Mineral Evolution Database
Created and maintained by the Mineral Evolution Project in partnership with RRUFF and mindat.
Mineral locality data provided by mindat.org



The Mineral Evolution database is currently under development.

The goal of this page is to present localities at which the mineral is found, and estimates of the oldest possible geologic age of the minerals at these localities.


Locality Name:
Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA

Oldest recorded age at locality: 1682
Youngest recorded age at locality: 3.33

mindat Locality ID: 36553
mindat URL: http://www.mindat.org/loc-36553.html

Tectonic Settings:

Total number of sublocalities beneath "Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA": 49
Total number of bottom-level sublocalities: 49

Number of Child Localities: 49
Child Localities:
Anderson Mine
Atomic Prospect (First Chance Group)
Azure Ridge Mine (Bonelli Mine)
Bauer Mine
Black Jack Mine (Bennett Mine)
Blue Chip Claim
Eureka Mine
First Chance Prospect
Frank Robbin Claim
Getchell Property
Gold Butte Mine
Gudice Claims
Hilltop Mine
Horse Springs Claims
Horseshoe Vermiculite Mine (Summit Group; Cascade Group)
Joker Mine
Jumbo Prospect
Kim Ball Magnesite Deposit (Kimmball)
Lakeshore Mine (Utah Group)
Lakeview Mine
Leeway Nos. 3-4-5
Lincoln Mine
Long Shot Prospect (Mutual Uranium Company)
Lookout Prospect
Lucky Bart Prospect
Marron Prospects
Mica Mountain Mine
Nevada Mica Mine
Old Dad Claim
Ole Mine (Big Thing Tunnel)
Quartz Quarry
Red Dot (Red Dot Aka Flow; Flow)
Ruby Spring
Snowflake Mine
South Valley No. 2 Claim
South Valley No. 4 Claim
Temple Bar
Tramp Mine (Tramp Miner Property)
Union Mine
Unnamed Placers
Unnamed Prospect (MRDS 10149393)
Unnamed Prospect (MRDS 10174098)
Unnamed Uranium Prospect (MRDS 10269984)
Uranium No. 1 Claim
Webster Mine (Radio Crystal Mine; New Era Mine)
Whitmore Property (Greenhorn Mine)
Windmill Mine (Finance Group)
Winona Group
Yellow Queen Claim

Latitude: 36°16'12"N
Longitude: 114°10'53"W
Decimal Degree (lat, lon): 36.27,-114.18138888889
AThis mineral is Anthropogenic.
GThis mineral is directly dated.
BThis mineral is reported as having this age.
YThis mineral is using an age reported as an element mineralization period.
OThis mineral is using an age calculated from all data at the locality.
RThe age displayed for this mineral originates from a different, non-child locality.
PThe age displayed for this mineral is the range of ages for this mineral at all of this locality's children.
This mineral's age has not yet been recorded.

This Mineral list contains entries from this locality, including sub-localities. Minerals in bold are reported by mindat.org as occurring directly at this locality, and do not occur at any children (sublocalities) of this locality.

Elements at this locality, including sub-localities: Al As Au Be C Ca Cu F Fe H K Mg Mo Nb O P Pb S Si U V W Y Zn Zr 

Elements from minerals reported directly at this locality: Al Be Fe K Mg O Si Zr 

Structural Groups for minerals in this locality: 
AllophaneAmorphousAndalusiteAutuniteBerylCalciteChalcopyriteClayClinozoisiteColumbite
CopperEpidoteFeldsparFluoriteGarnetMalachiteMeta-autuniteMicaNoneNot in a structural group
PyritePyroxeneQuartzRocksaltScheeliteSmectite-vermiculiteSphaleriteSpinelZircon

42 IMA Minerals at location:
Almandine  (*)Aurichalcite  (*)Autunite  (*)Azurite  (*)Beryl  (*)
Bornite  (*)Carnotite  (*)Chalcocite  (*)Chalcopyrite  (*)Chrysocolla  (*)
Clinozoisite  (*)Copper  (*)Cordierite  (*)Cuprite  (*)Diopside  (*)
Enstatite  (*)Epidote  (*)Fluorite  (*)Galena  (*)Gold  (*)
Hemimorphite  (*)Magnesite  (*)Magnetite  (*)Malachite  (*)Meta-autunite  (*)
Microcline  (*)Muscovite  (*)Olivenite  (*)Opal  (*)Orthoclase  (*)
Powellite  (*)Pyrite  (*)Quartz  (*)Samarskite-(Y)  (*)Scheelite  (*)
Sillimanite  (*)Smithsonite  (*)Sphalerite  (*)Tyuyamunite  (*)Uranophane-α  (*)
Vermiculite  (*)Zircon  (*)
Mineral nameStructural GroupsIMA FormulaMax Age (Ma)Min Age (Ma)# of Sublocalities containing mineralLOCALITY IDs, not mindat ids# of localities containing mineral
Almandine  (*)GarnetFe2+3Al2(SiO4)316823.3302353
Aurichalcite  (*)None(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6138113571235108919
Autunite  (*)AutuniteCa(UO2)2(PO4)2·10-12H2O1381135712351301272
Azurite  (*)Not in a structural groupCu3(CO3)2(OH)2138113574235106,235110,235125,2351435509
Beryl  (*)BerylBe3Al2Si6O1816823.3304286
Bornite  (*)NoneCu5FeS4138113573235106,235127,2351515516
Carnotite  (*)NoneK2(UO2)2(VO4)2·3H2O1381135712351191184
Chalcocite  (*)NoneCu2S1381135712351275707
Chalcopyrite  (*)ChalcopyriteCuFeS2138113578235106,235121,235125,235127,235135,235151,235152,23515327198
Chrysocolla  (*)Allophane(Cu2-xAlx)H2-xSi2O5(OH)4·nH2O138113574235108,235121,235125,2351513531
Clinozoisite  (*)Clinozoisite EpidoteCa2Al3[Si2O7][SiO4]O(OH)1381135712351181025
Copper  (*)CopperCu1381135712351103846
Cordierite  (*)BerylMg2Al4Si5O1816823.3301008
Cuprite  (*)Not in a structural groupCu2O138113572235125,2351432970
Diopside  (*)PyroxeneCaMgSi2O6138113572235120,2351384135
Enstatite  (*)PyroxeneMg2Si2O6138113571235120944
Epidote  (*)Epidote ClinozoisiteCa2(Al2Fe3+)[Si2O7][SiO4]O(OH)1381135712351188173
Fluorite  (*)FluoriteCaF2138113572235118,2351509617
Galena  (*)RocksaltPbS138113574235106,235135,235150,23515224243
Gold  (*)CopperAu138113573235124,235142,23514530554
Hemimorphite  (*)Not in a structural groupZn4(Si2O7)(OH)2·H2O1381135712351081689
Magnesite  (*)CalciteMg(CO3)138113572235109,2351231487
Magnetite  (*)SpinelFe2+Fe3+2O4138113573235118,235134,23514914899
Malachite  (*)MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2138113576235106,235108,235110,235117,235125,23514312537
Meta-autunite  (*)Meta-autuniteCa(UO2)2(PO4)2·6H2O138113571235130388
Microcline  (*)FeldsparK(AlSi3O8)138113572235118,2351384924
Muscovite  (*)Mica ClayKAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2161011853235118,235133,23513917380
Olivenite  (*)AndalusiteCu2(AsO4)(OH)138113571235108492
Opal  (*)AmorphousSiO2·nH2O1381135712351192994
Orthoclase  (*)FeldsparK(AlSi3O8)16823.3302349
Powellite  (*)ScheeliteCa(MoO4)138113571235131494
Pyrite  (*)PyriteFeS21381804.667235106,235116,235121,235135,235150,235152,23515339462
Quartz  (*)QuartzSiO21381804.6616235106,235112,235116,235118,235121,235122,235124,235128,235129,235135,235136,235144,235150,235151,235152,23515361156
Samarskite-(Y)  (*)ColumbiteYFe3+Nb2O8138113571235118353
Scheelite  (*)ScheeliteCa(WO4)1381135712351314894
Sillimanite  (*)Not in a structural groupAl2SiO516823.3301516
Smithsonite  (*)CalciteZn(CO3)1381135712351082473
Sphalerite  (*)SphaleriteZnS138113572235135,23515221482
Tyuyamunite  (*)NoneCa(UO2)2(VO4)2·5-8H2O138113573235111,235114,235154628
Uranophane-α  (*)NoneCa(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2·5H2O138113571235128890
Vermiculite  (*)Clay Smectite-vermiculiteMg0.7(Mg,Fe,Al)6(Si,Al)8O20(OH)4·8H2O138113571235120652
Zircon  (*)ZirconZr(SiO4)1450.0251449.97505251


Locality Notes from all Ages at Locality:
Age IDLocality Notes
Jen_00000571.5 miles from nearest exposed rapakivi granite
Jen_0000057a1.5 miles from nearest exposed rapakivi granite
Jen_0000058located in a tongue of country rock that is surrounded by rapakivi granite (2000 ft from nearest rapakivi pluton)
Jen_0000058alocated in a tongue of country rock that is surrounded by rapakivi granite (2000 ft from nearest rapakivi pluton)
Jen_0000122biotite granite


22 Ages assigned to this locality:

Excel IDMax Age (Ma)Min Age (Ma)Age as listed in referenceDating MethodAge InterpretPrioritized?Sample SourceSample NumRun NumAge from other LocalityDated MineralMinerals explicitely stated as having this ageAge applies to these ElementsMinDat Locality IDDated Locality (Max Age)Location as listed in referenceReferenceReference DOIReference IDAge Notes
Bradley_2012_045138113571369±12Ar/Ar muscovite   Muscovite  36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA[Gold Butte]McCauley and Bradley (2014)10.3749/canmin.52.2.183CM52_183 
Giersdorf_000004753.913.693.8±0.11K-Ar  UAKA-65-09    36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USAGrand Wash BayShafiqullah et al. (1980) AGSD12_201 
Giersdorf_000004764.253.333.79±0.46K-Ar  UAKA-64-08    36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USASandy PointShafiqullah et al. (1980) AGSD12_201 
Jen_0000059103210321032Rb-Srage of intrusionmicroclineN-6  Microcline  36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USAGold ButteWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
Jen_0000059a103110311031Rb-Srage of intrusionmicroclineN-29  Microcline  36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USAGold ButteWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
Jen_0000059b106110611061Rb-Srage of intrusionmicroclineAV-40  Microcline  36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USAGold ButteWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
Jen_00001221450.0251449.9751450±0.025U-Pb zircon   Zircon  36553Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USAGold Butte Biotite Granite, NevadaAnderson (1983)10.1130/MEM161-p133GSAM161_133anorogenic
USGS-Rb-Sr-016141010.221010.221010.22Rb-Srage of intrusionmicrocline   Microcline  61441Gold Butte Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-01615804.66804.66804.66Rb-Sr biotite     61441Gold Butte Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016281009.251009.251009.25Rb-Srage of intrusionmicrocline   Microcline  61441Gold Butte Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
Jen_0000058133511851335-1185K-Ar/Rb-Srage of intrusionmuscoviteN-23  Muscovite  61695Nevada Mica Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USANevada Mica MineWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
Jen_0000058a16827851682-785K-Ar/Rb-Srage of intrusionmicroclineN-25  Microcline  61695Nevada Mica Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USANevada Mica MineWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
Jen_0000057161013851610-1385K-Ar/Rb-Srage of intrusionmuscoviteN-10  Muscovite  61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USASnowflake MineWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
Jen_0000057a139013531390-1353K-Ar/Rb-Srage of intrusionbiotiteN-11    61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USASnowflake MineWasserburg and Lanphere (1965)10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[735:ADITPO]2.0.CO;2GSAB76_735intrusion of younger granite into older metamorphic terrain
USGS-Rb-Sr-016161670.981670.981670.98Rb-Srage of intrusionmicrocline   Microcline  61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016171576.031576.031576.03Rb-Srage of intrusionmuscovite   Muscovite  61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016181324.451324.451324.45Rb-Srage of intrusionbiotite     61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016191481.31181.31331.3±150Rb-Sr microcline   Microcline  61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016201505.281345.281425.28±80Rb-Srminimum age of intrusionmicrocline   Microcline  61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016211415.491415.491415.49Rb-Sr biotite     61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016221415.491415.491415.49Rb-Sr plagioclase     61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 
USGS-Rb-Sr-016241677.021677.021677.02Rb-Srage of metamorphic crystallizationwhole rock     61694Snowflake Mine, Gold Butte District, Clark Co., Nevada, USA USGS-Rb-Sr USGS-Rb-Sr 

SampleSource LocalityReference URL

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