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Blue Gem Turquoise Mine

Past Producer in Lander county in Nevada, United States with commodity Gemstone
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10043989
MRDS ID M231302
Record type Site
Current site name Blue Gem Turquoise Mine
Alternate or previous names Pedro Claim, Turquoise Tunnel, Contention

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -117.03955, 40.61351 (WGS84)
Elevation 1762
Relative position 7 MILES WSW OF TOWN OF BATTLE MOUNTAIN
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Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Nevada Lander

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 032N 044E 29 Nevada

Comments on the location information

  • ON SLOPE EAST OF CONTENTION MINE

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gemstone Primary

Comments on the commodity information

  • PYRITE & QUARTZ ASSOC. WITH TURQUOISE; LIMONITE CLAY MINERALS (MONTMORILLONITE, KAOLINITE, RICHELLITE) AS WELL AS A BUNDANT JAROSITE AND LIMONITE, ARE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TURQUOISE.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Turquoise Ore
Jarosite Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Montmorillonite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Pyrite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) Argillic

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock unit name Harmony Formation;Harmony Formation
    Rock description Harmony Formation;Harmony Formation
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene

Nearby scientific data

(1) -117.03955, 40.61351
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Geologic structures

Type Description Terms
Regional Dewitt Thrust Fault
Local Shear Zone Trending N35w And N25e; Pebble Dikes

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR
    Thickness 0.1M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Shear Zone, Breccia Zone 10ft. Wide

Comments on the geologic information

  • TURQUOISE FILLS VEINLETS FROM A FRACTION OF AN INCH TO 4 INCHES WIDE

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1918
Discovery method Ore-Mineral In Place
Year of first production <1937

Mining district

District name Battle Mountain District

Land status

Ownership category BLM Administrative Area

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Duval Corp.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Duval Corp. (Present)

Comments on the production information

  • EARLY PRODUCTION WAS REPORTED TO BE NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF GEM QUALITY TURQUOISE, PLUS 424 POUNDS PRODUCED IN 1937.

Comments on the workings information

  • EXTENSIVE UNDERGROUND WORKINGS, OPEN STOPES AND GLORY HOLE

Comments on development

  • EXPLORED BY AMERICAN GEM CO. OF L.A. IN 1937. LEASED TO L. HAND AND A. LAYTON UNTIL 1953 WHEN KING BROS., OF NEW MEXICO PURCHASED IT. NOW IT IS ENCOMPASSED BY DUVAL'S OPEN-PIT MINE AT COPPER BASIN

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS M231302

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    STEWART, J.H., MCKEE, E.H. AND STAGER, H.K., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF LANDER COUNTY, NEVADA: NBMG BULL. 88

  • Deposit

    ROBERTS, R.J. AND ARNOLD, D.C., 1965, ORE DEPOSITS OF THE ANTLER PEAK QUADRANGLE, HUMBOLDT AND LANDER COUNTIES, NEVADA; U.S.G.S. PROF. PAPER 459-B.

  • Deposit

    MORRISSEY, F., 1968, TURQUOISE DEPOSITS OF NEVADA; NEV. BUREAU OF MINES REPORT 17.

  • Production

    STEWART, J.H., MCKEE, E.H., AND STAGER, H.K., 1977

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit VEINS, SECONDARY ENRICHMENTS
Deposit TURQUOISE WAS DISCOVERED HERE IN 1918, AND FIRST EXPLORED BY AMERICAN GEM CO. OF LOS ANGELES IN 1937, IN WHICH YEAR 424 LB. OF GEM TURQUOISE, VALUED AT $8480. WAS PRODUCED. L. HAND & A. LAYTON LEASED & MINED THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1953 WHEN KING BROS. OF NEW MEXICO PURCHASED IT. THE MINE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY EXTENSIVE UNDERGROUND WORKINGS AND OPEN STOPES, AND A GLORY HOLE. THE MINE IS NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF DUVAL'S OPEN PIT COPPER BASIN OPERATIONS.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-DEC-1980 Flynn, Patricia Dodd Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology