1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Blue Star Mine

Producer in Eureka county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Gemstone, Copper, Arsenic, Zinc, Antimony, Barium-Barite
Map
XML
JSON
KML
A
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. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Reserves and resources
  19. Links to other databases
  20. Bibliographic references
  21. General comments
  22. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10106924
MRDS ID M231429
Record type Site
Current site name Blue Star Mine
Alternate or previous names Number 8 Mine, NBMG Sample Sites 131a & B.
Related records 10149144

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -116.36371, 40.94296 (WGS84)
Elevation 1859
Relative position 23 MILES NW OF CARLIN, NV.

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 35N 50E 4 Nevada

Comments on the location information

  • INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1972); PREVIOUS QUAD DESIGNATION = RODEO CREEK NE (1968) 1:24000

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Primary
Gemstone Primary
Copper Secondary
Arsenic Critical Tertiary
Zinc Critical Tertiary
Antimony Critical Tertiary
Barium-Barite Critical Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • ARSENIC AND GOLD WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE SURFACE GEOCHEMICAL INDICATORS.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chrysocolla Ore
Gold Ore
Malachite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Stibnite Ore
Turquoise Ore
Clay Gangue
Iron Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Sericitic, Argillic

Analytical data

Result AS HAS CLOSEST GEOCHEMICAL ASSOCIATION WITH AU, AND FORMS A GEOCHEMICAL HALO SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THE AU OREBODY.
Result TOTAL CARBONATE AND DIOPSIDE, REPRESENTING ORIGINAL CARBONATE IN LIMESTONE AND THE PRE-MINERALIZATION METAMORPHIC HALO, SHOW AN ANTITHETIC RELATIONSHIP TO THE OREBODY.
Result AS AND AU WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE SURFACE GEOCHEMICAL INDICATORS.
Result NBMG SAMPLE 131A OF CU-MINERALIZED SILTSTONE (OXIDIZED) CONTAINS 1% FE, 3% MG, 15% CA, 0.15% TI, 700 PPM MN, 7PPM AG, 1000 PPM AS, 2000 PPM BA, 10 PPM BE, 50 PPM BI, 100 PPM CD, 100 PPM CO, 100 PPM CR, +20000 PPM CU, 30 PPM LA, 200 PPM NI, 20 PPM PB, 10 PPM SC, 300 PPM SR, 150 PPM V, 70PPM Y, 1000 PPM ZN, 70 PPM ZR.
Result SAMPLE 131B OF OXIDIZED VEINED SILTSTONE CONTAINS 5% FE, 1% MG, 1.5% CA, 0.3% TI, 1500 PPM MN, 3 PPM MN, 3 PPM AG, 2000 PPM AS, 15 PPM B, 1500 PPM BA, 1 PPM BE, 150 PPM BI, 200 PPM CO, 70 PPM CR, 7000 PPM CU, 30 PPM LA, 10 PPM MO, 500 PPM NI, 20 PPM PB, 200 PPM SB, 20 PPM SC, 100 PPM SR, 500 PPM V, 100 PPM Y, 1500 PPM ZN, 100 PPM ZR

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 > Rhyolite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock unit name Vinini Formation;Vinini Formation;Vinini Formation
    Rock description Vinini Formation;Vinini Formation;Vinini Formation

Nearby scientific data

(1) -116.36371, 40.94296
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Roberts Mountains Thrust

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Orebodies Are Located On The West Limb Of A North-Trending Anticlinal Structure Which Is Cut By E-, Ne-, And Nw-Trending Normal Faults. Orebodies Are Restricted To Strongly Fractured, Near E-W High Angle Faults And A Ne-Trending Diike Swarm. South And East Orebodies Lie Immediately Below The Roberts Mountains Thrust, While The North Orebody Lies Directly Above The Thrust. Igneous Dikes Host A Minor Amount Of Ore.

Comments on the geologic information

  • COPPER MINERALIZATION APPEARS TO PREDATE THE GOLD DEPOSITION. TURQUOISE WAS CONCENTRATED ALONG QUARTZ VEINS IN ALTERRED DIKES AND ALONG FAULTS CUTTING THE THINLY BEDDED SHALE, SILTSTONE, AND CHERT. THE TURQUOISE WAS NODULAR, FORMING LESNES AND SEAMS. 10% WAS GEM QUALITY (MORRISSEY 1968). GOLD HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS DISCRETE GRAINS 1 TO 13 MICRONS, AT THE BORDERS OF DETRITALQUARTZ GRAINS AND WITHIN QUARTZ OVERGROWTH ON DETRITAL GRAINS. GOLD IN MINERALIZED DIKES WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SERICITE. A LARGE PORTION MUST BE LESS THAN .5 MICRONS AND UNRECOGNIZED. VININI FORMATION: MOST FAVORABLE HOST ROCKS ARE SANDY SILTSTONES, QUARTZITE SANDSTONES ALSO WORK WELL AS HOSTS. THE LIMESTONES ARE POOR HOSTS WITHOUT EXTENSIVE HYDROTHERMAL GROUND PREPARATION. DACITE PORPHYRY DIKES & QUARTZ DIORITE PLUB OUTCROP TO THE WEST AND NORTH. THE DIORITE WAS DATED AS 121 MILLION YEARS. BOTH ARE STRONGLY ALTERED WITH ARGILLIC AND SERICITIC ASSEMBLAGES RECOGNIZED. UNALTERRED POST-MINERALIZATION RHYOLITE PORPHYRY
  • WAS ENCOUNTERED IN DRILL HOLES IN THE MINE AREA..

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1929
Year of first production 1929
Production years TURQUOISE: 1929-(?); AU: 1960-1962, 1974-PRESENT (3/92)

Mining district

District name Blue Star- Goldstrike Subdistrict; Carlin Trend

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Newmont Gold Co. (Newmont Mining Corp.)
    First year 1988

Comments on the production information

  • INTERMITTENT PRODUCTION - UNKNOWN AMOUNT.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Total resources 816000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 3.388 g/mt Gold Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1987
    Total resources 884000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.863 g/mt Gold Major 1987
  • Type In-situ
    Name SOUTH AND EAST PITS
    Estimate year 1986
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 2.992 g/mt Gold Major 1986
  • Type In-situ
    Name NORTH PIT
    Estimate year 1986
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 3.501 g/mt Gold Major 1986

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 1974 FIGURES REPRESENT TOTAL PRE-MINING RESERVE ESTIMATES FROM THE SOUTH, EAST, AND NORTH OREBODIES.

Comments on development

  • SMALL BODIES OF GEM-GRADE TURQUOISE WERE DISCOVERED AND DEVELOPED IN 1929 AT THE NUMBER EIGHT MINE ALONG THE RIDGE FORMING THE WEST EDGE OF LITTLE BOULDER BASIN, ABOUT 3/4 MILE EAST OF BLUE STAR. TOTAL TURQUOISE PRODUCTION SINCE 1929 IS ESTIMATED AT $1,500,000. AU WAS DISCOVERED IN 1959 AT THE NUMBER EIGHT MINE ALONG THE ROBERTS MOUNTAINS THRUST. A 100 TON CYANIDE MILL WAS ERECTED ON THE PROPERTY IN 1960 AND WAS OPERATED IN A SMALL WAY UNTIL 1962. KERR-MCGEE OIL INDUSTRIES PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 1964. NEWMONT ACQUIRED THE BLUE STAR TURQUOISE PROPERTY IN 1968. EXPLORATION DRILLING IDENTIFIED RESERVES OF 1.6 MILLION TONS/0.12 OPT AU IN THREE OREBODIES. OPEN PIT MINING BEGAN IN 1974 AT BLUE STAR. ; ECON.COM: THERE IS A 10:1 RATIO OF HEAP LEACH ORE TO MILL ORE AT BLUE STAR. 1654 HOLES TOTALLING 850,000 FT. HAVE BEEN DRILLED AS OF APRIL, 1990 TO DEFINE OREBODIES AT BLUE STAR AND THE NEARBY GENESIS MINES.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ROBERTS, R.J., ET AL, 1967, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF EUREKA COUNTY, NEVADA, NBMG BULLETIN 64

  • Deposit

    MORRISSEY, F.R., 1968, TURQUOISE DEPOSITS OF NEVADA, NBMG REPORT 17.

  • Deposit

    NOBLE, L.L., 1977, GEOLOGY OF THE BLUE STAR GOLD DEPOSIT NEAR CARLIN, NEVADA, AIME

  • Deposit

    USBM (WINNEMUCCA) MILS NO. 318, REFERENCE NO. 3201100166.

  • Deposit

    BONHAM, H.F., 1988, IN NBMG MI-1987.

  • Deposit

    BONHAM, H.F., 1986, NBMG MAP 91.

  • Deposit

    BENTZ, BROOKS, AND MCFARLANE, 5/27/82, NBMG FIELD EXAMINATION AND SAMPLE ANALYSES.

  • Deposit

    JONES, R., 1989, CARLIN TREND GOLD BELT: THE GEOLOGY, MINING MAGAZINE, VOL. 161, NO. 4, P. 256-261.

  • Deposit

    RADTKE, A., 1974, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGY OF CARLIN AND BLUE STAR DEPOSITS, USGS MISC. FIELD STUDIES MAP 552.

  • Deposit

    THORSTAD, L., 1989, CARLIN TREND GOLD BELT: THE PRODUCERS, MINING MAGAZINE, VOL. 161, NO. 4, P. 263-267.

  • Deposit

    RYNEER, R., 1990, GEOLOGY OF THE BLUE STAR SUBDISTRICT AND THE GENESIS MINE, EUREKA COUNTY, NEVADA, ORAL PRESENTATION AT GREAT BASIN SYMPOSIUM, APRIL 4, THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEVADA, RENO.

  • Deposit

    ZIMMERMAN, C., 1987, GEOLOGY OF THE BLUE STAR DEPOSIT, GEOLOGICAL SOCIETYOF NEVADA 1987 FALL FIELD TRIP GUIDEBOOK, SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 6, P. B15-B17.

  • Production

    BONHAM, 1988.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BONHAM, 1988; BENTZ ET AL, 1982.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit NODULAR TURQUOISE FORMS LENSES AND SEAMS ALONG QUARTZ VEINS IN ALTERED DIKES AND ALONG FAULTS. BLUE STAR AU MINERALIZATION IS PARTLY HOSTED BY UPPER PLATE ROCKS, AND IS ACCOMPANIED BY ABUNDANT CU MINERALIZATION WITH LITTLE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL. IN BLUE STAR UPPER PIT, NW OF THE BLUE STAR MINE, DISSEMINATED AU MINERALIZATION OCCURS ALONG A STEEP N20E FAULT, WITH HIGHEST GRADE ORE LOCALIZED AT INTERSECTION OF AN OLDER E-W FAULT AND A YOUNGER N-S FAULT.
Deposit First Production Year: 1929 (TURQUOISE); 1960 (AU)
Deposit Discovery Year: 1929 (TURQUOISE); 1959 (AU)

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-DEC-1980 Kirkham, Richard A. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Updater 01-SEP-1988 La Pointe, D.D. (Tingley, J.V.) Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Updater 01-MAR-1992 Phinisey, J. D. (Marcus, S.) U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

External references

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Nevada resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.