Blue Eagle Mine (Blue Eagle 1 and 2 claims; Copper Ledge; Hillside Copper Mine), Blue Eagle and Exposed Reef group, Alum Gulch, Harshaw District, Patagonia Mts, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona, USA

‡Ref.: Schrader, F.C. & J.M. Hill (1915), Mineral deposits of the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains, Arizona, USGS Bull. 582: 257-258.

Moores, R.C., III (1972) The geology and ore deposits of a portion of the Harshaw district, Santa Cruz County, Arizona: Tucson, University of Arizona, M.S. thesis, 98 p.

Simons, F.S. (1972) Mesozoic stratigraphy of the Patagonia Mountains and adjoining areas, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, in Mesozoic stratigraphy in southeastern Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 658-E.

Simons, F.S. (1974) Geologic map and sections of the Nogales and Lochiel quadrangles, Santa Cruz County, Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-762, 9 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:48,000.

Keith, Stanton B. (1975), Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 191, Index of Mining Properties in Santa Cruz County Arizona: 57 (Table 4).

U.S. Bureau of Mines - Arizona Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology file data.

U.S. Bureau of Mines Coronado National Forest Study Report.

Arizona Bureau of Mines card file Santa Cruz County.

MRDS database Dep. ID file #10048351, MRDS ID #M899941; and, Dep. ID #10259192, MAS ID #0040230038.

A former small underground Cu-Ag-Au-Pb-Zn-Mo mine located in West-central (SW¼SW¼NW¼) sec. 30, T.22S., R.16E., located on the SW side of lum Gulch; ½ mile south of the Invincible prospect, 4 miles S of Patagonia; and ½ mile NE of the Flux Mine, at an elevation of 4,375 feet, on National Forest land. The Exposed Reef Mine is located ½ mile to the NE, on the N side of Alum Gulch. Discovered about 1897 by James Hale. Produced 1903-1956. Owned at times, or in part, by James Hale, of Harshaw (1901- ); Ewing; and, Soto.

Mineralization is partly oxidized sulfides with acanthite in a well-banded quartz vein along a fault zone between Jurassic-Triassic rhyolite volcanics and strongly silicified sediments. Marked by a pyritic gossan. An associated rock unit is the Mt. Wrightson Formation.

The country rock is rhyolite porphyry in which the deposits are contained in an E-trending, well-banded quartz vein that strikes east and stands vertical. The vein is about ½ feet wide and carries good-looking copper ore but branches somewhat in a feathery form. There is a reported associated 8 inch (20 cm) wide vein or shoot, rich in black copper ore. Secondary enrichment exists along the fault zone. Alteration is pyrite gossan capping the deposit. Volcanic sedimentary rocks are commonly altered to epidote, tourmaline, quartz, sericite, kaolinite, alunite, and pyrophyllite. Propylitic alteration is also present. The ore zone is 0.76 meters wide, strikes E-W and dips 90° (vertically).

Local structures include the NW-trending Harshaw Creek Fault (N30W). A general structure common to regional formations is a sheeting which dips 40NNW. Sedimentary rocks are locally intruded by quartz monzonite (?) and granitic aplite.

Tectonic elements include the Alum Gulch Fault Block.

Workings include a 240 foot long tunnel, 40 feet of raises and crosscuts, plus a 50 foot deep winze. The main workings are in the Hillside Copper Mine and Blue Eagle No. 2 claim. Workings are 73.15 meters deep. This mine produced sporadically in the early 1900's and in 1956. Some 130 tons of ore averaging about 10% copper, 11 oz. of Ag/T and minor lead, zinc, and gold. Early 1900's assay values averaged 18.5% Cu, 17 oz/ton Ag, $1.50/ton Au.