South Lake Mine (Aztec Mine), Mass City, Ontonagon County, Michigan, USAi
Regional Level Types | |
---|---|
South Lake Mine (Aztec Mine) | Mine |
Mass City | Unincorporated Community |
Ontonagon County | County |
Michigan | State |
USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
46° 46' 32'' North , 89° 3' 13'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
Place | Population | Distance |
---|---|---|
Ontonagon | 1,324 (2017) | 22.5km |
South Range | 746 (2017) | 45.2km |
Hancock | 4,555 (2017) | 53.0km |
Houghton | 7,970 (2017) | 53.2km |
Mindat Locality ID:
68245
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:68245:4
GUID (UUID V4):
c353d470-42ac-48dd-89ae-ac08252f722f
The Aztec Mining Company was organized in 1852 to work an area on the bluffs where ancient mining pits were discovered. The mine was named Aztec because early explorers believed the pits were dug by the Aztec Indians (they were not). Four tons of copper were recovered in 1852, followed by an additional ten tons in 1853. The company operations were shutdown in 1854, but work continued on tribute through 1863. Sometime during this period, a mass weighing 100 tons was discovered in the mine. In 1864, a second shaft was sunk to work the productive Hilton Lode. Work stopped in 1867 due to low copper prices, but was started again in 1858. In 1873, the company was reorganized and sold to P.T. Rogers, who worked the mine for seven years. In 1880, the mine was reorganized once again upon sale to Dr. C.G. Hussey and his associates. Work continued through 1882 when the mine ceased operation. In total, the Aztec produced approximately 686,000 pounds of refined copper.
In 1909, the site was sold and a new company, the South Lake Mining Company, was organized. The company cleared out the shafts to reach the Butler and Hilton Lodes. Workings included underground openings comprised of two shafts and one adit. Early mining methods included shafts sunk for vertical hoisting and adits into the side of the bluff for haulage and water drainage. The workings are connected directly to the Lake Mine on the 6th level at the boundary line. The hillside of the bluff was described as being pocked and riddled with openings from prehistoric copper culture American diggings. The company worked the mine from 1912 to 1918, when production ceased and the mine was abandoned. The South Lake Mine produced approximately one million pounds of refined copper in just four years of operation.
Collectors can still find nice copper and copper crystals from the mine piles.
Mineralization is hosted in Stenian Portage Lake Volcanics (basalt). Controls for ore emplacement included concentration in shoots (stratigraphic in amygdaloid, or fissure related). The lode is 15 to 20 feet wide. Local rocks include Portage Lake Volcanics. Regional geologic structures include a syncline.
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
7 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
β Calcite Formula: CaCO3 |
β 'Chlorite Group' |
β Copper Formula: Cu |
β Datolite Formula: CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
β Epidote Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
β 'K Feldspar' |
β Prehnite Formula: Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
β Pumpellyite-(Mg) Formula: Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
β Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 1 - Elements | |||
---|---|---|---|
β | Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
β | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
β | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
Group 9 - Silicates | |||
β | Datolite | 9.AJ.20 | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
β | Epidote | 9.BG.05a | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
β | Pumpellyite-(Mg) | 9.BG.20 | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 Β· H2O |
β | Prehnite | 9.DP.20 | Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
Unclassified | |||
β | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
β | 'K Feldspar' | - |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | β Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
H | β Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
H | β Prehnite | Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
H | β Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
B | Boron | |
B | β Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
C | Carbon | |
C | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
O | Oxygen | |
O | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
O | β Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
O | β Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
O | β Prehnite | Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
O | β Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
O | β Quartz | SiO2 |
Mg | Magnesium | |
Mg | β Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
Al | Aluminium | |
Al | β Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
Al | β Prehnite | Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
Al | β Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
Si | Silicon | |
Si | β Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
Si | β Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
Si | β Prehnite | Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
Si | β Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
Si | β Quartz | SiO2 |
Ca | Calcium | |
Ca | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
Ca | β Datolite | CaB(SiO4)(OH) |
Ca | β Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
Ca | β Prehnite | Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2 |
Ca | β Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2(Si2O7)(SiO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
Fe | Iron | |
Fe | β Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
Cu | Copper | |
Cu | β Copper | Cu |
Other Databases
Link to USGS MRDS: | 10080385 |
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Mid-continent DomainDomain
USA
- Michigan
- Keweenaw PeninsulaPeninsula
- Midcontinent RiftGeologic Province
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