AurichalciteChief Mine, Prince Mine group, Hilton Mines, Copper Camp, Hilton, Empire District, Empire Mts, Pima Co., Arizona, USA
Photo: Dick Dionne Latitude: 31°52'17"N
Longitude: 110°38'24"W
‡Ref.: Schrader, F.C. & J.M. Hill (1915), Mineral deposits of the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains, Arizona, USGS Bull. 582: 141, 149.
Schrader, F.C. (1917), The geologic distribution and genesis of the metals in the Santa Rita-Patagonia Mountains, Arizona, Economic Geology: 12: 237-269.
Feiss, J.W. (1929) Geology and ore deposits of Hiltano Camp, Arizona: Tucson, University of Arizona, M.S. thesis, 41 p.
Galbraith, F.W. (1947), Minerals of Arizona, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 153: 17.
Wilson, E.D., et al (1950), AZ zinc and lead deposits, part I, AZ Bur. of Mines Bull. 156; Wilson, E.D., et al (1951), AZ zinc and lead deposits, part II, AZ Bur. of Mines Bull. 158: 55.
Creasey, S.C. (1973) Field Examination, Chief Mine.
Keith, Stanton B. (1974), Arizona Bureau of Geology & Mineral Technology, Geological Survey Branch Bull. 189, Index of Mining Properties in Pima County, Arizona: 117 (Table 4).
Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd. ed.: 123, 158, 229, 331, 357.
USGS Empire Mountains Quadrangle topo map.
Arizona Bureau of Mines file data.
MRDS database Dep. ID file #10039626, MRDS ID #M050522; and, Dep. ID #10161959, MAS IDC #0040190156.
A former small underground Pb-Zn-Ag-Cu-Au (Hg ?) mine located in the NE ¼ sec. 18, T.18S., R.17E., on a claim that adjoins the Verde Queen property, 10 miles SSW of Pantano. Owned at times, or in part, by Dick & Sullivan; E.P. Hilton; and the U.S. Magnetite Co.
Mineralization is the East vein, which is here in crystalline limestone associated with a rhyolite dike and also in the bottom of the mine with a greenish lamprophyric-looking dike. It is about 4 feet wide and dips about 60ºN. The copper ore is mostly in the carbonate form. Ore occurs as irregular replacement orebodies and chimneys containing secondary minerals and sulfides with a gangue of calcite, aragonite, siderite and quartz in badly faulted Permian limestone beds, overlying a Laramide dioritic dike and associated with a faulted rhyolite porphyry dike, dipping about 60º northwestward, and extends northeasterly through this mine and the 49 Mine. Orebodies are controlled by intersecting fissures and faults and occur below the diorite.
The rhyolite dike which occurs here is from 2 to 25 feet wide and extends diagonally through the camp and, for long distances across the adjoining country, cutting both the limestone and the granite with steep dip.
Local structures include badly faulted limestone.
Workings include an inclined shaft to 100 feet deep and workings 304.8 meters in length of drifts and levels. Worked intermittently from the early 1900's to 1963, producing over 500 tons of ore averaging about 25% Pb, 8 oz. Ag/T, 0.5% Cu, and minor Au & Zn. Production was 1,000 tons of ore in 1907 and 1908.
NOTE: The designation of this mine lying within the Hiltano and State of Maine groups is interpretted by the contributor to mean that the mine covers an area partially within the Hiltano group of claims and partially within the State of Maine group of claims.
Mineral List
15 entries listed. 15 valid minerals.
The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please
register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
Mineral and Locality Search
