Wind Mountain Mine

Producer in Washoe county in Nevada, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Clay, Arsenic, Mercury, Sulfur

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	10310384
MRDS ID	RE00016
Record type	Site
Current site name	Wind Mountain Mine
Alternate or previous names	North Wind, Breeze, Sed Claims
Related records	10047586

Comments on the site identification

This is an updated record including all data from MRDS record RE00016 which has been deleted, and from MRDS record M242963.

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates:	-119.39157, 40.4271 (WGS84)
Elevation	1420
Relative position	The mine is located 17 km SW of Empire, Nevada.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Washoe(county)

Nevada(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

San Emidio Desert North(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Kumiva Peak(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Lovelock(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Smoke Creek Desert(hydrologic unit)

Black Rock Desert(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	Washoe

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian	Township	Range	Section	Fraction	State
Mount Diablo	030N	023E	27 28 33 34		Nevada
Mount Diablo	029N	023E	03		Nevada

Comments on the location information

The mine is located on the NW flank of the Lake Range, on the southern portion of a 7000-ft. long N-S-trending ridge that is bounded on the west by the San Emidio Desert.

Commodities

Commodity	Importance
Gold	Primary
Silver	Primary
Clay	Tertiary
Arsenic Critical	Tertiary
Mercury	Tertiary
Sulfur	Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

Ore Materials: electrum, cinnabar
Gangue Materials: montmorillonite, illite, kaolinite, vuggy silica, clay, alunite, native sulfur, opal, chalcedony, travertine, calcite, pyrite, hematite, goethite, jarosite, mandarinoite

Materials information

Materials	Type of material
Electrum	Ore
Cinnabar	Ore
Montmorillonite	Ore
Illite	Ore
Kaolinite	Ore
Clay	Ore
Alunite	Ore
Sulfur	Ore
Opal	Ore
Chalcedony	Ore
Travertine	Ore
Calcite	Ore
Pyrite	Ore
Hematite	Ore
Goethite	Ore
Jarosite	Ore
Mandarinoite	Ore
Silica	Gangue

Alteration

(Local) Alteration at Wind Mountain consists of iron-oxide and jarosite staining, argillization, silicification, and acid leaching. Iron-oxide and jarosite staining is the most visually striking characteristic of the Wind Mountain deposit. Strongly argillized rocks occur in an area exceeding 6.5 square km. The clay minerals of 15 samples of intensely argillized rock average 60% montmorillonite, 30% illite, 10% kaolinite, strongly silicified rocks (>70% silica) comprise a zone 100 meters wide and 1700 meters long at the central core and west side of Wind Mountain. About 10% of this silica is light blue colored opaline rock. At least 80% of the silicified rocks consist of dense, hard, crystalline alpha-quartz. Silicified rocks are best developed along high-angle faults (e.g. Wind Mountain fault). Stratiform silicified zones extend over 300 meters from the Wind Mountain fault and generally thin away from the structure. Native sulfur is common in acid leached zones. Three such acid leached zones are recognized, one of which overlies the west side of the Wind Mountain orebody.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code	104
USGS model code	25a
Deposit model name	Hot-spring Au-Ag
Mark3 model number	45

Host and associated rocks

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sedimentary Breccia

Rock unit name

Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Miocene

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Conglomerate

Rock unit name

Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Miocene

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone

Rock unit name

Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Miocene

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone

Rock unit name

Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Miocene

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale

Rock unit name

Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Miocene

Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock

Rock type qualifier terrace deposits

Rock unit name Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Miocene

Host or associated

Host

Rock type

Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt

Rock type qualifier

minor subaqueous flow

Rock unit name

Truckee Formation

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Late Miocene

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Dacite

Rock type qualifier

lava flows

Rock unit name

Pyramid Sequence

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Middle Miocene

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt

Rock type qualifier

lava flows

Rock unit name

Pyramid Sequence

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Middle Miocene

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff

Rock unit name

Pyramid Sequence

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Middle Miocene

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Volcanic Breccia (Agglomerate)

Rock unit name

Pyramid Sequence

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Middle Miocene

Host or associated Associated

Rock type Sedimentary Rock

Rock type qualifier mudflow

Rock unit name Pyramid Sequence

Stratigraphic age (youngest) Middle Miocene

Host or associated

Associated

Rock type

Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Volcanic Breccia (Agglomerate)

Rock unit name

Pyramid Sequence

Stratigraphic age (youngest)	Miocene

Nearby scientific data

(1)	-119.39157, 40.4271	ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure	Local
Structure description	There is a major north-striking fault zone dipping steeply west on the western margin of the Lake Range which has hosted extensive hydrothermal alteration and the Wind Mountain Gold Deposit. Two large faults striking N25E bound Breeze Canyon, a small graben, 400 m NW of Wind Mountain. A conjugate system of N30E and N30W- striking high angle, south dipping normal faults cut the entire property. These faults intersect and have broken the mountain into several fault blocks which have been rotated progressively westward from north to south.

Type of structure

Local

Structure description

There is a major north-striking fault zone dipping steeply west on the western margin of the Lake Range which has hosted extensive hydrothermal alteration and the Wind Mountain Gold Deposit. Two large faults striking N25E bound Breeze Canyon, a small graben, 400 m NW of Wind Mountain. A conjugate system of N30E and N30W- striking high angle, south dipping normal faults cut the entire property. These faults intersect and have broken the mountain into several fault blocks which have been rotated progressively westward from north to south.

Ore body information

General form IRREGULAR

General form	IRREGULAR

Controls for ore emplacement

The range front fault system at the NW side of the Lake Range and dilation of faults associated with a gradual collapse centered about 800 meters west of Wind Mountain were responsible for localizing the gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids.

Comments on the geologic information

The Wind Mountain Mine is located at the NE edge of the San Emidio Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA). Temperatures exceeding 100 degrees C have been encountered over an area of 26 square km. Ormat Energy Systems, Inc. operates a geothermal power plant 7 km south of the mine. Native sulfur and cinnabar occur in a 200 ft. wide strongly argillized zone in Quaternary gravels for 7 km along the range front south of Wind Mountain..

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type	Surface
Development status	Producer
Commodity type	Both
Deposit size	Small
Significant	Yes
Discovery year	1988
Discoverer	Amax Gold Inc.
Year of first production	1989
Year of last production	1994
Production years	1989 - 1994

Mining district

District name	San Emidio Desert District

Land status

Ownership category	BLM Administrative Area
Area name	Carson City BLM Administrative District

Ownership information

Type Owner-Operator

Owner Kinross Gold Corp.

Year 2004

Type	Owner-Operator
Owner	Kinross Gold Corp.
Year	2004

Comments on the workings information

The mine was developed as an open-pit, cyanide heap leach..

Comments on other economic factors

Pre-mining reserves in 1988 were reported as 15 milion tons of ore gradihng 0.021 opt gold and 0.42 opt Ag. The mine produced in 1989 and 1991 to 1994. A total of 22 milion tons of ore was placed on two heap leach pads. Recorded production from the mine was a total of 196,160 ounces of gold and 1,130,033 ounces of silver.

Comments on development

The earliest prospectors were probably prehistoric indians who collected silica chips for toolmaking. The first mining claims were staked in the area around 1900. Old prospect pits indicate that native sulfur, cinnabar, and opal were of principal interest. Minor quantities of gold and silver were discovered in the 1930s and several adits and prospects were excavated in a small area 1 km SSE of Wind Mountain. Prospecting activities for sulfur, cinnabar, gold, silver, and montmorillonite continued through the 1970s. In 1979, TMB Associates staked the core claim block. Amax Exploration, inc., leased the property in 1980 and drilled 10 holes. Holes A-3 and A-4 intersected a zone 76 meters thick that averaged 0.79 gpt gold and 25 gpt silver. Amax relinquished the property in 1982 due to the overall low gold values and apparent small size of the mineralized area. Santa Fe Pacific Mining Co. and Chevron Resources Co. held parts of the property from 1983 to 1986, and drilled 31 and 7 holes, respectively. No significant new mineralized zones were encountered and the property was returned to the owners. Amax reevaluated the property in 1986 and reacquired the property in 1987 and drilled 28 widely spaced reverse circulation holes and 4 core holes in 1987. Holes A-28 and A-31, spaced 122 meters apart on the top of the mountain, intersected 78 meters of 0.99 gpt gold and 16.6 gpt silver and 78 meters of 0.93 gpt gold and 21.5 gpt silver, respectively. Each of these holes contained 1.5 meter thick intercepts of 161 gpt gold and 44.5 gpt gold, respectively. 105 additional holes were drilled in 1988. An orebody containing 13.7 million metric tons grading 0.72 gpt gold and 11.4 gpt silver was defined by June 1988, and the decision to develop the mine was made. In 1989, 188 drill holes totalling 20,591 meters were completed. Mine construction was delayed to Jnuary 1989, pending completion of an archaeological mitigation survey. ; econ.com: cash operating costs were $265/oz gold in 1989 and $197/oz gold in 1990. Total operating costs (including depreciation and amortization) were $372/oz gold in 1989 and $310/oz gold in 1990. The precipitate product from heap leaching was transported to AMAX Sleeper mine for processing into dore.
Mining ceased in 1992, but continued to produce from the heap leach pads for a couple of years following that. Kinross Gold Co. acquired the property and advanced it to post-closure status.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

Deposit

Garside, L.J., 1983, NBMG Field Examination and Sample Analysis.
Deposit

Amax Gold, Inc., 1988, Environmental Assessment, The Wind Mountain Project.
Deposit

The Mining Record, September 7, 1988, "Amax Gold Proceeding With Wind Mountain Project."
Deposit

Pay Dirt, July 1988, "Amax Gold Sets New Nevada Mine."
Deposit

Wood, J.D., 1991, Geology Of The Wind Mountain Gold Deposit, Washoe County, Nevada, in Raines, G.L., et al., eds., Geology and Ore Deposits of the Great Basin: The Geological Society of Nevada, Reno, p. 1051-1061.
Deposit

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

Mining Journal, Montagu Mining Finance, 8/10/91, Mining Data Base.
Deposit

NBMG, 1994, MI-1993
Deposit

Amax Gold Inc. Annual Report, 1989
Deposit

California Mining Journal, Oct. 1989
Deposit

Nevada Dept. 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

Kinross Gold website.

General comments

Subject category	Comment text
Deposit	The deposit formed in a near-surface environment from a hot spring type geothermal system. Individual beds range from 5 cm to 1 m thick. Several small subaqueous basalt or basaltic andesite flows are interbedded with siltstone and shaley lakebeds. 2-3 sq km of Pliocene tuffaceous and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks are argillized and silicified. A small hill on the property is capped by strongly silicified material, probably subaqueous spring sinter as well as some lenses of light gray chalcedony. Hydrothermal stockwork breccias occur at several localities, the largest is a zone 40 m wide and extends 600 m along a N20W normal fault and the Lake Range fault. Three major gold mineralized zones have been defined by drilling; the Wind Mountain orebody and the currently subeconomic North Wind and Breeze gold zones. The Ag:Au ratio is approx. 15:1. Metallurgical testing indicates that gold occurs on microfracture surfaces and is not encapsulated by silica, suggesting gold deposition postdates most of the silicification. The clay used to construct heap leach pads, etc. was mined on site from zones of argillization. The clay may have potential for further development.

Subject category

Comment text

Deposit

The deposit formed in a near-surface environment from a hot spring type geothermal system. Individual beds range from 5 cm to 1 m thick. Several small subaqueous basalt or basaltic andesite flows are interbedded with siltstone and shaley lakebeds. 2-3 sq km of Pliocene tuffaceous and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks are argillized and silicified. A small hill on the property is capped by strongly silicified material, probably subaqueous spring sinter as well as some lenses of light gray chalcedony. Hydrothermal stockwork breccias occur at several localities, the largest is a zone 40 m wide and extends 600 m along a N20W normal fault and the Lake Range fault. Three major gold mineralized zones have been defined by drilling; the Wind Mountain orebody and the currently subeconomic North Wind and Breeze gold zones.
The Ag:Au ratio is approx. 15:1. Metallurgical testing indicates that gold occurs on microfracture surfaces and is not encapsulated by silica, suggesting gold deposition postdates most of the silicification. The clay used to construct heap leach pads, etc. was mined on site from zones of argillization. The clay may have potential for further development.

Reporter information

Type	Date	Name	Affiliation	Comment
Reporter	01-DEC-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.