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Silver and gold resources in New Mexico

McLemore, V. T
1New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
2SecondAffiliation
3ThirdAffiliation

New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Resource Map 21
2001

Abstract

Silver and gold occur in 163 mining districts or geographic locations in New Mexico. Production from most of these districts has been small.  More than 3.1 million ounces of gold and 115.8 million ounces of silver have been produced from New Mexico from 1848 through 1996. Thirteen districts have produced more than 3,400,000 ounces of silver each and together account for approximately 80% of the total silver production in New Mexico. Ten districts have produced more than 150,000 ounces of gold each and together account for approximately 96% of the total gold production in New Mexico.  These silver and/or gold occurrences are found in 14 distinct types of deposits ranging in age from Precambrian (Proterozoic) through Holocene. Deposits that have produced significant silver and/or gold as the primary product are placer, volcanic-epithermal, Great Plains Margin (alkalic-related), carbonate-hosted silver-manganese replacement, and Laramide vein deposits. Deposits that have produced significant silver and gold as byproducts of base-metal production include carbonate-hosted lead/zinc replacement, Laramide skarn, porphyry-copper, and Precambrian massive-sulfide deposits.  Other deposits with minor silver and/or gold production include copper-silver (±uranium) vein, Rio Grande Rift, Mississippi Valley-Type, sedimentary-copper, and vein and replacement deposits in Precambrian rocks.