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The Gold Quarry mine, an active open-pit operation in northeastern Nevada, has yielded an exceptional array of rare and interesting microminerals. Among thosee identified are burangaite (second world occurrence), corderoite, fervanite, fluellite, hewettite, heyite, kazakhstanite, mandarinoite, richellite, cshubnelite (second world occurrence), sincosite, tinticite (in crystals!) and many others. Over 100 species in all have been found, including several unknown and possibly new minerals and several that are the finest known specimens for their species. The future looks promising for additional discoveries.
INTRODUCTION
Located in northeastern Nevada's Carlin-trend gold belt (Fig. 1), (Fig. 1 omitted) Newmont Mining CorporationS Gold Quarry mine is one of the largest producers of gold in North America, and was the first to produce more than one million troy ounces in one year (1991). The deposit is mined by open-pit methods, and current daily pit production varies between 200,000 and 250,000 metric tons.
During the course of mining, mineralogically interesting zones have been exposed, which have subsequently yielded exceptional, crystallized specimens of a wide variety of uncommon and rare mineral species. Radiating sprays of brilliant maroon-red hewettite crystals, lustrous golden yellow fluellite crystals, and dense mats ofintergrown selenium crystals are only a few of the interesting discoveries made recently. At least two species have been recovered which are new to science.
The most surprising feature of the deposit is the relatively common occurrence (in a hydrothermal gold system) of phosphates, vanadates and uranates in association with minerals containing nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, mercury and lead. Similar minerals and assemblages have recently been observed at Newmont's Rain mine about 15 km to the southeast.The Post/Betze deposit (a joint venture between Newmont and American Barrick) about 10 km to the north, has also yielded phosphate and vanadate minerals. Clearly, these new assemblages are not unique, and it is believed that additional observation and documentation could have substantial implications for our understanding of the genesis of these important deposits.
The main Gold Quarry open-pit mine and mill complex is situated 11 km northwest of the town of Carlin (population approximately 2,000), in Eureka County, amidst rolling, sagebrush-covered hills on the east ank of nearby Mary's Mountain (elevation 2,273 meters). Interstate 80, the main all-weather highway across the state, passes through Carlin, as do...