Selenite Range Explained

Selenite Range
Country:United States
State:Nevada
Region:Black Rock Desert
District:Pershing County
Topo Map:Empire
Topo Maker:USGS
Range Coordinates:40.5342°N -119.2622°W
Highest:Kumiva Peak
Elevation M:2511
Coordinates:40.4062°N -134.79°W
Map:Nevada

The Selenite Range is a mountain range in western Pershing County, Nevada. The range is a north–south trending feature approximately long and wide.

The Fox Range lies to the west across the San Emidio Desert valley and the south end of the Black Rock Desert playa. Gerlach and Empire are two communities on the foothills and just to the northwest of the range. These communities supported the gypsum mines in the range during their active period. The large Empire gypsum quarry lies just west of Luxor Peak at 40° 30' N; 119° 18' W just 1.2miles northwest of Kumiva Peak.[1] [2] The range was named for deposits of selenite, a variety of gypsum.[3]

Named Peaks in the range from north to south include: Selenite Peak, 7115feet; Luxor Peak, 7420feet; Kumiva Peak, 8238feet; Purgatory Peak, 7417feet; and Mt. Limbo, 7312feet.[1] [2] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Empire, NV 7.5 minute quadrangle, USGS, 1990
  2. Kumiva Peak, NV 7.5 minute quadrangle, USGS, 1990
  3. Book: Origin of Place Names: Nevada . W.P.A. . Federal Writers' Project . 1941 . 65.
  4. Purgatory Peak, NV 7.5 min. quadrangle, USGS, 1990