Monte Cristo Mine, Copper Mountain District (Clifton-Morenci District), Shannon Mts, Greenlee Co., Arizona, USA

A former underground Cu mine located on 2 patented claims in the NE¼SE¼ sec. 32, T3S, R29E, 0.5 mile SW of the mouth of Garfield Gulch, 1.5 miles NW of Metcalf, on private land. Monte Cristo claims Nos. 1 and 2 border the Santa Lucia claim to the east and south. The above location coordinates describe adit just south of the Santa Lucia Mine. Discovered in 1875. First produced 1910. Owned by Phelps Dodge Corp., Morenci Branch. Past operators included Peter B. Scotland; Stevens Copper Co.; and the Arizona Copper Co., Ltd.

Mineralization is irregular ore shoots hosted in Modoc Limestone and Morenci Shale. Associated rock units are Precambrian granite basement and the Morenci Granite Porphyry. Ore control was NE-trending fissure veins. Ore concentration was mineralization along fissure veins and in irregular bodies along contacts of intrusive masses. Alteration was minor. Adjacent claims show irregular deposits of chrysocolla and malachite.

Area structures incude fissure veins in limestone and basal granite sequences and irregular bodies on or near contacts of intrusive masses and porphyry dikes at or near contact of basal granite and limestone sequences.

Tectonic components include the Coronado Massif surrounded by peripheral faults. The fault block to the east of the massif is downthrown about 2000 feet, placing Carboniferouslimestones at the level of Chase Creek.

Workings on the Stevens claims west of Chase Creek and near Garfield Gulch consisted primarily of driving short tunnels to intersect relatively small ore shoots.

Mineral List

2 entries listed. 1 valid mineral.

References