Topaz Mountain

Producer in Juab county in Utah, United States with commodities Beryllium, Uranium
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. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10179751
MRDS ID D002458
MAS/MILS ID 0490230034
Record type Site
Current site name Topaz Mountain
Alternate or previous names Rainbow Pit, Blue Chalk, Blue Chalk South, Blue Chalk South Ii, Topaz Properties of Brush-Wellman, Spor Mountain, Roadside Mine, Fluro, Taurus, Sigma Emma, Roadside Ii, Roadside Iii, Section 16, Monitor
Related records 10107817

Comments on the site names

  • INV REC 1004: MINE TRANS COST INCLUDED IN MINE OP COSTS THE INVESTMENT RECORDS PERTAINING TO DEVELOPMENT COSTS REFLECT THE STRIPPING COST PERFORMED ON AN AVERAGE OF EVERY 5 YEARS TO OPEN A NEW PIT. THE COSTS ARE AMORTIZED OVER THE LIFE OF THE RESPECTIVE PIT. THE NAMES DENOTE THE INDIVIDUAL PITS THAT MAKE UP THE TOPAZ MT MINING OPERATION. EACH PIT HAS AN APPROXIMATE MINE LIFE OF 5 YEARS.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -113.21802, 39.70664 (WGS84)
Elevation 1463
Location accuracy 10(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Juab(county)

Utah(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Topaz Mountain West(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Fish Springs(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Delta(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Southern Great Salt Lake Desert(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 Juab

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Salt Lake 013 S 012 W 08 Utah

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Beryllium Critical Primary
Uranium Tertiary

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -113.21802, 39.70664

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N45E
    Dip 22W
    Thickness 3M
    Length 305M
    Width 122M
    Area 1133HA
    Depth to top 15M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 INTERM ARGILLIC
    Strike And Dip N45E:22W
    Minimum Depth to Top 3
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 15
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 1133
    Future Surface Area (HA) 324
    Previous Surface Area (HA) 809
    Reclaimed Surface Area (HA) 700
    Date of Last Modification 921028
  • Area 96HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 96
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the geologic information

  • BERYLLIUM MINERAL IS BERTRANDITE.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1959
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1969
Milling method Leach-Solvent-Extract-Precipitation

Mining district

District name Topaz-Spor Mountain

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim
Type of mineral rights State Lease

Land status

Ownership category Mixed

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Brush Wellman, Inc.
    Interest 100
    Home office P. O. Box 815, Delta, Ut 84624
    Year 1992

Comments on the ownership information

  • THE OWNER OF THE MINING PROPERTY IS BRUSH WELLMAN, INC., 1200 HANNA BUILDING, CLEVELAND, OHIO 44115

Production statistics

  • Year 1975
    Description 33000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1976
    Description 30000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1977
    Description 37000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1978
    Description 66000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1979
    Description 96000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1980
    Description 221,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 102000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 221mt
  • Year 1981
    Description 222,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 110000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 222mt
  • Year 1982
    Description 163,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 74000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 163mt
  • Year 1983
    Description 208,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 105000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 208mt
  • Year 1984
    Description 182,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 92000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 182mt
  • Year 1985
    Description 86000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1986
    Description 100000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1987
    Description 92000 Mt Ore Milled
  • Year 1988
    Description 206,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 86000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 206mt
  • Year 1989
    Description 178,100 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 77000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 178.1mt
  • Year 1990
    Description 180,000 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 77000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 180mt
  • Year 1991
    Description 379,200 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 73000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 379.2mt
  • Year 1992
    Description 193,200 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 83000 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 193.2mt
  • Year 1993
    Description 192,600 Kgs Be Contained In Ore Procesed 83400 Mt Ore Milled
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Beryllium Beryllium 192.6mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Measured 6156000mt ore
    Demonstrated 6156000mt ore
    Total resources 6156000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Beryllium Beo 0.697 wt-pct Beryllium Major 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Indicated 13045mt ore
    Demonstrated 13045mt ore
    Total resources 13045mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Beryllium Beo 0.739 wt-pct Beryllium Major 1994

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • R1=M1C1, COL. 1 Q-P90 THRU Q-P10 RESERVES ESTIMATED BY UTAH GMS GEOLOGIST (SEE PERRY IN BIB SECTION). PROPERTY UPDATED SEPT 1992
  • THE OWNER OF THE MINING PROPERTY IS BRUSH WELLMAN, INC., 1200 HANNA BUILDING, CLEVELAND, OHIO 44115 QUANT GRADE MATRIX BASED ON RESERVES GIVEN IN BRUSH WELLMAN 1991 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 29. THIS QUANT-GRADE MATRIX DEFINES THE 1992 STOCKPILED ORE. M3C1=R2, COMBINED PROVEN AND PROBABLE RESERVES GIVEN IN BRUSH-WELLMAN 1992 ANN REPT, P. 20.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 96HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 97.3
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 2.1
    Primary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Percentage 100
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 7
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 363
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 7645000
    Unit Production Cost 22.33
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1992

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE OWNER OF THE MINING PROPERTY IS BRUSH WELLMAN, INC., 1200 HANNA BUILDING, CLEVELAND, OHIO 44115 QUANT GRADE MATRIX BASED ON RESERVES GIVEN IN BRUSH WELLMAN 1991 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 29. THIS QUANT-GRADE MATRIX DEFINES THE 1992 STOCKPILED ORE M9C4=M1C1, M9C5=M2C1,M3C1=R2; COMBINED PROVEN AND PROBABLE RESERVES GIVEN IN BRUSH-WELLMAN 1992 ANN REPT, P. 20. THE WHOLE MINING OPERATION AT THE TOPAZ MT MINE CONSISTS OF VARIOUS PITS THAT CONTAIN AN AVERAGE OF 450,000 MTS OF ORE. EACH PIT IS INITIALLY DEVELOPED BY STRIPPING AN AVERAGE AMOUNT OF 7,645,000 CU-M OF OVERBURDEN IN A ONE YEAR PERIOD BY A CONTRACTOR. THE CONTRACTOR REMOVES THE OVERLYING RHYOLITE, AND A PORTION OF THE UNDERLYING TUFF, BY DRILLING AND AND BLASTING THE RHYOLITE, EXCAVATING THE BROKEN ROCK USING A FRONT-END LOADER, AND HAULING AND DRUMPING THE ROCK, AS BACKFILL, IN AN ADJACENT MINED-OUT PIT. APPROXIMATELY 2.1-M OF ALTERED TUFF IS LEFT OVERLYING THE ALTERED TUFF CONTAINING THE BERTRANDITE ORE, AFTER THIS INITIAL STRIPPING PHASE. THIS OVERLYING TUFF IS REMOVED DURING THE MINING PHASE. THIS WASTE AND ORE ARE MINED USING A SCRAPER AND DOZER. THE ORE IS TRANSPORTED BY THE SCRAPER LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE PIT TO EITHER A LOW-GRADE STOCKPILE (LESS THAN 0.65% BEO), OR A HIGH-GRADE STOCKPILE (GREATER THAN 0.65% BEO). THESE TWO STOCKPILES ALLOW THE ORE TO BE BLENDED BY THE TRUCKS TRANSPORTING THE ORE TO THE PROCESSING PLANT, LOCATED AT LYNNDYL, UT, (NEAR DELTA, UT). THE AVERAGE MINE LIFE FOR THESE PITS IS 5 YEARS. PRESENTLY (1992), THE ROADSIDE III AND SECTION 16 PITS ARE BEING MINED. IN 1994, STRIPPING WILL COMMENCE AT THE MONITOR PIT. THE ORE IS DILUTED BY 7% WHEN MINED
  • BERYLLIUM MINERAL IS BERTRANDITE. THE FEED GRADE IS A DILUTED BY 7% FROM THE IN-SITU ORE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    BRUSH WELLMAN INC. 1992 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 21.

  • Deposit

    MESA METAL-NONMETAL MINE FILE REF

  • Deposit

    USGS BUL 1142,M,1963,

  • Deposit

    OWNER-OP: BRUSH WELLMAN INC.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 10-OCT-96 Hite, Alan G. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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