Meikle Mine

Meikle Mine
Name	Meikle Mine
Location	Nevada, United States
Owner	various (e.g., Barrick, Kinross, independent contractors)
Products	Gold, silver, tellurium
Opening year	1990s

Meikle Mine is an underground gold-silver-tellurium mine in northern Nevada, United States, located within a prolific mining district near the Carlin Trend and adjacent to several major mining operations. The project has been operated by multiple companies over time and has been referenced in relation to regional exploration programs, environmental reviews, regulatory actions, and community impacts tied to rural mining activity.

Introduction

The site lies in the Great Basin region of Nevada and is part of an extensive mineral belt that includes the Carlin Trend, Battle Mountain-Eureka trend, Getchell Trend, Roberts Mountains, and deposits associated with the Nevada Goldfields. Nearby communities and features linked in literature include Elko, Nevada, Wells, Nevada, Ely, Nevada, Carlin, Nevada, Wadsworth, Nevada, and Reno, Nevada. The mine has been discussed alongside major industry players like Barrick Gold, Kinross Gold, Newmont Corporation, Goldcorp, Coeur Mining, and exploration-focused firms such as Newcrest Mining and Silver Standard Resources.

History

Initial exploration activity around the property was recorded during the late 20th century and intensified during the 1990s and 2000s, coinciding with expansion by companies like Barrick and Newmont across the Nevada gold province. Ownership and operational arrangements have shifted among junior explorers, private equity-backed entities, and mid-tier producers including Kinross and other contractors. The project has been included in permitting and environmental review processes with agencies such as the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, the United States Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Legal and regulatory interactions invoked statutes and precedents involving the National Environmental Policy Act, state mining statutes, and case law referenced in county-level hearings in Elko County and proceedings involving the Nevada State Engineer.

Geology and Mineralization

Geologically, the deposit is characterized within the setting of Nevada’s Paleozoic stratigraphy and hydrothermal alteration systems analogous to deposits on the Carlin Trend and in the Battle Mountain-Eureka trend. Host rocks cited in technical reports include silty carbonate units, calcareous mudstones, and silicified siltstones comparable to units described in regional studies by the United States Geological Survey and academic work from University of Nevada, Reno. Mineralization styles referenced include fine-grained disseminated gold associated with arsenic-antimony-tellurium pathfinder associations similar to deposits exploited by Newmont Corporation at Carlin Mine and Gold Quarry. Structural controls include faulting and breccia zones similar to those mapped in the Independence Range and Ruby Mountains regions.

Operations and Production

Operations have involved underground development, lateral headings, cut-and-fill and longhole stoping methods used by many Nevada underground operations such as Pipeline Mine and Goldstrike Mine. Milling and processing approaches referenced in industry reports include refractory treatment through roasting and pressure oxidation (as used historically by Barrick in other projects), carbon-in-leach circuits like those at Round Mountain, and heap leaching applied elsewhere by Nevada Gold Mines. Production figures and reserve estimates have been reported variably in company releases and technical reports and compared with nearby operations such as Carlin Mine, Goldstrike, Getchell, and Phoenix Mine. Contractor services named in documentation include mining contractors common to the region, hauling and concentrate transport providers, and assay laboratories associated with Inspectorate-type services and university analytical partnerships.

Environmental and Regulatory Issues

Environmental topics associated with the project include water rights and groundwater drawdown issues adjudicated by the Nevada State Engineer, permitting under the Clean Water Act and consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for habitat impacts. Environmental reviews have required engagement with county governments like Elko County and state bodies including the Nevada Division of Water Resources and Nevada Department of Wildlife. Community groups and advocacy organizations such as Great Basin Resource Watch and regional conservation NGOs have participated in public comment processes. Reclamation planning has invoked standards analogous to those applied at Round Mountain and Barrick Goldstrike reclamation projects, and monitoring programs have referenced protocols used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and state environmental agencies.

Safety and Incidents

Safety records and incident reporting have been part of mine oversight, invoking standards from agencies and organizations including the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and industry associations such as the National Mining Association. Incidents and emergency responses in the region have sometimes involved coordination with local fire departments in Elko County and state emergency services. Investigations into accidents historically reference procedures similar to those documented following events at other Nevada underground operations and engage forensic mining engineers and occupational health specialists from institutions such as the University of Nevada, Reno.

Economic and Community Impact

The mine’s economic footprint is considered in relation to county revenues, employment, and contracting with local businesses in towns like Elko, Nevada, Carlin, Nevada, and Wells, Nevada. Fiscal impacts relate to mining taxes and payments under state frameworks, compared to contributions from larger operations such as Newmont Corporation and Barrick Gold. Workforce training programs and community partnerships have paralleled initiatives run by institutions such as Great Basin College and workforce development agencies in collaboration with industry trade groups like the Nevada Mining Association. Socioeconomic assessments have considered effects on housing markets, infrastructure, and services similar to studies performed for other Nevada mining projects.

Category:Mines in Nevada