The mineralization in the Harquahala district is varied and complex. Gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc occur in pockety deposits, large and small, usually associated with iron oxides and gypsum where oxidized, and with auriferous pyrite in depth. Often the deposits occur in brecciated, lenticular quartz and jasper veins along shear zones and faults. The host rocks may be any of the Precambrian, Paleozoic, or Mesozoic rocks. Closely associated are diabase and aplite or quartz dikes and the source of the mineralization is believed to be the granitic intrusive. Spotty tungsten mineralization is associated with some discontinuous quartz veins and lenses in gneiss and limestone in scattered localities. Seams and irregular replacement bodies of mixed manganese and iron oxides occur locally in the metamorphosed sediments. The most prominent ore deposits, at the Bonanaza (Harquahala) and Gold Eagle mines, occur in strongly deformed and faulted metamorphosed Paleozoic sediments intruded by an elongated body of quartz monzonite. The rich, high-grade, but pockety shoots of gold ore in the oxidized zone give way to auriferous pyrite with some base metal sulfides in fracture zones in depth. The weathering and erosion of these deposits created gold placers in the gulches of the Little Harquahala Mountains close to the deposits. Titaniferous magnetite sands have been explored on the western peneplain of the Little Harquahala Mountains (T.4 N., R. 14 W.) but have not been exploited (Harrer, 1964), and marble and quartzite have been quarried intermittently for many years from the Paleozoic metamorphosed beds in the Harquahala Mountains.

Bonanza Mining Company (Bonanza) will operate the Harquahala Mine to reprocess historical (pre-1986) surface gold bearing ores and tailings. The operation will collect the historic ores and tailings to extract and recover the gold.

Bonanza mine/mill left 500,000+ tons dumps/tails @ 0.04-0.10 oz Au/ton containing 25-40,000+ oz Au.

Bonanza Area Claim Block with Defined 250-350k oz Au Target Areas. 1-1.5+ MM oz Au Overall Potential.

The extraction operation will consist of loading and hauling.

Approximately 242,000 cubic yards of historic ores and tailings will be consolidated in controlled areas prior to being sized and placed onto a newly constructed double-lined heap leach pad (approximately 314,000 square foot (sq. ft)). The gold will be extracted in the newly constructed 4,126,239 gallon double-lined pregnant solution pond, with a maximum operational storage requirement estimated to be 3,965,780 gallons. The extraction operation will consist of loading and hauling; primary and secondary crushing; agglomeration and stacking; heap leaching using cyanide solution, storage of process solutions in ponds; and precious metals recovery using granular activated carbon (GAC). The final phase of the gold extraction from the GAC will be performed off-site. The facility will also include an intermediate stockpile that will be permitted under a Type 2.02 general permit.

Heap Leach Pad:
This facility will cover an area of approximately 314,000 square feet, and contain ........