Geology of the cove mine, Lander County, Nevada, and a genetic model for the McCoy-Cove hydrothermal system

Economic Geology

Volumn 103, Issue 4, 2008, Pages 759-782

  Johnston, Marcus K ^a   Thompson, Tommy B ^b   Emmons, David L ^c   Jones, Keith ^d  

^a Victoria Resources   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA   (United States)

^c Round Mountain Gold Corporation   (United States)

^d Small Mine Development   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

FELDSPAR; ILMENITE; IRON ORES; LANDFORMS; LEVEES; MAGNETITE; MINERALOGY; MINERALS; NATURAL RESOURCES EXPLORATION; OPEN PIT MINING; ORE DEPOSITS; OXIDE MINERALS; PYRITES; SILVER; SILVER DEPOSITS; SULFIDE MINERALS; ZINC SULFIDE;

AGE DATUMS; BASE METALS; CARBONATE STRATUMS; CENTRAL CORES; COMMON SOURCES; DOLOSTONE; EXPLORATION POTENTIALS; FEEDER FAULTS; FLUID INCLUSIONS; GENETIC MODELS; GRANODIORITE; GREAT BASINS; HIGH CONCENTRATIONS; HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS; IGNEOUS ACTIVITIES; INTRUSIVE ROCKS; LATE TRIASSIC; MAGMATISM; MINERALIZING FLUIDS; ORE TYPES; ORE ZONES; POLYMETALLIC; PORPHYRY SYSTEMS; THREE ZONES; UNDERGROUND PRODUCTIONS;

ORES;

CARLIN-TYPE DEPOSIT; CONCENTRATION (COMPOSITION); EPITHERMAL DEPOSIT; FLUID INCLUSION; GOLD; HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION; HYDROTHERMAL FLUID; HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM; IGNEOUS INTRUSION; MAGMATISM; MINERALIZATION; MODELING; QUARTZ VEIN; SILVER;

LANDER COUNTY; NEVADA; NORTH AMERICA; UNITED STATES;

EID: 57749084369     PISSN: 03610128     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2113/gsecongeo.103.4.759     Document Type: Article

References (62)

1. Alvarez, A.A., and Noble, D.C., 1988, Sedimentary rock-hosted disseminated precious metal mineralization at Purisma Concepcion, Yauricocha district, central Peru: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 83, p. 1368-1378.
2. Armstrong, R.L., 1970, Geochronology of Tertiary igneous rocks, eastern Basin and Range province, western Utah, eastern Nevada, and vicinity, U.S.A.: Geochimica et Cosmochimica. Acta, v, 34, p. 203-232.
3. Atkinson, W.W., Jr., and Einaudi, M.T., 1978, Skarn formation and mineralization in the contact aureole at Carr Fork, Bingham, Utah: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 73, p. 1326-1365.
4. Babcock, B.C., Ballantyne, G.H., and Phillips, C.H., 1997, Summary of the geology of the Bingham district, Utah: Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Series 29, p. 113-132.
5. Ballantyne, G., Smith, T.W., and Redmond, P.E., 1997, Distribution and mineralogy of gold and silver in the Bingham Canyon porphyry copper deposit, Utah: Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Series 29, p. 207-219.
6. Berger, B.R., and Bagby, W.C., 1993, The geology and origin of Carlin-type gold deposits, in Foster, B.P., Gold metallogerry and exploration: London, England, Chapman and Hall, p. 210-248.
7. Bigeleisen, J., Perlman, M.L., and Prosser, H.C., 1952, Conversion of hydrogenic minerals to hydrogen for isotopic analysis: Analytical Chemistry, v. 24, p. 1356-1357.
8. 2O-NaCl solutions: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 57, p. 683-684.
9. 5 for oxygen isotope analysis: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 46, p. 1665-1668.
10. Brooks, J.W., 1994, Petrology and geochemistry of the McCoy gold skarn, Lander County, Nevada: Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Pullman, Washington, Washington State University, 607 p.
11. Capuano, R.M., 1992, The temperature dependance of hydrogen isotope fractionation between clay minerals and water: Evidence from a geopressured system: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 56, p. Z547-2554.
12. Carten, R.B., White, W.H., and Stein, H.J., 1993, High-grade granite-related molybdenum systems: Classification and origin: Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 40, p. 521-554.
13. 39Ar and fission-track methods [abs]: Terra Cognita (International Congress on Geochronology, Cosmochronolgy and Isotope Geology, 6th), v. 6, p. 139.
14. Chryssoulis, S.L., Zhou, Y., Weisener, C., and Kingston, D., 1997, Deportment of gold and silver in testwork products of select McCoy ore zones: AMTEL report 97/55, unpublished report for Echo Bay Minerals Company, 59 p.
15. Clayton, R.N., and Mayeda, T.K., 1963, The use of bromium pentafluoride in the extraction of oxygen from oxides and silicates for isotopic analyses: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 27, p. 43-52.
16. Cunningham, C.G., Austin, G.W., Naeser, C.W., Rye, R.O., Ballantyne, G.H., Stamm, R.G., and Barker, C.E., 2004, Formation of a paleothermal anomaly and disseminated gold deposits associated with the Bingham Canyon porphyry Cu-Au-Mo system, Utah: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 99, p. 789-806.
17. Doebricb, J.L., and Theodore, T.G., 1996, Geologic history of the Battle Mountain mining district, Nevada, and regional controls on the distribution of mineral systems, in Coyner, A.R., and Fahey, RL., eds., Geology and ore deposits of the American Cordillera: Reno, Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada Symposium Proceedings, p. 453-483.
18. Emmons, W.H., 1927, Relations of metalliferous lode systems to igneous intrusions: Transactions of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, v. 1571, no. 74, p. 29-70.
19. Emmons, D.L., and Eng, T.L., 1995, Geology and mineral resources of the McCoy mining district, Lander County, Nevada: Text to accompany Nevada Bureau of Mines Map 103, 12 p.
20. Folger, HW, Hofstra, A. H., and Cline, J.S., 2000, Alteration and mass transfer in igneous dikes at the Getchell Carlin-type gold deposit, Nevada [abs.], in Cluer, J.K., Price, J.G., Struhsacker, E.M., Hardyman, R.F., and Morris, C.L., eds., Geology and ore deposits 2000: The Great Basin and Beyond, May 15-18, 2000: Reno, Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada Symposium Proceedings, p. A2.
21. Gillerman, V.S., 1982, Tungsten and copper skarns of the Railroad mining district, Nevada: Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Berkeley, California, University of California, 195 p.
22. Girard, J.P., and Fouillac A.M., 1995, Géochimie isotopique de l'oxygème et de l'hydrogène des argiles: Exemples d'application aux domaines diagénétique et géothermique: Bulletin des Centres de Recheches Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine 19, p. 167-195.
23. Goldstein, R.H., and Reynolds, T.J., 1994, Sytematics of fluid inclusions in diagenetic minerals: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Short Course 31, 199 p.
24. Heitt, D.G., Dunbar, W.W., Thompson, T.B., and Jackson, R.C., 2003, Geology and geochemistry of the Deep Star gold deposit, Carlin trend, Nevada: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 98, p. 1107-1136.
25. Henry, C.D., and Ressel, M.W., 2000, Eocene magmatism of northeastern Nevada: The smoking gun for Carlin-type gold deposits, in Cluer, J.K., Price, J.G., Struhsacker, E.M., Hardyman, R.F., and Morris, C.L., eds., Geology and ore deposits 2000: The Great Basin and Beyond, May 15-18, 2000: Reno, Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada Symposium Proceedings, p. 365-388.
26. James, A.H., Smith, W.H., and Bray, R.E., 1961, Bingham district - a zoned porphyry ore deposit: Utah Geological Society Guidebook 16, p. 81-100.
27. John, D.A., Henry, C.D., and Colgan, J.P., 2008, Tectonic and magmatic evolution of the Caetano caldera, north-central Nevada: A tilted mid-Tertiary eruptive center and the source of the Caetanc, Tuff: Geosphere, v. 4, no. 1, p. 75-106.
28. John, E.C., 1975, Mineral zones of the Bingham district, in Bray, R.E., and Wilson, J.C., eds., Guidebook to the Bingham mining district: Bingham Canyon, Utah, Kennecott Copper Corporation, p. 59-72.
29. John, E.C., 1978, Mineral zones in the Utah copper orebody: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 73, p. 1250-1259.
30. Johnston, M.K., 2000a, Hypogene alteration and ore characteristics at the Cove gold silver deposit, Lander County, Nevada, in Cluer, J.K., Price, J.G., Struhsacker, E.M., Hardyman, R.F., and Morris, C.L., eds., Geology and ore deposits 2000: The Great Basin and Beyond, May 15-18, 2000: Reno, Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada, Symposium Proceedings, p. 621-641.
31. Johnston, M.K., 2000b, New age and isotopic data for the Cove mine: Evidence for a genetic link between Cove base metal and Carlin-style ores and the adjacent McCoy gold skarn: Geological Society of Nevada Membership Directory 2000-2001, p. 87-88.
32. Johnston, M.K., 2001, Structural and temporal setting of the McCoy-Cove system, Lander County, Nevada: Geological Society of Nevada Special Publication 33, p. 301-326.
33. Johnston, M.K., and Ressel, M.W., 2004, Carlin-type and distal-disseminated Au-Ag deposits: Related distal expressions of Eocene intrusive centers in north-central Nevada: Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter 59, p. 11-13.
34. Johnston, M.K., Thompson, T.B., and Emmons, D.L., 2000, The Cove-McCoy Continuum: Evidence for Eocene base metal and Carlin-style ores as distal expressions of a gold skarn [abs]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. A251.
35. Jones, B.K., 1992, Application of metal zoning to gold exploration in porphyry copper systems: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, v. 43, p. 127-155.
36. Kesler, S.E., Riciputi, L.C., and Ye, Z., 2005, Evidence for a magmatic origin for Carlin-type gold deposits: Isotopic compositions of sulfur in the Betze-Post-Screamer deposit, Nevada, USA: Mineralium Deposita, v. 40, p. 127-136.
37. Kuyper, B.A., Mach, L.E., Streiff, R.E., and Brown, W.A., 1991, Geology of the Cove gold-silver deposit: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Preprint 91-125, 19 p.
38. Mako, D.A., 1997, Characterization and dating of argillic alteration in the Mercur gold district, Utah - a discussion: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 92, p. 633-634.
39. Moore, D.M, and Reynolds, R.C., Jr., 1989, X-ray diffraction and the identification and analysis of clay minerals: Oxford, New York, Oxford University Press, p. 199-200.
40. Muntean, J.L., 2004, Controversies on the origin of world-class gold deposits, part I: Carlin-type gold deposits in Nevada: Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter 59, p. 11-13.
41. Nichols, K.M., and Silberling, N.J., 1977, Stratigraphy and depositional history of the Star Peak Group (Triassic), northwestern Nevada: Geological Society of America Special Paper 108, 73 p.
42. Pierce, F.W., and Bolm, J.G., eds., 1995, Porphyry copper deposits of the American Cordillera: Arizona Geological Society Digest, v. 20, 656 p.
43. Presnell, R.D., and Parry, W.T., 1996, Geology and geochemistry of the Barneys Canyon gold deposit, Utah: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 91, p. 273-288.
44. Rayias, A.C., 1999, Stratigraphy, structural geology, alteration, and geochemistry of the northeastern Railroad district, Elko County, Nevada: Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, Reno, Nevada, University of Nevada, 180 p.
45. Ressel, M.W., and Henry, C.D., 2006, Igneous geology of the Carlin trend, Nevada: Development of the Eocene plutonic complex and significance for Carlin-typegold deposits: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 101, p. 347-383.
46. Ressel, M.W., Noble, D.C., Henry, C.D., and Trudel, WS., 2000, Dikehosted ores of the Beast deposit and the importance of Eocene magmatism in gold mineralization of the Carlin trend, Nevada: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 95, p. 1417-1444.
47. Roedder, E., 1979, Fluid inclusions as samples of ore fluids, in Barnes, H.L., ed., Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits, 2nd ed.: Wiley Interscience, p. 684-737.
48. Roedder, E., 1984, Fluid inclusions: Reviews in Mineralogy, v. 12, 634 p.
49. Shepherd, T.J., Rankin, A.H., and Alderton, D.H.M., 1985, A practical guide to fluid inclusion studies: Glasgow, Scotland, Blackie & Son, 239 p.
50. Sheppard, S.M.F., and Gilg, H.A., 1996, Stable isotope geochemistry of clay minerals: Clay Minerals, v. 31, p. 1-24.
51. Sillitoe, R.H., and Bonham, H.F., 1990, Sediment-bosted gold deposits: Distal products of magmatic-hydrothermal systems: Geology, v. 18, p. 157-161.
52. Staudacher, T.H., Jessberger, E.K., Dorfinger, D., and Kiko, J., 1978, A refined ultrahigh vacuum furnace for rare gas analyses: Journal of Physics, E: Scientific Instruments, v. 11, p. 47-55.
53. Steven, T.A., Mehnert, H.H., and Obradovich, J.D., 1967, Age of volcanic activity in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 575-D, p. 47-55.
54. Stewart, J.H., and McKee, E.D., 1977, Geology. Part I: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Bulletin 88, p. 1-59.
55. Taylor, H.P., Jr., 1997, Oxygen and hydrogen isotope relationships in hydrothermal mineral deposits, in Barnes, H.L., ed., Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits, 3rd ed.: New York, John Wiley and Sons, p. 229-302.
56. Theodore, T.G., 1998a, Pluton-related gold in the Battle Mountain mining district - an overview: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-338, p. 251-252.
57. Theodore, T.G., 1998b, Large distal-disseminated precious metal deposits, Battle Mountain mining district, Nevada U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-338, p. 253-258.
58. Thode, H.G., Monster, J., and Dunford, H.B., 1961, Sulphur isotope geochemistry: Geochimica et Cosmochimica. Acta, v. 25, p. 159-174.
59. Titley, S.R., 1993, Characteristics of porphyry copper occurrences in the American southwest: Geological Association of Canada Special Paper 40, p. 433-464.
60. Weiss, S.I., Percival, T.J., Noble, D.C., and Ressel, M.W, 2000, The "Carlin-Type" - "Carlin-like" dichotomy revisited: The general association of sedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits with magmatic activity, in Cluer, J.K., Price, J.G., Struhsacker, E.M., Hardyman, R.F., and Morris, C.L., eds., Geology and ore deposits 2000: The Great Basin and Beyond, May 15-18, 2000: Reno, Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada, Symposium Proceedings, p. A4.
61. Wendt, I., and Carl, C., 1991, The statistical distribution of the mean squared weighted deviation: Chemical Geology, v. 86, p. 275-285.
62. Wilson, P.N., and Parry, W.T., 1995, Characterization and dating of argillic alteration in the Mercur gold district, Utah: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, v. 90, p. 1197-1216.