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Argenta

Plant in Lander county in Nevada, United States with commodity Barium-Barite
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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. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Mineral rights holdings
  13. Land status
  14. Ownership information
  15. Production statistics
  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 10295343
MRDS ID M232429
MAS/MILS ID 0320150057
Record type Site
Current site name Argenta
Alternate or previous names Milchem, Nevada Barite Mine, Barium King, Yuba-Shelton, Baryte No. 1,3
Related records 10103991

Comments on the site names

  • OTHER NAMES INCL. BARIUM KING, NEVADA BARITE MINE.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -116.73984, 40.6371 (WGS84)
Elevation 1890
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Lander(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Argenta(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)

Federal lands

Bureau of Land Management(Bureau of Land Management NV)

Bureau of Land Management NV BLM(Type of land area)

BLM(Federal land areas administered by BLM)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Nevada Lander

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 032 N 047 E 18 NW Nevada

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Barium-Barite Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Barite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -116.73984, 40.6371
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N10E
    Dip 20E
    Thickness 15M
    Length 400M
    Width 170M
    Depth to top 60M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Strike And Dip N10E:20E
    Date of Last Modification 850826
  • Strike N10E
    Dip 20E
    Thickness 15M
    Length 400M
    Width 170M
    Depth to top 60M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 3
    MAS Column # 2
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N10E:20E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 2
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 830714
  • Area 62HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 62
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Year of first production 1935
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Crush
Milling method Jig

Mining district

District name Argenta District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim
Type of mineral rights Patented
Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership

Land status

Ownership category Mixed

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Milchem Inc.
    ID 2600635
    Interest 100
    Home office Texas
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner Div. Of Baker Hughes
    ID 2600635
    Year 1991
  • Type Operator
    Owner Milpark Drilling Fluids
    ID 2600635
    Year 1991

Production statistics

  • Year 1930
    Description Tonnes Of Barium Sulfate +4.2 Sp.Gravity 450000 Metric Tons Of Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Barium-Barite Barium 450000mt
  • Year 1969
    Description Tonnes Of Barium Sulfate +4.2 Sp.Gravity
  • Year 1970
    Description Tonnes Of Barium Sulfate +4.2 Sp.Gravity 5644000 Metric Tons Of Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Barium-Barite Barium 5644000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Tonnes Of Barium Sulfate +4.2 Sp.Gravity
  • Year 1982
    Description Approx. 5.215 M Mt Barite Mined <1982.
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Barium-Barite Barium 5215000mt
  • Year 1991
    Description Barite 99677 St
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Barium-Barite Barium 109875.05mt

Comments on the production information

  • TWO PRODUCTS ARE SHOWN:PA IS FOR GROUND PRODUCT,PB IS FOR JIB PRODUCT THAT IS SHIPPED DIRECT AFTER JIGGING. APPX. 38.5 PERCENT OF JIG PRODUCT IS SHIPPED DIRECT.
  • PAST PROD.- ABOUT 5,215,000 MT BARITE MINED TO JAN., 1985, FROM OPEN PIT.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • THIS EVALUATION USES THE DEMONSTRATED RESOURCE AS THE MINE PLAN RESOURCE BECAUSE CONTINUED EXPLORATION AND CLOSER SPACED DRILLING IN AREAS OF INDICATED ORE CONTINUALLY INCREASES MINABLE RESERVES. MILCHEM IMPLIED THAT MUCH OF THE DEMONSTRATED RESOURCE WOULD BECOME MINABLE RESERVES ONCE CLOSER SPACED DRILLING HAD INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THE ESTIMATES. MEASURED RESROUCES AND MINABLE RESERVES ARE SIMILAR TO MILCHEM. DEMONSTRATED RESOURCES ARE ASSUMED TO BE 100 PERCENT RECOVERABLE AS NEW RESOURCES ARE CONTINUALLY BEING ADDED. M1C1+M2C2=M3C1 M3C1=M3C2+M3C3+M3C4+M3C5+M3C6 M3C2=AREA F SOUTH EXTENSION DEPOSIT M3C3=FILIPPINI DEPOSIT M3C4=VELVET DEPOSIT M3C5=CUNA DEPOSIT M3C6=YUBA-SHELTON DEPOSIT
  • NO PUBLISHED RESERVE-RESOURCE INFORMATION.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 40HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .62
    Percent Waste Rock 84.7
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 70
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Secondary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 6
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 2040
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 0
    Unit Production Cost 9.99
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 200
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1982

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    87. CLARKE, G. (ED.). BAYRITES IN NEVADA - BACK TO

  • Deposit

    PRE-1974 LEVELS. IND. MIN. (LONDON), NO. 200, MAY 1984,

  • Deposit

    PP. 53-61.

  • Deposit

    283. HORTON, R. C. AN INVENTORY OF BARITE OCCURRENCES IN

  • Deposit

    NEVADA. NV BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. REP. 4, 1963, 19 PP.

  • Deposit

    330. JOHNSON, O. M., AND P. C. WELLS. MARKETING OF

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS FOR OIL FIELDS AND FOUNDRIES. PRES.

  • Deposit

    AT SOC. MIN. ENG. AIME ANNU. MEETING, LAS VEGAS, NV,

  • Deposit

    FEBRUARY 24-28, 1980. SOC. MIN. ENG. AIME

  • Deposit

    PREPRINT 80-92, 5 PP.

  • Deposit

    346. KETNER, K. B. BEDDED BARITE DEPOSITS OF THE SHOSHONE

  • Deposit

    RANGE, NEVADA. CH. 11 IN SHORT PAPERS IN GEOLOGY AND

  • Deposit

    HYDROLOGY ARTICLES 1-59. U.S. GEOL. SURV. PROF.

  • Deposit

    PAPER 475-B, 1963, PP. B38-B41.

  • Deposit

    385. LONG, J. R. MOUNTAIN SPRINGS, GREYSTONE, AND ARGENTA

  • Deposit

    MINES, FIELD TRIP 9, BEDDED BARITE DEPOSITS. PAPER IN

  • Deposit

    EXPLORATION FOR ORE DEPOSITS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN

  • Deposit

    CORDILLERA, FIELD TRIP GUIDEBOOK, ED. BY J. L. JOHNSON.

  • Deposit

    SYMP. OF ASSOC. EXPL. GEOCHEM., RENO, NV,

  • Deposit

    MAR. 25-28, 1984, 4 PP.

  • Deposit

    392. MAHONEY, S. R. BARITE INDUSTRY CUTS BACK, FACES

  • Deposit

    SEVEN NEGATIVE FACTORS. NV MIN. ASSOC. BULL., V. 6,

  • Deposit

    NO. 3, 1982, PP. 4-5.

  • Deposit

    546. PAPKE, K. BARITE DEPOSITS IN NEVADA. NV BUREAU OF MINES

  • Deposit

    AND GEOL. BULL. 98, 1984, 125 PP.

  • Deposit

    548. PARKINSON, E. A., AND A. L. MULAR. MINERAL

  • Deposit

    PROCESSING EQUIPMENT COSTS AND PRELIMINARY CAPITAL COST

  • Deposit

    ESTIMATIONS. CAN. INST. MIN. AND METALL. SPEC.

  • Deposit

    V. 13, 1972, 140 PP.

  • Deposit

    601. RYE, R. O., D. R. SHAWE, AND F. G. POOLE. STABLE

  • Deposit

    ISOTOPE STUDIES OF BEDDED BARITE AT EAST NORTHUMBERLAND

  • Deposit

    CANYON IN TOQUIMA RANGE, CENTRAL NEVADA. U.S. GEOL. SURV.

  • Deposit

    J. RES., V. 6, NO. 2, 1978, PP. 221-229.

  • Deposit

    688. STATE OF NEVADA. DIRECTORY OF NEVADA MINE OPERATIONS

  • Deposit

    ACTIVE DURING CALENDAR YEAR 1982. DEP. IND. RELATIONS, NV

  • Deposit

    DIV. MINE INSP., 1983, 60 PP.

  • Deposit

    693. STEWART, J. H., E. H. MCKEE, AND H. K. STAGER.

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF LANDER COUNTY, NEVADA. NV

  • Deposit

    BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULL. 88, 1977, 106 PP.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit LOCATION SHOWN IS CENTER OF LARGEST AREA F SOUTH DEPOSIT. OTHER DEPOSITS ARE SCATTERED UP TO 2300 M NORTHEAST. THIS EVALUATION WAS DONE AT 100 PERCENT OF MILL CAPACITY. CURRENT PRODUCTION IS ABOUT 55 PERCENT CAPACITY OR 225000 TONNES PER YEAR DUE TO SOFT MARKET CONDITIONS. AT CURRENT PRODUCTION MINELIFE WOULD BE EXTENDED SIX TO SEVEN YEARS BEYOND THE 10 YEAR LIFE ESTIMATED. IT COULD BE SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE UP TO FULL CAPACITY BECAUSE OF HIGH TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND INFLUX OF LESS EXPENSIVE HIGH GRADE CHINESE BARITE TO THE GULF COAST. GEOMETRY IS ONLY SHOWN FOR AREA F SOUTH DEPOSIT BECAUSE IT CONTAINS 80 PERCENT OF THE RESOURCE, AND THE EXACT GEOMETRY OF THE OTHER FOUR RESOURCES WAS NOT AVAILABLE

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 28-JUL-97 Spear, James M. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 01/01/1987
MSHA mine ID2600635
Mine name (MSHA)Milpark Argenta Mine
Current operatorMilpark
Current controller (parent)Baker-Hughes Inc & Newpark Resources Inc
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

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.