Mineral County, carved from Esmeralda County in 1911, was named so because of the heavily mineralized lands. From these lands, many a miner has made and lost their fortunes.
Today, mining is still prevalent. Many companies have been exploring our county in search of the next big “Eureka!”
Located in Lapon Canyon, Walker River Resources has started drilling for a gold project. The claim is located approximately 15 miles southwest of the Borealis Mine. The project consists of 96 claims that occupy 1,940 acres.
In a media statement, the company stated that the winter drilling campaign will focus on “infill and expansion of the Lapon Rose zone, whose different areas have shown anomalous gold values.”
Walker River Resources is also following up on drilling at a new discovery in the project’s Hole RC 17-19. They will also drill other target areas including previous workings.
“We are very excited and encouraged by these and past drill results which now confirm the potential of the project. The planed drilling will continue to develop our understanding of the gold mineralization zones which appear to be open in all directions,” stated Michel David, president of Walker River Resources, president of the Vancouver based junior in a media brief.
Across the county, Newrange Gold Corp. has exploration plans in the Pamlico area. The Pamlico Gold project will focus on underground surveying and mapping of the 8,000 plus meters of historic underground mine workings; metallurgical test work; underground permitting bonding; core drilling in the Merritt area of Pamlico ridge and surface mapping and sampling of the entire strike length.
Pamlico was discovered in 1884 and was one of Nevada’s highest-grade gold districts. The project consolidates multiple historically productive mines with more than 300 individual mine workings on the property, a statement explained.
“I am very excited to have the funding for planned work programs, especially the detailed underground mapping and sampling, and look forward to the tremendous value it will add. By spending $300,000 to $400,000 we will generate data that would conservatively cost $5 to $6 million to generate by drilling with the added benefit of being able to physically walk in, touch it and look at it,” said Robert Carrington, President and CEO of the Vancouver, British Columbia company. The statement also explains that there is strong political support from Mineral County.
Isabella Pearl, near Luning, was recently acquired by Ely Gold Royalties Inc.‘s subsidiary company Nevada Select Royalty, Inc. who have 100 percent of all rights and interests in the 0.75 percent of the gross receipts royalty of the Isabella Pearl Property which is operated by Gold Resources Corp.
A statement explains that Ely Gold Royalties Inc.’s purchase of the Isabella Pearl Royalty marks the fifth transaction that the company completed in concert with Gold Resource Corp.’s consolidation of its Nevada Mining Unit.
“Total Ely Gold property sales to Gold Resource Corp. of $1,500,000 have created the following royalty structure: .75 percent gross receipts royalty on current reserves at Isabella Pearl; 2.5 percent net smelter return on the exploration ground at Isabella Pearl; 2.5 percent net smelter return at County Line; 2-3 percent net smelter return at Mina Gold and 2 percent net smelter return on certain claims at Camp Douglas.
“We are very pleased to add this near-term production royalty to our rapidly growing portfolio. Our relationship with GORO [Gold Resource Corp.] continues to be an important part of our strategic growth profile. The purchase of the Isabella Pearl near-term producing royalty, and the other development assets operated by GORO, are one of the important foundations of our royalty portfolio. In addition to GORO, several of our option partners have now purchased multiple properties on which we hold option contracts or royalties. The ongoing purchases of multiple projects speaks to the quality of our properties and supports Ely Gold’s unique option model for generating revenue and royalties.”
Under the agreement, Ely Gold will pay the owner a cash consideration of $300,000.
Global Geoscience, an Australian based lithium-boron developer is looking to “become a major player in the US for high-demand critical metals commodities,” a statement from the company explained.
“The pre-feasibility study…forecasts production to begin in 2021, and predicts at least a 30-year mine life, with the opportunity to extend and expand, producing 20,200 tonnes lithium carbonate and 173,000 tonnes boric acid per year. Boron has a number of industrial uses, including glass, ceramics and alloy,” the statement explained. The pre-feasibility study was conducted by Amec Foster Wheeler which supports the development of a new Australian-backed “$599 million lithium and boron mining and processing operation at the company’s 100 percent owned Rhyolite Ridge property.”
The company is targeting construction for 2019’s fourth quarter.
“Bernard Rowe of Global Geoscience stated, “The boron co-product will generate sufficient revenue to cover nearly all operating costs and thereby enable Rhyolite Ridge to be the lowest cost producer of lithium in the world.” Drilling at Rhyolite Ridge is currently in progress.
Rawhide Mining LLC. has also submitted an application for the Denton-Rawhide Mine. The project is in Mineral County, approximately 55 miles from Fallon. The application proposes development of “Regent area, additional facilities within the existing active Denton-Rawhide Mine operations area and expansion of the project area boundary. The proposed activities will disturb an additional 619.0 acres on public and private land and include construction of the Regent area pits and waste rock storage facility, haul and access roads, and expansion of existing waste rock storage and heap leach facilities.”
Comments for this project can be sent to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection before Dec. 7.
