Spring Valley Project

History

• The Spring Valley Mining District was discovered in 1868 and produced gold, silver, lead, mercury, copper, antimony and pinite (sericite-pyrophyllite) (Johnson 1973; Tingley 1992). The Bonanza King gold mine, discovered in 1868, was the first mineral location in the district (Johnson 1977). The mine was active from 1868 to 1885, then intermittently until 1910. Total production is unknown but is estimated to have been US$50,000 (Johnson 1973).
• Placer gold was discovered in Spring Valley Canyon in 1875. The placers were extensively worked from 1880 to 1890. The placer deposits are purported to have been the most productive in Nevada, with gold production estimated to have been close to US$10 million (Johnson 1973). At an average gold price of US$20.67/ounce (Only Gold 2020) this equates to approximately 483,793 ounces of gold.
• Dredging at Spring Valley took place from 1911 to 1914 by Federal Placer Mines Company, and again from 1947 to 1949 by Spring Valley Gold Dredging Company and Southwest Dredging Company (Johnson 1973). Total gold production from these companies is unknown but considered very minor.
• The Wabash mine was discovered in 1935 and in operation until 1938. The mine produced very minor amount of gold, silver, copper, and lead (Johnson 1977). Mercury was discovered in the district in 1906 and was first mined at the Kaolinite mine, with most of the production coming from the Hillside and Cinnabar City mines.
• Modern exploration at Spring Valley began in 1996 by Kennecott Minerals Company, which searched for the source of gold in the Spring Valley placer deposits. Subsequent programs were carried out by Echo Bay, Midway and Barrick.
• In 2015, Solidus Resources continued with additional exploration and study related activities, which included completion of 232 holes (totaling 190,814 ft), metallurgical testwork campaigns, geotechnical and hydrological modeling, as well as a Pre-Feasibility Study. In 2018, Solidus Resources began the permitting process for the proposed Spring Valley Mine, Nevada’s newest world-class gold mine. Studies and engineering activities are ongoing to support construction and operational planning.