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Silver Peak Lithium Operations

Plant in Esmeralda county in Nevada, United States with commodities Boron-Borates, Lithium, Potassium, Salt
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10295160
MRDS ID ISM0514
MAS/MILS ID 320090109
Record type Site
Current site name Silver Peak Lithium Operations
Alternate or previous names Silver Peak Lithium Project, Silver Peak Marsh, Foote Mineral Company Refinery, Silver Peak, Clayton Valley
Related records 10024762

Comments on the site names

  • 1985 FOOTE MINERAL CO IS A SUBSIDIARY OF THE NEWMONT MINING CO.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Plant
Geographic coordinates: -117.5833, 37.7672 (WGS84)
Elevation 1300
Location accuracy 10(meters)
(click for info)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Nevada Esmeralda

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Mount Diablo 002 S 040 E 18 Nevada

Comments on the location information

  • MAY ALSO BE MSHA MINES ID 2600709: POSSIBLY USGS LI039 COULD BE TYP-O OF LI0039. NO BOM RESPONDENT ID AVAILABLE. THE OPERATION COVERS A VERY LARGE AREA. THE RECOVERY PLANT IS IN SEC 22 T2S R 39E. THE WELLS AND EVAPORATION PONDS ARE IN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS; T 1S/R 40E, SEC 32, 33. MINING METHOD IS SOLUTION MINING. MILL IS LOCATED AT SILVER PEAK AND IS CURRENTLY OPERATING. THE MILL METHOD IS SOLAR EVAPORATION, AND CHEMICAL PRECIP. PROCESS RATE IS 1,200 MT/A LITHIUM. PRODUCT TYPE IS LITHIUM CARBONATE. GENERAL LOCATION IS ABOUT 49 KM SW OF TONOPAH.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Boron-Borates Tertiary
Lithium Primary
Potassium Tertiary
Salt Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gypsum Unknown
Halite Unknown
Hectorite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Plant (1) -117.5833, 37.7672
ListMap

Ore body information

  • Strike N20E
    Dip 01W
    Thickness 400M
    Depth to top 150M
    Width 5000M
    Length 16000M
    Area 2000HA
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 3
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin EVAPORATION
    Primary Ore Control OTHER
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Strike And Dip N20E
    Minimum Depth to Top 5
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 5
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 5
    Total Surface Area (HA) 2000
    Date of Last Modification 960812

Comments on the geologic information

  • LITHIUM OCCURS AS A CONSTITUENT IN A SUBSURFACE SALINE BRINE WITH HECTORITE AS THE SOURCE OF THE BRINES LITHIUM CONTENT.
  • ORE IS BRINE.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Processing Plant
Development status Plant
Commodity type Both metallic and non-metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1905
Discovery method Ore-Mineral In Place
Mining method In Situ Leach
Year of first production 1966
Plant type Leach
Plant subcategory Hydromet
Milling method Leach-Solvent-Extract-Precipitation

Mining district

District name Silver Peak

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented
Type of mineral rights Located Claim

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Cyprus Amax Minerals Co.
    Interest 100
    Home office Colorado
    Year 1996
  • Type Operator
    Owner Cyprus Foote Mineral Co.
    ID 2601440
    Year 1996

Production statistics

  • Year 1970
    Description 1394 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 1,394mt
  • Year 1971
    Description 1232 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 1,232mt
  • Year 1972
    Description 1866 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 1,866mt
  • Year 1973
    Description 2111 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,111mt
  • Year 1974
    Description 2544 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,544mt
  • Year 1975
    Description 2907 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,907mt
  • Year 1976
    Description 2611 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,611mt
  • Year 1977
    Description 2955 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,955mt
  • Year 1978
    Description 2691 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,691mt
  • Year 1979
    Description 2559 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,559mt
  • Year 1980
    Description 2524 Mt/Yr Of L120
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 2,524mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Li2o 1250 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 1,250mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Li20 990 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 990mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Li2o 6280 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 6,280mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Li20 6350 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 6,350mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Li2o 5420 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Lithium Lithium 5,420mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Lio2 5566 Metric Tons
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Lithium Lithium 5,566mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Lico3 15300000 Lb
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Li2O Lithium Lithium 693,996mt

Comments on the production information

  • RAW BRINE FEED GRADE IS .03% LI, SOLAR EVAPORATION RAISED THE BRINE TO .6% LI. THE PLANT PUTS OUT THE EQUIVALENT OF 1200 MT/YR LI IN THE FORM OF LI2CO3 1200 DIVIDED BY .1879 DIVIDED BY .995 IS 6418 MT/YR OF 99.5% LI2CO3

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1978
    Inferred 386,250,000mt ore
    Total resources 386,250,000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lithium LiO2 1.293 wt-pct Lithium Major 1978
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Demonstrated 90,700mt commodity
    Measured 90,700mt commodity
    Total resources 90,700mt commodity
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lithium LiO2 100 wt-pct Lithium Major 1986
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Demonstrated 38,918mt commodity
    Measured 38,918mt commodity
    Total resources 38,918mt commodity
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Lithium LiO2 100 wt-pct Lithium Major 1996

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • REF TO COL 2--METRIC TONS LI AS LICO3.
  • ADIT "ORE" IN THE BRINE. ADIT GRADE IS WT% LI2O IN BRINES. CAPACITY IS 4,000 MT OF LITHIUM CARBONATE PRODUCED. MINE & MILL SHUT DOWN UNTIL 9-92, THEN STARTED OPERATING AGAIN.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method SOLUTION MINING 10-89
    Capacity 3.6
    Capacity Units MT COMMOD/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1983

Comments on other economic factors

  • BRINE IS BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE VIA 49 ACTIVE WELLS 1331 MT/YR OF LI IS BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE 1331 DIVIDED BY 365=3.6466 MT/DAY
  • THE SILVER PEAK OPERATION IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE MINING OPERATION, THUS IT DOES NOT FIT WELL INTO THE COMPUTER FORMAT. FOR COST DETAILS SEE APPENDIX B-5 OF THE REPORT. FOOTE WOULD SUPPLY NO COST INFO AND ONLY LIMITED PLANT INFO. THE COSTING METHOD USED IS BASED ON ESTIMATING THE LABOR, EQUIP AND SUPPLY COSTS AND ADDING THEM TOGETHER TO GET A TOTAL COST. CAPITAL COSTS WERE NOT ESTIMATED(OTHER THAN WORKING CAPITAL). THIS IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE PLANT AND PONDS WERE BUILT DURING 1964-66 AND HAVE BEEN TOTALLY DEPRECIATED. WELL CONSTRUCTION COST OVER THE YEARS WAS MOST LIKELY EXPENSED AND IS INCLUDED AS AN OPERATING COST. TOTAL COMPLEX OPERATING COST IS ESTIMATED AT $9819153/YR WORKING CAPITAL IS ESTIMATED AT 1660108 9819153 DIVIDED BY 4436667(MT OF RAW BRINE PER YEAR) IS $2.2132/MT ROYALITY OF $141493/YEAR DIVIDED BY 1200(MT OF LI PRODUCED PER YEAR IS $117.91/MT LI. THE YEARLY COMPLEX PRODUCT IS EQUAL TO 1200 MT OF LI. IT IS IN THE FORM OF 99.5% LI2CO3 1200 DIVIDED BY .1879 DIVIDED BY .995 IS 6418MT OF LI2CO3 THE COSTS IN THE REPORT ARE IN TERMS OF LBS OF LITHIUM CARBONATE. 6418 MT IS 14149260 LBS 9819153 DIVIDED BY 14149260 IS $.694/LB ADDING THE 1CENT/LB ROYALITY COST BRINGS THE FINAL OP COST TO $.704/LB LI2CO3
  • BRINE GOES FROM THE PONDS TO RECOVERY PLANT VIA PIPELINE. PRODUCT GOES TO THE BAGGING PLANT AND RAILHEAD AT MINA, NV VIA TRUCK. COSTS ARE INCLUDED IN TOTAL OPERATING COSTS
  • BRINE GRADE TO RECOVERY PLANT IS 6000 PPM LI OR .6% THIS IS EQUAL TO 1.293% LI2O
  • RAW BRINE FROM GROUND(300PPM LI) IS PUMPED INTO SOLAR EVAPORATION PONDS. SOLAR EVAPORATION AND THE ADDING OF LIME INCREASE THE BRINE TO 6000 PPM LI. THE BRINE IS THEN PUMPED 4KM TO THE LITHIUM RECOVERY PLANT. THERE SODA ASH IS ADDED TO THE BRINE CAUSING LI2CO3 TO PRECIPITATE OUT. THE PRECIPITATE IS FILTERED, AND DRIED. SOME OF THE MATERIAL IS LEFT IN POWDER FORM, SOME IS PELLETIZED. BOTH PRODUCTS ARE SHIPPED 84KM BY TRUCK TO THE RAILHEAD AND BAGGING PLANT AT MINA, NV DESIGN CAPITY OF MILL IS UNKNOWN, I ASSUME IT IS NEAR 1200MT YEAR OF LITHIUM 1200 DIVIDED BY 350 IS 3.4286

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 320090109
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS ISM0514 MAS references MRDS

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ALBERS, J. P., AND J. H. STEWART. GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA. NV BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULL. 78, 1972, 80 PP.

  • Reserve-Resource

    AMERICAN MINES HANDBOOK, 1996, P83.

  • Deposit

    BARRETT, W. T., AND B. J. O'NEILL, JR. RECOVERY OF LITHIUM FROM SALINE BRINES USING SOLAR EVAPORATION. SEC. IN THIRD SYMP. ON SALT, ED. BY J. L. RAU AND L. E. DELLWIG. NORTHERN OH GEOL. SOC., INC., CLEVELAND, OHIO, V. 2, 1970, PP. 47-50.

  • Reserve-Resource

    KESLER, T. L. RAW LITHIUM SUPPLIES. MIN. ENG. (NY), V. 30, 1978, PP. 283-284.

  • Deposit

    DAVIS, J. R., AND J. D. VINE. STRATIGRAPHIC AND TECTONIC SETTING OF THE LITHIUM BRINE FIELD, CLAYTON VALLEY, NEVADA. SEC. IN 1979 BASIN AND RANGE SYMPOSIUM, ED. BY G. W. NEWMAN AND H. D. GOODE. ROCKY MOUNTAIN ASSOC. GEOL., DENVER, CO, AND UT GEOL. ASSOC., SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 1979, PP. 421-430.

  • Reserve-Resource

    SINGLETON, R. H. LITHIUM. BUMINES MINERAL COMMODITY PROFILE, 1979, 25 PP.

  • Deposit

    DOLE, R. B. EXPLORATION OF SALINES IN SILVER PEAK MARSH, NEVADA. U.S. GEOL. SURV. BULL. 530, 1913, PP. 330-345.

  • Reserve-Resource

    CROZIER, R.D. LITHIUM: RESOURCES AND PROSPECTS. MINING MAGAZINE, FEB. 1986, PP. 148.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. SILVER PEAK GIVES BRIGHT LOOK TO FOOTE MINERALS COMPANY LITHIUM PICTURE. V. 171, NO. 4, 1970, PP. 71-73.

  • Deposit

    American Mineralogist 1965: 50: 2063-2069

  • Deposit

    KUNASZ, I. A. GEOLOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE LITHIUM DEPOSIT IN CLAYTON VALLEY, ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA. PH.D. DISS., PA STATE UNIV., UNIVERSITY PARK, PA, 1970, 128 PP.

  • Deposit

    KuNASZ, I. A. LITHIUM OCCURRENCE IN THE BRINES OF CLAYTON VALLEY, ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA. SEC. IN FOURTH SYMPOSIUM ON SALT, ED. BY A. H. COOGAN. NORTHERN OH GEOL. SOC. INC., CLEVELAND, OH, V. 1, 1974, PP. 57-66.

  • Deposit

    NORTON, J. J. LITHIUM, CESIUM, AND RUBIDIUM -- THE RARE ALKALI METALS. CH. IN UNITED STATES MINERAL RESOURCES, ED. BY D. A. BROBST AND W. P. PRATT. U.S. GEOL. SURV. PROF. PAPER 820, 1973, PP. 365-378.

  • Deposit

    PANTEA, M. P., AND S. ASHER-BOLINDER. LITHOLOGICAL LOG AND LITHIUM CONTENT OF SEDIMENTS DRILLED IN CLAYTON VALLEY, ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA. U.S. GEOL. SURV. OFR 82-415, 1982, 13 PP.

  • Deposit

    PANTEA, M. P., S. ASHER-BOLINDER, AND J. D. VINE. LITHOLOGY AND LITHIUM CONTENT OF SEDIMENTS IN BASINS SURROUNDING CLAYTON VALLEY, ESMERELDA AND NYE COUNTIES, NEVADA. U.S. GEOL. SURV. OFR 81-962, 1981, 23 PP.

  • Deposit

    PAPKE, K. EVAPORITES AND BRINES IN NEVADA PLAYAS. NV BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULL. 87, 1976, PP. 29-31.

  • Deposit

    ROBINSON, P. T., E. H. MCKEE, AND R. J. MOIOLA. CENOZIOC VOLCANISM AND SEDIMENTATION, SILVER PEAK REGION, WESTERN NEVADA AND ADJACENT CALIFORNIA. CH. IN STUDIES IN VOLCANOLOGY - A MEMOIR IN HONOR OF HOWEL WILLIAMS. GEOL. SOC. AM. MEMOIR 116, 1968, PP. 577-611.

  • Deposit

    SCHRECK, A. E. LITHIUM: A MATERIALS SURVEY. BUMINES IC 8053, 1961, 80 PP.

  • Deposit

    SPURR, J. E. ORE DEPOSITS OF THE SILVER PEAK QUADRANGLE, NEVADA. U.S. GEOL. SURV. PROF. PAPER 55, 1906, 174 PP.

  • Deposit

    VINE, J. D. LITHIUM IN SEDIMENTS AND BRINES - HOW, WHY, AND WHERE TO SEARCH. PRES. AT WY GEOL. ASSOC., CASPER, WY, JAN. 3, 1975. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE REPORT 75-86, 1975, 14 PP.

  • Deposit

    VINE, J. D. (ED.). LITHIUM RESOURCES AND REQUIREMENTS BY THE YEAR 2000. U.S. GEOL. SURV. PROF. PAPER 1005, 1976, 162 PP.

  • Deposit

    WILSON, C. W. BOUGUER GRAVITY MAP OF CLAYTON VALLEY, NEVADA. U.S. GEOL. SURV. OFR 75-333, 1975, SCALE 1:62,500.

  • Deposit

    RANDOL MINING DIRECTORY, 1996/97, U.S. MINES & MINING COMPANIES, P271.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE PLAYA COVERS AN AREA OF ABOUT 8300 HA, GEOPHYSICAL WORK SUGGESTS THE PLAYA SEDIMENTS MAY BE AS MUCH AS 460 M THICK LITHIUM IS DISOLVED IN BRINES LOCATED IN INTERSTITIAL PORE SPACES IN THE SEDIMENTS GENERAL SIZE OF ORE BODY IS LARGE. ORE CONTROLLED BY EVAPORATION. TYPE OF ORE BODY IS SUBSURFACE BRINE.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 1996-10-07 Spear, James M. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Editor 2012-11-27 Wilson, Anna B U.S. Geological Survey Cleaned up references. Each line was a separate reference entry.