LONE SOUTH 1 MINE CLAIM
The Lone South 1 mine claim consists of one (1) unpatented lode claim covering 20.66 acres on federal land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The Lone South 1 claim is located in the Lone Mountain Mining District in Esmeralda County, Nevada.
Lone Mountain has known deposits of silver, lead, zinc, copper, gold, barite, and turquoise.
The Lone South 1 claim has four (4) mapped adits (horizontal mine openings) and numerous prospect pits and other workings. The mines were in production from 1903 to 1918.
Edward Phariss wrote his Master’s Thesis on the Alpine District which included geological examination of the Lone South mines. Assays taken on the Lone South veins show average grades of 22 oz/ton silver and .55 oz/ton gold.
Location and Access: Starting at the Tonopah, Nevada take US Highway 6 west about 25 miles. Take a turnoff to the south (Lat: 38.052144°, Long: -117.656903°). Take dirt roads to the claim about 7 miles (south then east). A dirt road intersects the claim. In addition to dirt roads, there are also navigable washes that connect the mines of the district.
GPS Coordinates: Lat: 38.0244°, Long: -117.54579° (western adits)
Mining and Exploration Potential: The original high-grade ore at Lone South was in flat lying veins along bedding planes. The veins were described as silver-gold-lead-zinc in carbonates.
Two ideas present themselves for further development of the claim: 1) find additional high-grade deposits of the silver-gold-lead-zinc carbonates; and/or 2) explore for a disseminated, low-grade gold deposits.
Phariss notes in his report the importance of structure for localizing the veins. Ore tended to be found in intersections between the mineralized bedding planes and high angle shear zones. Mapping sub-surface structure using geophysical methods could locate new areas for development.
Most of the mining and exploration at Lone South was focused on the Precambrian Reed Dolomite formation, however, the underlying Wyman Formation is also a good host rock and has the potential for a large, bulk tonnage gold deposit. The Wyman Formation is the host rock for the Mary & Drinkwater / Mineral Ridge Deposit near Silver Peak (~1 Moz gold deposit).
Finally, there could be the potential for turquoise and jasper. Lone Mountain is one of the top turquoise districts in southern Nevada. There are a few operating turquoise properties in this district.
The unique character and high grade of the veins could produce some valuable specimen ore which could be mined with a small operation. Silver chloride (cerargyrite) and crystalline cerussite ores are always in demand as specimens.
The adits are accessible and the veins can be readily identified.
There is open ground nearby if you wanted to expand this property.
Mexican miners made the first discoveries in the Lone Mountain District in 1863. The district was described as abandoned by 1866, but was re-opened in 1878. Early activity was probably near the south side of Lone Mountain.
In 1927, there were gold discoveries at Weepah Hills. Frank Horton discovered and developed some of the original deposits with small shafts. These mines were operated until 1934 when they were purchase by the Weepah Nevada Mining, which operated it until 1938. During this period it was one of the largest gold producers in Nevada. This was the first open-pit gold mine in the district and could be the model for additional discoveries.
In 1920, turquoise was discovered at Lone Mountain by Lee Hand, one of Nevada’s turquoise pioneers. Turquoise production continues in the Lone Mountain district to this day.
The Lone Mountain District and the surrounding area has attracted both major and junior miners conducting exploration programs. New discoveries have been made in recent years near Tonopah, Silver Peak, Goldfield and Bullfrog / Beatty.
Regional Geology: The Lone South 1 claim is located in the Walker Lane mineral belt within the Basin and Range physiographic province. The Basin and Range province covers most of Nevada and consists of narrow NE trending mountain ranges between flat, arid valleys and basins. The Walker Lane mineral belt is an area with a high density of parallel strike-slip faults extending from Reno to Las Vegas roughly along the California- Nevada border. Faulting and volcanic activity make the Walker Lane favorable for hosting gold and silver deposits including some of the most famous precious metal mining districts in the US including the Comstock, Goldfield, Tonopah, Bullfrog, Mineral Ridge, and Round Mountain.
Local Geology: Lone Mountain is a Cretaceous intrusive surrounded by folded Precambrian and Cambrian sediments. Younger Tertiary intrusives outcrop in the foothills to the northeast of Lone Mountain.
There are four primary areas of mineralization in the Lone Mountain District: 1) the Alpine District on the western flank of Lone Mountain (where the Apline Eagle 1 claim is located); 2) the eastern foothills; 3) Southern Lone Mountain; and 4) Weepah Hills.
The western contact area consisting of the Alpine and Lone South Mines is where the intrusive volcanic rocks meet the Precambrian sediments.
Deposits occur along the contact zone in the Precambrian host rocks. Both the Reed Dolomite and the underlying Wyman Formation are reactive carbonate host rocks that have hosted large gold and silver deposits throughout southern Nevada.
The Precambrian rocks are folded and faulted. The Alpine District occurs on the western rib of a southeastern trending anticline.
Silver chlorides were an important component of the ore.
In addition to high grade silver there has been some evidence that low grade, disseminated gold deposits may exist in stratas below the Reed Dolomite. Silicification and the presence of jasper – important guides to the exisitence of disseminated gold in Nevada are present in the Alpine District.
Developing disseminated gold targets at Lone Mountain would be high priority.
Available Reports:
Albers, J.P., Stewart, J.H., “Geology and Mineral Deposits of Esmeralda County, Nevada”, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 1972. Pages 52-53, 69-70.
Lincoln, Francis Church, ‘Mining Districts and Mineral Resources of Nevada’, Nevada Publications. 1923. Pages 77-79.
Morrissey, Frank R., ‘Turquoise Deposits of Nevada’, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Report 17. 1968. Pages 10-11
Phariss, Edward Irvin, ‘Geology and Ore Deposits of the Alpine Mining District, Esmeralda County, Nevada’, Masters Thesis for University of Nevada, Reno. 1974. 114 pages.
Sonderman, Frank James, ‘Geology of the Weepah Mining District, Esmeralda County, Nevada’, Masters Thesis for University of Nevada, Reno. 1971. 94 pages.
FAQ
Why Nevada?
Nevada is consistently ranked as one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world for being mining-friendly and continuing to produce major discoveries. If Nevada was a country it would be the 5th largest gold producer in the world (after Australia, Canada, China, and Russia). Nevada is home to the Carlin Trend, the Cortez Trend, the Walker Lane Trend, the Getchell Trend and many other prolific gold producing regions. In addition to gold Nevada also has major mines producing silver, copper, lithium, iron ore, magnesium, gems and many other minerals. Nevada is 85% owned by the federal government and most of this land is available for claim staking. This means some of the best mining ground in the world is open to small prospectors – a very unique situation. There are many mining companies active in Nevada and therefore, multiple potential buyers for any discovery you make. Canadian based junior exploration companies are particularly active in Nevada.
Why Buy a Claim?
Buying a claim is a great way to get started in mining and prospecting. Buying a claim that is professionally staked reduces your upfront work and the risk of making a mistake on your paperwork or in the field. Our claims are in areas with historical mining activity and most have numerous pits, shafts, and adits to explore. Finding these claims takes lots of research that is already done for you. The best place to find gold (and silver) is where people have already found it!
Why Us?
I have been working in mineral exploration in the southwestern United States and Alaska for 21 years. I have co-founded four junior mining companies and managed numerous drilling and exploration projects. I have worked with large and small mining companies and know what types of projects they are looking for that can be advanced by small prospectors. I have also worked on small hardrock production projects. I usually try to find claims that have known high grade veins that can be produced and that also have some exploration upside. We stand by our claims and fix any problems that come up. We can also help you with your annual filings. All our claims have a BLM serial number and can be found on the U.S. BLM MLRS website database. We hire the same professional claim staking companies that the large mining companies hire and all the claims have professionally drafted and accurate maps.
How is ownership of the claim transferred?
Ownership of mining claims is transferred with a Quit Claim Deed which we prepare. We pay all claim transfer fees and file the claim transfer paperwork with the BLM and Esmeralda County. The BLM takes about 2-3 weeks to process the claim transfer request and register the claim in your name. The Esmeralda County Recorder usually returns the stamped Quitclaim Deed the same day if it is filed electronically. Once the transfer is complete we will send you all the original documents including the file stamped Quit Claim Deed, the original location notices and claim maps.
How Much are the Annual Claim Fees?
The BLM charges a $200 per claim annual maintenance fee which is due on September 1st each year. The BLM fees can be paid online through their claim management portal. Esmeralda County requires that a Notice of Intent to Hold form is filed the first year by Nov 1st along with payment of the recording fee of $12 plus $12 per claim.
If you own less than 10 mining claims you can qualify for a waiver of the annual maintenance fee by filing a Small Miner’s Waiver. However, the Small Miner’s Waiver requires that you perform $100 in labor or improvements on the claim each year.