT-HOSTED GOLD-SILVER DEPOSIT ABOVE A DISCONFORMABLE STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED VOLCANIC-HOSTED FEEDER ZONE. MINERALIZATION OCCURS EXCLUSIVELY IN THE GOUGH'S CANYON FORMATION AND THE LOWER MEMBERS OF THE ETCHART LIMESTONE. THE HIGHEST AU-AG GRADES ARE COINCIDENT WITH THE MOST SEVERE CARBONATE DISSOLUTION ZONES IN THE ETCHART FORMATION. GOLD GRADE DROPS OFF SLIGHTLY WITH INCREASING DISTANCE FROM THE PROJECTED FEEDER PIPES. AU-BEARING BEDDED JASPEROIDS FORM TABULAR BODIES FROM 30-50M THICK EXTENDING AT LEAST 600 M OUTWARD FROM THE CENTER OF THE CHIMNEY CREEK. ALTERATION IS
  • PERVASIVE AND EXTSIVE INSIDE AND BELOW THE OREBODY. ETCHART FORMATION, 850 M THICK, CONSISTS OF SILICICLASTIC CARBONATE SHALLOW WATER SEQUENCE ( RICH IN SILICATE MINERAL DETRITUS), PEBBLY LITHARENITE, SILTSTONE, SANDY DOLOMITE AND DOLOMITE. METAMORPHOSED D ALTERED BASALTS, RANGING FROM GREENSCHISTS RETAINING IGNEOUS TEXTURES TO INTENSELY HYDROTHERMALLY ALTERED ROCKS. DACITE DIKES ARE RELATED TO THE OSGOOD MOUNTAINS GRANODIORITE AND CUT ALTERED ROCKS AND ARE THEMSELVES ALTERED.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1985
Year of first production 1987

Mining district

District name Potosi (Getchell)

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Gold Fields Mining Corp.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Gold Fields Mining Corp. Alan Wright, Project Manager.
    First year 1988

Comments on the production information

  • NBMG SPEC. PUB. MI-1990.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1988
    Total resources 98367000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.92 g/mt Gold Major 1988

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ITEM 3: THIS FIGURE INCLUDES 6 MILLION TONS OF 0.18 OZ/TONS AU.

Comments on the workings information

  • OPEN PIT, HEAP LEACH, MILL.

Comments on development

  • SINGLE BENCH; CYANIDATION; CONSTRUCTION; CRUSHING; SCREENING; LEACH PAD CONSTRUCTION; ROTARY DRILLING. CLAIMS COVER 53 SQUARE MILES. COMPREHENSIVE EXPLORATION PROGRAM WAS BEGUN IN 1985. INCLUDING GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS AND 180 RELATIVELY SHALLOW DRILL HOLES ON 100-FT CENTERS. GOLD FIELDS IS CONTINUING DRILLING, BULK SAMPLING, METALLURGICAL TESTING, HYDROLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND REVIEWING PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS TO DETERMINE THE PROSPECT'S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL AND TO DELINEATE ANY OTHER POTENTIAL ORE BODIES. MINE WOULD EMPLOY 200 PERSONS IN OPEN PIT MINE. FEASIBILITY STUDY EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1986. TEST LOT WAS MINED IN 1986. PLANNED PRODUCTION IS 11000 TPD. ANTICIPATED PRODUCTION (1987) IS 150000 OZ AU PER YEAR. CHIMNEY CREEK MINE IS ONE OF THE COUNTY'S LOW COST HIGH-GRADE GOLD PRODUCERS AND MAY HAVE ITS MINE LIFE EXTENDED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THROUGH SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS BY GFMC - HUMBOLDT SUN 7/27/90.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    OSTERBERG, M. W. AND GUILBERT, J.M., 1991, GEOLOGY, WALL-ROCK ALTERATION, AND NEW EXPLORATI TECHNIQUES AT THE CHIMNEY CREEK SEDIMENT-HOSTED GOLD DEPOSITS, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NV. GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE GREAT BASIN, GSA SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS, RENO, NV. P. 805-819.

  • Deposit

    THE MINERAL INDUSTRY 1990; NBMG SPEC. PUB. MI-1990.

  • Deposit

    STAFF, 1988, DIRECTORY OF NEVADA MINE OPERATIONS ACTIVE DURING CALENDAR YEAR 1987: NEVADA DIV. OF MINE INSPECTION, 84P.

  • Deposit

    NEVADA MINING ASSOCIATION BULLETIN. OCT-NOV 1985.

  • Deposit

    THE MINING RECORD, NOV 13, 1985, P. 3.

  • Deposit

    RENO GAZETTE JOURNAL, NOV. 11, 1985.

  • Deposit

    THE NORTHERN MINER, NOV. 11, 1985.

  • Deposit

    MINE SEARCH ANNUAL, 1984-1985, BOULDER, CO: METALS ECONOMICS GROUP, V 7, P. 93-94.

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEVADA, 1987, PRECIOUS METALS SYMPOSIUM. LECTURES. ABSTRACTS.

  • Deposit

    OSTERBERG, MARK, 1988, GEOLOGY OF THE CHIMNEY CREEK SEDIMENT-HOSTED GOLD DEPOSIT, OSGOOD MOUNTAINS, NEVADA (ABSTRACT): GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEVADA, V. 1, NO. 2, P. 4-6.

  • Deposit

    ORAL COMMUNICATION FROM JIM DELONG, 16 JUL. 1986. GEOLOGIST FORMERLY WITH GOLD FIELDS.

  • Reserve-Resource

    ITEM 1AND 2: NBMG. SPEC. PUB. MI-1990. ITEM 3: NEVADA MINING ASSOCIATION BULL. OCT-NOV 1985. ITEM 4: BONHAM, 1988. ITEM 5: OSTERBERG, 1988, P. 4.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit CARLIN-SUBTYPE. GENTLY DIPPING MINERALIZED ZONE CONTAINING SIGNIFICANT GOLD VALUES FOUND IN AN AREA ABOUT 1600 BY 800 FT. ADDITIONAL GOLD MINERALIZATION WAS ENCOUNTERED IN SOME DRILL HOLES OUTSIDE THE MAIN MINERALIZED AREA. THOUGH THESE HOLES HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN ESTIMATING RESERVES (1988). GOLD-BEARING TABULAR JASPEROID IS 30-50 M THICK AND EXTENDS AT LEAST 600 M OUTWARD FROM THE CENTER OF CHIMNEY CREEK.
Deposit REPORTER FOR M242950 WAS LA POINTE, D.D. (TINGLEY, J.V.), NBMG, 10/88. REPORTER FOR M042791 WAS LA POINTE, D.D. (TINGLEY, J.V.), NBMG, 03/86.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-AUG-1988 Paidakovich, Matthew E. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-AUG-1991 Moyer, Lorre A. (Marcus, S.M.) U.S. Geological Survey MOVED CONTENTS FROM RECORD NO. M242950 TO THIS RECORD AND DELETED M242950 AND M042791, WHICH WERE DUPLICATES. FIXED ALL ROCK AND AGE FIELDS. MOVED MISPLACED ENTRIES IN GEOLOGY FIELDS TO PROPER FIELDS.
Updater 18-NOV-1992 Li, Zhiping (Peters, S.) U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-JAN-1994 Mosier, Dan U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Nevada resources

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