Mine detail: Imperial Project

Previously called 'Glamis Imperial Gold MineIndian RoseOcotillo'

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Location

Lat / long: 32.97694, -114.78833

Resource(M)

Primary: Gold, Silver
Ore: Gold, Silver, Electrum
Gangue: Limonite, Hematite, Quartz, Clay
Orebody form: Tabular (sub-tabular blocks averaging 200 to 300 feet thick, structurally controlled by the intersection of low-angle and high-angle shear zones, which are localized to the ore body).
Discovery year: 1988

Production

Operation type: Surface
Deposit type: Hydrothermal disseminated, vein-stockwork, and breccia- filling
Production size: None
Development status: Prospect

Geology

Host rock:Chuckwalla Complex
Host type:Gneiss
Associated type:Andesite,Basalt
Structure:Chocolate Mountains-Orocopia Thrust; San Andreas Fault system; detachment fault features
Tectonic:The Imperial Project is situated in the Mojave-Sonora Composite Terrane, consisting of Mesozoic Orocopia Schist (~75 Ma) overlain structurally along the Chocolate Mountains-Orocopia fault by Proterozoic gneiss (1.7 billion to 1.2 billion years old) intruded by Mesozoic plutons, which are not intrusive into the schist. Other major regional structures include faults and related features associated with the San Andreas Fault system. Complicating the geologic setting within the region are detachment fault features identified at the Picacho Mine and American Girl Mine, and intricate strike-slip fault systems identified at the Mesquite Mine.
Alteration processes:Oxidation; hematitic, limonitic Sericitic (weak, from minor hydrothermal alteration) Silicic; quartz (minor veining and silicified zones) Carbonate; Commonly the biotite gneiss has a shatter-breccia texture that is variably cemented by iron oxides, clays, and less commonly quartz or carbonate. Depth of mineralization: 400 to 880 feet (oxidized zone).

References

DEP10310706
Reference{Deposit:: Atwater, T., 1989, Plate tectonic history of the northeast Pacific and western North America., in Winterer, E. L., Hussong, D. M., Decker, R. W., editors, The geology of North America: The eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii, Geological Society of America, p. 21-72.}{Deposit:: Clark, W. B., 1970, Gold districts of California: California Division of Mines and Geology Bulletin 193, Sesquicentennial Edition, p. 150.}{Deposit:: Dillon, J. T., 1975, Geology of the Chocolate and Cargo Muchacho mountains, southeasternmost California: University of California Santa Barbara, Ph.D. thesis, 405 p.}{Deposit:: Drobeck, P. A., Frost, E. G., Hillemeyer, F. L., and Liebler, G. S., 1986, The Picacho mine: A gold mineralized detachment in southeastern California, in Beatty, B., and Wilkinson, P. A. K., editors, Frontiers in geology and ore deposits of Arizona and the Southwest: Arizona Geological Society Digest, v. 16, p. 187-221.}{Deposit:: Environmental Associates, Inc., 1997, Imperial Project EIS/EIR, a portion of this report is contained in the California Geological Survey, formerly California Division of Mines and Geology, Minefile Database.}{Deposit:: Frost, E. G. and others, 1997, Emerging perspectives of the Salton Trough region with an emphasis on extensional faulting and its implications for later San Andreas deformation: in Baldwin, J. and others, editors, Southern San Andreas Fault- Whitewater to Bombay Beach, Salton Trough, California, South Coast Geological Society Field Trip Guidebook N. 25, p. 57-98.}{Deposit:: Glamis Gold, Ltd., 12/98 Annual Report: http://sec.edgar-online.com/1998/03/26/14/0000891020-98-000417/Section4.asp.}{Deposit:: Glamis Gold, Ltd., Amended Annual Report (10-K/A) Item 2 - Properties: http://sec.edgar- online.com/1998/03/26/14/0000891020-98-000417/Section4.asp.}{Deposit:: Glamis Gold, Ltd., History: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Glamis-Gold-Ltd-Company-History.html}{Deposit:: Glamis Imperial Corporation, June 1998, Geology and Ore Reserves: Glamis Imperial Corp. report contained in California Geological Survey, formerly California Division of Mines and Geology, Minefile Database.}{Deposit:: Jacobson, C.E., Grove, M., Vucic, A., Pedrick, J.N., and Ebert, K.A., 2007, Exhumation of the Orocopia Schist and associated rocks of southeastern California: Relative roles of erosion, synsubduction tectonic denudation, and middle Cenozoic extension, in Cloos, M. and others, editors, Convergent margin terranes and associated regions: A tribute to Gary Ernst: Geological Society of America Special Paper 419, p. 1-37.}{Deposit:: Long, K. R., 1992, Preliminary descriptive deposit model for detachment-fault-related mineralization, in Bliss, J. D., editor, Developments in mineral deposit modeling: U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 2004; accessible on-line at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b2004/html/bull2004introduction and overview of min.htm.}{Deposit:: Morris, R. S., 1986a, Base of the Orocopia Schist as imaged on seismic reflection data in the Chocolate and Cargo Muchacho Mountains region of southeastern California and the Sierra Pelona region near Palmdale, California: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with programs, v. 18, p. 160.}{Deposit:: Morris, R. S., 1986b, Crustal geometry of detachment faulting-structural analysis of seismic-reflection data in southeastern California: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with programs, v. 18, p. 160.}{Deposit:: Morris, R. S., 1987, Tertiary basin formation above middle-crustal shear zones in southern Chocolate Mountains, California: in Geologic Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v.19, p. 434.}{Deposit:: Morton, P.K., 1966, Geologic map of Imperial County, California, in Morton, P.K., 1977, Geology and mineral resources of Imperial County, California: California Division of Mines and Geology, County Report 7, Plate 1, scale, 1:125,000.}{Deposit:: Morton, P.K., 1977, Geology and mineral resources of Imperial County, California: California Division of Mines and Geology, County Report 7, p. 104.}{Deposit:: Mosier, D. L., and Bliss, J. D., 1992, Introduction and overview of mineral deposit modeling, in Bliss, J. D., editor, Developments in mineral deposit modeling: U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 2004; accessible on-line at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b2004/html/bull2004detachmentfaultrelated_minealiz.htm.}{Deposit:: Northern Miner Archives: http://www.northernminer.com/issues/archives.asp (v. 86, no. 9, Apr. 24, 2000; v. 86, no. 49, Jan. 29, 2001; v. 87, no. 35, Oct. 26, 2001; v. 87, no. 37, Nov. 5, 2001; v. 87, no. 39, Nov. 19, 2001).}{Deposit:: Tosdal, R. M., Willis, G. F., Manske, S. L., D. Lang, and M. Lusk, 1991, Mesquite Mining District, Southeastern California: Society of Economic Geology Field Trip, San Diego, California, October 1991.}{Deposit:: U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Imperial County, Draft EIS/EIR jointly prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, as lead agency under NEPA, and Imperial County, as lead agency under the CEQA, http://www.blm.gov/ca/eis/imperial/abstract.html; http://www.blm.gov/ca/imperial/c3.html.}{Deposit:: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Imperial EIS, Geology and Mineral Resources: http://www.blm.gov/ca/eis/imperial/ (cited in the EIS: Tosdal and others, 1991; Steve Baumann, personal communication, Glamis Imperial, 1997; Steve Baumann, personal communication, Chemgold, 1995; Dan Purvance, Chemgold, personal communication, 1996; Clark, 1970).}
ReporterSchruben, Paul G., Hill, Robert L.