| Description |
The Deep Creek Mountains, located in the Basin and Range Province, lie on the Utah-Nevada border in Tooele and Juab Counties about 40 miles south of Wendover, Utah. Excluding those of Tertiary and Quaternary age, rocks in the range are chiefly sedimentary and metamorphic, Precambrian to Permian in age, intruded by the Gold Hill quartz monzonite stock in the north end, and the Ibapah granite stock in the central part. Scattered out¬crops of Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic flows and pyroclastic rocks occur in the northern and southern parts of the range. The general structure is a westward dipping fault block, bounded by normal faults. Precambrian rocks occur on the east side and Paleozoic rocks on the west. Mineral deposits of four major types . . . pegmatite dikes, hydrothermal veins, hydrothermal replacement bodies, and contact metasomatic deposits . . . are related to intrusive rocks in the area, particularly the Gold Hill quartz monzonite and the quartz monzonite porphyry intrusives in the north part of the range, and the Trout Creek alaskite intrusives at the south end of the range. Beryllium-bearing pegmatite dikes are related to the Ibapah stock. Most veins are fracture controlled, but there is no common trend. Most fractures are N 0° to 40° E, but mineralized fractures lie in nearly all directions. There is minor stratigraphic control of hydrothermal replacement bodies. The Oquirrh Formation, Abercrombie Formation, and Trout Creek Sequence contain mineral-susceptible beds in which replace-ment bodies are formed. Lindgren's classical zonation of mineral deposits into large areas of hypothermal, mesothermal, and epithermal deposits was observed surrounding the Gold Hill, and Trout Creek intrusives: The range is divided into three mining areas exclusive of Gold Hill: -Southern Clifton area in the north -Willow Springs area, encompassing the area south of Southern Clifton area to the Ibapah stock -Spring Creek area south from Ibapah stock to Pleasant Valley In addition to geochemical and magnetic surveys conducted over the Southern Clifton area, the geology was mapped at a scale of 1:4800, Anomalous geochemical and magnetic areas occur in Barney Reevey Gulch, north of Overland Canyon, and in the central part of Pony Express Canyon near the Complex property. Underground workings were mapped and their geology plotted. Five separated properties comprise the Willow Springs areas Dewey, North Pass, Willow Springs, Congar Hill, and Reilly-Goshute Canyons properties. With the exception of the Congar Hill and Reilly- Goshute Canyons areas, the properties are small and have produced small amounts of lead-silver. The Congar Hill property produced small amounts of mercury in the 1940's, but is presently idle. The Reilly-Goshute Canyons properties from 1934 to 1954, produced nearly $700,000. Gold accounted for most of the value, All five properties were mapped on the surface, and underground workings were mapped in plan and section. The 2-mile vein system in the Reilly-Goshute Canyons area was sampled. The assays range from trace to 4.5 ounces of gold/ton. Spring Creek area includes seven areas of mining activity south of the Ibapah stock: Gold Bond, Red Hill mine. Trout Creek, Heavenly Hills, Singleton Canyon, Water Canyon, Johnson Canyon, and Queen of Sheba properties. All but Trout Creek, Johnson Canyon, and the Queen of Sheba properties are minor prospect areas with little mineral potential. In the 1940's and 1950's, Trout Creek produced tungsten and zinc. On the north side of the Trout Creek area, beryl occurs with tungsten in quartz veins and pegmatite dikes. Lead-silver assays from the Johnson Canyon mines range from trace to 70 ounces of silver/ ton. Assays from the Queen of Sheba mine are from trace to 2.5 ounces/ ton of gold, A geochemical survey for gold and silver on this property revealed that soil samples contained 0 to 2 parts per million gold; silver values were lower. Non metallic mineral deposits throughout the range were investigated. Sand and gravel deposits on both sides of the range were mapped and samples tested. Limestone and dolomite formations, if considered potential lime or magnesia sources, were sampled for analysis and their distributions mapped. Quartzite formations were evaluated as potential silica deposits. Throughout the range, jasper, aquamarine, quartz, aventurine, chalcedony, and petrified wood were located and mapped. Radio-quality quartz from pegmatite dikes in the southwest part of the Ibapah stock was investigated. None of the nonmetallic minerals showed promise as potential economic de¬posits. Water resources and geochemistry in the range were investigated. Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, samples taken from 85 locations were analyzed for iron, copper, lead, and zinc. Concen¬trations of these elements appeared near areas of known mineralization. Missing Plate 1. Plates 21-27 are found in the text of the thesis. |
