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Mount Hope Molybdenum Deposit

Past Producer in Eureka county in Nevada, United States with commodities Molybdenum, Copper, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Gold, Cadmium
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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. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10310475
MRDS ID M232308
Record type Site
Current site name Mount Hope Molybdenum Deposit
Related records 10044732

Comments on the site identification

  • This Mount Hope Molybdenum Deposit covered by this record encompasses the original Mount Hope lead-zinc mine deposit originally described by earlier MRDS record M232308, and includes additional information pertinent to the current Mount Hope porphyry molybdenum deposit.

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -116.17591, 39.79159 (WGS84)
Elevation 2070
Relative position The Mount Hope Mine is located on Mount Hope about twenty miles northwest of Eureka Nevada.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Eureka(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Garden Pass(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Simpson Park Mountains(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Millett(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Diamond-Monitor Valleys(hydrologic unit)

Central Nevada Desert Basins(hydrologic accounting unit)

Central Nevada Desert Basins(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 022N 051E 01 12 Nevada
Mount Diablo 022N 051.5E 12 13 Nevada

Comments on the location information

  • The Mount Hope Molybdenum Deposit is centered on the south to southeast flank of Mount Hope.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Molybdenum Primary
Copper Primary
Zinc Critical Secondary
Lead Secondary
Silver Secondary
Gold Secondary
Cadmium Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Ore Materials: Molybdenite, bornite, marmatite, blackjack, galena, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite
  • Gangue Materials: garnet, diopside, quartz, tremolite, calcite, pyrite, magnetite, hematite

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Molybdenite Ore
Bornite Ore
Marmatite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Galena Ore
Pyrrhotite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Garnet Gangue
Diopside Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Tremolite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Hematite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Skarn development, tactite-hornfels at the historic lead zinc deposits.
    The porphyry molybdenum deposit is characterized by a variety of alteration assembages attendant upon the mineralization.These include argillic-propylitic, argillic, potassic-phyllic, potassic, silica-flooded, and bioite zones, roughly concentrically zoned outward from the core of the hydrothermal system.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 50
USGS model code 16
Deposit model name Climax Mo

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock type qualifier (historic workings)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Permian
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite
    Rock type qualifier (molbdenum deposit)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Tertiary
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Vinini Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Ordovician
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Garden Valley Limestone
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Permian
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Alkali-Granite (Alaskite)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Tertiary
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyolite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Tertiary
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Tertiary
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Chemical Sediment > Chert
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Permian
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Argillite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Permian
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Mount Hope Igneous Complex
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Tertiary
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type
    Rock unit name Mt Hope Rhyolite Dome
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Tertiary

Nearby scientific data

(1) -116.17591, 39.79159
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Roberts Mountains Thrust fault
Type of structure Local
Structure description Host rocks in the deposit area are cut by several faults: the N35W-trending Ravine Fault, the N60W-trending Bisoni Fault, the N80W-trending Tia Fault, and the N75W-trending South Fault. The Mount hope Fault is arcuate, changing orientation dramatically from about N30E north of the mine area to N75W south of the mine area, with the ?bend? in the fault occurring in the vicinity of the molybdenum deposit.

Ore body information

  • General form irregular

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Original lead-zinc deposit mineralization was controlled by carbonates in proximity to intrusive contact.

Comments on the geologic information

  • The historic lead-zinc mine workings explore the contact between an alaskite stock with the carbonates of the Garden Valley Formation. Ore occurs as replacement deposits in limestone roof pendants. Large areas of skarn have been developed in the shales and carbonates.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface-Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1870
Year of first production 1880
Year of last production 1940

Mining district

District name Mount Hope District

Land status

Ownership category Private
Ownership category BLM Administrative Area
Area name Battle Mountain Administrative District

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Mount Hope Mines, Inc.
    Year 2005
  • Type Operator
    Owner Idaho General Mines, Inc.
    Year 2005

Comments on the workings information

  • Historic workings consist of four separate workings: the Lorraine area; the Whim Shaft; Mt. Hope #1 Shaft and Mount Hope #2 Adit. Numerous roads and drill pads date from the 1980s molybdenum exploration. Exxon's porphyry molybdenum discovery was to be mined as an open pit operation.

Comments on other economic factors

  • Total lead-zinc mine production valued at $1,335,393 as of 1964.
    Feasibility studies in the l980s targeted mining 205 million tons of ore grading 0.11 percent molybdenum (2.2 pounds molybdenum per ton) by open pit methods to recover approximately 400 million pounds of molybdenum.
    Mount Hope is considered by the USGS to be one of the ?Giant Porphyry-Related Metal Camps of the World?

Comments on development

  • Exploration began in the Mount Hope area in 1871 following the discovery of lead-zinc ore by charcoal producers for the Eureka and Palisade Railroad and the Eureka smelters. The district was first called MmcGarry (McGeary) but was unsuccessful and died out, later to be revived as the Mount Hope District in the mid 1880s. The Lorraine workings were opened in 1886 and local lawyer Thomas Wren sank the Mt. Hope #2 adit and whim shaft in the early 1890s. The main periods of development at Mount Hope were from 1936-1938 and 1946-1949 when housing for the mineworkers was erected on site. The area was explored by the U.S.B.M. in 1946.
    Renewed exploration for molybdenum by Exxon Co., USA in the late 1970s and early 1980s outlined a sizeable porphyry molybdenum orebody of mineable grade in the Mount Hope area.
    In November 2004 Idaho General Mines, Inc. (IGMI) announced that an agreement had been signed with Mount Hope Mines, Inc. whereby IGMI has been granted an exclusive one year option to lease Mount Hope's previously drilled molybdenum deposit in Eureka County, Nevada. This option to lease, exercisable by Idaho General Mines at anytime in the first year, allows IGMI to invoke a pre-negotiated 30 year (extendable) lease on the property upon exercise.
    The property consists of 13 patented claims and 109 unpatented claims. In addition 350 adjoining claims have now been located and made a part of the property. IGMI has access to an extensive data base of drilling and feasibility work accomplished by several major mining companies during the 1980's. The drilling of 135 diamond drill holes delineated an extensive porphyry molybdenum deposit that is geologically similar to the large molybdenum deposits at the famous Climax and Henderson Mines in Colorado. The drilling at Mount Hope identified 630 million tons grading .085 percent molybdenum. A higher-grade central area at relatively shallow depth was extensively drilled. Feasibility studies in the l980s targeted mining 205 million tons grading 0.11 percent molybdenum (2.2 pounds molybdenum per ton) by open pit methods to recover approximately 400 million pounds of molybdenum. IGMI will complete a pre-feasibility study over the next four months that targets mining this higher-grade core at over 25,000 tons per day. Metallurgical studies indicate a high recovery of the metal through conventional process.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Roberts, R. J., et al. (1967) Geology and Mineral Resources of Eureka Co., Nev., NBMG Bull. 64

  • Deposit

    Matson, E. J. (1946) Exploration of the Mount Hope Mine, Eureka Co. Nev., U.S. Bureau of Mines R. I. 3928

  • Deposit

    U.S. Bureau of Mines (Millett) MILS No. 132, Ref. No. 3201100037, Mineral Property File 79.004

  • Deposit

    Vanderburg, W. O. (1938) Reconnaissance of the Mining Districts in Eureka Co., USBM Inf. Cir. 7022

  • Deposit

    Numerous unpublished items in NBMG mining district files available online at www.nbmg.unr.edu

  • Deposit

    Idaho General Mines, Inc. website, Feb. 2005; http://www.idahogeneralmines.com/igmidir/news/news111504.htm

  • Deposit

    Felix E. Mutschler, Steve Ludington, and Arthur A. Bookstrom, 1999, Giant Porphyry-Related Metal Camps of the World-A Database; USGS Open-File Report 99-556.

  • Deposit

    Numerous unpublished items in NBMG mining district files available online at www.nbmg.unr.edu

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Ore deposits occur near the contact of an alaskite stock with the carbonate rocks it intrudes. Ore of the historic lead-zinc deposits occurs as replacement bodies in limestone roof pendants. Significant molybdenum mineralization is mainly confined to Vinini hornfels and several phases of quartz porphyry intrusive. The mineralization forms two adjacent inverted cone-shaped double shells.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-2005 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.