Oro Fino gold placers (Oro Fino placer; Orofino placers; Orofino tract), Tyson Wash, Dome Rock placers, Middle Camp-Oro Fino District, Dome Rock Mts, La Paz Co., Arizona, USA

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‡Ref.: Heikes & Yale (1913): 257-259.

Jones, Jr., E.L. (1915), Gold Deposits near Quartzsite, Arizona, in Contributions to Economic Geology by F.L. Ransome & H.S. Gale, USGS Bull. 620: Plate IV, 52.

Jones, E.L., Jr. (1916b) Gold deposits near Quartzsite, Arizona, in Contributions to economic geology, 1915, Part I: Metals and nonmetals except fuels: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 620: 52-53.

Wilson, E.D. (1927), Arizona Gold placers, 2nd. ed. (revised), University of Arizona Bull. 124: 20.

Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 135 (1933), Arizona gold placers and placering: 29, 30.

Elsing, M.J. and Heineman, E.S. (1936) Arizona Metal Production, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bulletin 140: 104.

Butler, G.M. (1937) Arizona Gold Placers and Placering. Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 142: 30.

Butler, G.M. (1952) Arizona Gold Placers and Placering, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 160: 30.

Wilson, E.D. (1961) Gold Placers and Placering in Arizona. Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 168 (revised 1978): 30-31.

Johnson, M.G. (1972), Placer gold deposits of Arizona, USGS Bull. 1355: 79.

Keith, Stanton B. (1978) State of Arizona Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology, Geological Survey Branch Bull. 192, Index of Mining Properties in Yuma County, Arizona: 162 (Table 4).

Arizona Bureau of Mines file data.

MRDS database Dep. ID file #10027896, MRDS ID #M004390; and, Dep. ID #10282739, MAS ID #0040120003.

A former surface Au-Ag-Pb-W-Fe placer mine and deposit area located in the SE¼ T4N, R20W (secs. 31 & 32 per MRDS), West of Quartzsite, east foot of the Dome Rock Mountains, in the vicinity of the Quartzsite-Blythe highway, on BLM-administered land. Owned at times, or in part by many early workers; and, the Catalina Gold Mining Co. NOTE: Alternate coordinates provided: 33.655N, 114.2933W.

Mineralization is generally fine-grained particles of gold, often with, or in hematite, in unconsolidated gravels down to about 12 feet and below in caliche-cemented gravel up to 18 feet (5.49 meters) thick. Some rounded nuggets of galena and scheelite present in the southern part of the placer grounds. Gravel is largely slate or schist. The best gold values are found in narrow gravel seams.

Here tilted, beveled shales constitute the bedrock. The gravels, which are relatively thin near the mountains, contain much slaty material.

Workings are placer operations with pits, trenches, and underground workings by numerous small operators over many years. Total estimated and recorded production would be some 6,000 oz. of gold and 750 oz. silver. Averaged 38 cents per cubic yard ($0.38 per .9 m³).

Mineral List

Galena

Gold

Hematite

Scheelite

4 entries listed. 4 valid minerals.