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Florida Canyon Gold Mine

Producer in Pershing county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Mercury, Kaolin, Arsenic, Barium-Barite, Sulfur
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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. Mineral rights holdings
  18. Land status
  19. Ownership information
  20. Production statistics
  21. Reserves and resources
  22. Workings at the site
  23. Links to other databases
  24. Bibliographic references
  25. General comments
  26. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10310409
MRDS ID M060319
Record type Site
Current site name Florida Canyon Gold Mine
Alternate or previous names West Trend Orebody, Madre Vein, Northeast Trend, Zortman Extension

Comments on the site identification

  • This deposit encompasses the area covered by MRDS record #M060319 for the FLORIDA CANYON Gold MINE. This record supersedes the earlier record. All material in the earlier record has been incorporated into this new record.

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -118.23931, 40.57933 (WGS84)
Elevation 2130
Relative position The Florida Canyon Mine is located on the northwest flank of the northern end of the Humboldt Range, approximately 35 miles northeast of Lovelock about 40 miles SW of Winnemucca.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Pershing(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Star Peak(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Eugene Mountains(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Lovelock(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Lower 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 Pershing

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 031N 033E 2, 11 Nevada

Comments on the location information

  • The Florida Canyon Mine is located immediately adjacent to Interstate 80 at Humboldt House/Rye Patch, and is about four miles north of the Standard Gold Mine.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary
Mercury Secondary
Kaolin Secondary
Arsenic Critical Tertiary
Barium-Barite Critical Tertiary
Sulfur Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Ore Materials: native gold, electrum, kaolinite
  • Gangue Materials: quartz, kaolinite, alunite, pyrite, marcasite, arsenopyrite, hematite, limonite, goethite, opal, calcite, barite, native sulfur, cinnabar, fluorite, manganese oxides, magnetite, adularia.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Electrum Ore
Kaolinite Ore
Quartz Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Alunite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Marcasite Gangue
Arsenopyrite Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Goethite Gangue
Opal Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Sulfur Gangue
Cinnabar Gangue
Fluorite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Adularia Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Silicification, argillization, acid leaching. During Jurassic regional metamorphism, the three primary host lithologies underwent the following changes: 1) in the more siliceous units, quartz was locally recrystallized and feldspar fragments and interstitial clays were mostly converted to sericite, 2) the clay portion of shaley siltstones was altered to sericite while the quartz portion was largely unaffected, and 3) mudstones were converted to argillites consisting mostly of fine grained sericite. Tertiary hydrothermal alteration overprints pervasive metamorphically derived quartz-sericite and is most intense within and adjacent to shear zones and hydrothermal conduits and beneath impermeable rock units. The major hypogene minerals are quartz, kaolinite, and alunite. Quartz occurs as fracture filling, selective replacements of calcareous units, and as irregular flat-lying cryptocrystalline bodies. Hydrothermally altered argillaceous rocks are pervasively kaolinized, although more siliceous units have undergone only minor argillization. Supergene alunite and kaolinite have formed by the downward percolation of acid solutions along faults and fracture zones. These fracture zones often contain calcite, exotic hematite, goethite, and sparse native sulfur. Extensive surficial bleaching is also attributed to acid leaching in the secondary environment. Hematite derived from syngenetic sulfides was mobilized by acid solutions, resulting in a pervasive maroon stain in silty units marginal to bleached areas.

Analytical data

Result One composite sample of quartz veinlets from the Flying J open pit contained 0.40 ppm Au, 0.3 ppm Ag, 12 ppm As, 9 ppm Sb, and 570 ppb Hg. A composite sample from the same open pit of red, altered grass valley formation without quartz veinlets contained 0.20 ppm Au, 0.2 ppm Ag, 77 ppm As, 11 ppm Sb, and 330 ppm Hg. A representative sample of soft, white, kaolinite-alunite rich material collected from the old clay pit contained 0.2 ppm Au, 0.7 ppm Ag, <5 ppm As, 3 ppm Sb, and 3.1 ppm Hg

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 150
USGS model code 25c
Deposit model name Epithermal vein, Comstock
Mark3 model number 16

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone
    Rock unit name Grass Valley Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Triassic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone
    Rock type qualifier calcareous
    Rock unit name Grass Valley Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Triassic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Mudstone
    Rock unit name Grass Valley Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
    Rock unit name Limerick Greenstone
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyolite
    Rock unit name Rochester Rhyolite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff
    Rock type qualifier rhyolitic
    Rock unit name Weaver Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Dolomite
    Rock unit name Prida Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name Natchez Pass Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Triassic
    Stratigraphic age (oldest) Middle Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone
    Rock type qualifier calcareous
    Rock unit name Natchez Pass Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Triassic
    Stratigraphic age (oldest) Middle Triassic
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock
    Rock unit name Natchez Pass Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Triassic
    Stratigraphic age (oldest) Middle Triassic

Nearby scientific data

(1) -118.23931, 40.57933
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Local
Structure description Florida Canyon lies near the intersection of NE-oriented structures of the Midas Lineament and N-S trending Basin and Range normal faults. These deep-seated structures served as conduits for gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids. A strong N30-N50E structural fabric is present in and adjacent to the orebody as evidenced by alignment of quartz veining, shear zones, and well developed joint sets.
Type of structure Regional
Structure description North-trending anticlines related to Nevadan Orogeny; Basin and Range normal faulting.

Ore body information

  • Length 1400
    Width 600

Controls for ore emplacement

  • The deposit is localized near the intersection of north-trending Basin and Range faults that bound the west flank of the Humboldt Range and northeast-trending shear zones that may be an expression of the Midas lineament.

Comments on the geologic information

  • The Basin and Range fault system limits the western margins of the deposit. An unknown portion of the western part of the orebody has likely been displaced beyond mining limits by this faulting. Oxidation extends to depths of 100-200 m and locally deeper. Although gold occurs in unoxidized units, all of the mineable ore developed to date is oxidized. Three types of quartz veins are recognized: 1) widespread quartz veins up to 10 cm in width produced by Jurassic regional metamorphism. These veins are discernible from Tertiary epithermal veining by their distinctive milky appearance derived from the abundance of inclusions; 2) stockwork quartz veining. These veins are the most economically important. The density of stockworks depends largely on the fracturing characteristics of the host sediments. The veining appears random but locally invades bedding plane partings as well as following a strong NNE fabric. Milky comb and clear quartz are the predominant vein filling, sometimes overgrown with adularia. Fe-sulfides (now oxidized) occur within veins and are often sparsely disseminated in adjacent wall rock; 3) large, through-going, banded fissure veins which follow the original NNE structural fabric. These veins represent a later hydrothermal episode that overprints the earlier stockwork veining. Although these veins contain sporadic gold mineralization, none is economically important.
  • THERE ARE NO SULFIDES IN THE MATERIAL MINED AT FLORIDA CANYON.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface-Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Medium
Significant Yes
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1986
Year of last production 2004
Plant type Leach
Milling method Heap Leach-Agglomerate-Carbon Column-Merrill-Crowe
Production years 1986 - Present (2004)

Comments on exploration

  • 91000 FT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WITH 150 HOLES.

Mining district

District name Imlay District
District name Rye Patch District
District name El Dorado District
District name Prince Royal District
District name Humboldt District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim
Type of mineral rights Minerals Only
Type of mineral rights Other

Land status

Ownership category BLM Administrative Area
Area name WInnnemucca BLM Administrative District

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Pegasus Gold Corp.
    Home office 9 North Post Street, Suite 400, Spokane, Wa 99201 - (509) 624-4653
    Year 1990
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Apollo Gold Corporation
    Year 2004
  • Type Operator
    Owner Florida Canyon Mining, Inc.
    Home office Washington
    Year 1995
    First year 1989

Production statistics

  • Year 1988
    Description Heap Leach Gold Production 55000 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 1710691.45g
  • Year 1989
    Description Heap Leach Ore @ 4.66 G/Mt 4172000 Mt Ore Leached
  • Year 1991
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Gold 80586 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Secondary metal recovered Silver Silver 651649g
    Primary metal recovered Gold Gold 2.51mt
  • Year 1992
    Material ore mined
    Ore mined 8620000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ore Mined @ 0.49 G/Mt 8620000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Secondary metal recovered Silver Silver 1.18mt
    Primary metal recovered Gold Gold 2.8mt 0g/mt
  • Year 1993
    Material ore mined
    Ore mined 6350000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ore Mined @ 0.65 G/Mt 6350000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Secondary metal recovered Silver Silver 1.17mt
    Primary metal recovered Gold Gold 3.4mt 1g/mt
  • Year 1994
    Material ore mined
    Ore mined 6530000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ore Mined @ 0.68 G/Mt 6530000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Secondary metal recovered Silver Silver 786918g
    Primary metal recovered Gold Gold 2.86mt 1g/mt
  • Year 1995
    Material ore mined
    Ore mined 7640000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ore Mined @ 0.70 7640000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Secondary metal produced Silver Silver 1.95mt
    Primary metal produced Gold Gold 3.46mt 1g/mt
  • Year 1996
    Material ore mined
    Ore mined 13880000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ore Mined @ 0.71 G/Mt 13880000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Secondary metal recovered Silver Silver 3.26mt
    Primary metal recovered Gold Gold 5.7mt 1g/mt
  • Year 1996
    Description Silver Production 104700 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Silver Silver 3256534.46g
  • Year 1996
    Description Gold Production 183200 Tr Oz
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 5698157.71g

Comments on the production information

  • HEAP LEACH OPERATION. 1988 AU PRODUCTION = 55,000 OZ. 198 PROD.= 79,300 OZ. FROM 4,172,000 MT LEACHED. 1989 RESERVE = 652,000 CONT. OZ.AU. TOTAL PRODUCTION 9429 KG AU & 1478 KG AG 1/91.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Measured 68523000mt ore
    Demonstrated 68523000mt ore
    Total resources 68523000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.63 g/mt Gold Major 1996
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1997
    Demonstrated 53133000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.59 g/mt Gold Major 1997
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1997
    Demonstrated 8388000mt ore
    Inferred 58150000mt ore
    Total resources 66538000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.739 g/mt Gold Major 1997
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1984
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.669 g/mt Gold Major 1984
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.705 g/mt Gold Major 1985
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.705 g/mt Gold Major 1986
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1987
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.677 g/mt Gold Major 1987
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1988
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.677 g/mt Gold Major 1988
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1990
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.508 g/mt Gold Major 1990
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1991
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.48 g/mt Gold Major 1991
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 0.508 g/mt Gold Major 1992

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • "R" RECORD 3 MINERALIZED MATERAIL GRADES: DEMON. 0.46 G/MT: INFERRED, 0.78 G/MT: THIS MATERIAL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ADIT.
  • 12/31/96 PROVEN + PROBABLE RESERVES, (DOES NOT INCLUDED ANY OF THE MINERALIZED MATERIAL): ADIT CAP. = CURRENT MINING RATE: AS OF 12/31/96:

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 364HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .15
    Percent Waste Rock 1.6
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 6.1
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 17820
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 8.49
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 260
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1991

Comments on the workings information

  • 1936 development was underground; production since about 1979 has been by open pit.

Comments on other economic factors

  • In 2004, the Florida Canyon Mine produced 73,082 ounces of gold and 60,405 ounces of silver.
    In 2003, Florida Canyon produced 101,811 ounces along with minor amounts of silver.
    In 2002, Florida Canyon produced 121,516 ounces along with minor amounts of silver.
    1987-97 production for the Florida Canyon mines was 1,103,368 oz Au; for 1989-97: 479,173 oz Ag
    Since mining began in 1986 to the end of 2001, gold recovered from the leach pad was1.69 million ounces from a total of 135.6 million tons of ore.
    In 1991 Florida Canyon?s reserves were reported as 48.3 Mt of ore grading, 0.018 opt Au;
    In 1997 Florida Canyon?s reserves were reported as 45.5 Mt, of ore grading 0.024 opt Au, proven and probable mineralized material at 122.8 Mt grading 0.022 opt Au .
    Florida Canyon?s reserve grade at year end 2002 was 0.017 oz gold/ton (0.58 grams gold / tonne).
    At the end of 2003, Florida Canyon?s proven and probable reserves were reported at 374,393 ounces of gold.

Comments on development

  • Prospecting of quartz veins at Florida Canyon dates back at least to the 1870s. In 1925, two cars of kaolin were mined and shipped from the prospect. In 1936 tunnels were driven to explore several silicified outcrops carrying values in gold. In 1969 Homestake Mining Company acquired a lease on claims from the original owner, Samuel N. Moore. Seven wide-spaced rotary holes were drilled, but results were marginal and the lease dropped. The property was next leased by Cordex Exploration Company from 1972-1978. A comprehensive program of geologic mapping, geochemical sampling, trenching, and drilling of 37 holes was completed. 25 of these holes were drilled in the mineralized zone now referred to as the West Trend orebody. The next significant work was done by Flying "J" Mines, which carried out a limited heap leach operation using ore form the West Trend area. In 1980-81, a 69 hole rotary drilling program was performed by ASARCO in the West Trend area and on ground to the south. This work significantly expanded the known mineralization, but due to the low gold grades, ASARCO dropped most of its interest in the property. In 1982, the property was acquired by Montoro Gold Company, a subsidiary of Pegasus Gold Corporation. Detailed geologic mapping and geochemical sampling programs discovered additional gold occurrences throughout the area. By the end of 1985, 241 holes totaling 26,691 m had been completed in the West Trend orebody and adjacent areas. 46 holes were drilled in other exploration areas to the east and south. Large scale column leach tests on various ore types, size fractions and agglomerations were carried out in conjunction with ore delineation. In November 1985, a production decision was made and work began on the processing facilities in May 1986. The first ore was delivered to the leach pad in September and the first gold was poured in November 1986. Since the haul distance is shorter to the leach pad than the waste dump, leaching of low-grade, run-of-mine ore commenced in 1989. 760,000 tons of run-of-mine material containing between 0.008 and 0.014 opt Au were loaded on a portion of the pad and leached. Recoveries approached 50%, resulting in an estimated 4000 additional ounces being produced during the year. The success of leaching run-of-mine material is evident in the mine plan for 1992 in which roughly 4.3 million tons of run-of-mine material will be mined, in addition to 5.1 million tons of primary crushing ore. Pegasus went into bankruptcy in 200?, but the mine continued to be operated by the subsidiary Florida Canyon Gold Mining Company. The current owner of the property is Apollo Gold Corporation. 2003 was a year of mining transition for Florida Canyon. Ore reserves had been depleted in the three historic open pits and mining moved into two newly developed pits, Switchback and Central. Longer ore haulage from the new pits, combined with marginally lower grades, resulted in higher unit costs and lower gold production compared to historical averages.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Johnson, M.G., 1977, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Pershing County, Nevada: NBMG Bull. 89

  • Deposit

    Vanderburg, 1936, Reconnaissance of Mining Districts of Pershing Co., Nevada: USBM IC 6902

  • Deposit

    Silberling and Wallace, 1967, Geologic Map of the Imlay Quad., Pershing Co., Nevada: USGS Map GQ666

  • Deposit

    Hastings, J. S., Burkhart, T. H., and Richardson, R. E., 1988, Geology of the Florida Canyon Deposit, Pershing County, Nevada, in Schafer, R., et al., eds., Bulk Mineable Precious Metal Deposits of the Western United States, a Symposioum, The Geological Society of Nevada, Reno, p. 433-451.

  • Deposit

    Pegasus Gold Corp., Annual Reports for 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994.

  • Deposit

    Miller, B. W., 1984, The Florida Canyon Gold Deposit, in Slavik, G., ed., Special Publication No. 1, The Geological Society Of Nevada, Reno, P. 30-32.

  • Deposit

    Bonham, H.F. Jr, and Hess, R. H., 1992, Bulk-Mineable Precious-Metal Deposits, in The Nevada Mineral Industry 1991, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Special Pub., MI-1991, p25

  • Deposit

    Engineering and Mining Journal, June 1988, P45

  • Deposit

    NBMG, 1994, MI-1993

  • Deposit

    Nevada Division of Minerals, 1994

  • Deposit

    Long, K.R., DeYoung, J.H., Jr., and Ludington, S.D., 1998, Database of significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in the United States; Part A, Database description and analysis; part B, Digital database: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-206, 33 p., one 3.5 inch diskette.

  • Deposit

    Preuss-Nicole-E; Fifarek-Richard-H; Thomason-Robert-E,1997, Hydrothermal and vapor-related alteration at the Florida Canyon epithermal gold deposit, Pershing County, Nevada, Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America. 29; 6, p. 207.

  • Production

    RANDOL MINING DIRECTORY 1996-97, P.244.

  • Reserve-Resource

    PEGASUS GOLD INC. FORM 10-K, DEC., 31, 1995, P9.

  • Reserve-Resource

    PEGASUS GOLD INC., 1996 ANNUAL REPORT, PP. 6-7, 11 & 1996 FORM 10-K REPORT, PP. 8-11.

  • Deposit

    NV. BUREAU OF MINES BULLETIN 89, 1977, PLATE 2A.

  • Deposit

    PEGASUS GOLD CORP., OPERATING PLAN FOR THE FLORIDA CANYON PROJECT, 1985, 18 PP.

  • Deposit

    PEGASUS GOLD INC, FORM 10K FOR 1989, 82 PP.

  • Deposit

    PEGASUS GOLD INC, AMENDED PLAN OF OPERATIONS, APRIL 12, 1990

  • Deposit

    NEV. DIV. MINE INSPECTION, 1991, DIRECTORY OF NEVADA MINE OPERATIONS ACTIVE DURING CALENDAR YEAR 1990, P. 78.

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN MINEWS HANDBOOK, 1996, P188.

  • Deposit

    RANDOL, 1996/1997, MINES DIRECTORY, US MINES AND MINING COMPANIES, P 244.

  • Deposit

    NEVADA, MINES DIRECTORY, 1995/96, PP 15, 16, 28.

  • Deposit

    PEGASUS GOLD INC., FORM 10-K, DEC., 31, 1994.

  • Deposit

    PEAGSUS GOLD INC., FORM 10-K, DEC., 31, 1995.

  • Deposit

    THE MINING RECORD, VOL. 106, #13, MARCH 29, 1995, P1

  • Deposit

    THE MINING RECORD, VOL. 107, #34, AUG. 21, 1996, P19.

  • Deposit

    THE MINING RECORD, VOL. 107, #??, SEPT. 4, 1996, P20.

  • Deposit

    THE MINING RECORD, VOL. 107, #41, OCT., 9, 1996, P1.

  • Deposit

    THE MINING RECORD, VOL. 107, #49, DEC., 4, 1996, PP. 8, 9.

  • Deposit

    PEGASUS GOLD INC., NEWS RELEASE, OCT., 1, 1996.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW, 10/5, 1996, P5.

  • Deposit

    PEGASUS GOLD INC. NEW RELEASE, 10/1/96, 2 PP.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit The Florida Canyon epithermal gold deposit is hosted by weakly metamorphosed siltstones and mudstones of the Grass Valley Formation of Triassic age. Gold is hosted in stockwork quartz veins and quartz-sulfide microveinlets which cut the altered Grass Valley Formation. The deposit is localized near the intersection of north-trending Basin and Range faults that bound the west flank of the Humboldt Range and northeast-trending shear zones that may be an expression of the Midas lineament. Late, vertical displacement on the range bounding fault system have juxtaposed the deposit and unaltered basin-fill gravel. To date 76,716,000 tonnes of ore averaging 0.64 g/t (0.019 oz/t) of gold have been produced form the upper, oxidized portion of the deposit.Rocks distal to the orebody that were minimally effected by hydrothermal activity consist primarily of quartz, illite and chlorite. The deposit is associated with pervasive disseminations and fracture fillings of hydrothermal minerals that comprise three mappable zoned alteration types: 1) a central, silicic alteration of quartz-adularia veinlets and silicified rock, 2) an intermediate, argillic alteration of relatively abundant kaolinite-illite, and 3) an outer, hematitic alteration of hematite-goethite that lacks chlorite. The silicic alteration largely follows north- and northeast-trending structures and locally contains pockets of friable quartz, native sulfur, cinnabar, and alunite. Electrum and native gold have been identified in quartz veinlets; gold-silver ore has been mined from all three alteration zones. The ubiquitous presence of auriferous quartz veinlets and silicified rock at the Florida Canyon deposit suggests that the entire exposed section of host rocks was initially affected by hydrothermal reactions below a water table. A subsequent relative drop in the water table, probably related to vertical movements along Basin and Range faults, superimposed the effects of vapor-related alteration on earlier assemblages, including the formation of native sulfur, alunite, cinnabar, and some kaolinite and iron oxides and hydroxides.
The mine occurs in Triassic rocks that form the west limb of a complexly faulted anticline. The oldest rocks in the district are felsites and tuffs of the Rochester Rhyolite and rhyolite porphyry intrusive of the Koipato Group. These rocks are overlain by the Prida Formation and locally capped by limestone of the Natchez Pass Formation. Diabase and diorite dikes and sills intrude the Triassic rocks throughout the district. Gold occurs as free gold in quartz veins that also contain subordinate silver, lead, and copper. These veins are typical quartz fissure veins in or near fault zones and also locally occur at contacts with diabasic dikes.
Deposit MINE WORKINGS HAVE OBLITERATED SEVERAL MINE SHAFTS AND OTHER WORKINGS SHOWN IN THE W/2 SEC. 2 ON THE IMLAY 15-MIN. TOPO MAP. LAND HOLDINGS 3192 HA AS OF 1/91. MINE LIFE 9.5 YR AS OF 1/91. WASTE TO ORE RATIO 1.63:1 AS OF 1/91.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-AUG-73 Johnson, Maureen G. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Updater 01-OCT-80 Royse, Sue E. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Updater 01-DEC-90 Berger, Mary A. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-OCT-92 Phinisey, J. D. (Marcus, S.) U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-JUL-93 Marcus, Sue U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 25-MAR-94 Lowe, Nathan T. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Updater 01-SEP-94 Li, Zhiping (Moyer, Lorre A.) U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 14-OCT-97 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Reporter 01-MAY-04 LaPointe, D.D. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Editor 01-SEP-07 Schruben, Paul G. U.S. Geological Survey Converted from S&A FileMaker format to Oracle. Edit checks on rocks, units, and ages with Geolex search, and other fields.

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusActive since 02/03/1986
MSHA mine ID2601947
Mine name (MSHA)Florida Canyon Mine
Current operatorFlorida Canyon Mining Inc.
Current controller (parent)Integra Resources Corp.
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

Inferred by coordinate + name similarity (1613 m, 0.85 match). Confirm against MSHA if precision matters — non-USGS-curated cross-references may occasionally point at a neighbouring mine.

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

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.