Adams Mine
Workings at the mine are in large quartz vein systems hosted by metasedimentary rock such as phyllites and slates of triassic age. The main activity is on an E-W trending vein averaging 8-12 feet wide and dipping to the South. The vein hosting the ore body pinches and swells along strike forming large pods up to 20 feet wide with rich pockets of free gold in quartz. Genetically, the vein system is a fissure-filling type breccia with additional parallel veins traceable on the surface. The vein is also reported to be traceable along strike to the east for 3000 feet. The orebody itself is hematitic brecciated quartz with local rich pockets of free gold in quartz associated with an igneous contact which perhaps drove some or all of the orebody genesis. Few sulfides are present with mostly oxide minerals found in association with the mineralization and ore body.
Aurum
The property lies along Silver Canyon which cuts east-west through walls of steep dipping sedimentaries ranging in age from Pre-Cambrian up through Cambrian quartzites, shales, and limestones. A strong regional fault fissure, well mineralized, shows along the base of the range with Mississippian limestones resting unconformably on Proterozioc schists and slates. Along the fissure at least three competent beddings have been mined in the past. All sediments are cut by numerous dikes and intrusives mostly of quartz-porphyry type but varying from very early to more recent geologic periods. The later ones on major faults appear to serve as channels for ascending mineralization. An interesting feature of the structure of the area is the fact that high copper-silver ores are found high up in the canyon as replacement in a 30-50 foot calcareous bed in the Cambrian shales. This corresponds to the theory of developing the first limestone above the Cambrian quartzites. It is believed that the original outcrop of the higher grade copper ores may be faulted or a slumped section which belongs about 80 feet stratigraphically above the harder and lower grade bed actually developed for 200 feet down dip. Lower workings: High grade silver-lead ores were sorted from several hundred feet of workings in three or more competent limestone horizons. The beds show 2 to 8 feet of oxidized replacement minerals in Mississippian limestone. Combined Metals reported collecting samples from the ore faces running as high as 90 oz/ton Ag, 3.4% Pb, and 1.1% Zn. An interesting feature is the structural relationship to the heavy mineralized frontal fissure which underlies these shallow workings.
Combined Metals identified this area as having the most resource potential.
Upper workings: These workings are located one mile west up Silver Canyon. Ore averaging 7% Cu, 5 oz/ton Ag, and .025 oz/ton Au was mined from a 30 foot calcareous shale bed which dip 10-16 degrees west. A 500 foot adit was driven 70 feet below the outcrop which exposed the continuous of the ore down dip for about 300 feet. The tunnel cut a 14-20 foot wide ore bed running 2% Cu and 1.5 oz/ton Ag. It is mineralized by an east-west fault fissure containing quartz porphyry.
Combined Metals estimated the Upper Workings to contain: 2500 tons of 4% Cu, 3 oz/ton Ag, and .015 oz/ton Au in the oxidized surface of the outcrop 25,000 tons of sulphide ore containing 2.23% Cu and 1.5 oz/ton Ag above the 500 foot adit. They noted: “The 2500 tons of higher grade surface outcrop is estimated separately as it is in an oxidized shale bed which appears to have been faulted from its true position. The outcrop is soft; it can be mined by surface methods and is easily concentrated. The 25,000 tons of lower grade is sulphide ore in a hard silicified carbonaceous shale with thin beds of quartzite; it is only partially developed.
The ore bed has been exposed for a distance of 200 feet down a 20 degree dip to level of Tunnel No. 2 at 70 feet below the outcrop. Using mining assumptions as to the probable dimensions of the undeveloped ore, the evidence appears to warrant a block of 100 feet wide by 15 feet thick or 12,500 tons per 100 feet of length down dip, using 12 cubic feet per ton of ore in place. This ore body, as well as the probability of a higher grade one lying some 80 to 100 feet above, should be further explored. In 1954, after the previously discussed exploration results.
Black Prince
Gold and silver mineralization occurs in a limestone replacement vein of hematite stained quartz nodules, oxidized pyrite, and pyrolusite. An altered granite porphyry dike parallels the fissure footwall which is also mineralized. The vein varies from 15 to 36 feet in width with values said to increase with depth. Altera Resources completed 15 drill holes in 1981 with 12 intersecting the Black Prince vein. A drill hole yielded an average 12.4 ft true thickness of the vein and 3.4 oz/ton silver. Values are said to increase with depth. The vein is relatively continuous along the strike for 2600 feet with a 51 degree dip. Altera estimated “probable reserves” of 40,000 tons .03 oz/ton gold and 8 oz/ton silver within 300 feet of the surface. Combined Metals blocked over 20,000 tons in the Black Prince shaft assaying .06 oz/ton Au, 7.2 oz/ton Ag, .4% Pb, 1.6% Zn, and 9.3% Mn. Their one drill hole reached what is believed a thrust fault at about 900 but the hole was lost in the fault zone. They believed a favorable ore horizon may lie just below the fault.
Exploration in the mid-2000s found exposures of epithermal silver-gold veins range from 2 to 18 m wide and select samples of the veins grade in excess of 5 g/t gold and 600 g/t silver. Three new veins were discovered.
Ledbetter
Gold mineralization occurs in veins associated with a Tertiary rhyolite porphyry dike placed along a fault in densely welded tuff of the Toiyabe Quartz Latite. The tuffs are an intercaldera deposit, also Tertiary.
The gold- and silver-bearing veins, as much as 2 feet thick, contain quartz, gouge, and a small amount of pyrite. Noteworthy is the lack of sulfide minerals occurring with precious metals. The rhyolite porphyry and welded tuff, in contact with the veins, are silicified and potassically altered. Enclosing country rock is also altered and contains quartz- and adularia-filled fractures.
While gold content at the surface is limited to narrow veins in the welded tuff, rocks at depth with more porosity, may host a large disseminated deposit. This geologic model would be analogous to the Round Mountain deposit. The lack of sulfides suggested to the company that gold mineralization may have been syngenetic with the rhyolite porphyry, and the area was explored to detect additional gold occurrences associated with the rhyolite intrusive episode.
Processing material on the dump is recommending and could turn to a very profitable operation. Opening old workings for mining of the veins is also likely to produce. At depth more porous rocks may host a large disseminated gold deposit.
Additional information on the Gold Boulder claims is available on request.
