The Nevada Mineral Industry 2006
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Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication MI-2006 Metals Industrial Minerals The Nevada Oil and Gas Mineral Industry Geothermal 2006 Exploration Development Mining Processing This report, twenty-eighth of an annual series, describes mineral, oil and gas, and geothermal activities and accomplishments in Nevada in 2006: production statistics, exploration and development including drilling for petroleum and geothermal resources, discoveries of orebodies, new mines opened, and expansion and other activities of existing mines. Statistics of known gold and silver deposits, and directories of mines and mills are included. Nevada System of Higher Education 2007 Board of Regents Michael Wixom, Chair Mark Alden Ron Knecht Stavros Anthony James D. Leavitt Cedric Crear Howard Rosenberg Thalia M. Dondero Jack L. Schofield Dorothy Sewell Gallagher Steve Sisolak Jason Geddes Bret Whipple James E. Rogers, Chancellor University of Nevada, Reno Milton D. Glick, President College of Science Jeffrey Thompson, Interim Dean Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering James V. Taranik, Director Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Jonathan G. Price, Director/State Geologist Scientific Research Staff Research and Administrative Support Staff Economic Geology, Geologic Mapping, Cartography, Publication Support and Geologic Framework Jordan Hastings, Chief Cartographer and GIS Manager Harold F. Bonham, Jr., Research Geologist (Emeritus) Heather Armeno, Cartographer Stephen B. Castor, Research Geologist Christine Arritt, Cartographer John W. Erwin, Geophysicist (Emeritus) Elizabeth Crouse, Senior Cartographer James E. Faulds, Research Geologist Linda Goar, Accounting Assistant Larry J. Garside, Research Geologist Jack Hursh, Jr., Cartographer Christopher D. Henry, Research Geologist Gary Johnson, Information Systems Specialist Liang-Chi Hsu, Research Mineralogist (Emeritus) Jennifer Mauldin, Cartographer John L. Muntean, Research Economic Geologist Kris R. Pizarro, Cartographic Supervisor Keith G. Papke, Industrial Minerals Geologist (Emeritus) Dick Meeuwig, Editor and Webmaster Joseph V. Tingley, Research Geologist (Emeritus) Susan Tingley, Senior Cartographer (Emeritus) Geologic Hazards, Engineering Geology, and Geophysics Analytical Laboratory John W. Bell, Research Engineering Geologist Mario Desilets, Chemist/Quality Assurance Officer Geoffrey Blewitt, Research Professor Bret Pecoraro, Laboratory Assistant Information and Publication Sales Craig M. dePolo, Research Geologist Ron Hess, Chief Information Officer William C. Hammond, Research Scientist David Cornett, Supply Assistant P. Kyle House, Research Geologist Cole Crowe, Supply Assistant Corné W. Kreemer, Research Scientist David Davis, Geologic Information Specialist Hans-Peter Plag, Research Scientist Martha Henson, Administrative Assistant Alan R. Ramelli, Research Geologist Charlotte Stock, Sales Manager Environmental Geology and Hydrogeology Manuscript reviewed by: John DeYoung, Jr., Arnie Tanner, and the USGS Minerals Information Team Paul J. Lechler, Chief Chemist/Geochemist Alan Coyner, Nevada Division of Minerals Lisa Shevenell, Research Hydrogeologist Peter Vikre, USGS Science Education First edition, first printing, 2007, 140 copies Daphne D. LaPointe, Research Geologist Printed by: UNR Copy Center Editor: Dick Meeuwig Graphics: Dick Meeuwig and Jack Hursh Typography: Jack Hursh Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication MI-2006 The Nevada Mineral Industry 2006 Contents 03 Overview by Jonathan G. Price and Richard O. Meeuwig 14 Metals by John L. Muntean 38 Major Precious-Metal Deposits by John L. Muntean 63 Industrial Minerals by Stephen B. Castor 70 Geothermal Energy by Ronald H. Hess 78 Oil and Gas by David A. Davis 87 Directory of Mining and Milling Operations by David A. Davis Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering College of Science University of Nevada, Reno 2007 1 HUMBOLDT 10 23 2 22 15 ELKO Winnemucca 19 4 14 13 11 2 Elko 17 23 12 5 8 9 3 16 21 18 1 PERSHING 17 6 3 5 13 7 6 9 5 7 1 4 1 WASHOE 14 2 LANDER EUREKA 3 15 Reno 6 CHURC 10 HILL 6 20 7 STOREY 5 8 WHITE PINE 3 10 11 1 2 CC LYON 9 DOUGLAS 8 18 MINER A L 19 4 NYE ESMERALDA 20 22 LINCOLN Gold and Silver 1. Bald Mountain Mine 21 2. Betze-Post Mine 12 CLA RK 3 Billy the Kid Mine 2 16 4. Capstone Mine Industrial Minerals Las Vegas 5. Carlin Operations 1. Adams Gypsum Mine 6. Coeur Rochester Mine 2. Apex Lime Plant 7. Cortez/Pipeline Mines 3. Argenta Barite Mine 8. Denton-Rawhide Mine 4. Basalt Diatomite Mine 9. Florida Canyon Mine 5. Celite Diatomite Mine 10. Jerritt Canyon Mine 6. Clark Diatomite Mine 11. Lone Tree Mine 7. Colado Diatomite Mine 12. Marigold Mine 8. Empire Gypsum Mine Oil Fields 13. McCoy/Cove Mine 9. Greystone Barite Mine 1. Blackburn Field 14. Meikle Mine 10. Ha zen Diatomite Mine 2. Deadman Creek 15. Midas Mine 11. Huck Salt Mine 3. North Willow Creek Field 16. Mule Canyon Mine 12. IMV Nevada Clay 4. Railroad Valley (Eagle Springs, Trap Spring, Currant, 17. Phoenix Project 13. MIN-AD Dolomite Mine Sand Dune, Grant Canyon, Bacon Flat, Kate Spring, 18. Rain Mine 14. Moltan Diatomite Mine Duckwater Creek, Sans Spring, and Ghost Ranch Fields) 19. Round Mountain Mine 15. NCC Limestone Quarry 5. Three Bar Field 20. Ruby Hill Mine 16. PABCO Gypsum 6. Tomera Ranch Field 21. Standard Mine 17. Pilot Peak Limestone Quarry 22. Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture 18. Premier Magnesite Mine Geothermal Power Plants 23. T win Creeks Mine 19. Rossi Barite Mine 1. Beowawe 6. Soda Lake No. 1 and No. 2 20. Silver Peak Lithium Carbonate 2. Bradys Hot Springs 7. Steamboat I, IA, II, and III Copper and Molybdenum 21. Simplot Silica Products 3. Desert Peak 8. Stillwater 1. Ashdown Molybdenum Mine 22. Tenacity Perlite Mine 4. Dixie Valley 9. Wabuska 2. Robinson Copper Mine 23. W.Glen Sexton Dolomite Mine 5. Empire 10. Steamboat Hills Major mines, oil fields, and geothermal plants, 2006. Overview by Jonathan G. Price and Richard O. Meeuwig This report highlights activities through 2006 in metals, place because of high copper prices. California, with industrial minerals, geothermal energy, and petroleum. its large population and commensurate demands for Numerous graphs and charts are incorporated for rapid construction raw materials, was third. Utah, a major inspection of trends in production and price. The value producer of copper and molybdenum, primarily from of overall mineral and energy production in Nevada one mine near Salt Lake City, was fourth. Texas, another reached an all-time high of $4.98 billion in 2006, populous state and major producer of construction raw primarily as a result of the increase in the prices of gold materials, was fifth. Alaska, the nation’s top producer and nearly all other commodities. Gold production has of zinc and silver, was sixth. Florida, the leader in more or less steadily decreased from a high of 8.86 phosphate production, was seventh, and Minnesota, million ounces in 1998 to 6.3 million ounces in 2006, but the leader in iron-ore production, was eighth. 2006 was nonetheless the eighteenth consecutive year Nevada’s production of gold, valued at $3.8 billion, with production in excess of 5.0 million ounces. Nevada was 81% of the U.S. total and helped make the U.S. the led the nation in the production of gold and barite, and third leading gold producer in the world in 2006. Nevada was the only state that produced magnesite, lithium, alone accounted for 8% of world production of gold. Only and the specialty clays, sepiolite and saponite. Other the countries of South Africa, Australia, China, and Peru commodities mined and produced in Nevada in 2006 produced more gold than the State of Nevada in 2006. included copper, construction aggregate (sand, gravel, Second to gold in terms of Nevada’s mineral value in and crushed stone, including limestone and dolomite), 2006 was copper ($389 million), followed by construction silver, geothermal energy, gypsum, petroleum, lime aggregate ($288 million). Silver, chiefly a by-product (produced from limestone and dolomite), cement or co-product of gold production, ranked as the fourth (produced from limestone, clay, gypsum, and iron leading mineral commodity in 2006, with a value of ore), silica (industrial sand), clays, molybdenum, $98 million. Electrical power from geothermal energy perlite, dimension stone, salt, semiprecious gemstones production in Nevada in 2006 was valued at $74 million. (turquoise and opal), mercury (as a by-product of gold The contributions that mining makes to the econ- and silver processing), and potassium alum (kalinite). omies of Nevada and the U.S. are significant in Nevada ranked second in the United States in terms terms of jobs, commerce, taxes, improvements to the of value of overall nonfuel (excluding oil, gas, coal, and infrastructure, and lowering of the U.S. trade deficit. geothermal) mineral production in 2006 (according Because of Nevada’s production, the U.S. is a net to the U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity exporter of gold, most of which is sold on the international Summaries 2007, http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/ market for bullion, jewelry, and arts, and some of which pubs/mcs/2007/mcs2007.pdf). Arizona retained first is sold for its conductive and non-corrosive qualities in MINERAL, GEOTHERMAL POWER, AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTION IN NEVADA1 2005 2006 % change from 2005 to 2006 Minerals Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value (millions) (millions) Gold (thousand troy ounces) 6,852 $3,048.2 6,310 $3,805.0 -7.9 +24.8 Silver (thousand troy ounces) 9,946 71.1 8,494 98.0 -14.6 +37.8 Copper (thousand pounds) 126,225 213.3 127,554 389.0 +1.1 +82.4 Aggregate (thousand short tons) 46,000 207.0 48,000 288.0 +4.3 +39.1 Gypsum (thousand short tons) 1,775 24.9 1,598 22.4 -10.0 -10.0 Barite (thousand short tons) 511 17.9 572 20.0 +11.9 +11.7 Geothermal energy (thousand megawatt-hours) 1,269 73.5 1,333 74.4 +5.0 +1.2 Petroleum (thousand 42-gallon barrels) 447 19.3 426 21.6 -4.7 +11.9 Other minerals2 — 259.2 — 261.3 — +2.1 Total — $3,934.4 — $4,979.7 — +26.5 1 Production as measured by mine shipments, sales, or marketable production (including consumption by producers); compiled by the Nevada Division of Minerals and the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.