White Caps Mine

Past Producer in Nye county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Arsenic, Antimony, Mercury, Fluorine-Fluorite, Copper

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
Links to other databases
Bibliographic references
General comments
Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID	10310353
MRDS ID	M055301
Record type	Site
Current site name	White Caps Mine
Alternate or previous names	White Caps Gold Mine

Comments on the site identification

This record is an updated version of MRDS record # M055301 including all information from the former record plus additional information. The earlier record could be deleted.

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates:	-117.04974, 38.53143 (WGS84)
Elevation	2320
Relative position	The White Caps Mine is located about a mile and a half farther east up Manhattan Gulch from the townsite of Manhattan. 0.8 miles SW of Salisbury Peak.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Nye(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Manhattan(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Ione Valley(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Tonopah(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Southern Big Smoky Valley(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	Nye

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian	Township	Range	Section	Fraction	State
Mount Diablo	008N	044E	21	S/2	Nevada

Comments on the location information

The White Caps Mine is located about a mile SW of Salisbury Peak in the Toquima Range

Commodities

Commodity	Importance
Gold	Primary
Silver	Primary
Arsenic Critical	Primary
Antimony Critical	Primary
Mercury	Secondary
Fluorine-Fluorite Critical	Tertiary
Copper	Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

Ore Materials: gold, stibnite, cinnabar, realgar, orpiment, arsenopyrite, fluorite, azurite
Gangue Materials: quartz, calcite, pyrite, dolomite, sericite

Materials information

Materials	Type of material
Gold	Ore
Stibnite	Ore
Cinnabar	Ore
Realgar	Ore
Orpiment	Ore
Arsenopyrite	Ore
Fluorite	Ore
Azurite	Ore
Calcite	Ore
Pyrite	Ore
Dolomite	Ore
Sericite	Ore
Quartz	Gangue

Alteration

(Local) Limestone is strongly silicified and completely replaced by quartz in places.

Analytical data

Result	Sb ore avg 22 - 40 percent. Au $20/ton
Result	Hg 30 percent

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 > Carbonate > Limestone

Rock unit name

White Caps Limestone Member of the Gold Hill Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Cambrian

Nearby scientific data

(1)	-117.04974, 38.53143	ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure	Local
Structure description	The veins are strongly faulted across their strike. Four major faults cut the limestone: the East, White Caps, West, and Morning Glory faults.

Ore body information

General form Ore occurs as pipelike shoots, narrow stringers, radiating clusters, pods, blebs

Thickness 2.13M

General form	Ore occurs as pipelike shoots, narrow stringers, radiating clusters, pods, blebs
Thickness	2.13M

Field	Value
MAS Matrix #	1
MAS Column #	1
Type of Orebody #1	REPLACEMENT
Shape of Orebody #1	IRREGULAR
Primary mode of Origin	CONT METASOMATIC
Primary Ore Control	LITHOLOGY
Secondary Ore Control	FAULTING
Date of Last Modification	850830

Controls for ore emplacement

Ore formation is controlled primarily by favorable host rock lithology, and to a lesser extent by structures.

Comments on the geologic information

This mine has produced many high quality collector-grade mineral specimens of arsenic minerals, stibnite, as well as rare mineral species such as wakabayashilite, haidingerite, rosslerite, pitticite.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type	Underground
Development status	Past Producer
Commodity type	Both
Deposit size	Large
Significant	Yes
Discovery year	1867
Year of first production	1911
Year of last production	1963

Mining district

District name	Manhattan District

Land status

Ownership category	National Forest
Ownership category	Private

Ownership information

Type Owner-Operator

Owner Calais Resources, Inc.

Year 2004
Type Owner

Owner White Caps Mines, Inc. Argus Resources, Inc.

First year 1965
Type Owner

Owner Argus Resources, Inc.

Home office Glendale, California

Year 1985

Type	Owner-Operator
Owner	Calais Resources, Inc.
Year	2004

Type	Owner
Owner	White Caps Mines, Inc. Argus Resources, Inc.
First year	1965

Type	Owner
Owner	Argus Resources, Inc.
Home office	Glendale, California
Year	1985

Comments on the production information

HOLMES SAYS SOME MERCURY WAS REPORTEDLY RECOVERED IN 1929.

Comments on the workings information

Workings consist of a 900 foot shaft with a winze to the 1300 foot level.

Comments on development

The mine produced gold from1912 to1914, using a 75-ton mill built by Associated Milling Co. White Caps Mining Co. took over the mine and mill in 1915 and discovered rich deeper ore in 1916. The gold mill closed in 1920, after which realgar was still shipped. The gold mill reopened in 1922 and closed in 1923. A flotation mill operated from 1935-1936. White Caps Gold Mining Co. refurbished the mine in the late 1950s. Antimony-lead-gold ore was mined in 1959. In 1962, mining was done on a faulted segment of the orebody between the 600 and 820-foot levels. Antimony ore was being mined just prior to a fire in 1964, after which mining ceased. In 1977, Argus Resources Inc. acquired the White Caps Mining Co. and renamed it Transworld Energy Corp. Calais Resources, Inc. first acquired interests in the Manhattan mining district in 1982 and in 2000, Calais agreed to purchase Nevada Manhattan Mining Corp.'s 24.5% interest in 28 patented lode mining claims and 105 unpatented lode mining
claims in the White Caps Mine area of the Manhattan district. Calais already owned 42 unpatented lode mining claims bringing Calais's land position to 175 claims centered around the White Caps Mine. In 2003, Calais planned a drilling program on the White Caps property pending issuance of permits. The company had plans to drill several deep holes in search of a replacement gold deposit. in April 2004 Calais entered into an agreement to acquire all of Argus Resources and White Caps Mines patented and unpatented mineral rights in the district. Calais Resources' property in the Manhattan mining district now (2004) covers over 2628 acres of mineral interests.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency	Database name	Acronym	Record ID	Notes
USGS	Mineral Resources Data System	MRDS	M055301	MRDS dep_id 10040495 merged into this record.
U.S. Bureau of Mines	Minerals Availability System	MAS	0320230120	MRDS dep_id 10246417 merged into this record.

Bibliographic references

Deposit

Bailey, E. H., U S Geol. Survey, personal files
Deposit

Holmes, G.H., Jr., 1965, Mercury in Nevada, in Mercury Potential of the U.S.: U.S. Bur. of Mines, Inf. Circ. 8252, p. 285
Deposit

Lawrence, 1963, Antimony Deposits of Nevada: NBMG Bull. 61, pp. 146-149.
Deposit

Bailey, E.H. and Phoenix, D.A., 1944, Quicksilver Deposits in Nevada: NBMG Bull. 41, p. 145-146.
Deposit

Kral, V.E., 1951, Mineral Resources of Nye Co.: NBMG Bull. 50, p. 124-125.
Deposit

Ferguson, H.G., 1924, Geol. and Ore Deposits of the Manhattan District: USGS Bull 723, p. 147-151.
Deposit

Tonopah Times Bonanza, Sept. 14, 1979.
Deposit

NBMG MI-1998-2003
Deposit

Johnson, 1973
Deposit

Mason and others, 1996.
Deposit

Tingley, 1998
Deposit

United States Bureau of Land Management, 1978k
Deposit

United States Bureau of Mines, 1995
Deposit

United States Geological Survey, 1971e.
Deposit

Vanderburg, 1936.
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

FERGUSON, H. G. PLACER DEPOSITS OF THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT, NEVADA. CH. IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 640, 1916, PP. 163-193.
Deposit

FERGUSON, H. G. THE LIMESTONE ORES OF MANHATTAN, NEVADA. ECON. GEOL. AND BULL. SOC. ECON. GEOL., V. 16, NO. 1, 1921, PP. 1-36.
Deposit

FERGUSON, H. G. GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT, NEVADA. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 723, 1924, P. 7, 83, 136, AND 147-151.
Deposit

FERGUSON, H. G., AND S. H. CATHCART. GEOLOGY OF THE ROUND MOUNTAIN QUADRANGLE, NEVADA. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOGLIC QUAD. MAP GQ-40, 1954, SCALE 1:125,000.
Deposit

KLEINHAMPL, F. J., AND J. I. ZIONY. PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF NORTHERN NYE COUNTY, NEVADA. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE MAP, 1967, SCALE 1:200,000.
Deposit

KRAL, V. E., MINERAL RESOURCES OF NYE COUNTY, NEVADA. NEVADA BUREAU MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 50, 1951, 223 PP.
Deposit

LAWRENCE, E. F., ANTIMONY DEPOSITS IN NEVADA. NEVADA BUREAU OF MINES & GEOLOGY BULLETIN 61, 1963, P. 146-149.
Deposit

WOOLF, J. A., AND A. P. TOWNE, ORE-TESTING STUDIES ON GOLD AND GOLD-SILVER DEPOSITS. U.S. BUREAU OF MINES RI 3765, 1944, P. 18-23.
Deposit

AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT INTEREST IN THAT PART OF THE TOQUIMA RANGE, NEVADA, ADMINISTERED AS TOIYABE NATIONAL FOREST. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 86-470, TABLE 12, P. 20 (LOCATION ONLY).
Deposit

DYNAN, J.L., 1916, THE WHITE CAPS MINE, MANHATTAN, NEVADA: MINERAL AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS, V. 113, P. 884-885, DEC. 16, 1916 ISSUE.
Deposit

U.S. BUREAU OF MINES I.C. 9035, LOWE AND OTHERS, 1985, P. 181.
Deposit

U.S. BUREAU OF MINES CONFIDENTIAL PRODUCTION RECORDS.
Deposit

SCHILLING, J.H., 1964, NEVADA BUREAU OF MINES & GEOLOGY BULLETIN 65 (NAME LOCATION ONLY).
Deposit

WEED'S MINES HANDBOOK, 1918.
Deposit

EMJ ARTICLE BY J.G. KIRCHEN, NOV. 24, 1917.

General comments

Subject category	Comment text
Deposit	Cinnabar occurs to 1,100 ft level; realgar occurs between the 450 and 665 ft level; stibnite occurs between the 450 and 665 ft level; stibnite occurs between the 310 and 450 ft levels. Primary ore consists of quartz veins containing very finely divided gold associated with realgar and stibnite. The vein contained large lenses of pure realgar and pure stibnite up to 4 feet by 20 feet. Ore shoots have better continuity down dip than along strike. Mineralization usually follows one wall (more commonly the footwall) of the bed.

Subject category

Comment text

Deposit

Cinnabar occurs to 1,100 ft level; realgar occurs between the 450 and 665 ft level; stibnite occurs between the 450 and 665 ft level; stibnite occurs between the 310 and 450 ft levels. Primary ore consists of quartz veins containing very finely divided gold associated with realgar and stibnite. The vein contained large lenses of pure realgar and pure stibnite up to 4 feet by 20 feet. Ore shoots have better continuity down dip than along strike. Mineralization usually follows one wall (more commonly the footwall) of the bed.

Reporter information

Type	Date	Name	Affiliation	Comment
Reporter	01-DEC-1975	Gassaway, Judith S.	U.S. Geological Survey
Updater	01-JUN-1982	La Pointe, D.D. (Tingley, J.V.)	U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter	21-FEB-1995	Schmauch, Steven W.	U.S. Bureau of Mines
Reporter	01-NOV-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.

External references

Wikidata: Q49458486 (White Caps 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.