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Lordsburg District, Pyramid Mts, Hidalgo Co., New Mexico, USA

The Lordsburg District is located in the extreme northern part of the Pyramid Mountains. It is an elongate District which trends N-S and is about seven miles long by three miles wide. Latitude-longitude and UTM location is for the Eighty-Five Mine, one of the largest mines in the district.

This is the most important district in Hidalgo County in terms of total production value and the 4th ranking district in New Mexico for copper production. Total value of production from 1870 to 1975 has been estimated at 60 million dollars. Average ore grade at the Eighty-Five Mine was 2.8% Cu, 1.23 oz Ag/ton, and 0.11 oz Au/ton.


The northern part of this district contains deposits of the copper-tourmaline class of veins which are the most productive deposits of this type in the United States. Ore occurs in E- to NE-striking veins but the largest ore bodies are found in the NE-striking veins. The Emerald vein, at the Eighty-Five Mine, has been mined continuously for a strike length of more than 4000 feet and a vertical depth of about 2000 feet. The average width of the Emerald Vein is about 6.5 feet.

Exposed rocks in the district are extrusive and intrusive volcanics ranging in age from Upper Cretaceous to Pliocene but consisting chiefly of basaltic andesite flows intruded by a porphyritic granodiorite stock. Major faults trend N-S along the margins of the Pyramid Mountains.

This district contains some of the deepest workings in New Mexico and includes several well-developed mines which exceed 2000 feet in depth. The most extensive workings are in the Eighty-Five Mine, the Bonney Mine and the Atwood-Henry Clay Mine. Although mainly an underground mining district, some small open pit operations have been attempted.

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
Acanthite
Actinolite
Albite
var: Andesine

var: Oligoclase
'Albite-Anorthite Series'
Amphibole Supergroup
var: Uralite
Ankerite
Anorthite
var: Labradorite

'Apatite'
Arsenopyrite
Augite
Aurichalcite
Azurite
Baryte
'Biotite'
Bornite
Brochantite
Calcite
Cerussite
Chalcanthite
Chalcocite
Chalcopyrite
'Chert'
Chlorargyrite
'Chlorite Group'
Chrysocolla
Copper
Covellite
Cuprite
Descloizite
Digenite
Dravite
Epidote
Fluorite
Galena
Goethite
Gold
Hematite
var: Specularite
Hemimorphite
Jarosite
Kaolinite
Libethenite
'Limonite'
Linarite
Magnetite
Malachite
'Manganese Oxides
var: Manganese Dendrites'

Massicot
Molybdenite
Mottramite
Muscovite
var: Sericite

Olivenite
'Olivine'
Orthoclase
Oxyplumboroméite
Powellite
Pseudomalachite
Pyrite
Pyrolusite
Pyromorphite
Quartz
Quartz
var: Chalcedony

Rhodochrosite
Rosasite
Sanidine
Saponite
Siderite
var: Manganoan Siderite
Silver
Smithsonite
Sphalerite
Stephanite
Tenorite
Tetrahedrite
Titanite
'Tourmaline'
Vanadinite
Wulfenite
Zircon


94 entries listed. 64 valid minerals.

Localities in this Region

USA
USA

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.

References

Lasky, Samuel Grossman (1938) Geology and ore deposits of the Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico. USGS Bulletin 885

Flege, R. F., (1959) Geology of Lordsburg Quadrangle, Hidalgo County, New Mexico, NMBMGR Bulletin 62


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Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2013. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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