Summary
The property consists of approximately 946 unpatented and 9 patented claims covering approximately 19,000 acres (7,687 ha) of United States federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior, Lander County, Nevada, USA (Dec/01).
* Review (Mar/93) on microfiche C2776 G18.
GOLD in skarn stockwork fracture zones and in permeable beds.
Open pit, mill and heap leach past producing gold mine.
Geology
Mesozoic quartzites, conglomerates and limestones intruded by a Tertiary quartz diorite stock (McCoy) and by argillic-altered felsite dykes (Cove). Gold and silver are contained in contact skarn and in a stockwork deposits at McCoy and within a ring around the dykes and in permeable beds and fracture zones. The upper zone is oxidized. Cove ore is found in clay altered upper oxide ore which is found in Triassic Augusta Mountain Formation limestone and shale and contains a higher grade core and lower grade fringes. Gold and silver is associated with clay which developed along fractures and permeable horizons during hydrothermal alteration of the host rock. Lower sulphide ore is separated from the oxide by 60 m of barren rock and is contained in Panther Canyon conglomerate and sandstone.
Sulphide ore was mined from the bottom of the McCoy pit and from ramp access underground mining below both pit zones.
The Cove South Deep target has 2 zones of mineralization. The upper zone is smaller and relatively well defined. Economics for the upper zone appear favorable and warrant development. Approximately 45,000 gold-equivalent ounces of production from this area is anticipated starting in early 2000. Additional work is required to determine the economic viability of the lower zone of mineralization. Other underground targets have also been identified.
