Latitude: 31°56'21"N
Longitude: 110°38'50"W
‡Ref.: Stevens, J.H. (1904) The Copper Handbook, Vol. IV.
Schrader, F.C. & J.M. Hill (1915), Mineral deposits of the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains, Arizona, USGS Bull. 582: 150-151.
Gillingham, T.E. (1936) Geology of the California mine area, Pima County, Arizona: Tucson, University of Arizona, M.S. thesis, 65 p.
Wilson, E.D., et al (1951), Arizona zinc and lead deposits, part II, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 158: 51.
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).
Niemuth, N.J. & K.A. Phillips (1992), Copper Oxide Resources, Arizona Department of Mines & Mineral Resources Open File Report 92-10: 12 (Table 1).
USGS Empire Mountains Quadrangle topo map.
Arizona Bureau of Mines file data.
MRDS database Dep. ID file #10039595, MRDS ID #M050392; and, Dep. ID #10113276, MAS ID #0040190147.
A former small surface and underground Cu-Pb-Ag-Au-Mo-Marble mine located in central sec. 19, T.17S., R.17E. (Empire Mts 15 minute topo map), in the NW corner of the Empire District, 6 miles SW of Pantano, and 27 miles SE of ucson, at about 3,800 feet of altitude. Discovered about 1880. Owned/operated at times, or in part, by the Bradford Development Co. of Los Angeles (1904-1905); Andrade, Schley & Dement of Tucson (1905); and the Tucson Transfer Co. (1915).
Mineralization is a metamorphic deposit with ore in irregular bands, chimneys, and bedded consisting of copper and lead carbonates and minor sulfides in a pyrometasomatic deposit in brecciated Paleozoic limestone along a much-faulted contact with Laramide granitic intrusive, and dikes or masses of granitic aplite intruded nearby.
The local rocks are all considerably crushed, show lateral disturbance or thrust faulting, and are cut by a sheeting-like structure dipping 30ºNW. The granite is seamed in the same direction by limy bands and stringers along the structure planes. The granite is a dark gray, fine-grained rock and seems to be the source of the mineral deposits.
The mineral deposits are contained principally in a NE-SW ledge about 70 feet wide, dipping 60º or more to the WNW and showing lateral faulting. They consist of a northwesterly zone of crudely banded iron- and copper-stained material in which the middle 2 or 3 feet contains considerable copper carbonates, lead-copper oxide and chalcopyrite.
Local structures include many local faults, folding, doming above granitic intrusive; thrust and strike-slip faults.
Workings include a shaft (18.29 meters deep) sunk in granite on the north side of and 25 feet above an adjoining gulch. An inclined shaft at 65ºNE, is 60 feet or kore distant on the opposite side of the gulch, and a 30 foot long tunnel, and open pit operations. Worked intermittently since about 1880 to 1915. Produced some 150, or more, tons of ore averaging over 10% Cu, 5 oz. Ag/T, 2% Pb, and 0.5 oz. Au/T.
Mineral List
7 entries listed. 5 valid minerals.
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