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Old Guard Mine (Royal Guard Mine), Tombstone District, Tombstone Hills, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

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‡Ref.: Butler, B.S., Wilson, E.D., and Rasor, C.A. (1938b), Geology and ore deposits of the Tombstone district, Arizona, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 143: 46-48, 78, Pl. III, IV & XII.

Keith, Stanton B. (1973), Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 187, Index of Mining Properties in Cochise County, Arizona: 77 (Table 4).

Williams, S.A. (1978), Khinite, parakhinite, and dugganite, three new tellurates from Tombstone, Arizona, American Mineralogist: 63: 1016-1019.

Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 209, 267, 320, 350.

Arizona Bureau of mines files.

MRDS database Dep. ID file #10027015, MRDS ID #M001721; and, Dep. ID #10158768, MAS ID #0040030665.

A former small underground Ag-Au-Pb-Mn mine located in the SW ¼ sec. 11 and sec. 14, T.20S., R.22E, ¾ mile SW of Tombstone, on private land. Located directly between the Herschel Mine and the Lucky Cuss Mine. Produced 1905-1940. Owned at times, or in part, by the Old Guard Mining Co., Imperial Guard Mining Co., Silver Bar Mining Co., and the Tombstone Silver Fields Mining Co.

Mineralization is a replacement deposit with oxidized oreshoots containing argentiferous lead and manganese ores along the Lucky Cuss fault zone at junctions with intersecting fissures. The ore zone strikes NNE and dips 70-75E. Host rock units are shale and limestone.

Workings include an inclined shaft. Some 2,000 tons of ore were produced intermittently between 1905 and 1940.





 Map Reference: 31°42'11"N , 110°4'24"W

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Mineral List:
  		•  Bromargyrite
    AgBr
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 267.]
  		•  Chlorargyrite
    AgCl
    Description: Massive material forming cores of circles of khinite crystals on fracture surfaces of silicified granodiorite.
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 267.; American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Chrysocolla
    (Cu,Al)
     
    2
    		H
     
    2
    		Si
     
    2
    		O
     
    5
    		(OH)
     
    4
    		·nH
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: [American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Dugganite
    Pb
     
    3
    		Zn
     
    3
    		(Te
    6+
     
    		O
     
    6
    		)(AsO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    Habit: Minute, sparkling, drusy
    Description: Found on old dumps. Occurs replacing outer edges of khinite crystal rings.
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 209.; American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Gold
    Au
    Description: Cementing crystals of quetzalcoatlite.
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 320, 350.; American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Khinite (TL)
    Pb
    2+
     
    		Cu
    2+
    3
    		(TeO
     
    6
    		)(OH)
     
    2
    Type Locality: Old Guard Mine (Royal Guard Mine), Tombstone District, Tombstone Hills, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
    Habit: Corroded, minute (up to 0.15mm) crystals forming rings.
    Colour: Deep green.
    Description: Found in dump material as corroded crystals forming rings on fracture surfaces of silicified granodiorite.
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 267; Williams, S.A. (1978), Khinite, parakhinite, and dugganite, three new tellurates from Tombstone, AZ, Am.Min.: 63: 1016-1019.]
  		•  Parakhinite
    Pb
    2+
     
    		Cu
    2+
    3
    		TeO
     
    6
    		(OH)
     
    2
    Habit: Tabular, hexagonal, euhedral crystals to 0.5mm.
    Colour: Deep green
    Description: Thin crystalline films on fractures in quartz gangue and as crystals in vugs.
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 267, 320; Williams, S.A. (1978), Khinite, parakhinite, and dugganite, three new tellurates from Tombstone, AZ, Am.Min.: 63: 1016-1019.; American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Quartz
    SiO
     
    2
    Reference: [American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Quetzalcoatlite
    Zn
     
    6
    		Cu
     
    3
    		(TeO
     
    6
    		)
     
    2
    		(OH)
     
    6
    		·Ag
     
    x
    		Pb
     
    y
    		Cl
     
    x+2y
    Colour: Bright blue
    Description: One tiny specimen as small nodules of coarsely-granular crystals cemented with gold.
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 350; Williams, S.A. (1978), Khinite, parakhinite, and dugganite, three new tellurates from Tombstone, AZ, Am.Min.: 63: 1016-1019.; American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Tenorite
    CuO
    Reference: [American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Tlapallite
    H
     
    6
    		(Ca,Pb)
     
    2
    		(Cu,Zn)
     
    3
    		SO
     
    4
    		(TeO
     
    3
    		)
     
    4
    		TeO
     
    6
    Reference: [American Mineralogist, Volume 94, pages 648–652, 2009]
  		•  Xocomecatlite
    Cu
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|TeO
     
    4
    		]
    Reference: [Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 267.]


    12 entries listed. 12 valid minerals. 1 type locality (valid mineral).

    The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database!
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Jobs in Arizona, USA Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 27th Nov 2009 14:18:24