The mineral deposits along the Carlin Trend form a suite of deposits known as Carlin-type. Carlin deposits comprise stratabound disseminated gold mineralization hosted by Silurian-Devonian carbonate rocks that have been metamorphosed to varying extents. The deposits are hydrothermal in origin and are usually structurally controlled.

Gold mineralization at the Emigrant deposit is located along the flanks of the Emigrant antiform with the majority of the mineralization being concentrated on the western limb in a shallow, southwestdipping tabular orebody located at the contact between siltstones of the Mississippian Webb Formation and limestones of the Devonian Devils Gate Formation.

Major lithologic units recognized in the Emigrant deposit from surface mapping, drill hole logging, and litho-chemistry include; Tertiary Indian Wells (Tiw), Tertiary Elko (Te), Mississippian Chainman (Mc), Mississippian Webb (Mw), Devonian Woodruff (Dw), Devonian Devils Gate (Ddg) Formations, and the Devonian Nevada Group (Dng).

Detailed surface mapping and drill hole interpretation indicates that there are a series of N10ºW to N10ºE structures present at Emigrant (Emigrant Fault system). The Emigrant Fault appears to bound the hanging wall to the deposit and places the Mississippian Webb Formation (east side) against the Pennsylvanian Tonka, Mississippian Chainman and Devonian Woodruff formations (west side). Emigrant demonstrates the typical Carlin Trend deposit g ........

The Emigrant pits are part of the Carlin Complex.

The Emigrant pits have haul road effective widths for two-way travel of 85 ft (26 m) for cut-to-fill roads and 100 ft (30.5 m) for external fill roads due to the utilization of smaller CAT 789 trucks. Maximum grade for Emigrant roads is 10%. Minimum pit-bottom width is designed at 120 ft (37 m). Bench heights vary from 20 ft (6 m) to 40 ft (12 m).

The Emigrant open pit ceased mining operations in December 2018 while residual leaching of gold continues.

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