Greater Goldstrike, North Mines

Producer in Eureka county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Arsenic

Sections on this page

Identification information
Geographic coordinates
Site location context
Geographic areas
Public Land Survey System information
Commodities
Materials information
Alteration
Mineral occurrence model information
Host and associated rocks
Nearby scientific data
Geologic structures
Ore body information
Controls for ore emplacement
Economic information about the deposit and operations
Mining district
Land status
Ownership information
Bibliographic references
General comments
Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID	10310438
MRDS ID	M242254
Record type	Site
Current site name	Greater Goldstrike, North Mines
Alternate or previous names	Betze, Bazza, West Bazza, Bazza Point, Screamer, Shalosky, Long Lac, Winston, Post, Lower Post, Deep Post, Rodeo, Goldbug, Barrel, East Griffin, West Griffin, Pancana, Betze-Post pit
Related records	10047014, 10173988

Comments on the site identification

This record encompasses several deposits described individually by earlier records M242254, W700377, RE00290, W700378,W700371, as well as adjacent orebodies without earlier MRDS records.

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates:	-116.36565, 40.97157 (WGS84)
Elevation	1700
Relative position	The mine area is located about 37 km (23 miles) northwest of the town of Carlin. UTM is to the area of the open pit mine.

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	036N	049E	24, 25		Nevada
Mount Diablo		050E	19, 30		Nevada

Comments on the location information

There are several orebodies that comprise the Greater Goldstrike north mines covering an aggregate area of a couple of square miles.

Commodities

Commodity	Importance
Gold	Primary
Silver	Secondary
Arsenic Critical	Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

Ore Materials: Native gold
Gangue Materials: orpiment, realgar, quartz, pyrite, marcasite, kaolinite, dickite, sericite, illite, alunite, barite, stibnite, goethite, hematite, jarosite, gypsum, calcite

Materials information

Materials	Type of material
Gold	Ore
Realgar	Ore
Quartz	Ore
Pyrite	Ore
Marcasite	Ore
Kaolinite	Ore
Dickite	Ore
Sericite	Ore
Illite	Ore
Alunite	Ore
Barite	Ore
Stibnite	Ore
Goethite	Ore
Hematite	Ore
Jarosite	Ore
Gypsum	Ore
Calcite	Ore
Orpiment	Gangue

Alteration

(Local) Decarbonitization and silicification of sedimentary host rocks are the predominant form of alteration. In the Betze-Post deposit, Arehart and others reported a 117 Ma age for gold mineralization, based on multiple 40Ar/ 39Ar and K/Ar dates on sericite, with no evidence of significant hydrothermal activity younger than 110 Ma.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code	173
USGS model code	26a.1
Deposit model name	Sediment-hosted Au
Mark3 model number	17

Host and associated rocks

Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone

Rock unit name Popovich Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Devonian
Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate

Rock type qualifier breccia

Rock unit name Popovich Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Devonian

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Mudstone

Rock type qualifier

calcareous

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Devonian

Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Devonian
Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Devonian
Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Chemical Sediment > Chert

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Devonian
Host or associated Host

Rock type

Rock unit name Vinini Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Ordovician
Host or associated Host

Rock type

Rock unit name Roberts Mountain Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Devonian

Stratigraphic age (oldest) Wenlock
Host or associated Host

Rock type

Rock unit name Rodeo Creek Unit

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Devonian

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite

Rock unit name

Goldstrike Stock

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Jurassic
Chronological age	158

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granodiorite

Rock unit name

Goldstrike Stock

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Jurassic
Chronological age	158

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite

Rock unit name

Goldstrike Stock

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Jurassic
Chronological age	158

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Plutonic Rock > Porphyry

Rock type qualifier

diorite to granodiorite and quartz monzonite-

Rock unit name

Goldstrike Stock

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Jurassic
Chronological age	158

Host or associated Associated

Rock type Plutonic Rock > Porphyry

Rock type qualifier biotite monzonite

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Middle Eocene

Chronological age 39

Nearby scientific data

(1)	-116.36565, 40.97157	ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure	Regional
Structure description	Roberts Mountains thrust
Type of structure	Local
Structure description	High angle faults striking NW to NNW

Ore body information

General form tabular to irregular disseminated

General form	tabular to irregular disseminated

Controls for ore emplacement

High angle faults striking NW to NNW and associated fracturing are the major control, providing conduits for mineralizing fluids. Sporadic gold values occur along northeast trending structures. The major mineralization is within 3000 feet of the Goldstrike Stock, although it is believed to be considerably younger than the stock. Mineralization is also stratigraphically controlled along permeable sedimentary and hydrothermal breccias, bioclastic lenses, and calcareous siltstone horizons that intersect the faults. At Post, oxide ore generally occurs in the Rodeo Creek unit, while refractory sulfide ore typically occurs in the Popovich Formation. High grade mineralization (>1.0 opt Au) at Deep Post occurs along the sheared contact between sedimentary and intrusive rocks, and commonly below skarns and hornfels adjacent to the earlier intrusions; auriferous fluids apparently ponded beneath these impermeable lithologies.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type	Surface-Underground
Development status	Producer
Commodity type	Metallic
Deposit size	Large
Significant	Yes
Discovery year	1962
Discoverer	Harry Ranspot of Atlas Minerals.
Year of first production	1977
Year of last production	2004
Production years	1977 - 1978; 1986 -present (2004)

Mining district

District name	Lynn District
District name	Goldstrike subdistrict
District name	Blue Star-Goldstrike subdistrict
District name	Carlin Trend

Land status

Ownership category	Private
Ownership category	BLM Administrative Area
Area name	Elko Administrative District

Ownership information

Type Owner-Operator

Owner Barrick Gold Corporation

Year 2004

Type	Owner-Operator
Owner	Barrick Gold Corporation
Year	2004

Comments on the workings information

The Goldstrike property consists of 6870 acres. Betze and Post pits merged into a single large pit withunderground workings extending from it. The curent dimensions of the pit (9/2004) are 9900 feet long by 7500 feet wide by 1500 feet deep. Strip ratio is 6.4:1. This pit plan includes the removal of 815.6 million tons waste. Water inflow into the potential pit at 2000 ft. below the general land surface is expected to be approximately 40,000 gallons/min at 125 degrees F. Sulfide ore is treated in a 5000 ton/day autoclave circuit commissioned 2/2/90. The CIL plant was to be converted progressively to give a total sulfide capacity of 12,750 ton/day by 1993.

Comments on other economic factors

Since purchasing Goldstrike in 1986, Barrick has increased the property significantly, from 600,000 ounces reserves in 1986 to 19.1 million ounces reserves in 2003.
Barrick?s Goldstrike property has produced 25.6 million ounces of gold through 2003, more than 2 million ounces per year from 1995 through 2003.
In 2003, Barrick reported proven and probable reserves for the entire Goldstrike property as about 119 million tons of ore grading 0.161 ounces of gold per ton, for a total of more than 19 million ounces of gold. There is also an additional inferred mineral resource of more than 43 million tons of ore grading 0.110 ounces of gold per ton, for an additional 4.753 million ounces of gold.
Approximate total gold endowment at Betze-Post as of 2002 was 40 million ounces (1,244 t) of gold. This figure did not include endowments of Rodeo, 4.0 million ounces (124 t), Post, 3.5 million ounces (109 t) of gold, and Meikle, 7.0 million ounces (218 t) of gold.
In their 2005 Annual Report, Barrick Gold Corp. announced that reserves at the Goldstrike Open-Pit operations aggregate 114,512,000 tons grading 0.128 opt Au proven+probable, and Goldstrike underground operations aggregate 7,318,000 tons @grading 0.279 opt Au proven+probable.

Comments on development

The first discovery of gold in the Goldstrike area was in 1962 by Harry Ranspot of Atlas Minerals. The only evidence of earlier mining activity in the Goldstrike area were small mercury workings, located along the Post fault zone, south of the Meikle deposit. Seventeen holes were drilled in 1963, many of which intersected sporadic gold mineralization up to 0.31 opt (10.6 g/t) of gold in siliciclastic rocks. One of these drill holes intersected the Bazza deposit and two others cut mineralization near the Number 9 and Winston deposits. Trenching and drilling by Newmont Mining in 1966 discovered low-grade gold in fault zones cutting a diorite intrusion (the Goldstrike stock). Although this early exploration identified significant gold grades,no development occurred due to the low gold price at the time. Between 1975-77, exploration funded by Lac Minerals Ltd. identified soil geochemical anomalies and low grade gold mineralization. A 2000 ton sample leached on a pad gave poor recoveries because of high clay content and compaction. Further batch mining was done from 1978 onward. The Post surface orebody was discovered by Western States Minerals in 1982 using diamond drilling. In October 1986, Western States drilled one deep core hole to 1800 ft., intersecting 391 ft./0.193 opt gold at a depth of 1164-1555 ft. American Barrick purchased the Goldstrike property in 1986 for $62 million from the joint venture of Pancana Industries and Western States Minerals Corporation. American Barrick continued the deep drilling and identified reserves of 9.3 million tons at 0.283 opt gold at Deep Post by 1989. In March 1987, a deep hole drilled to test an IP anomaly 3000 ft. NW of Post intersected the Betze orebody at a depth of approximately 1000 ft. Further drilling in 1987 indicated that ore was continuous between Deep Post and Betze. In January 1989, the Betze development plan went into effect, covering mining to the year 2000 and processing to 2006. The Betze pit was developed as a progressive expansion of the existing Post pit. In August 1989, Newmont Gold Co.reported a drill intersection of 350 ft. at 0.768 opt gold from a hole collared a few hundred feet south of the Newmont/Barrick property boundary. This intercept was from a portion of the Deep Post orebody that extends onto Newmont Gold's property. Negotiations were undertaken between Barrick and Newmont for the joint development of the Deep Post orebody.
1994 saw the discovery of mineralized zones at Screamer, North Post, West Betze, Rodeo, and Griffin, all within the greater Goldstrike Mine area.
The Goldstrike property (consisting of the Meikle and Betze-Post Mines) was Barrick's largest producer again in 2002, completing its eighth straight year of production in excess of 2 million ounces. During 2002, 80% of production was replaced through reserve expansion. The property is expected to continue to produce at the 2-million-ounce level for at least the next 4 years. In late 2004, Barrick reported the underground exploration and Betze Drift at Goldstrike out of the Betze-Post open pit is going well and is expected to be completed by the end of March 2005. The new drift is providing an exploration platform and another exit for miners at the Rodeo and Meikle underground mines at Goldstrike, while surface exploration continues at Betze-Post.

Comments on the environmental information

These deposits are situated north of the Goldstrike Stock.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

Deposit

Nevada Division of Mine Inspection, Directory of Nevada Mine Operations Active During Calendar Year 1983, 1982, 1981.
Deposit

Bonham, H.F. 1986, NBMG Map 91.
Deposit

Bonham, H.F. 1988, in NBMG MI-1987.
Deposit

Mining Journal/Montagu Mining Finance Database 8/10/91
Deposit

"Goldstrike Mine", Mining Magazine, October 1989, v. 161, no. 4, p. 269-272.
Deposit

"American Barrick - Growing Fast with Goldstrike", International Mining, April 1989, v. 6, no. 4, p. 9-11.
Deposit

"Striking It Rich for American Barrick", Canadian Mining Journal, November 1989, v. 110, no. 11, p. 45-62.
Deposit

Newmont Gold Corporation 1990 Annual Report
Deposit

Huspeni, J.R., 1990, Geology of the Post Gold Deposit [Abs]: Geology and Ore Deposits of the Great Basin, Reno/Sparks, Nevada, 1990, p. 67.
Deposit

Erdman, J.A., et al., 1990, Gallium, A Rediscovered Pathfinder Element; Example, Sagebrush over the Betze Gold Deposit, NV, Explore, no. 68, p. 5-6.
Deposit

McCarthy, J.H., et al., 1988, Evaluation of Multiple Geochemical Sample Media at the Betze Gold Deposit, Eureka County, Nevada, in Schinder, K.S., ed, USGS Research on Mineral Resources - 1989, Program and Abstracts, USGS Circular 1035, p. 45-47.
Deposit

"A New Trend At Carlin", Mining Magazine, March 1988, P. 166.
Deposit

Rocky Mountain Pay Dirt, June 1988, P. 3a.
Deposit

NBMG, 1991, The Nevada Mineral Industry - 1990, NBMG Special Publication MI-1990.
Deposit

NBMG, 1994, MI-1993
Deposit

Nevada Division of Minerals, 1994
Deposit

American Barrick, 1993 Annual Report
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

Christensen, O. D., Knutsen, G. C., and Ekburg, C. E., 1987, Disseminated Gold Deposits of the Carlin Trend, Eureka and Elko Counties, Nevada: Society of Mining Engineers Preprint Number 87-84, 7 p.
Deposit

Knutsen, G. C., Bettles, K. H., Sulfrian, C. E., and Zimmerman, C. J., 1987, Discovery and Geology of the Post Gold Deposit, Eureka County, Nevada: Society of Mining Engineers Preprint Number 87-86, 6 p.
Deposit

Barrick Gold Corp. 2002 Annual Report.
Deposit

Keith Bettles, 2002, Exploration and Geology, 1962 to 2002, at the Goldstrike Property, Carlin Trend, Nevada; in NBMG Bull. 111.
Deposit

Barrick 2005 Annual Report.

General comments

Subject category	Comment text
Deposit	Betze-Post, the largest gold deposit in the district and in the Carlin trend, is subdivided into three subdeposits, which are from east to west, Deep Post, Betze, and Screamer. In addition, the previously mined Post deposit (or Post oxide) was located above the Deep Post deposit and is therefore part of the overall Betze-Post mineralized system. The higher grade ore is generally found adjacent to faults and in crests of folds, below impermeable units. The deposit contains both sulfide and oxide ore. The Lower Post and Betze orebodies are horizontally and vertically adjacent parts of the same orebody, discovered and then named separately. Betze is NW of and below Post; the Lower Post is directly below Post. Supergene alunite from Post was K/Ar dated at 8.48 to 9.58 Ma. The Post orebody is oxide ore, hosted by Vinini Formation. The Lower Post/Betze ores are refractory, hosted by Popovich and to a lesser extent Roberts Mountains Formation. The trend of secondary mineralization at Lower Post/Betze is N40-70E. Gold occurs as micron to submicron-sized particles associated with quartz and clays in the oxide zones and with pyrite and marcasite in the sulfide zones. Simple refractory ore in the lower portions of the Post orebody is characterized by silicification with 5-10% disseminated pyrite. Realgar and orpiment occur in the Deep Post orebody spatially associated with gold mineralization but contain significantly less gold than the fine-grained iron sulfides.

Subject category

Comment text

Deposit

Betze-Post, the largest gold deposit in the district and in the Carlin trend, is subdivided into three subdeposits, which are from east to west, Deep Post, Betze, and Screamer. In addition, the previously mined Post deposit (or Post oxide) was located above the Deep Post deposit and is therefore part of the overall Betze-Post mineralized system. The higher grade ore is generally found adjacent to faults and in crests of folds, below impermeable units. The deposit contains both sulfide and oxide ore. The Lower Post and Betze orebodies are horizontally and vertically adjacent parts of the same orebody, discovered and then named separately. Betze is NW of and below Post; the Lower Post is directly below Post. Supergene alunite from Post was K/Ar dated at 8.48 to 9.58 Ma. The Post orebody is oxide ore, hosted by Vinini Formation. The Lower Post/Betze ores are refractory, hosted by Popovich and to a lesser extent Roberts Mountains Formation. The trend of secondary mineralization at Lower Post/Betze is N40-70E.
Gold occurs as micron to submicron-sized particles associated with quartz and clays in the oxide zones and with pyrite and marcasite in the sulfide zones. Simple refractory ore in the lower portions of the Post orebody is characterized by silicification with 5-10% disseminated pyrite. Realgar and orpiment occur in the Deep Post orebody spatially associated with gold mineralization but contain significantly less gold than the fine-grained iron sulfides.

Reporter information

Type	Date	Name	Affiliation	Comment
Reporter	01-NOV-2004	LaPointe, D.D.	Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Editor	01-SEP-2007	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.

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.