Salt River Mine (Salt River Asbestos Mine; Salt River claims/group; Sorenson-Williams claims), Salt River Canyon, Salt River, Salt River District, San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co., Arizona, USA
ChrysotileSalt River Mine, Salt River Canyon, Salt River, Salt River District, San Carlos Indian Reservation, Gila Co., Arizona, USA
Photo: Rockpick Legend Co. Latitude: 33°47'57"N
Longitude: 110°29'36"W
A former surface and underground asbestos mine located in secs. 25 & 26, T5N, R18E, ½ mile (0.8 km) SE of the US highway 60-77 bridge over the Salt River. Lat-long is taken from the prospect symbol shown just SW of the center of sec. 25. Additional names which apply to this locality: Sorsen-Williams claims; Soreson Asbestos; Sorsen Asbestos. NOTE: Alternate coordinates provided: 33.8222N, 110.7917W.
Mineralization is a vein deposit with a linear ore body and involves a diabase sill at least 500 feet thick that overlies the Mescal Limestone. Asbestos occurs at 2 or more horizons in competent medium- to thick-bedded limestones. The contact between the diabase and the underlying limestones undulates. Along these intervals of the rimrockj, the base of the sill is in contact with limestones stratigraphically lower than those favorable to asbestos localization, and in three places on the claims the base of the sill is stratigraphically above the beds. Alteration is serpentinization.
Area structures include NW-trending fractures that are numerous where the southern deposit is exposed by mine workings. As a result of water solution along the fractures, and of slumping of the blocks bounded by the fractures, vertical openings as much as 2 feet wide exist throughout much of the deposit. As a result, the ground is very heavy - the limestone above and below the ore zone caves readily.
Workings include a few pits & short adits (before 1940); 2 adits at 80 and 100 feet long, and drifts totaling 600 feet long.
Mineral List
2 entries listed. 1 valid mineral.
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References
Stewart & Haury, P.S. (1947) Arizona Asbestos Deposits, Gila County, Arizona. U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigation 4100.
Stewart, L.A. (1955), Chrysotile-Asbestos Deposits of Arizona, U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 7706: 53.
Bromfield, C.S. & Shride (1956), Mineral resources of the San Carlos Indian Reservation, Arizona, USGS Bull. 1027-N: 617, 661-663.
Stewart, L.A. (1956) Chrysotile-Asbestos Deposits in Arizona. U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 7745: 8.
Phillips, K.A. (1987), Arizona Industrial Minerals, 2nd. Edition, Arizona Department of Mines & Minerals Mineral Report 4, 185 pp.
USGS Beckers Butte Quadrangle map.
Arizona Department of Mineral Resources Sorsen Asbestos Corp. file.
MRDS database Dep. ID #10090775, MRDS ID #D003268; and Dep. ID #10102486, MRDS ID #M003041; and Dep. ID #10161472, MAS ID #0040070598; and Dep. ID #10283126, MAS ID #0040070631.
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