Allaby, Michael and Allaby, Ailsa, eds. A dictionary of earth sciences. 1999: A dictionary of earth sciences,
   edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

American Mines Handbook. 2000:Toronto: Northern Miner Press. [mineral industries of US and Canada]

Bates, Robert L. And Jackson, Julia A. 1984: Dictionary of geological terms, third edition, Garden City,
   N.Y.: Anchor  Press, American Geological Institute. [found available from amazon.com for $15.95]

McGraw-Hill dictionary of earth science. 1996: McGraw-Hill Companies.

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

NBMG Publications through 1989--an annotated bibliography with index. 1991. Special Publication 12.
    [very detailed index]

Nevada’s metal and mineral production, 1850-1920. Bulletin 38. 1943. [excellent statistical summary]

Wooley.A. and A. Bishop. 1999: Cambridge guide to minerals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

American mines handbook. 2001: Toronto: Northern Miner Press. [annual]

Directory of Nevada mine operations. NV Dept. of Business and Industry. Division of Industrial Relations.
    2000 latest edition. [includes operation name, address, and commodity.
    775/ 684-7085 and request a free copy for your library.]

Major mines of Nevada. 1989- : Reno: NBMG. Pamphlet series. [1996+ available on web]

Service directory. 2000: Spokane, Wash.: Northwest Mining Association. [annual]

Western states mining & aggregates directory. 2001: Boise, Idaho: Graphic One.

California Division of Mines and Geology. [ excellent publications not entirely focused on California
    including emphasis on education:   http://www.consrv.ca.gov/dmg/index.htm]

Fiero, Bill. 1986: Geology of the Great Basin. Reno: University of Nevada Press.

Foster, R. P. ed. 1993: Gold metallogeny and exploration. New York: Chapman Hall.

Mitchell, James R. 1991: Gem trails of Nevada. Baldwin Park, CA: Gem Guides Book Co.
    [315 Cloverleaf Drive, Suite F, Baldwin Park, CA 91706]

NBMG publications including
    The `Geology and Mining of....county. [for each county in NV with accompanying maps]
    any NBMG title specifically on your county or locale.
    Mining districts of Nevada. Second Edition. 1998.
    publications on specific minerals and their occurrence including:
        Turquoise deposits of Nevada. 1968. Report 17.

Ororff, Richard L., Wieder, Robert W., and Filkorn, Harry F. 2001: Geology underfoot in central Nevada.
   Missoula, Mont.:Mountain Press. [406/728- 1900]

Osborn, H. S. 1987: The prospector’s field book and guide. Bradley, IL.: Lindsay Publications.
    [Lindsay Books, PO Box 12,Bradley, IL 60915       http://www.lindsaybks.com/prod/index.html ]

Cope, Louis W. And Rice, Lee R. 1992: Practical placer mining. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy,
        and Exploration. [800/763-3132]

Gajda, George J. 1982: Gold refining. Santa Monica, CA: George J. Gajda.
    [PO Box 1846, Santa Monica, CA 90406]

McCracken, David C. 1993: Gold mining in the 1990's: the complete book of modern gold mining
    procedure. Northridge, CA: Keene Industries.
    [Keene Industries, 9330 Corbin Ave., Northridge, CA 91324, 818/993- 0411]

Morrison, Paul D. 1997: Placer gold deposits of the Sierra Nevada. Baldwin Park, CA: Gem Guides Book Co.
        [ 315 Cloverleaf Dr., Suite F, Baldwin Park, CA 91706]

NBMG
    Mining claim procedures for Nevada Prospectors and miners. 4th ed. 1996. Special Publication 6
    Nevada Mining and You. 2nd edition. 1990. Special Publication 8.
    Gold from water and other scams. Special Publication 22. 1997. Web edition available
    State and Federal permits required in Nevada before mining or milling can begin. List-6. Updated
        periodically. Available on web.
    Placer mining in Nevada. Bulletin 27. W. O. Vanderburg.1938 [still a classic]

Winters, Wayne. 1991: How and where to pan gold. Tombstone, AZ: Tombstone Nugget Pub. Co.

NBMG
    The History of the Comstock Lode, 1850-1997, Grant H. Smith with new material by Joseph V. Tingley.
        1998.Special Publication 24
    Outline of Nevada mining history. Special Publication 15. 1993.
         Summary
    Mineral Industry of [year]. 1979- . Available on the web since 1994.

Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, Stanley W. Paher, and the accompanying Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps Illustrated Atlas.

Comstock Mining and Miners by Eliot Lord. 1883, 478p. This is a reproduction of the classic work.

Mining districts and mineral Resources of Nevada. Francis C. Lincoln. Reproduction of the classic work
    which provides a glimpse of the activity by each district, each county and bibliographic lists.
    Nevada Publications, Reno

Hamblin, Kenneth W. 1974: Roadside geology of U.S. Interstate 80 between Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
    Van Nuys, Calif.: Varna Enterprises

Ansari, Mary B. 2001: The place names of Lyon County, Nevada. Reno: Camp Nevada Monograph No. 10.
    [$14. Camp Nevada, 1496 Denali Court, Reno, NV 89506 775/349-1463.
    also: Places names of Storey County, Place names of Carson City]

Nevada Atlas and Gazetteer: detailed topographic maps, second edition. 2001: Yarmouth, Me: DeLorme
    Mapping Company.

NBMG
    Topographic map of Nevada. NBMG Map 43. 2nd edition. 1995. 1:100,000
    Million-scale geologic map of Nevada. 1977.
    Geologic maps of your immediate area. .
    Earthquakes in Nevada, 1852-1998. Map 119. 1999.
    Shaded relief map of Nevada. Map 71. 1981. 1:1,000,000
    Gold and silver occurrences in Nevada. Map 120. 1999.
    Urban area maps for your area [subjects vary]
    Rock Hounds Map of Nevada. Special Publication 1. 1975. 1:1,000,000
    Lake Tahoe 3-D shaded relief map. Special Publication 28. 2000. An award winner!
    USGS topo sheets of Nevada and Sierra

NDOT, Nevada Map Atlas, 2000, latest edition.

Raven Maps. Nevada. 1:550,000. Medford, OR. [42" x 52" - beautiful full-color shaded-relief:
    http://www.ravenmaps.com/]

USGS. Topographic sheets for you immediate area in 1:24,000, 1:250,000, and 1:100,000 scales. Indexes on line.

US Bureau of Land management. Land status map of Nevada. 1:100,000 [check with Reno office]

NBMG
Educational Series - geology, mining, classroom activities

Nevada Mining History: a documentary approach. 1980. NV Depts. of
    Education and Minerals. An educational guide to teaching units on 10      topics in Nevada history.

Earth Sciences Week [www.earthsciweek.org]

USGS - web site below

National Geographic - http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Geological Society of Nevada -technical and educational publications
http://www.gsnv.org/

Geological Society of America - technical and popular publications
http://geosociety.org

National Geographic - great source for maps and educational materials
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology [ http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/sales/index.php ]

Nevada Mining Association: http://www.nevadamining.org/

Nevada Publications - a publisher and sales source for NV mining and mining history and geology publications
    including out-of-print US Geological survey publications and many other classic reproductions and current
    popular works, and some listed above: http://www.ghosttowns.com/nevadapublications.html

US Geological Survey -- Huge source of publications and maps!   http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/

Welcome! This is Earth Science Week and appropriate to discuss information resources on mining and geology in Nevada.

Mining is a primary focus of industry in Nevada. The history and development of this state is closely tied to mining. Nevada has led the nation for several years in the production of gold, silver and barite. In 1997 Nevada’s mineral production reached an all-time high of $3.2 billion, the primary value of which continues to be in precious metal mining. Nevada is the third largest producer of gold behind South Africa and Australia. The mineral industry is a major economic force in Nevada despite downturns in the economy and the industry.

* * * *

Ten years ago, 1991, I participated in a similar presentation at NLA. I retrieved my notes and felt like I had stepped back into the `dark ages’ of library reference work.

While some of the information is still useful, although in need of updating, the presentation was archaic! Reference has changed immensely with the internet and the web. We no longer have to own all manner of materials- often we couldn’t purchase the information even we had the funds. Now we have links to so much information, much of which was never in print.

Actually, we are overwhelmed with the web. So, I have prepared a very selective summary of` less- technical’ information including a bibliography and web sites and I have posted this presentation on the DeLaMare Library web site given on your outline.

So, no need to try to write down URL’s! They are all included in the web site for this presentation along with many I won’t have time to mention.

Every source of mining related information for or in Nevada cannot be discussed today; I’m always discovering more. A patron needing to do in-depth geologic or mining research should be directed to the UNR or UNLV campus.

Please accept my apologizes for my northern bias. In preparing for this I realized just how severe they are and tried to compensate and I do promise to continue to add to the web site of this presentation; I would especially appreciate hearing about unique resources in your area.

* * * * * *

Patrons ask for information on mining activities, on Grandpa’s gold mine certificate found in the trunk, on the geology of specific locations, on maps of Nevada. Is my house built on a fault? On a flood zone? Students and teachers may seek information for a school paper or for a class taking a field trip.

What traditional and internet and special resources might be most helpful to the librarians of Nevada in responding to these inquires and needs?

* * * * *

SUBJECTS:

On what subjects might we reasonably be able to provide some information?

Accepting that we nor our patrons are probably geologists or mining engineers, what questions might we be able to answer and where might we direct patrons when more in-depth resources are needed?

Subjects to consider:

1.The geology of an area.

We have a lot of amateur geologists in the West who have some skill at reading a map and enjoy going into the field. And a lot of people who are just curious about this land or geologic hazards in their area or flood zones or earthquakes. And classes taking field trips and teachers preparing earth science materials. There are many basic, non-technical guides and there is a massive amount of material for teachers and students at various levels, much of it free and on the web.

To help our community patrons and our own staff, we provide a guide to geologic research on the DeLaMare web site. Geologic research is not easy; there is no one place to search to identify all possible geologic materials on a particular location. Your patrons will have to use many of these tools at UNR or UNLV.

2. Information on economically viable precious metals (e.g. gold, silver) and industrial materials such as gravel is a second subject to consider.

For instance, we often have questions regarding the prices of commodities > note state and commodity. The US Geological Survey maintains excellent sites by commodity. These sites duplicate the printed Mineral Industry Surveys which are in the DeLaMare Library. Looking at the site for Gold, included are statistics, references, contact people at the Survey for additional information and other relevant links. [scan gold site]

3. Mining history and companies.

Where to find details on mining history in Nevada?  What companies operated and what was the nature of their operations?

Many mining companies operate in this state: Who is mining what and where?

Mining stock information. Rarely does a week go by that we don’t have a patron or get a call or email from someone seeking information on an old stock certificate held in the family. Again, the DeLaMare Library has a guide to stock information and we mutually link to the NV State Division of Minerals. More on the resources of both shortly.

4. Mining processes; and this includes topics such as mine reclamation and abandoned mine hazards.

How do you go about placing a claim or panning for gold? Many processing manuals and traditional handbooks have remained viable for decades. There are numerous popular guides for searching for gold and silver along with materials published by the US Geological Survey and the (now defunct) US Bureau of Mines.

Those are a few key subjects; now, where might we find more information?

* * * * * *

RESOURCES

Resources are no longer easily distinguished by category--they are virtual and they are literal. Print, web, personal, all overlap as resources when you assist patrons on site or direct them beyond your library.

But, to describe them, I must still rely on a certain amount of categorizing-

I collect materials on Nevada mining and geology for the DeLaMare Library; `collect: today does not necessarily mean to purchase and have on hand a particular volume or journal. Today it means full-text journals and monographs online and links from our web sites. Most of us have used VF and flip files and possibly years of accumulated information stored in our gray cells to help patrons beyond using the card catalog--whether the catalog is online or not. I’ve found web sites often replace or at least supplement our resources. The problem, obviously, is to know about them among the millions of cites out there and to have them easily retrievable. You may find creating a list or information guide of appropriate agencies and their web sites and resources for your patrons a good way to provide this information for your locale.

A quick review of resources--virtual and literal:

A. Print reference tools, journals and monographs:

Reference tools include geologic and mining dictionaries, and handbooks, manuals, and encyclopedias and bibliographies, and directories of companies just as exist for most fields. I have listed several general titles in the bibliography which you might want to consider. Many agencies and organizations I will mention and list in the online bibliography also produce print materials specific to this state.

Journals and specialized bibliographic tools will be found at UNR and UNLV  where the most in-depth print resources for geology or mining materials are located.

B. Maps. Historic, general topographic, geologic, road, recreation, etc. - both print, CD, and web resources are available.

Geology is a very graphic subject. Researchers and the public will still want paper maps but now we have maps in digital format in very user friendly presentations as well as digital data for our more sophisticated users.

Keeping even a very modest set of topographical maps--paper edition-- for your immediate area would not be expensive. And the USGS, producer of US topo maps, provides indexes online. Many actual maps are now online at no expense such as on National Geographic site.

Historical map sites offering access to rare maps are useful for viewing your area 50, 100+ years ago are more and more available.

C. Unique resources are abundant in Nevada given our historic ties to mining.

1. Unique resources for mining and geology are often found at our local city and county administrative offices especially for unpublished mine records, documents, and artifacts. Museum resources such as the terrific Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko, the various Nevada State Museums, the Nevada State Historical Society and the State Library and Archives include a great deal on historical and contemporary mining activity in their collections; these collections are usually highlighted on their web sites.

2. The State Division of Museums and History has developed a great site with references to the various state museums. As one example, I would like to mention the Nevada State Museum & Historical Society located in Las Vegas which offers a `Traveling History Trunk’ package of artifacts, printed materials including items NV mining history.

I may be preaching to --at least the local-- choir, but I have been delighted to learn about and find so much unique Nevada information so easily available or at least identifiable through web sites. Knowing about these institutions and what they offer in such a large state is challenging.

3. The State Library and Archives is an obvious site for the materials of a state which grew from mining. State records, historic newspapers, manuscripts are included in their collections as well as online databases and full-text materials on their web sites.

4. Like the agencies just mentioned, the various University System libraries and probably most of the larger public libraries in the state now present more online databases and full-text materials on their web sites. More and more is available full-text including reference resources as well as indexes, bibliographic databases and journals and monographs. (Yes, UNR has a similar page.)

The web comes in handy because no one can collect everything, but we can use it as a tool to point our staff and patrons to further information.

5. The last resource I would list is the people at the various local and regional and state and federal agencies (many with offices in Nevada) who are eager to assist. Their knowledge and help is crucial.

* * * *

I’d like to look now at a few more very specific Nevada resources for geology and mining and maps: I. Nevada state agencies usually provide both paper and digital and web sites of information. So many deal with some aspect of mining in the state - legally, or in regards to labor or commerce, and I would like to point out a few more key agencies and departments:

A. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology. Their primary offices are located on the UNR campus but there is a sales outlet in the Las Vegas area.

To quote their own statement: they are a `research and public service unit...they conduct research and publish reports on mineral resources, engineering geology, environmental geology, hydrogeology, and geologic mapping.’ Along with research and publications, their staff `assist the public...by answering specific questions...’ I consider the Bureau a primary source on Nevada mining and geology publications and assistance, whether technical or popular or educational.

And I thank them for several of the pictures I used earlier.

I work with these people daily and I can assure you that you will not find more helpful folks when you have a question or you need to refer your patrons to them. Their publications are not just for the geologist or mining engineer, but for the layman, for class use, for popular use.

I would like to point out some specific items and assistance they provide:

     1. Publications. I have placed on the back table a stack of their current catalog and flyers of some of their more recent popular items. Please help yourself. This catalog is also online where it is frequently updated and indexed [pub sales]. Many of their actual publications are also online full-text. They also carry USGS maps of NV in their sales office and other publications relevant to mining and geology of Nevada. As you might expect, they are the primary producer of information on the geology and mining in Nevada--technical and for the layman and the student.

Their most recent publications include, America’s Loneliest Road and an accompanying field trip guide from their Educational series titled: Geology along America’s loneliest highway, a field trip for families and rockhounds. The guide is available from their website:

`Geologic Tours in Nevada’ is a Special Publication temporarily out-of-print because it’s so popular!

And Nevada’s Weather and Climate’ is still a best-seller, even after 26 years!

The Educational Series is a must for school and public libraries in Nevada and very reasonably priced --many can be printed free from their web site.

T!he beautiful Lake Tahoe 3-D shaded relief map comes complete with 3-D glasses

`Mining claim procedures for Nevada prospectors and miners’ is in its 4th edition and also available on the web:

    2. The NBMG Information Office will help you or your patrons with specific geology or mining questions, particularly in regard to the geology or mining in Nevada. The Bureau has an assay lab as well.

They maintain a huge information file on mines, current and historic, around the state; most of this material is not published or on the web.

The Information Office has an aerial photo file and maintains indexes to assist people in ordering aerial photographs of the state.

    3. The Bureau also provides assistance to teachers and organizations in need of materials or speakers. I esp. refer you to D. D. LaPointe, the educational liaison. D. D. and other Bureau personnel provide field trip information including possible leaders and funding assistance for classes to take field trips. This information is found on the K-12 Earth Science Educational Resources web pages.

     4. Digital information from the NBMG falls into several categories including full-text publications, lists which are regularly updated, and data. Data may be found through their web site and also served on the DeLaMare web site - more on the latter site shortly.

 You will notice that each of these state offices I’ll mention has a wonderful web site full of information and links to additional information, each with a different focus on Nevada’s mining. There is not yet `one’ site for all geology or mining resources for Nevada, neither those in print or online, or web--not in a state or federal agency or the universities.

B. NV State Commission on Mineral Resources, Division of Minerals which has offices in Carson City and Las Vegas.

Their web site includes a great presentation by county of the major mines, oil fields and geothermal plants active for the most recent year compiled. Click the county on the map or the county name for information. Fees, regulations, forms, exhibits and educational items, parks in NV with mining or geologic interests are on their site.

     1. A key item to collect is the published annual Major Mines of Nevada (latest is 1999 but others can be printed from their web site). It’s by county with listings of larger active mine sites.

    2. Mining Stock Certificates . I mentioned already the Div. of Minerals and the DeLaMare Library -- site each other as we have both provide information for recent or historic stock identification. We find this is a very frequent question.

 C. The State Inspector of Mines, produces an annual Directory of Nevada Mine Operations - not just major sites-- by county with functioning mines and mills and addresses since 1909 in some version. This material is also to be on the web shortly but, in the meantime, is free by calling their office: [site] 775/684-7085

Earlier versions of this information date from 1866 and are in the UNR and UNLV libraries and the State Library.

 D. NV Dept of Transportation. Along with all sorts of maps of Nevada, NDOT publishes the Nevada Map Atlas, a highway atlas, now in it’s 15th edition, which thy have always been kind enough to send free for the library. I understand it, too, is to be online soon. The scale is 1" = 4 miles with good detail of minor roads and mine sites, many of which you will not find on commercial road maps.

UNR 

1. Of course the DeLaMare Library [web site] has an extensive print collection, reference assistance, web and digital data on mining and geology. UNR is one of very few schools in the US which offers a degree in mining engineering.

I should explain that the DeLaMare Library at UNR was created by combining the Mines Library and the Engineering Library just over 4 years ago and serves the Mackay School of Mines, the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, and other divisions of the School including the Seismological Lab, as well as the College of Engineering. We function very much as a public library for mining professionals and non-professionals.

For UNR I collect geology and mining materials outward in a circle pattern; the farther away from us, the less in-depth the area coverage. I try to collect anything relevant on mining or geology of Nevada, then the Great Basin and the Sierra, and so on. While I do acquire volumes on the geology of Europe, they are not in the detail that I collect for the US or the Great Basin. I also collect general works on mining processes, esp the precious metals.

Most of our materials may be identified through the online catalog.

 I would like to point out just a few items to be found on or through our web site, which we add to frequently:

     a. Bibliographic databases such as GeoRef (the primary geologic database) and IMMAGE (a mining database available at only a couple of US schools) are site licensed to the University System. They may be used by anyone who comes into a university library.

    b. UNR is the regional depository for the state and the DeLaMare Library houses the print and digitally distributed publications of the USGS and the late USBM, including some 136,000 maps-- not just of NV and the US, but with worldwide coverage in various scales. UNLV maintains a Selective collection as does the State Library.

    c. Our site of Research Guides - where this presentation is located.

In self-defense I must mention that we do not have the staff to do research for patrons nor generate lists for them. We will, of course, assist patrons who come in the library.

2. W. M. Keck Center is a virtual site of earth sciences data on NV and the Great Basin and several non Great Basin data collections like Mars! It was originally funded by Keck grants and staffed by contributed efforts of several of us and by grant-funded students with some training in GIS. We have ambitions for it to be a more complete state site, and hope to find permanent staffing to do this. [data warehouse site]

The GIS software loaded on the site or on special stations in the Map Library are site-licensed, but most of the data we are serving is not. GIS, or (geographic information system) is information presented spatially (geographically) and often may be manipulated to show certain features - add roads or contour lines or take them off.

We are adding data and links to data loaded elsewhere constantly. You will notice many so-called popular links for data on NV [at bottom]. This category contains a lot of information which may be understood and used without technical training in GIS.

Included are links to Clark County GIS database; Clark County has long been in the forefront of GIS management and providing this data, readily to the public.

 I will take them time to bring up only one of these large file-- which can be easily loaded. one of the recently scanned historic maps, courtesy of AngloGold, a major producer in NV: (Carson City-lower left corner for dates). People are often surprised to discover how little of this state was mapped until about 60 years ago. These maps were produced for only a few areas; I don’t even have a complete set and have borrowed some of them for this project. This is a work in progress and all are not scanned or functioning yet, but should be before the winter is over and anyone, anywhere will have access to the first topo maps of NV from their pc.

UNLV Geosciences Dept.

UNLV is now offering a PhD degree in Geology as well as undergraduate programs in geosciences. The library collection places emphasis on southern NV including historic maps and materials on mining in the southern part of the state, records of the Union Pacific Railroad, and a Grand Canyon/Colorado river Bibliography, now online.

II. Federal Resources

The U.S. Geological Survey must be considered the primary agency for geologic information in this country. The survey inherited many of the programs and publications of the US Bureau of Mines which was closed in 1996.

A. The NV state office of the USGS has links to terrific information: [USGS Activities in Nevada]

B. USGS publications range from the very technical to many, many intended for the general public of all ages including statistical and `reference’ type materials, usually of small cost. Included are so many non-technical publications for all ages and interests in earthscience including free packets for teachers.

C. Their web site is immense and packed with reference and technical and layman and student aimed materials making it unnecessary to spend time and $ ordering items which were once available only in print: [Geologic time’ Educational materials,’ `Topographic Mapping’]

D. The Geographic Names Information System (online gazetteer) which provides lat & long and elevation (if a point location) and also links to the international gazetteer [web] -- just in case you want the lat/long of some place in Afghanistan.

E. `State Minerals Statistics and Information’ provides sections on state information, or commodity information (`Mineral Industry Surveys’) or national or international statistics. For each commodity. Available in print or online. Minerals Yearbook with international statistics, and `Minerals Publications and Data Products’ [web] Nevada State Minerals Information]

F. The National Atlas online [web] - an incredible, growing site of maps including interactive.

G. And one last item to mention: Online help -Got a question? `Ask-a-geologist.’ .

There are several other federal agencies which I could mention, but time is limited. They are listed in the web site of this presentation.

III. Organizations. There are many professional organizations in the fields of geology and mining, many with strong educational programs, including speakers, programs, materials, and scholarship funds, a couple which must be mentioned:

A. Nevada Mining Association, Diane Bryan for educational assistance.

B.  Geological Society of Nevada, also provides funds for school field trips as well as publications on Nevada geology.

C. Geological Society of America, technical publications, and also educational materials and a sponsor of Earth Science Week

 *****

I hope this quick introduction was helpful and that you will find some useful items in the bibliography located on the web site for this presentation. Please call or email me if I may be of assistance to you or your patrons.

Thank you.

Top of document | Research Guides | DeLaMare Library
Please direct questions to Linda Newman
Updated 11 March 2003