thumbnail

Geology and mineral resources of the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Oregon and Nevada), the Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada, and the Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada (and Utah) Sagebrush Focal Areas: Chapter B in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming

Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5089-B
Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management
By: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20165089B

Links

Summary

The U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A). The purpose of the proposed action is to protect the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and its habitat from potential adverse effects of locatable mineral exploration and mining. The U.S. Geological Survey Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA) project was initiated in November 2015 and supported by the Bureau of Land Management to (1) assess locatable mineral-resource potential and (2) to describe leasable and salable mineral resources for the seven SFAs and Nevada additions.

This chapter summarizes the current status of locatable, leasable, and salable mineral commodities and assesses the potential of selected locatable minerals in lands proposed for withdrawal that span the Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah borders. In this report, the four study areas evaluated were (1) the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex SFA in Washoe County, Nevada, and Harney and Lake Counties, Oregon; (2) the Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada SFA in Humboldt County, Nevada, and Harney and Malheur Counties, Oregon; (3) the Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada SFA in Cassia, Owyhee, and Twin Falls Counties, Idaho, Elko County, Nevada, and Box Elder County, Utah; and (4) the Nevada additions in Humboldt and Elko Counties, Nevada.

Suggested Citation

Vikre, P.G., Benson, M.E., Bleiwas, D.I., Colgan, J.P., Cossette, P.M., DeAngelo, J., Dicken, C.L., Drake, R.M., II, du Bray, E.A., Fernette, G.L., Glen, J.M.G., Haacke, J.E., Hall, S.M., Hofstra, A.H., John, D.A., Ludington, S., Mihalasky, M.J., Rytuba, J.J., Shaffer, B.N., Stillings, L.L., Wallis, J.C., Williams, C.F., Yager, D.B., and Zürcher, L., 2016, Geology and mineral resources of the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Oregon and Nevada), the Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada, and the Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada (and Utah) Sagebrush Focal Areas (ver. 1.1, October 28, 2016): U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–B, 224 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165089B.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Author Responsibilities.
  • Geology and Mineral Resources of the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Oregon and Nevada), the Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada, and the Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada (and Utah) Sagebrush Focal Areas
  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Description of Geology
  • Locatable Minerals
  • Leasable Minerals
  • Salable Minerals
  • Mineral-Resource Potential of the Study Area for the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex Sagebrush Focal Area, Nevada and Oregon
  • Introduction
  • Description of Geology
  • Mineral-Resource Potential
  • Mineral-Resource Potential of the Study Area for the Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada Sagebrush Focal Area, Nevada and Oregon
  • Introduction
  • Description of Geology
  • Mineral-Resource Potential
  • Mineral-Resource Potential of the Study Area for the Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada Sagebrush Focal Area, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah
  • Introduction
  • Description of Geology
  • Mineral-Resource Potential
  • Mineral-Resource Potential of the Nevada Additions Study Area
  • Introduction
  • Description of Geology
  • Mineral-Resource Potential
  • References Cited
  • Appendixes 1–5
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Geology and mineral resources of the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Oregon and Nevada), the Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada, and the Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada (and Utah) Sagebrush Focal Areas: Chapter B in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2016-5089
Chapter B
DOI 10.3133/sir20165089B
Edition Version 1.0: Originally posted October 4, 2016; Version 1.1: October 28, 2016
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Description Report: xx, 224 p.; 17 Figures; 2 Appendixes
Larger Work Type Report
Larger Work Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Larger Work Title Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5089)
Country United States
State Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details