Mine detail: Comstock Lode

Previously called 'Consolidated VirginiaChollarCrown PointOphirSavagePotosiYellow JacketCaliforniaC & CChallenge & ConfidenceHale & NorcrossUnionMexicanGould & Curry'

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Location

Lat / long: 39.31129, -119.64767

Resource(M)

Primary: Silver, Gold
Secondary: Copper, Lead
Tertiary: Zinc, Iron, Manganese
Ore: Gold, Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Pyrite, Polybasite, Stephanite, Pearceite, Covellite, Chalcocite
Gangue: Quartz, Albite, Adularia, Pyrite
Orebody form: V-shaped at shallower depths; tabular at greater depths
Discovery year: 1859

Production

Operation type: Underground
Deposit type: vein
Production size: Large
Development status: Past Producer
First production started: 1859

Geology

Host rock:Alta Formation
Host type:Andesite,Volcanic Breccia (Agglomerate),Ash-Flow Tuff
Associated rock:Davidson Diorite (actually a granodiorite)
Associated type:Granodiorite
Structure:North-south trending Comstock, Silver City and Occidental faults controlled alteration and mineralization., North-trending anticline; regional dip to west or northwest
Alteration processes:Dominant alteration assemblages affecting the host rocks in the district are summarized as follows: 1. Early widespread propylitic alteration of host hocks, not spatially associated with ore 2. Zeolite alteration superimposed on propylitic 3. Quartz-alunite alteration (high sulfidation) - erratically distributed 4. Quartz-sericite-montmorillonite-pyrite alteration peripheral to the gold-silver veins accompanying mineralization

References

MRDSM231215
DEP10310576
Reference{Deposit:: Stoddard, Carl, and Carpenter, J.A., 1950, Mineral Resources of Storey and Lyon Counties, Nevada: NBMG Bull. 49.}{Deposit:: Bonhan, H.F., 1969, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Washoe and Storey Counties, Nevada: NBMG Bull 70.}{Deposit:: Bastin, E.S., 1922, Bonanza Ores of the Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada; USGS Bull 735-C.}{Deposit:: WPA State Write* Project, 1940-41, Individual Histories of the Mines of The Comstock; unpublished NBMG Open File Report.}{Deposit:: Hudson, D. M.,1987, Summary of the Geology of the Comstock District, Nevada in Johnson, J.L. ed. Bulk Mineable Precious Metal Deposits of the Western United States. Guidebook for fieldtrips: Geological Society of Nevada, p.413-418.}{Deposit:: Hudson, D. M.,1986, Comstock Lode Fieldtrip. Geological Society of Nevada}{Deposit:: Special Publication No. 4}{Deposit:: Hutsinpiller, A. and Taranik, J.V. ,1988, Spectral Signatures at Virginia City. In Schafer et al. Bulk Mineable Precious Metal Deposits of the Western United States. Symposium Proceedings. Geological Society of Nevada, p. 545-551.}{Deposit:: Kruse, F. A., and Huntington, J. H., 1996, The 1995 Geology AVIRIS Group Shoot: in Proceedings, 6th JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop: Jet Propulsion Laboratory Publication 96-4, v. 1, p. 155 - 166.}{Deposit:: Spatz, D. and Taranik, J. ,1988, Identification and mapping of volcanic lithologies genetically or spacially associated with the precious metal deposits of the western U.S. using Landsat TM imagery. In Schafer et al. Bulk Mineable Precious Metal Deposits of the Western United States, Symposium Proceedings. Geological Society of Nevada.}{Deposit:: Thompson, G.W. (1956) Geology of the Virginia City Quadrangle. USGS Special Paper 1024 C, p.64.}{Deposit:: Vikre, Peter G. ,1998, Quartz-Alunite alteration in the Western Part of the Virginia Range, Washoe and Storey Counties, Nevada. Econ. Geology V.93, p.338 - 343.}{Deposit:: Vikre, Peter G. ,1989, Fluid-mineral relations in the Comstock Lode. Economic Geology, V.84, p.1574-1613. http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/453/virginia-city/virginia-city.doc}{Deposit:: Tingley, Joseph and Tingley, Susan, 2000, Exploring East of the Summit, A Field Trip Guide to Steamboat Springs,}{Deposit:: Lake Tahoe, and the Comstock Area, NBMG ES-38.}
ReporterLaPointe, Schruben, Paul G.