Safford Mine (Dos Pobres Mine; Dos Pobres ore body; Los Pobres; Safford Phelps Dodge; Phelps Dodge Safford project; Arrowhead Mine), Lone Star Mining District (Safford Mining District; Dos Pobres Mining District), Graham County, Arizona, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 57' 41'' North , 109° 40' 26'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Active) - last checked 2018
KΓΆppen climate type:
Owned/operated by:
Freeport-McMoRan (100%)
Mindat Locality ID:
131709
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:131709:4
GUID (UUID V4):
f9db1517-7ed2-40e2-af73-e312911266e0
An surface and underground Cu-Mo-Au-Ag mine located in secs. 27 & 28, T5S, R26E, 9 miles N of Safford, on private property. Discovered 1957 by prospectors. Unpatented claims extend into secs. 7, 8, 17-19, 21, 25, 26, 29-31 of T5S, R26E. Patented claims extend into secs. 22, 23, 26-28, 33-35 of T5S, R26E. Section 21 is a state lease in T5S, R26E. Owned by the Phelps Dodge Corp. (1960). Additional names that apply to this property: BLM patented claims MS 4579; Bryce; Greater Arrowhead group.
Mineralization is an irregular and massive ore body 1200 meters long with a depth to top of 740 meters, and a thickness of 114 meters. The ore body is hosted in quartz monzonite and diorite. Ore control was NE fractures and dikes. Ore concentration was supergene enrichment. Alteration was hydrothermal and oxidation.
Area structures include the NW-striking Butte Fault.
Workings are 762 meters deep. Optioned October 1957 from Ruskin Lines by Phelps Dodge. Began drilling November 21, 1957 and exercised option to purchase in 1960. Began shaft sinking and underground development November 1968. By July 1979, had drilled 189,000 feet rotary and diamond drill holes and developed 79,000 feet of shafts, drifts, and cross-cuts. Underground development suspended in 1982 and workings were allowed to flood in August 1984. By 1991 drilling and development work had resumed. Proposed that this deposit be mined by block caving. Reserve-Resource is sulfide; leachable.; Total resource ore contains 0.003 to 0.009% Mo.
The Safford mine includes two copper deposits that have oxide mineralization overlaying primary copper sulfide mineralization. The predominant oxide copper minerals are chrysocolla and copper-bearing iron oxides with the predominant copper sulfide material being chalcopyrite.
Safford is a mine-for-leach operation and produces copper cathodes. The operation consists of two open pits feeding a crushing facility with a capacity of 103,000 metric tons-per-day. The crushed ore is delivered to leach pads by a series of overland and portable conveyors. Leach solutions feed a solution extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) facility.
The current Safford mine has been in operation since 2007, with full production beginning in 2008.
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 Bornite Formula: Cu5FeS4 |
β Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S |
β Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
β Chrysocolla Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
β Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 |
β Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
β Turquoise Formula: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O References: Jamison K. Brizendine collectionIdentified by Jamison K. Brizendine: XRD |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
---|---|---|---|
β | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
β | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
β | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
β | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
β | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
β | Turquoise | 8.DD.15 | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 Β· 4H2O |
Group 9 - Silicates | |||
β | Chrysocolla | 9.ED.20 | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 Β· nH2O, x < 1 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
H | β Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
O | Oxygen | |
O | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
O | β Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
Al | Aluminium | |
Al | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
Al | β Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
Si | Silicon | |
Si | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
P | Phosphorus | |
P | β Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
S | Sulfur | |
S | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
S | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
S | β Chalcocite | Cu2S |
S | β Molybdenite | MoS2 |
S | β Pyrite | FeS2 |
Fe | Iron | |
Fe | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
Fe | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Fe | β Pyrite | FeS2 |
Cu | Copper | |
Cu | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
Cu | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Cu | β Chalcocite | Cu2S |
Cu | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
Cu | β Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
Mo | Molybdenum | |
Mo | β Molybdenite | MoS2 |
Other Databases
Link to USGS MRDS: | 10096999 |
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mazatzal DomainDomain
USA
- Gila MountainsMountain Range
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Safford Mine, Lone Star Mining District, Graham County, Arizona, USA