WEST HOPE MINE
The West Hope mining 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 claims cover a former producing gold-silver mine in Esmeralda County, Nevada
The claim has about 10 small pits and trenches. Quartz veins are exposed by the workings. One sample of the dumps material ran 2 g/t gold and 22 g/t silver.
The Good Hope District produces some spectacular grades. Samples collected by prior exploration companies have ranged from 0.336 to 1.18 ounces per ton gold and 10 ounces per silver, and multi-percent copper.
I have gotten .94 ounces per ton on a nearby vein off White Wolf Canyon. I think you could find similar material at the West Hope with a little work.
Location and Access: From Las Vegas, NV head north on US Highway 96 for 164 miles. Take a left on NV Highway 266 W. Head west on Highway 266 for 54 miles. Take a right on White Wolf Canyon Road. Drive 6 miles directly to the first wash on your right – then drive .92 miles directly to the claim.
GPS Coordinates: Lat: 37.571323° Long: -117.861666° (Large Open Pit / Trench at Top of Hill – see pic).
Mining and Exploration Potential: The West Hope mine is located in a Good Hope District – which is an overlooked, but promising district near the California / Nevada border.
The veins at the West Hope are found near the contact between the quartz monzonite intrusive and the silicified limestones – but in the granites.
The veins are in gouge and breccia and steeply dipping. The veins can be 1-3 feet wide – and may widen at fault intersections or breccia zones.
The quartz can grade from glassy and slightly altered to heavily altered and vuggy. I think there is a geochemical transition somewhere on this claim where the gold might be best. That is what the old timers were probably searching for with the open pits.
However, I only too one sample from the waste dumps and it was .06 ounces per ton gold and .73 ounces per ton silver (~$400 per ton). Usually this means better material in an ore piles or actual veins.
Both soil sampling and geophysical methods should be effective in finding additional ore bodies.
There has been an uptick in interest in this area of Nevada since the recent discoveries at Tonopah and Goldfield. Properties in the Central Goldfield District recently sold for over $200 million.
A new discovery made here – whether high grade vein or open pit deposits – would have no problem finding a buyer.
The Good Hope District lies in southern Esmeralda County, Nevada. The Palmetto area was discovered in 1866 during post-Comstock rush. Mines in the area produced direct shipping ore until about 1880 then closed down until after 1900.
The Good Hope Mine was the first producer and shipped ore to Furnace Creek, California. This is another claim I own.
There was a revival after the discoveries of Tonopah and Goldfield in the 1900-1905. The nearby Windypah District was discovered in 1903. Many mines produced up until WWII when the gold mines were closed by government decree.
The mines in this area have often been one and two man operations. The Good Hope District Report from the Nevada Bureau of Mines mentions a small active mining operation in the 1980’s.
In 2010, Redstar Gold and a large mining company partner drilled the Oasis Divide project and discovered a large, but deep copper-gold porphyry system. Redstar Gold sold their Nevada portfolio to NV Gold in 2014 which currently owns the Oasis Divide property. The copper porphyry discovery shows the potential for this district and helps explain the abundant copper oxides in the veins.
Regional Geology: The West Hope Mine is located in the Walker Lane mineral belt which is part of 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: The Good Hope District encompasses the northwestern part of the Cretaceous to Jurassic Age Palmetto pluton and surrounding Cambrian metasediments.
The West Hope claim is near a contact between the quartz monzonite intrusive and limestones and shales – on the intrusive side.
Veins are in glassy iron stained quartz and with only limited sulphides.
The veins are in gouge zones and breccia.
Available Reports:
Albers, J.P. and Stewart, J.H., Geology and Mineral Deposits of Esmeralda County, Nevada, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 1972.
Jeanne, R.A., ‘Preliminary Report on the Exploration of the Heavy Rock Property, Esmeralda County, Nevada’, CR Exploration Company, 1983.
Lincoln, F.C., ‘Mining Districts and Mineral Resources of Nevada’. Nevada Publications. 1983 reprint of 1923 Original.
Patera, A., ‘Palmetto, Sylvania, and Tule Canyon, Nevada’, Western Places Vol. 11, No. 4, Western Places, 2022.
Tingley, J.V., Good Hope District Summary Report, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, 1983.
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 is where people have already found it!
Why Us?
I have been working in mineral exploration in the southwestern United States and Alaska for 23 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 the claims have professionally drafted and accurate maps.
How is ownership of the claim transferred?
Ownership of mining claims is transferred with a Quitclaim 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 and register the claim in your name. The Esmeralda County Recorder usually takes 1 day to process Quitclaim Deeds if they are electronically filed. Once the transfer is complete we will send you all the original documents including the file stamped Quitclaim 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.
Claim fees are next due September 1st, 2026.
International Buyers
International buyers must either have dual US citizenship and US address or have a US entity or company to own the claim.