California Mine (California group of claims; American group; Globe Commercial Copper Mine; Globe Manganese Mine), Black Peak area, Copper Hill, Globe Hills, Globe Hills District, Globe-Miami District, Gila Co., Arizona, USA

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A former surface and underground Mn-Ag-(Fe) mine located in the center E½ sec. 10, T1N, R15E, about 1 mile N of Copper Hill, about ½ miles NE of Black Peak, and 3½ miles North of Globe, adjoining the Superior and Globe claims on the SE, and in the SE part of the manganese-bearing area North of Globe, on private land. The property is comprised of 7 patented claims: Claude, Fierro, Manganese, Spec, Pick, Una, and the Dick. The principal workings are 1,500 feet SE of the Superior and Globe Mine. Started 1885 and closed in 1957. Owned by the Globe Commercial Copper Co.; and by T. W. Kimble (1961). Leased to Buckingham & Wright in 1916. Later the claims were worked by Jamison & Bailey. Previous operators include T. J. Long and Al Stovall (1942-1943), Ralph Henderson 1943), Jolyn Associates (Charles H. Jonas, Manager, 1957).

Mineralization is a vein deposit with lens-shaped ore bodies hosted in the Pioneer Formation. Disconnected lenticular ore shoots. Veins become more siliceous 20 feet deep, and Mn content diminishes. The vein is the California vein which follows a contact between Pioneer formation and diabase for about 1,200 feet (365 meters). It is a 5 foot wide vein (Hamilton); several manganous veins that strike N75E and dips 60NW. The most productive vein strikes N75E and dips 60N.15W, in general it lies at the contact of quartzite and diabase, but at its East end, it is enclosed by diabase. Vein width average is 18 inches. This is a continuation of a NE fault zone with copper mineralization further SW. Mineralization probably is associated with an Early Tertiary post-diabase faulting and intrusion period.

The vein matter is similar to that of the Superior and Globe veins. Contains about 2 oz. Ag/T.

Area structures include the main fissure, which has a quartzite footwall and diabase hanging wall. The Pioneer Quartzite strikes NE and dips 35-50°SE. Near the mine a N-S-trending fault intersects the ENE mineralized fault fissures.

Workings include a tunnel nearly 200 feet long and several shafts, with the deepest at 50 feet, and open cuts. Developments include four inclined shafts and several open cuts along the south fissure and four shallow openings scattered along the outcrop of the north fissure. Virtually the entire output of ore was mined from the central part of the south fissure. Produced 1,500 tons of Mn-ore. The ore shipped in 1916 and 1917 was reported to contain about 2 oz. Ag/ton, and a little ore from this vein was mined for its Ag content during the early days of the district (1880's).

References

The Resources of Arizona - A Manual of Reliable Information Concerning the Territory, compiled by Patrick Hamilton (1881), Scottsdale, AZ: 63.

Jones, E.L., Jr. & F.L. Ransome (1920), Deposits of manganese ore in Arizona, USGS Bull. 710-D: 167-168.

Wilson, E.D. & G.M. Butler (1930), Manganese ore deposits of Arizona, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 127: 59, 60-61.

Farnham, L.L., Stewart, L.A., and Delong, C.W. (1961), Manganese Deposits of Eastern Arizona, US Bureau of Mines Information Circular 7990: 61.

Peterson, N.P. (1962), Geology and ore deposits of the Globe-Miami District, Arizona, USGS PP 342: 133.

MRDS database Dep. ID #10046317, MRDS ID #M241223; and Dep. ID #10210052, MAS ID #0040070038.

Mineral List

Calcite Limonite

Manganite Pyrolusite

'Wad'

5 entries listed. 3 valid minerals.