1he 8elaLlonshlp 8eLween lgneous AcLlvlLy and

MlnerallzaLlon wlLhln Lhe Leevllle Mlnlng Complex

roposal for Lhe Plll undergraduaLe 8esearch lellowshlp
unlverslLy of ldaho
SubmlLLed: 10/26/2012


8y


CurLls L. !ohnson
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newmonL's Leevllle Mlnlng Complex ls a concenLraLlon of hlgh-grade dlssemlnaLed gold
deposlLs locaLed 16 km norLh of Carlln, nv and ls crosscuL by numerous lgneous dlkes LhaL
lnfluence ore grade and locaLlon. 1he age, composlLlon, and geochemlsLry of Lhese dlkes are
noL known. l hypoLheslze LhaL geochronology wlll show Lhere are Lwo ages of lgneous lnLruslve
rocks presenL aL Leevllle: Locene and Mlocene, and Lhe local rocks correlaLe Lo slmllar lgneous
rocks ln Lhe reglon. eLrography and ma[or and Lrace elemenL geochemlsLry wlll esLabllsh Lhe
exLenL Lo whlch boLh seLs of dlkes are hydroLhermally alLered, and Lherefore wheLher Lhey had
an effecL on Lhe gold mlnerallzaLlon aL Leevllle. 1he Locene magmaLlsm ls hypoLheslzed Lo be
Lhe drlvlng force behlnd Lhe hydroLhermal sysLem and was Lhe source of Lhe mlnerallzaLlon aL
Leevllle.

+,%-$./0%)$, 1,. 21%)$,13' 4$- %&' 5-$6'0%
Cold ls an lmporLanL commodlLy ln our modern world, noL [usL ln [ewelry and currency,
buL more lmporLanLly ln lLs use ln nexL generaLlon elecLronlcs. 1he prlmary source of gold ln Lhe
unlLed SLaLes (74) ls Lhe sLaLe of nevada (www.uSCS.gov, 2012), wlLh Lhe vasL ma[orlLy of lL
belng produced ln a small area norLh of Carlln, nv, ln an area referred Lo as Lhe Carlln 1rend".
1hls area lays hosL Lo some of Lhe rlchesL deposlLs of gold ln Lhe world, and ls ofLen referred Lo
as Lhe modern gold rush". 1hls 3600 km
2
reglon has producLlon and proven reserves of 2,640
Lons of gold. 1hus, lL ls lmporLanL Lo undersLand Lhe naLure and orlgln of Lhese deposlLs (8essel,
2006).
ueposlLs along Lhe Carlln 1rend are referred Lo as Carlln-Lype gold deposlLs (C1Cus), and
are deflned as lower-aleozolc carbonaLe-hosLed dlssemlnaLed gold deposlLs. 1he gold occurs
as sub-mlcromeLer parLlcles ln pyrlLe, whlch were deposlLed by hydroLhermal flulds (MunLean,
2011). 1he orlgln of Lhe hydroLhermal flulds remalns conLroverslal, owlng Lo Lhe complex
sLrucLural and magmaLlc hlsLory of Lhls reglon of nevada. 1he sLrucLurally hlsLory can be
summarlzed lnLo Lhree dlsLlncL LecLonlc evenLs: orogeny ln Lhe laLe !urasslc, whlch Lhlckened
Lhe crusL, anoLher orogenlc crusLal Lhlckenlng evenL ln Lhe CreLaceous Lo early 1erLlary, and an
exLenslonal evenL LhaL began ln Lhe laLe Locene Lo early Cllgocene (1horman, 1990).
MagmaLlsm occurred conLemporaneously wlLh all Lhree LecLonlc evenLs, and lgneous rocks of
!urasslc, CreLaceous, Locene, and Mlocene age can be observed LhroughouL Lhe Carlln 1rend.
MlnerallzaLlon of gold along Lhe Carlln 1rend ls generally accepLed Lo have occurred durlng Lhe
Locene (8essel, 2006) and ls mosLly conLrolled by Lhe sLrucLural condulLs, barrlers and lgneous
dlkes presenL LhroughouL Lhe reglon (ChrlsLensen, 1996).
1hls proposed research pro[ecL focuses on newmonL Mlnlng CorporaLlon's Leevllle
Mlnlng Complex, whlch ls a hlgh-grade underground gold mlne slLuaLed approxlmaLely 16 km
norLh of Carlln, nv along Lhe Carlln Lrend. Leevllle consLlLuLes Lhree maln gold deposlLs: WesL
Leevllle, 1urf and lour Corners. 1hese are C1Cus and are hosLed by domlnanLly flaL-lylng, sllLy
llmesLone of Lhe upper Sllurlan-uevonlan 8oberLs MounLalns lormaLlon (McCann, 2010). Many
of Lhe ma[or faulLs and dlkes wlLhln Lhe mlne lnfluence ore grade and locaLlon.
l propose Lo conducL a peLrographlc and geochemlcal analysls of Lhe dlkes, along wlLh
age deLermlnaLlons by analyzlng u and b lsoLopes ln zlrcon. 1he acqulred daLa wlll Lhen be
used Lo relaLe reglonal magmaLlsm Lo local mlnerallzaLlon, wlLh Lhe goal of deLermlnlng Lhe
currenLly unknown composlLlon of Lhe lgneous dlkes, presence of alLeraLlon, and Lhe age of
lnLruslon. undersLandlng Lhese lssues wlll allow for a more compleLe geologlc model, whlch has
Lhe poLenLlal Lo lncrease ore conLrol accuracy, as well as lmprovlng near-mlne exploraLlon
meLhods LhaL may lead Lo new hlgh-grade gold dlscoverles ln Lhe fuLure.

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Samples have already been collecLed and were Laken from varlous levels of Lhe
underground mlne, wlLh Lhe lnLenLlon of sampllng all ages and Lypes of lnLruslve rocks. A LoLal
of nlne samples were collecLed for deLalled analysls. newmonL's geologlsLs have asslgned
names Lo all dlkes, so once Lhe samples were collecLed Lhe proper names and sample numbers
accordlng Lo mlne level were asslgned. An example of Lhls ls Lhe sample number Lu-4100-136
aL 113', whlch sLands for Leevllle underground aL 4,100' above sea level ln drlfL 136 aL 113'
from Lhe measuremenL conLrol polnL. A sampllng sysLem such as Lhls allows for proper
placemenL ln Lhree-dlmenslonal space wlLhln Lhe mlne model, as well as Lhe ablllLy Lo connecL
lnLruslve dlkes based upon geochemlcal and peLrographlc daLa LhroughouL Lhe varlous levels of
Lhe mlne.
All collecLed samples wlll be processed ln Lhe unlverslLy of ldaho peLrology laboraLory
and prepared for peLrographlc Lhln secLlons. Lach lndlvldual rock sample wlll be cuL, uslng a
rock saw, lnLo a Lhln secLlon bllleL wlLh Lhe dlmenslons of 100mm x 46mm x 27mm. 1he
compleLed bllleLs wlll Lhen be commerclally prepared. upon recelvlng Lhe compleLed Lhln
secLlons, a deLalled mlneraloglcal analysls and descrlpLlon of each sample wlll be compleLed
uslng a polarlzlng llghL mlcroscope ln Lhe mlcroscopy lab. 1he descrlpLlon wlll lnclude Lhe
mlneral assemblage of each rock sample, as well as LexLural relaLlonshlps and vlslble alLeraLlon
of mlnerals. 1he peLrographlc descrlpLlons from Lhe Leevllle mlne wlll be compared Lo reglonal
peLrographlc daLa Lo esLabllsh poLenLlal correlaLlons and Lo consLraln Lhe peLrologlc evoluLlon
of Lhe magmas ln Lhls reglon.
Lach sample wlll be prepared for x-ray fluorescence (x8l) specLroscopy, Lhe mosL
robusL modern meLhod for deLermlnaLlon of ma[or and selecL-Lrace elemenL analysls. lor x8l
analysls, repeaL samples wlll be processed Lo ensure preclslon. 1he rocks wlll be crushed Lo a
flne powder, slmllar Lo Lhe conslsLency of flour, uslng a [awcrusher and shaLLerbox, boLh
avallable ln Lhe peLrology laboraLory. 1hls powder ls Lhen mlxed ln a raLlo of Lwo parLs powder
Lo one parL llLhlum LeLraboraLe, 7 grams Lo 3.3 grams. 1o ensure Lhe mlxLure ls compleLely
homogenous, Lhe powder ls Lhen placed ln an elecLrlc shaker for one mlnuLe. AfLer all samples
have been Lhoroughly mlxed, Lhey are carefully poured lnLo one-lnch dlameLer graphlLe
cruclbles and placed lnLo a 1,000C oven for 30 mlnuLes. 1hls allows Lhe samples Lo become
Lhoroughly vlLrlfled. Lach sample ls Lhen re-crushed, mlxed and re-fused Lo ensure
homogenelLy. 1he flnal resulL ls a homogeneous glass bead, whlch ls Lhen pollshed. Samples wlll
be analyzed ln WashlngLon SLaLe unlverslLy's CeoanalyLlcal LaboraLory, uslng Lhelr x-ray
fluorescence specLromeLer.
Age deLermlnaLlons on zlrcon wlll be Lhe flnal daLe acqulslLlon on Lhe Leevllle lgneous
dlkes. 1wo samples, whlch wlll be chosen from Lhe youngesL and oldesL seLs of dlkes, wlll be
selecLed for age deLermlnaLlons. 8oLh samples wlll be lndlvldually crushed and Lhe zlrcons
removed. 1he collecLed zlrcons wlll Lhen be mounLed ln epoxy and analyzed for u and b
lsoLopes by laser ablaLlon mass specLromeLry.
Cnce all peLrographlc, x-ray fluorescence specLroscopy, and zlrcon age daLlng daLa have
been collecLed, Lhey wlll be compared Lo publlshed daLa from Lhe reglon, whlch wlll be
reLrleved from Lhe onllne daLabase earLhchem.org".

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1hls research pro[ecL ls deslgned wlLh Lhe overall expecLed resulL of deLermlnlng a
relaLlonshlp beLween Lhe lgneous dlkes presenL ln Lhe Leevllle Mlnlng Complex and Lhe gold
mlnerallzaLlon. 1hln secLlon analysls ls a necessary Lool LhaL wlll allow for a deLalled comparlson
beLween Lhe lndlvldual samples and Lo compare Lhe geochemlcal slgnaLures Lo Lhe mlneral
assemblages and LexLures. l expecL Lo see Lwo separaLe composlLlons of lgneous rocks, relaLed
Lo wheLher Lhey are Locene or Mlocene ln age. Cenerally accepLed LecLonlc and orogenlc
evenLs durlng Lhese Llme perlods supporL Lhe presence of lgneous lnLruslons, whlch should be
composlLlonally and mlneraloglcally dlsLlncLlve.
1he Mlocene rocks should have a geochemlcal slgnaLure comparable Lo oLher slmllarly
aged rocks ln Lhe reglon, whlch wlll supporL Lhe lnLerpreLaLlon LhaL Lhe magmas were derlved
from an exLenslonal LecLonlc seLLlng. ln order for Lhe mlnerallzaLlon and alLeraLlon aL Leevllle Lo
have orlglnaLed from Lhe Mlocene rocks, Lhe geochemlcal analysls should show enrlchmenLs or
depleLlons ln ma[or and Lrace elemenLs when compared Lo relaLed magmaLlc rocks. lf Lhe
Mlocene dlkes are younger Lhan Lhe hydroLhermal acLlvlLy, Lhen l expecL Lo see no slgnlflcanL
anomalles ln Lhe geochemlcal daLa and few alLeraLlon mlnerals ln Lhln secLlon, whlch wlll
supporL Lhe hypoLhesls LhaL Lhe Mlocene rocks were noL Lhe source of Lhe hydroLhermal flulds
LhaL deposlLed Lhe dlssemlnaLed gold aL Leevllle.
l expecL Lo measure depleLlon or enrlchmenL of Lhe ma[or and Lrace elemenL
concenLraLlons ln Lhe Locene rocks, however, relaLed Lo hydroLhermal alLeraLlon. Secondary
alLeraLlon mlnerals wlll also be apparenL by peLrographlc examlnaLlon, lndlcaLlng LhaL Lhe
hydroLhermal flulds were sourced from Lhe Locene dlkes. l wlll also be able Lo compare Lhe
geochemlcal slgnaLures and Lhln secLlon daLa Lo relaLed rocks from Lhe reglon. 1hls comparlson
wlll allow for a beLLer undersLandlng of Lhe mlnerallzlng flulds LhaL deposlLed such large
concenLraLlons of gold ln Lhls reglon of nevada.

9,%)0)#1%'. <)44)0/3%)'( 1,. 5$(()=3' 8$3/%)$,(
1he maln dlfflculLy LhaL ls anLlclpaLed ln Lhls research pro[ecL ls Lhe ablllLy, or lack
Lhereof, Lo dlsLlngulsh Lhe lgneous composlLlons from Lhe alLeraLlon geochemlsLry. When Lwo
phases of crysLalllzaLlon occur ln Lhe same rock, lL becomes dlfflculL Lo Lell whlch mlnerals
formed durlng prlmary crysLalllzaLlon of Lhe lnLrudlng magma or were from a secondary
hydroLhermal alLeraLlon eplsode. l wlll overcome Lhls expecLed obsLacle by conducLlng a careful
and deLalled peLrographlc descrlpLlon of each Lhln secLlon. 1hese observaLlons wlll allow me Lo
compare peLrographlc varlaLlons Lo ma[or and Lrace elemenL anomalles, and deLermlne whlch
geochemlcal sulLe and Lhln secLlon ls from Lhe unalLered lnLruslon and whlch has undergone
secondary alLeraLlon. l do noL anLlclpaLe lnsurmounLable dlfflculLles because all meLhods used
ln daLa collecLlon and analysls LhaL wlll be used are Lrled and proven Lo be successful. 1he
samples were collecLed uslng deLalled descrlpLlons of locaLlons, and newmonL Mlnlng
CorporaLlon has approved Lhe proposed research pro[ecL.




>)=3)$?-1#&"

ChrlsLensen, C. u. (1996). Carlln Lrend geologlc overvlew. !"#$% '(") *+"%#,--. /-0)#1%"+02
*#-$-34 51% 6(# 7#)-8"98 -: 9;# <0#("=51 /-(%"$$#(52 >? *(##1 51% @A >9(+;85=.#(2 @%"9-(82
*#-$-3"=5$ >-="#94 -: B#C5%5, 147-136.

Cllne, !. S., PofsLra, A. P., MunLean, !. L., 1osdal, 8. M., & Plckey, k. A. (2003). Carlln-Lype gold
deposlLs ln nevada: CrlLlcal geologlc characLerlsLlcs and vlable models. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34 DEE9;
511"C#(85(4 C-$+0#, 431-484.

de Almelda, C. M., Cllvo, C. 8., Choulnard, A., Weakly, C., & olrler, C. (2010). Mlneral
aragenesls, AlLeraLlon, and CeochemlsLry of Lhe 1wo 1ypes of Cold Cre and Lhe PosL 8ocks
from Lhe Carlln-1ype ueposlLs ln Lhe SouLhern arL of Lhe ColdsLrlke roperLy, norLhern
nevada: lmpllcaLlons for Sources of Cre-lormlng LlemenLs, Cre Cenesls, and Mlneral
LxploraLlon. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34, DEF(3), 971-1004.

Lmsbo, ., PofsLra, A. P., Lauha, L. A., Crlffln, C. L., & PuLchlnson, 8. W. (2003). Crlgln of hlgh-
grade gold ore, source of ore fluld componenLs, and genesls of Lhe Melkle and nelghborlng
Carlln-Lype deposlLs, norLhern Carlln Lrend, nevada. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34, GH(6), 1069-1103.

PelLL, u. C., uunbar, W. W., 1hompson, 1. 8., & !ackson, 8. C. (2003). Ceology and
geochemlsLry of Lhe ueep SLar gold deposlL, Carlln Lrend, nevada. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34, GH(6),
1107-1133.

Penry, C. u., & 8essel, M. W. (2000). Locene magmaLlsm of norLheasLern nevada: 1he smoklng
gun for Carlln-Lype gold deposlLs. *#-$-34 51% -(# %#)-8"98, 363-388.

!ackson, M., Lane, M., & Leach, 8. (2002). Ceology of Lhe WesL Leevllle deposlL. *@B@>I>, DD, 9.

McCann, S. (2010). J##C"$$# 0"1#K /;5$$#13# 51% -))-(9+1"94. Ceologlcal socleLy of nevada
symposlum 2010.

MunLean, !. L. (2011). MagmaLlc-hydroLhermal orlgln of nevada's Carlln-Lype gold deposlLs.
B59+(# *#-8="#1=#8, (4), 122-127.

8essel, M. W. (2006). lgneous geology of Lhe carlln Lrend. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34, DED(2), 347-383.

8essel, M. W., noble, u. C., Penry, C. u., & 1rudel, W. S. (2000). ulke-hosLed ores of Lhe 8easL
ueposlL and Lhe lmporLance of Locene magmaLlsm ln gold mlnerallzaLlon of Lhe Carlln 1rend,
nevada. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34, GF(7), 1417-1444.





Seedorff, L. (1991, Aprll). MagmaLlsm, exLenslon, and ore deposlLs of Locene Lo Polocene age ln
Lhe CreaL 8asln-MuLual effecLs and prellmlnary proposed geneLlc relaLlonshlps. ln *#-$-34
51% 6(# 7#)-8"98 -: 9;# *(#59 L58"1K *#-$-3"=5$ >-="#94 -: B#C5%5 >40)-8"+02 M#1-2 DGGD2
N(-=##%"138 (pp. 133-178).

1eal, L., & !ackson, M. (2002). Ceologlc overvlew of Lhe Carlln Lrend gold deposlLs. *-$% %#)-8"98
-: 9;# /5($"1 9(#1%K B#C5%5 L+(#5+ -: ?"1#8 51% *#-$-34 L+$$#9"1, DDD, 204.

1horman, C. P. (1990). $59# =#1-O-"=P0#8-O-"= 9#=9-1"=8 "1 1-(9;#589#(1 1#C5%5. Ceology and
ore deposlLs of Lhe greaL basln, 8eno, nv.

1osdal, 8. M., Cllne, !. S., lannlng, C. M., & Wooden, !. L. (2003). Lead ln Lhe CeLchell-1urquolse
8ldge Carlln-Lype gold deposlLs from Lhe perspecLlve of poLenLlal lgneous and sedlmenLary rock
sources ln norLhern nevada: lmpllcaLlons for fluld and meLal sources. @=-1-0"= *#-$-34, GH(6),
1189-1211.

Q838A3-C. (2011, uec 21). 8eLrleved from hLLp://mlnerals.usgs.gov/wesL/pro[ecLs/nngd.hLm


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8elow ls a deLalled descrlpLlon of all expenses assoclaLed wlLh Lhls proposed research pro[ecL.

LqulpmenL CompuLaLlon CosL
1hln SecLlon reparaLlon 9 samples x $18 $162
x-8ay lluorescence SpecLromeLer 10 samples x $10 $100
Zlrcon Age uaLlng 2 samples x $230 $300
Lab lees and MaLerlals 10 samples x $3 $30

resenLaLlon CompuLaLlon CosL
CSA SecLlon MeeLlng, Cunnlson, CC May 13-17 2013 $0
PoLel $106 x 2 nlghLs $212
Alrfare 8oundLrlp $437
osLer rlnLlng $30 x 1 posLer $30

1oLal CosL
$1,491