Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 1995

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Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995
By Lorre A. Moyer Open-File Report 04-xxx Digital
Movie, Version 1.0 2004 U.S. Department of the
Interior
U.S. Geological
Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological
Survey
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Introduction
This digital movie was created in Microsoft
PowerPoint 2000 to visually describe historical
factors that have influenced patterns of Nevada
mining including, transportation routes, major
historical events, significant mineral deposits,
mining districts, mineral production, and
precious metal booms. The movie includes shorter
animated subsets that the viewer can select from
a set of menu buttons.
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Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995
Precious metal mines and mining camps dominated
Nevadas early history until WWI. Base metal
surpassed precious metal production during the
war and post-war years to the early 1960s. Due
to new technologies and high gold prices,
precious metal production reached new highs
during early 1990s.
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Patterns of Nevada Mineral Activity
Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995
Low prices and environmental regulation brought
about the decline in precious metal production by
1995. More recently Nevadas fast growing
population and urban infrastructure has created
an increasing demand for industrial minerals.
Nevadas three major boom periods were known as
the Comstock, the Tonopah-Goldfield, and the
Carlin.
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Patterns of Nevada Mineral Activity
Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995
This digital movie depicts the significant
activity cycles in Nevada during the period 1851
1995 for Precious metals (silver and gold)
Base metals (copper, lead, zinc and tungsten)
Industrial minerals (such as sand, clay, gypsum
and barite) The relationships between
transportation routes, mineral exploration and
production, active mining districts, and
population growth or decline are shown by decade.
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Pre-production
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Production
Pre-production
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Production
Production
Pre-production
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Production
Production
Production
No Production
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Production
Production
Production
No Production
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Production
Production
Production
No Production
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Movie Menu Options
The movie menu that follows allows navigation to
shorter subsets of the main movie including
animations of major mines, major mining
districts, mineral production, and links to
decade time periods. Each subset will loop
unless the return to the main menu button is
selected. Exit the movie at any time by right
clicking the mouse. Settings for the length of
time taken by each frame can be adjusted in
PowerPoint.
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Movie Menu Click button to view action animations
or full length movie.
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Pre-1850
Early Trails and Westward Migration
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Pre-1850
Early Trails and Westward Migration
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1851-1860
Civil War The Comstock Gold and Silver Discovery
Comstock
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1851-1860
Civil War The Comstock Gold and Silver Discovery
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1851-1860
Civil War The Comstock Gold and Silver Discovery
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1851-1860
Civil War The Comstock Gold and Silver Discovery
Return to time links
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1861-1870
Comstock Boom - Railroads Help Mineral Exploration
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1861-1870
Comstock Boom - Railroads Help Mineral Exploration
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1861-1870
Comstock Boom - Railroads Help Mineral Exploration
Return to time links
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1871-1880
Domestic Market Expands Precious Metals Peak
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1871-1880
Domestic Market Expands Precious Metals Peak
Return to time links
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1881-1890
Depression Begins Population Production
Decline
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1881-1890
Depression Begins Population Production
Decline
Return to time links
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Tonopah
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1891-1900
1893 Financial Collapse Tonopah Silver Discovery
Tonopah
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1891-1900
1893 Financial Collapse Tonopah Silver Discovery
Return to time links
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Tonopah
Goldfield
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1901-1910
1907 Recession Tonopah Goldfield Boom
Tonopah
Goldfield
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1901-1910
1907 Recession Tonopah Goldfield Boom
Return to time links
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1911-1920
WWI Lincoln Highway Precious Base Metals Up
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1911-1920
WWI Lincoln Highway Precious Base Metals Up
Return to time links
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1921-1930
Post War Expansion to Depression Base Metal holds
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1921-1930
Post War Expansion to Depression Base Metal holds
Return to time links
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1931-1940
Great Depression Slight Increase in Precious
Metals
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1931-1940
Great Depression Slight Increase in Precious
Metals
Return to time links
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1941-1950
WWII Base Metal/Industrial Mineral Activity
Increases
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1941-1950
WWII Base Metal/Industrial Mineral Activity
Increases
Return to time links
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1951-1960
The Korean War Base Metal Production Peaks
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1951-1960
The Korean War Base Metal Production Peaks
Return to time links
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Carlin
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1961-1970
Economic Technology Boom Carlin Gold Discovery
Carlin
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1961-1970
Economic Technology Boom Carlin Gold Discovery
Return to time links
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1971-1980
Vietnam War High Inflation Industrial
Minerals Up
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1971-1980
Vietnam War High Inflation Industrial
Minerals Up
Return to time links
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Carlin Trend
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1981-1990
Gold Prices Soar The Carlin Boom Decline
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1981-1990
Gold Prices Soar The Carlin Boom Decline
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1981-1990
Gold Prices Soar The Carlin Boom Decline
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1981-1990
Gold Prices Soar The Carlin Boom Decline
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1981-1990
Gold Prices Soar The Carlin Boom Decline
Return to time links
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1991-1995
Regulation Low Prices Mineral Activity
Decreases
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1991-1995
Regulation Low Prices Mineral Activity
Decreases
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1991-1995
Regulation Low Prices Mineral Activity
Decreases
Return to time links
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Comstock boom
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Tonopah- Goldfield boom
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Tonopah- Goldfield boom
Comstock Boom
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Tonopah- Goldfield boom
Comstock Boom
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Tonopah- Goldfield boom
Comstock Boom
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Carlin boom
Tonopah- Goldfield boom
Comstock Boom
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Carlin boom
Tonopah- Goldfield boom
Comstock Boom
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Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995

• SUMMARY
• The 1859 silver discovery near Virginia City
  began the Comstock Boom.
• Most of Nevadas mining districts were
  discovered during the Comstock Boom and the
  Tonopah-Goldfield Boom aided by the development
  of the railroads.
• A period of decline from 1892-1899 due to a drop
  in silver prices and depletion of mines caused a
  population decrease.
• WWI stimulated mining by raising the price of
  silver and base metals.

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Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851-1995

• SUMMARY
• In 1933 a minor depressionera boom was set off
  by an increase in the price of gold contributing
  to early discoveries of invisible gold later to
  be called Carlin-type deposits.
• WWII increased the demand for all metals
  however, the War Production Board forced most of
  the gold mines to close to stimulate base metal
  production.
• Base metal production peaked during the 1950s
  copper was at its highest.
• The 1962 Carlin gold discovery began the Carlin
  Boom.

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Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995

• SUMMARY
• The demand for base metal remained high and
  increased for industrial minerals during the
  1970s Vietnam War.
• In 1972 the price of gold was released from
  government control, and Nevada led the nation in
  gold production in the 1980s.
• In the 1990s lower prices and environmental
  regulation brought a decline in precious metal
  production, and by 1992 the changing market
  conditions practically eliminated Nevadas base
  metal industry.

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Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995

• SUMMARY
• The demand for industrial minerals has steadily
  increased with Nevadas growing population and
  will most likely continue a steady upward trend.

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Patterns of Nevada Mineral Activity
Mining Activity in Nevada, 1851 - 1995
Data sources for this animation include the U.S.
Geological Surveys Digital Data Series DDS-52
and Open-File Report 98-206A, Nevada Bureau of
Mines and Geology Report 47 and unpublished
production tables, and the State of Nevada
Census. Thanks to Joe Tingley of the NBMG for
access to his unpublished production tables and
to Gary Raines of the USGS for constructive input
on design.
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Link to 1860
Civil War The Comstock Gold and Silver Discovery
Link to 1870
Comstock Boom - Railroads Help Mineral Exploration
Link to 1880
Domestic Market Expands Precious Metals Peak
Link to 1890
Depression Begins Population Production
Decline
Link to 1900
1893 Financial Collapse Tonopah Silver Discovery
Link to 1910
1907 Recession Tonopah Goldfield Boom
Link to 1920
WWI Lincoln Highway Precious Base Metals Up
Link to 1930
Post War Expansion to Depression Base Metal holds
Link to 1940
Great Depression Slight Increase in Precious
Metals
Link to 1950
WWII Base Metal/Industrial Mineral Activity
Increases
Link to 1960
The Korean War Base Metal Production Peaks
Link to 1970
Economic Technology Boom Carlin Gold Discovery
Link to 1980
Vietnam War High Inflation Industrial
Minerals Up
Link to 1990
Gold Prices Soar The Carlin Boom Decline
Link to 1995
Regulation Low Prices Mineral Activity
Decreases
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