Selenite Range

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Selenite Range
Selenite Range is located in Nevada
Selenite Range
location of Selenite Range in Nevada[1]
Highest point
PeakKumiva Peak
Elevation2,511 m (8,238 ft)
Coordinates40°24.37′N 119°15.79′W / 40.40617°N 119.26317°W / 40.40617; -119.26317
Geography
CountryUnited States
StateNevada
RegionBlack Rock Desert
DistrictPershing County
Range coordinates40°32′3″N 119°15′44″W / 40.53417°N 119.26222°W / 40.53417; -119.26222
Topo mapUSGS Empire

The Selenite Range is a mountain range in western Pershing County, Nevada.[1] The range is a north–south trending feature approximately 27 miles (43 km) long and 4 miles (6.4 km) 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 1.2 mi (1.9 km) northwest of Kumiva Peak.[2][3] The range was named for deposits of selenite, a variety of gypsum.[4]

Named Peaks in the range from north to south include: Selenite Peak, 7,115 ft (2,169 m); Luxor Peak, 7,420 ft (2,260 m); Kumiva Peak, 8,238 ft (2,511 m); Purgatory Peak, 7,417 ft (2,261 m); and Mt. Limbo, 7,312 ft (2,229 m).[2][3][5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Selenite Range". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  2. ^ a b Empire, NV 7.5 minute quadrangle, USGS, 1990
  3. ^ a b Kumiva Peak, NV 7.5 minute quadrangle, USGS, 1990
  4. ^ Federal Writers' Project (1941). Origin of Place Names: Nevada (PDF). W.P.A. p. 65.
  5. ^ Purgatory Peak, NV 7.5 min. quadrangle, USGS, 1990