Mineral resources of the South Jackson Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Humboldt County, Nevada

Abstract

The South Jackson Mountains Wilderness Study Area (NV-020-603) is in south-central Humboldt County, Nev. At request of Bureau of Land Management, mineral surveys were conducted on 10,300 acres of wilderness study area by U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines. In this report, area studied is referred to as the study The results of geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mineral surveys conducted in 1984 and 1985 delineate one area in northeastern part of study area with a moderate potential for undiscovered iron resources in metavolcanic rocks and two areas, in southeast and northeast corners of study area, with moderate potential for undiscovered gold, silver, copper, lead, or zinc in metavolcanic rocks. The potential for undiscovered oil and gas and geothermal resources is low. Mining in Jackson Creek unorganized mining district, just north of study area boundary, and in Red Butte unorganized mining district, approximately 3 mi south of study area boundary, began early in this century. The Claudia mine in Red Butte mining district and Prodigal mine (Bull Creek claims) about 4 mi south of study area produced small amounts of gold, silver, copper, and lead between 1919 and 1947. The Red Boy mine, about 1 mi east of study area, produced small amounts of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc during 1940 and 1948. Identified Resources There are no identified resources in South Jackson Mountains Wilderness Study Area. Several commodities are present within study area, including silver, copper, and iron, and lesser amounts of gold, lead, zinc, vanadium, barium, and cobalt. The deposits of these commodities, however, are too small or too poorly exposed to allow resource estimates. Character and Setting The South Jackson Mountains Wilderness Study Area (NV-020-603) includes approximately 10,300 acres on west flank of Jackson Mountains in south-central Humboldt County, about 50 mi northwest of Winnemucca, Nev. (fig. 1). The north-trending Jackson Mountains are flanked by Desert Valley to east and Black Rock Desert to west. Elevations in study area range from 4,400 ft along west boundary to 8,923 ft at King Lear Peak. The study area is underlain mostly by marine sedimentary and volcanic rocks that have been complexly folded and faulted and intruded by dikes, sills, and small plugs. Mineral Resource Potential o An intense aero magnetic high covering 2 mi within study area between Hobo and Bliss Canyons (fig. 3) indicates presence of rocks with a high magnetite content at relatively shallow depth. The area of this aeromagnetic high has a moderate potential (fig. 2) for undiscovered iron resources similar to those at Iron King mine. Magnetic gradients that may represent mineralized contact zones between plutons and country rocks are present in northeastern and southeastern parts of study area. Two areas overlain by these magnetic gradients have a moderate potential for gold, silver, copper, lead, or zinc in vein deposits similar to those at