Leviathan Mine (Copper Wonder Mine), Diamond Joe Peak, Diamond Joe Mining District, Hualapai Mountains, Mohave County, Arizona, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
34° 49' 49'' North , 113° 47' 43'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
Place | Population | Distance |
---|---|---|
Wikieup | 133 (2011) | 22.0km |
Yucca | 126 (2011) | 32.6km |
Pinion Pines | 186 (2017) | 36.6km |
Lazy Y U | 428 (2017) | 37.5km |
Walnut Creek | 562 (2017) | 45.0km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Club | Location | Distance |
---|---|---|
Mohave County Gemstoners | Kingman, Arizona | 46km |
Mindat Locality ID:
39347
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:39347:1
GUID (UUID V4):
26651edc-a748-4dd8-a972-92f510d76299
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Whale vein; Congress Mine
A former Cu-Mo-Au-Ag occurrence/mine located in the NEΒΌ sec. 30, T17N, R14W, G&SRM, 3 miles SE of Copperville, 2 miles W of Diamond Joe Peak, and 22 miles E of Yucca, on Bureau of Land Management administered land. Operated by Leviathan Mines Company in 1918 and 1928. Operated by the Arkansas-Louisiana Gas Company (1971). Closed in 1943. The USGS MRDS database stated accuracy for this locality is 1,000 meters.
Beginning with the claims of the Arizona Molybdenite Consolidated, which are just across the narrow divide (north) from the head of Copper Creek, a succession of groups of claims held for molybdenum extends to Deluge Wash and spreads both up and down the wash. Nearly all the workings are on the east side of the Copper Creek canyon and are on quartz veins cutting granite. The veins are all similar in character and differ only in size and richness. They were deposited near the surface of a granitic intrusion as comparatively pure white quartz, probably with a small quantity of pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena and possibly some molybdenite. Movement along the veins continued, the quartz was broken, and in cracks molybdenite and more pyrite and chalcopyrite were deposited.
The Leviathan Mines Co. has been the largest operator and has a mine in Copper Canyon, about a mile from Deluge Wash. The company had sunk a shaft 220' feet deep on the Leviathan vein, a prominent quartz vein that crosses from one side of the canyon to the other and is as much as 20 feet but in most places is probably nearer 7 feet wide. The shaft, following the vein, has an inclination of 8 feet in 100 feet. Water was so scarce in 1917, when the mine was last operated, that the mill could run only two shifts a day, although a pipe line had been run 4 miles to a point in Deluge Wash, from which it was expected a plentiful supply would be obtained, but it gave out in August. Water was obtained from the shaft, but a strong taste of pine oil in the water showed that it was receiving the drainage from the mill. Counting the back flow, the shaft was furnishing about 5,000 gallons of water a day. The ore carried about 1 per cent of molybdenite, nearly as much copper in chalcopyrite, and less pyrite. Low-grade concentrates carrying 20 to 30 per cent of molybdenite and 18 to 25 per cent of copper were made by oil flotation. No pay was received for the copper in the concentrates. Several hundred feet of drifting had been done on the 100-foot level, and a considerable quantity of ore had been broken down on the stulls when I visited the mine in 1917.
The Leviathan Mines Co. has been the largest operator and has a mine in Copper Canyon, about a mile from Deluge Wash. The company had sunk a shaft 220' feet deep on the Leviathan vein, a prominent quartz vein that crosses from one side of the canyon to the other and is as much as 20 feet but in most places is probably nearer 7 feet wide. The shaft, following the vein, has an inclination of 8 feet in 100 feet. Water was so scarce in 1917, when the mine was last operated, that the mill could run only two shifts a day, although a pipe line had been run 4 miles to a point in Deluge Wash, from which it was expected a plentiful supply would be obtained, but it gave out in August. Water was obtained from the shaft, but a strong taste of pine oil in the water showed that it was receiving the drainage from the mill. Counting the back flow, the shaft was furnishing about 5,000 gallons of water a day. The ore carried about 1 per cent of molybdenite, nearly as much copper in chalcopyrite, and less pyrite. Low-grade concentrates carrying 20 to 30 per cent of molybdenite and 18 to 25 per cent of copper were made by oil flotation. No pay was received for the copper in the concentrates. Several hundred feet of drifting had been done on the 100-foot level, and a considerable quantity of ore had been broken down on the stulls when I visited the mine in 1917.
Mineralization is a vein deposit hosted in Late Cretaceous quartz monzonite. The ore body is thin veinlets and irregular masses that strike N30E and dip 80W at a width of 12.19 meters and a length of 457.2 meters. The outcrop on the Whalke vein is strong for about 1,500 feet with "pinch & swell" from 18 to 30 feet. Underground it shows an average width of over 3 feet. Controls for ore emplacement included the Whale vein crosses jointing in the stock. Alteration is sericitization and kaolinization. Host rock is Lawler Peak granite. There is evidence of movement. The footwall has a clean slip, the hanging wall is irregular. Local rocks include Early Tertiary to Late Cretaceous granitic rocks.
Local geologic structures include evidence for movement - the footwall has a clean slip, the hanging wall is irregular.
Workings include underground openings with a length of 79.25 meters and an overall depth of 67.06 meters. A mill was built in 1916 and operated for some time with unsatisfactory recovery. Reportedly a heavy producer in WWI.
The Whale vein averages about 2% MoS2 and a trifle over 2% Cu. 1% Mo & 1% Cu in chalcopyrite, less in pyrite.
Analytical data results: Average of 22 samples: 2.73% MoS2, 1.71% Cu, 0.02 ounce/ton Au and 1.4 ounces Af/ton. King reported a grade of 1.18% MoS2.
Reserves and resources: In-situ (estimated year = 1943): Total resources: 11,000 metric tons of ore; MoS2: 1.18 weight percent; Cu: 0.83 weight percent; Ag: 16.376 gram/metric ton.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
6 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
β Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 References: |
β Kaolinite Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
β Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 |
β Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
β Muscovite var. Sericite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
β Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
β Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
---|---|---|---|
β | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
β | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
β | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
β | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
Group 9 - Silicates | |||
β | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
β | var. Sericite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
β | Kaolinite | 9.ED.05 | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | β Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
H | β Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
H | β Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
O | Oxygen | |
O | β Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
O | β Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
O | β Quartz | SiO2 |
O | β Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
Al | Aluminium | |
Al | β Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
Al | β Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
Al | β Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
Si | Silicon | |
Si | β Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
Si | β Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
Si | β Quartz | SiO2 |
Si | β Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
S | Sulfur | |
S | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
S | β Molybdenite | MoS2 |
S | β Pyrite | FeS2 |
K | Potassium | |
K | β Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
K | β Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
Fe | Iron | |
Fe | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Fe | β Pyrite | FeS2 |
Cu | Copper | |
Cu | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Mo | Molybdenum | |
Mo | β Molybdenite | MoS2 |
Other Databases
Link to USGS MRDS: | 10102538 |
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mojave DomainDomain
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