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Mercur

Plant in Tooele county in Utah, United States with commodities Gold, Silver
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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. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10179493
MRDS ID DC12244
MAS/MILS ID 0490450279
Record type Site
Current site name Mercur
Related records 10020050

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -112.2105, 40.31574 (WGS84)
Elevation 2134
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Tooele(county)

Utah(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Mercur(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Rush Valley(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Tooele(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Rush-Tooele Valleys(hydrologic unit)

Great Salt Lake(hydrologic accounting unit)

Great Salt Lake(hydrologic subregion)

Great Basin(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Utah Tooele

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Salt Lake 006 S 003 W 06 E2 Utah

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N80W
    Dip 17E
    Thickness 70M
    Length 300M
    Width 121M
    Area 180HA
    Depth to top 16M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 STRATIFORM
    Shape of Orebody #1 IRREGULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Type of Orebody #3 FISSURE VEIN
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Secondary Ore Control FRACTURING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 SILICIFICATION
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 INTERM ARGILLIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #3 SERICITIC
    Strike And Dip N80W:17E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 180
    Date of Last Modification 890804

Comments on the geologic information

  • ACCORDING TO RANDOL MINING DIRECTORY 1996-97, MERCUR HAS A 5 YEAR REMAINING MINE LIFE AND CLOSURE IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN 3 YEARS FOLLOWING THE DEPLETION OF ALL OPEN PIT RESERVES. MILL METHODS INCLUDE OXIDE MILL CIRCUIT, REFRACTORY ORE MILL CIRCUIT, AND HEAP LEACH.
  • DEPOSITS ARE REPLACEMENT DEPOSITS IN SHALE OF THE UPPER GREAT BLUE LIMESTONE. CARBONATES ARE HYDROTHERMALLY ALTERED TO FORM JASPEROID, QUARTZ SERICITE, AND KAOLINITE. MUCH OF THE MINERALIZED HOST ROCK IS OXIDIZED; THE BALANCE IS REFRACTORY ORE.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1870
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1871
Plant type Leach
Milling method Carbon-In-Leach-Electrowin

Mining district

District name Mercur District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Barrick Gold Corp. (American Barrick Resources Corp.)
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1995
    First year 1995

Comments on the ownership information

  • MERCUR MINE ADDRESS: BARRICK GOLD CORP. P.O. BOX 838 MERCUR CANYON ROAD TOOELE, UT 84074-0838 CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ADDRESS: BARRICK GOLD CORP. ROYAL BANK PLAZA SOUTH TOWER, SUITE 2700 200 BAY STREET P.O. BOX 119 TORONTO, ON M5J 2J3

Production statistics

  • Year 1983
    Description 1,114 Kgs Gold Produced From 628010 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 628010mt
  • Year 1984
    Description 2,460 Kgs Gold Produced From 933900 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 933900mt
  • Year 1985
    Description 2,919 Kgs Gold Produced From 1117710 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1117710mt
  • Year 1986
    Description 3,453 Kgs Gold Produced From 1878880 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1878880mt
  • Year 1987
    Description 3,368 Kgs Gold Produced From 2305770 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 2305770mt
  • Year 1988
    Description 3,589 Kgs Gold Produced From 2881870 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 2881870mt
  • Year 1989
    Description Silver Produced 40905 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 1272287.89g
  • Year 1989
    Description 3,655 Kgs Gold Produced From 1486000 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1486000mt
  • Year 1990
    Description Silver Produced 229000 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 7122697.14g
  • Year 1990
    Description 3,959 Kgs Gold Produced 1661000 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1661000mt
  • Year 1991
    Description Silver Produced 189000 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 5878557.9g
  • Year 1991
    Description 3,796 Kgs Gold Produced 1661000 Mt/Yr Ore Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Gold Gold 1661000mt
  • Year 1992
    Description Ore Processed @ 0.075 Oz/St 1796400 St/Yr
  • Year 1992
    Description Silver Produced 313000 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 9735389.55g
  • Year 1992
    Description Gold Produced 121200 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 3769741.89g
  • Year 1993
    Description Gold Production 114761 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 3569466.58g
  • Year 1993
    Description Silver Produced 400000 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 12441392.4g
  • Year 1993
    Description Ore Processed @ 0.074 Oz/St 1761700 St Ore
  • Year 1994
    Description Ore Milled @ 0.063 Oz/St 1952800 St Ore
  • Year 1994
    Description Gold Production 108100 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 3362286.29g
  • Year 1994
    Description Silver Produced 410000 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 12752427.21g
  • Year 1995
    Description Ore Processed 0.065 Oz/St 1910100 St/Yr
  • Year 1995
    Description Silver Produced 413587 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 12863995.39g
  • Year 1995
    Description Gold Production 101700 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 3163224.01g
  • Year 1996
    Description Ore Processed 0.053 Oz/St 2032800 St/Yr
  • Year 1996
    Description Gold Produced 82600 Tr Oz/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 2569147.53g

Comments on the production information

  • 1,485,390 MT ORE. 1989 RESERVE = 1,117,000 CONT.OZ AU. TRANSPORTATION COST OF GOLD-SILVER DORE FROM MILL TO REFINERY INCLUDED IN MILL OP COSTS THE YIELD AND RECOVERY FOR THE AU & AG IS AN AVERAGE FOR THE MILL FEED OF OXIDE AND REFRACTORY ORES BEING PROCESSED IN THE MILL. RECOVERIES FOR PA ARE: AU AND AG - 78.7% GRADES: 84.87% AU AND 15.13% AG. GRADES FOR PB: 83.35% AU AND 16.65% AG
  • 1988 PROD.=116,000 OZ. AU; 1988 RESERVE= 1,512,000 OZ. CONT.AU. 1988 PROD.= 116,000 OZ. 1989 PROD. = 117,536 OZ FROM TREATING

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 11204000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.71 g/mt Gold Major 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Inferred 800000mt ore
    Total resources 800000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 2.19 g/mt Gold Major 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Demonstrated 8525000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.82 g/mt Gold Major 1995
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Inferred 508000mt ore
    Total resources 508000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 2.4 g/mt Gold Major 1995
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Demonstrated 1090000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 2.54 g/mt Gold Major 1996
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Demonstrated 6181000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.78 g/mt Gold Major 1996
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Demonstrated 3377000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 1.85 g/mt Gold Major 1996

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 1,485,390 MT ORE. 1989 RESERVE = 1,117,000 CONT.OZ AU.
  • MINING STOPPED MARCH 27, 1997: PROCESSING MILL WILL RUN TILL LATE 1998; RECLAMATION WILL LAST TILL 2010: OPERATION WILL BE CONSIDERED A PRODUCER TILL PROCESSING MILL IS SHUT DOWN IN IN LATE 1998: PROVEN+PROBABLE ORE RESERVES (INCLUDES 2,359,000 MT @ 1.82 G/MT AU - OF THE GOLDEN GATE TAILINGS); PRODUCTION BASED ON AVG OF 1992 TO 1996 PRODUCTION:

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 142HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 82.1
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 16
    Primary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 6
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 38
    Capacity 7760
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 991.5
    Unit Production Cost 6.52
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1989

Comments on other economic factors

  • MINING STOPPED MARCH 27, 1997: PROCESSING MILL WILL RUN TILL LATE 1998; RECLAMATION WILL LAST TILL 2010: OPERATION WILL BE CONSIDERED A PRODUCER TILL PROCESSING MILL IS SHUT DOWN IN IN LATE 1998: PROVEN+PROBABLE ORE RESERVES (INCLUDES 2,359,000 MT @ 1.82 G/MT AU - OF THE GOLDEN GATE TAILINGS); PRODUCTION BASED ON AVG OF 1992 TO 1996 PRODUCTION: ORE IS MINED FROM 4 PITS: MARION HILL, MERCUR HILL, GOLDEN GATE & SACRAMENTO HILL. THESE 4 PITS HAVE A MIX OF OXIDIZED ORE OR REFRACTORY ORE. OXIDIZED (OXIDE) ORE IS ORE THAT IS SENT TO A CARBON-IN-LEACH (C-I-L) CIRCUIT AFTER BEING CRUSHED AND GROUND. REFRACTORY OR SULFIDE GOLD ORE MUST BE FIRST PROCESSED IN AN AUTOCLAVE CIRCUIT AFTER BEING CRUSHED AND GROUND AND BEFORE BEING SENT TO A C-I-L CIRCUIT. OXIDE ORE THAT HAS A GRADE BELOW 1.37 G/MT AU AND A CUTOFF OF 0.86 G/MT AU IS SENT TO THE DUMP LEACH. THIS ORE IS CLASSIFIED AS OXIDE SUBORE THE STOCKPILED OXIDE ORE (MATRIX 2) IS BLENDED WITH THE MINED OXIDE ORE. THE GOLDEN GATE TAILS (MATRIX 5, ORIGINALLY CLASSIFIED AS REFRACTORY ORE) WILL BE PROCESSED BY A HOT WATER LEACH PROCESSED IN THE MILL AFTER THE IN-PLACE ORE AND STOCK- PILED ORE RESERVES ARE EXHAUSTED. THE TAILS CONTAIN CYANIDE PRECIPITATES FROM BEING PROCESSED IN THE PAST. HOT-WATER WILL PLACE THE CYANIDE INTO SOLUTION AND THIS SOLUTION WILL IN TURN DISSOLVE THE GOLD IN THE C-I-L CIRCUIT.
  • 1,485,390 MT ORE. 1989 RESERVE = 1,117,000 CONT.OZ AU. TRANSPORTATION COST OF GOLD-SILVER DORE FROM MILL TO REFINERY INCLUDED IN MILL OP COSTS
  • DEPOSITS ARE REPLACEMENT DEPOSITS IN SHALE OF THE UPPER GREAT BLUE LIMESTONE. CARBONATES ARE HYDROTHERMALLY ALTERED TO FORM JASPEROID, QUARTZ SERICITE, AND KAOLINITE. MUCH OF THE MINERALIZED HOST ROCK IS OXIDIZED; THE BALANCE IS REFRACTORY ORE. FEED RECS 1101 AND 1102: ARE THE BLENDED FEEDS FROM MATRICES 7 & 8 THAT ARE THE COMBINED OXIDE AND REFRACTORY ORES FROM THE MINE AND STOCKPILES.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    KORNZE, L. D. GEOLOGY OF THE MERCUR GOLD MINE. SYMPOSIUM

  • Geology

    OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEVADA: BULK MINEABLE

  • Geology

    PRECIOUS METAL DEPOSITS OF THE WESTERN U.S APRIL 6-8,

  • Geology

    1987, PP. 381-388.

  • Production

    BARRICK GOLD CORP., 1996 FORM 40-F REPORT, P35.

  • Production

    NEVADA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, SPECIAL PUBLICATION MI-

  • Production

    1995, "THE NEVADA MINERAL INDUSTRY 1995", PP53.

  • Reserve-Resource

    AMERICAN BARRICK RESOURCES CORP., 1993 ANNUAL REPORT, P.27.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BARRICK GOLD CORP., 1994 ANNUAL REPORT, P.36.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BARRICK GOLD CORP., 1995 ANNUAL REPORT, P.27.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BARRICK GOLD CORP., 1995 FORM 40-F REPORT, PP. 12, 33.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BARRICK GOLD CORP., 1996 FORM 40-F REPORT, PP. 12, 36.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BARRICK GOLD CORP., 1996 ANNUAL REPORT, P36.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. GETTY MINING CO. STARTING UP ITS

  • Deposit

    MERCUR GOLD OPERATION IN UTAH. SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW,

  • Deposit

    APRIL 23, 1983, PP. 4-9.

  • Deposit

    BURGER, J. R. MERCUR IS GETTY'S FIRST GOLD MINE. E&MJ,

  • Deposit

    OCTOBER 1983, PP. 48-51.

  • Deposit

    TURK, T. W., & S. A. SASS. ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE MERCUR

  • Deposit

    GOLD PROJECT ORE PROCESSING FACILITY. MINING ENGR.

  • Deposit

    MAG. NOV. 1984, PP. 1563-1567.

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN BARRICK CORP. MERCUR GOLD MINE COMPANY FACT

  • Deposit

    SHEET. NOVEMBER 1985, 10 PP.

  • Deposit

    WICKS, FRANK D. THE BARRICK MERCUR GOLD MINE. MINING

  • Deposit

    MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 1987, PP. 398-405.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. MERCUR STARTS UP ITS NEW

  • Deposit

    ALKALINE PRESSURE-OXIDATION AUTOCLAVE PLANT. JUNE 1988,

  • Deposit

    PP. 26-31.

  • Deposit

    SOUTHWESTERN PAYDIRT, N 694, APRIL 1997, P15.

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN BARRICK RESOURCES CORP., 1992 ANNUAL REPORT, P.43.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE DIMENSIONS GIVEN IN THIS RECORD IS THE AVERGE DIMENSION FOR FOUR SEPARATE OREBODIES (MERCUR HILL, MARION HILL GOLDEN GATE, & SACRAMENTO HILL).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 24-SEP-97 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site