Deep Star

Sediment-hosted gold deposit in Nevada, U.S.A.

Geologic information

CountryU.S.A.
State or provinceNevada
Geographic location:40°57'34"N, 116°21'40"W
(-116.361111, 40.959444)
(click for info)
SubtypeCarlin
Deposit size
Length0.36km
Width0.15km
Thickness50m
Area0.04sq km
Deposit features
Dikes or sills
Fault zone
Ore breccia
Stocks or plutons
Deposit age geologicEocene
Deposit clusterCarlin Trend
Geochemical indicatorsAs, Au, Sb, Hg, Tl, W
Intrusive rockdiorite to granodiorite (Goldstrike and Little Boulder Basin stocks), lamprophyre; dacite to rhyodacite, rhyolite
Intrusive rock age165.7–157.9; 39.67–38.05 Ma
Ore bearing unitDevonian Popovich Fm., contact metamorphosed
Ore bearing unit thickness420 m
Tectonic settingNorth-American craton, platform at rifted western margin
Vein stockworkyes
Minerals
Gold-bearing minerals:
Ore minerals:
Gangue minerals:
Alteration
Associated depositssediment-hosted Au
Geologic map unit-116.361111111111, 40.9594444444444
Nearby scientific dataFind additional scientific data near this location

Economic information

Statusinactive
Owner or operatorNewmont Gold Co.
Discovery date1988
Startup date1995
Gold particle size≤1
Operation types
Underground
Crushing and milling
Production tonnage1.4tonnes
Production years1996–2008, UG
Total tonnage1.4tonnes
Contained gold53.8 tonnes
Source of tonnage, gradeHeitt and others (2003), Nevada Bureau (2011)

Silver grade

SilverUnitsCriteria
0g/tAll ore in deposit

Gold grade

GoldReservesResourcesUnitsCriteria
38.4g/tProduced ore (grams per tonne)
41.8g/tOre amenable to underground mining
38.4g/tAll ore in deposit

Gold cut-off grades

ReservesResourcesUnitsCriteria
6.86g/tOre amenable to underground mining

Reserves and Resources

Mining methodEstimate typeTonnageCriteria
UndergroundReserve0.382000, proven +probable

Reference information

Comments

UG mined out 2008. Mineralization represents the Carlin-type structural end member (Clode and others, 1997), located ~255 m below surface. Au:Ag=50:1.

References

Clode, C.H., Grusing, S.R., Heitt, D.G., and Johnston, I.M., 1997, The relationship of structure, alteration, and stratigraphy to formation of the Deep Star gold deposit, Nevada, in Vikre, P., Thompson, T.B., Bettles, K., Christensen, O., and Parratt, R., eds., Carlin-type gold deposits field conference: Society of Economic Geologists Guidebook Series, v. 28, p. 239–256.
Clode, C.H., Grusing, S.R., Johnston, I.M., and Heitt, D.G., 2002, Geology of the Deep Star gold deposit, in Thompson, T.B., Teal, L., and Meeuwig, R.O., eds., Gold deposits of the Carlin Trend: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Bulletin 111, p. 77–90.
Dunbar, W.K., 2001, A structural model for mineralization at Deep Star, Carlin Trend, Nevada, in Shaddrick, D.R., Zbinden, E., Mathewson, D.C., and Prenn, C., eds., Regional tectonics and structural control of the major gold trends of northern Nevada: Geological Society of Nevada Special Publication, v. 33, p. 243–261.
Fleet, M.E., and Mumin, A.H., 1997, Gold-bearing arsenian pyrite and marcasite and arsenopyrite from Carlin Trend gold deposits and laboratory synthesis: American Mineralogist, v. 82, p. 182–193.
Heitt D.G., Dunbar, W.K., Thompson, T.B., and Jackson, R.G., 2003, Geology and geochemistry of the Deep Star gold deposit, Carlin Trend, Nevada: Economic Geology, v. 98; no. 6, p. 1107–1135.
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 2011, The Nevada mineral industry, 2010: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication MI-2010, 151 p.
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-type gold deposits: Economic Geologist, v. 101, p. 347–383.