Mining history and mineral resources of the Mimbres resource area

MINING HISTORY AND MINERAL RESOURCES
OF THE MlMBRES RESOURCE
AREA, DORA ANA, LUNA, HIDALGO, AND GRANT COUNTIES, NEW MEXICO
Virginia T. McLemore, David M.Sutphin, Daniel R Hack, andTim C. Pease
May 1996
New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources
OPENFILE REPORT OF424
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM 87801
ABSTRACT
The Federal Land Policy
and Management Actof 1976 (FLPMA) charges
the U. S. Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) withthe responsibility for preparing a mineral-resource inventory
and assessment for mineral
resources forall of the public lands they manage. The Mimbres Resource Area of
the BLM, includes all of Dofia
Ana, Luna, Hidalgo,and Grant Counties,the most mineralized areain New Mexico. Mining has been an integral
part of the economy ofthe Mimbres Resource Area since pre-historic times. Twentyfive
@pes of deposits are found
throughout the Mimbres Resource Area, including several world-class ore deposits.
as
The Mimbres Resource Area accounts for most
of the copper and zinc production from New Mexico
well as significant amountsof gold, lead, and silver. Total production fromthe Mimbres Resource Areais
estimated to amount to 15.7 billion poundsof copper, 100million ouncesof silver, 1.2 million ounces
of gold, 651
million poundsof lead, and2.8 billion poundsof zinc. This accounts for over 90%
of the total copper, zinc, and
silver production from New Mexico (1848-1993), 89%
of the lead, and 46% ofthe gold production. Other
as well. Most mining since 1950
has occurred in the Silver City area.
commodities have been produced
Many districtsin the Mimbres Resource Area account
for most ofthe metals productionin New Mexico.
In Grant County,the Chino (Santa Rita district) and Tyrone (Burro Mountains district) are
mines
the largest
porphyry-copper deposits in New Mexico. The Chino mineis also the state’s largest gold producer.The Burro
Mountains districtis the 2nd largest silver producing district
in New Mexico, whereasthe Bayard district ranks
3rd. The Bayard districtis the 2nd largest silver producing district
in the state. The Fierro-hover district ranks
3rd in copper production behind Santa
Rita and Burro Mountains districts,
and ranks 4thin lead and 1stin zinc
production. Other districts alsoare significant base-and precious-metals producers: Piiios Altos (5th zinc,
6th
copper, 10th gold), Copper Flat (6thin zinc), Carpenter (7thin zinc), and Steeple Rock (9th gold,13th silver). In
Luna County, the Cooke’s Peak district ranks
5th in lead productionin the state and 9thin zinc productionand the
Victorio district ranks7th in lead productionin the state. In Hidalgo County,the McGhee Peakmining district is
the 8th largest zincand lead producing districtin New Mexicoand Lordsburg is the 10th largest leadand zinc
producing district in the state. The Lordsburg districtis also 4thin copper production,6th in gold, and 4th in
silver production.
Today metal miningis occnning inthe Silver City area (Chino, Tyrone, Continental mines)inand
the
Lordsburg and Steeple Rock districts. Manganeseis sporadically produced from government stockpiles
in Luna
County. Industrial minerals, especially scoria (Aden district), clay (Brickland
and Pratt districts), silica
(Brockman district), travertine (Rincon, Doiia Ana County), agate,
and sand and gravel are important
commodities. Many of these mining districts have excellant potential for additional mineral discoveries.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
Introduction
Acknowledgments
Mining history and productionin the Mimbres Resource Area
Introduction
Early mining activities
Mining after the Civil War
Mining in the twentieth century
Mining methods
Ore processing
Types of deposits
Geology and mineral occurreuces
of the mining districtsofDoila Ana County
Introduction
Aden district
Bear Canyon district
Black Mountain district
BricUand district
Doiia Ana Mountains district
Iron Hill district
Northern Franklin Mountains district
Organ Mountains district
Potrillo Mountains district
Rincon district
San Andrecito-Hembrillo district
San Andres Canyon district
Tonuco Mountain district
Tomgas Mountain district
Geology and mineral occurrences
of the mining districtsof Luna County
Introduction
Camel Mountain-Eagle Nest district
Carrizalillo district
Cooke’s Peakdistrict
Florida Mountains district
Fluorite Ridge district
Little Florida Mountains district
Old Hadley district
Tres Hermanas district
Victorio district
Geology and mineral occurrencesofthe mining districtsof Hidalgo County
Introduction
Antelope Wells-Dog Mountains district
Apache No. 2 distirct
Big Hatchet Mountains district
Brockman district
Fremont district
Gillespie district
Granite Gap district
JSimball district
Lordsbnrg district
McGhee Peak district
Mnir district
Pratt district
Rincon district
2
1
7
i
7
7
19
21
22
22
23
30
30
30
31
34
36
37
38
39
40
43
56
60
63
67
67
68
70
70
71
75
79
83
85
87
89
90
95
102
102
103
105
109
112
112
114
119
123
125
13 1
136
137
138
Silver Tip district
Sylvanite district
Geology and mineral occurrences
of the mining districts of Grant County
Introduction
Alnm Mountaindistrict
Bayard district
Black Hawk district
Bound Ranch district
Burro Mountains district
Caprock Mountain district
Carpenter district
Chloride Flat district
Copper Flat district
Cora Miller district
Eureka district
Fierro-Hanover district
Fleming district
Georgetown district
Gila Fluorspar district
Gold Hill district
Lone Mountain district
Malone district
Northern Cooke’s Range district
Piiios Altos district
Ricolite district
San Francisco district
Santa Rita district
Steeple Rock district
Telegraph district
White Signal district
Wilcox district
References
Figure 1-Mining districts in the Mimbres ResourceArea, Doiia Ana, Luna, Hidalgo, andGrant
Counties, New Mexico
Figure 2-Rock house at theGila CliffDwellings National Monument
Figure 3-Arrastra mill on displayat the Way It Was Museumin Virginia City, Nevada
Figure &-Cyprus mill at Deming in 1995
Figure 5-Hwley smelter in Grant County, New Mexicoin 1995
Figure 6-Mines and prospects in the Bear Canyon district, Doiia Ana County,
New Mexico
Figure 7-Map of Copiapojarosite mine
Figure 8-District zoning in theOrgan Mountains, Doiia Ana County, New Mexico
Figure 9-Gold-silver veins in Proterozoic granite and diabase at theRock of Agesmine at Mineral
Hill in the Organ Mountains district
Figure 10-Galena pockets in limestone at the Modoc mine,Organ Mountains district
Figure 11-Banded calcite, fluorite,and manganese oxidesat theBishops Cap mine,Organ
Mountains district
Figure 12-Mines and prospectsin the Potrillo Mountains, Doiia Ana County,
New Mexico
Figure 13-Mines and prospects in the Rincon district, Doiia
Ana County, New Mexico
Figure 14-View looking to the northeast of the upper and lower Palm Park barite mine, Rincon
district, Doiia Ana County, New Mexico
Figure 15-Simplified geologic sketch andplan map of the Green Crawford mines, Dofia Ana
County, New Mexico
Figure 16-Mines and prospects in the Camel Mountain-Eagle Nest district, Luna County
3
139
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23 1
234
11
20
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24
24
35
42
46
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56
57
61
62
66
72
73
Figure 17-Camel Mountain, looking north
74
Figure 18-Eagle Nest Hill, lookingnorth
Figure 19-Vein containing calcite, quartz, siderite, galena,
and pyrite striking east-west at Eagle
75
Nest Hill
77
Figure 20-Mines and prospectsin the Carrizallilo mining district, Luna County
78
Figure 21-Mines and prospectein the Canizallio Hills, southern Carrizallilomining district
92
Figure 22-Mines and prospectsin the Tres Hennanas miningdistrict, Luna County
96
Figure 23-Mines and propsectsin the Victorio mining district, Luna County
99
Figure 24-Closeup view of a 3-ft wide vein
in limestone at Mine Hill, Victorio mining district
99
Figure 25-Fissure vein in limestone at the Parole mine, Mine Hill, Victrio mining district
Figure 26-Map of the mines and prospects in the Antelope Wells-Dog Mountains mining district,
104
Hidalgo County
106
Figure 27-Map of the mines and prospectsin the Apache No. 2 mining district, Hidalgo County
Figure 28-Map of the mines and prospects
in the Big Hatchet Mountainsmining district,
110
Hidalgo county
115
Figure 29-Map of the mines and prospects in the Gillespie mining district, Hidalgo County
117
Figure 30-Photo of the fluorite mill in 1994 at the Winkler anticline
118
Figure 31-Photo of the Red Hill minein 1994, Gillespiemining district
118
Figure 32-Photo of the Gillespie minein 1994, Gillespiemining district
121
Figure 33-Map of the mines and prospects in the Granite Gapmining districts, Hidalgo County
126
Figure 34-Map of the mines and prospects in the Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo County
134
Figure 35-Map of the mines and prospects in the McGhee Peak mining district, Hidalgo County
135
Figure 36-Photo of the Carbonate Hill mine and mill,in 1994, lookingwest, Hidalgo County
140
Figure 37-Map of the Silver Tip mining district, Hidalgo County
Figure 38-Eagle Point adit (lookoing east) with unaltered limestone
to the right and skam to the left,
145
Sylvanite district, Hidalgo County
145
Figure 39-Closeup of W-Cu-Pb skam at the Eagle Point mine, Sylvanite district, Hidalgo County
150
Figure 40-Mines and prospects in the Alum Mountainmining district, Grant County
155
Figure 41-Mines and prospects in the Black Hawkmining district, Grant County
167
Figure 42-Mines and prospects in the Caprock Mountain mining district, Grant County
170
Figure 43-Mines and prospects in the Carpenter mining district, Grant County
177
Figure 44-Mines and prospects in the Cora Millermining district, Grant County
181
Figure 45-Turquoise pit in sec. 2 T28S R16W, Eureka district, Grant County
181
Figure 46-Turquoise vein withiron oxides (3 cm thick) in ash-flow tuffat turquoise pit
183
Figure 47-Baringer fault in the Continental pit, Fierro-Hanover district, Grant County
184
Figure 48-Generalized mineralization patternsin Laramide skam deposits in southern New Mexico
185
Figure 49"Chalcopyrite in skam at the Continental pit, Fierro-Hanover district, Grant County
189
Figure 50-Mines and prospectsin the Fleming mining district, Grant County
199
Hill mining district, Grant County
Figure 51-Feldspar in the White Top pegmatite, Gold
199
Figure 52-Microlite and smarskite in feldspar at the South pegmatite, Grant County
208
Figure 53--cyprUs Pifios Altos decline, Pifios Altos district, Grant County
208
Figure 54-Chalcopyrite-galena ore pod at the Pifios Altos mine, Grant County
210
Figure 55-Mines and prospects in the Ricolite mining district, Grant County
214
Figure 56-Mines and prospects in the Santa Ritamining district, Grant County
216
Figure 57-Santa Rita pit, looking sonth from overlook, Grant County
218
Figure 58-Mines and prospects in the Steeple Rock mining district, Grant County
224
Figure 59-Jimmy Reed fluorite mine, looking west, Wild Horse Mesa area, Telegraph district
Figure 60-Silicification along a faultin the Wild Horse Mesa area, Telegraph district, Grant County225
232
Figure 61-Mines and prospects in the Wilcox mining district, Grant County
Table 1-Mining districts of the Mimbres Resource Area
Table 2-Base- and precious-metal productionin the Mimbres Resource Area
Table 3-Placer gold deposits in the Resource Area Mimbres area
Table 4-Known barite and fluorite production from mines
in the Mimbres Resource Area
4
7
12
16
17
Table 5-Uranium production from minesin the Mimbres Resource Area
18
Table 6 4 t h e r production from mines in the Mimbres Resource Area
18
Table 7-Tungsten production from the Mimbres Resource Area
19
Table &Manganese production from the Mimbres Resource Area
19
Table 9-Selected active, inactive,and dismantled millsin the Mimbres Resource Area
25
Table lO-T-es of
deposits in Doiia Ana County
30
Table 11-Selected scoria depositsin Doda Ana and Luna Counties
31
Table 1 2 S c o r i a production in DoM Ana and Luna Counties
33
34
Table 13-Mines and prospects in the Bear Canyon district, Doiia Ana County, New Mexico
Table 14-Chemical analyses of samples collected from
the lower contactin the Bear Canyon district
36
Table 15-Mines and prospects in the Black Mountain district, Doiia County
37
38
Table 16-Mines and prospects in the Doiia Ana Mountains district, Doiia County
39
Table 17-Chemical analyses of samples collectedfrom the Doiia Ana Mountains district
40
Table 18-Mines and prospects in the Northern Franklin Mountains,
Dofia AM County
41
Table 19-Chemical analyses of samples collected fromthe Northern Franklin Mountains district
41
Table 20-Assays of samples fromthe Copiapo jarosite prospect
44
Table 21-Metal production fromthe Organ Mountains district, Doiia Ana County
47
Table 22-Mines and prospects in the Organ Mountains mining district
53
Table 23-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Organ Mountains district
58
Table 24-Mines andprospects in the Potrillo Mountains, Doiia Ana County
59
Table 25-Assays of samples collectedfrom the Potrillo Mountains
60
Table 26-Mines and prospects in the Rincon district, DoiiaAna County
63
Table 27-Chemical analyses of samples from selected mines
and prospects in the Rincon district
64
Table 28-Mines and prospects in the San Andrecito-Hembrillo district, Doiia Ana County
Table 29-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Green Crawford, Hospital Canyon, and
65
Hembrillo Canyon mines
68
Table 30-Mines and prospects in the Tonoco mining district, Doiia Ana County
70
Table 31-Reported metal productionfrom Luna County, New Mexico
71
Table 32-Prospects in the Camel Mountain-Eagle Nestarea, Luna County
76
Table 33-Mines and prospects in the Carrizalillo mining district, Luna County
80
Table 34-Reported metal production fromthe Cooke's Peak district, Luna County
81
Table 35-Mines and prospects fromthe Cooke's Peak district, Luna County
82
Table 36-Metal production from individual mines
in the Cooke's Peak district, Luna County
83
Table 37-Reported metal production fromthe Florida Mountains, Luna County
84
Table 38-Mines and prospects fromthe Florida Mountains mining district, Luna County
85
Table 39-Mines and prospects fromthe Fluorite Ridge mining district, Luna County
89
Table 40-Mines and prospects fromthe Little Florida Mountains
mining district, Luna County
90
Table 41-Mines and prospects fromthe Old Hadley mining district, Luna County
Table 42-Reported metal production from the Tres Hermanas district, Luna County
91
Table 43-Mines and prospects fromthe Tres Hermanasmining district, Luna County
94
Table 44-Reported metal production fromthe Victorio district, Luna County
97
100
Table 45-Mines and prospects fromthe Victorio mining district,Luna County
Table 46-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Victoria district
101
Table 47-Metal production from Hidalgo County, 1920-1957
102
Table 48-Mines and prospects in the Antelope Wells-Dog Mountains mining district, Hidalgo County 103
Table 49-Reponed metal production from the Apache No. 2mining district, Hidalgo County
105
Table 50-Mines and prospects in the Apache No. 2mining district, Hidalgo County
107
Table 51-Mines and prospects in the Big Hatchet Mountainsmining district, Hidalgo County
109
Table 52-Reported metal productionfrom the Fremont mining district, Hiddgo andLuna Counties
112
Table 53-Mines and prospects in the Fremont mining district, Hidalgo County
113
Table 54-Reported metal productionfrom the Gillespie mining district, Hidalgoand Luna Counties
114
116
Table 55-Mines and prospects in the Gillespie mining district, Hidalgoand Luna Counties
120
Table 56-Reported metal production fromthe Granite Gapmining district, Hidalgo County
Table 57-Mines and prospects in the Granite Gapmining district, Hidalgo County
122
5
Table 58-Mines and prospectsin the Kimball mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 59-Reported metal production fromthe Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 60-Mines and prospectsin the Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 61-Mines and prospectsin the McGhee Peak miningdistrict, Hidalgo County
Table 62-Mineral occurrences in the Muir mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 63-Mines and prospectsin the Rincon mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 64-Reported metal production from the Sylvanite mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 65-Mines and prospectsin the Sylvanite mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 66-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Sylvanite mining district, Hidalgo County
Table 67-Metals production from Grant County from 1904 to 1958
Table 68-Mines and prospectsin the Alum Mountain mining district, Grant County
Table 69-Mines and prospectsin the Bayard mining district, Grant County
Table 70-Chemical analyses of samples collected fromthe Manhattan and Peerless claims
Table 71-Metals production fromthe Black Hawk mining district, Grant County
Table 72-Mines and prospectsin the Black Hawk mining district, Grant County
Table 73-Mines and prospectsin the Bound Ranch mining district, Grant County
Table 7LMetals production fromthe Burro Mountains mining district, Grant County
Table 75-Copper production fromthe Tyrone mine
Table 76-Mines and prospectsin the Burro Mountains mining district, Grant County
Table 77-Mines and prospectsin the Caprock Mountain mining district, Grant County
Table 78-Metals production from the Carpenter mining district, Grant County
Table 79-Reported production from individual mines in the Carpenter district, Grant County
Table 80-Mines and prospectsin the Carpenter mining district, Grant County
Table 81-Metals production from theChloride Flat mining district, Grant County
Table 82-Mines and prospectsin the Chloride Flat mining district, Grant County
Table 83-Mines and prospectsin the Copper Flat mining district, Grant County
Table 84-Metals production from the Eureka mining district, Grant County
Table 85-Mines and prospectsin the Eureka mining district, Grant County
Table 86-Mines and prospectsin the Fierro-Hanover mining district, Grant County
Table 87-Metals production from the Fleming miningdistrict, Grant County
Table 88-Mines and prospectsin the Fleming mining district, Grant County
Table 89-Mines and prospectsin the Georgetown mining district, Grant County
Table 90-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Georgetown district, Grant County.
Table 91-Mines and prospectsin the Gila Fluorspar mining district, Grant County
Table 92-Metals production from the Gold Hill mining district, Grant County
Table 93-Mines and prospectsin the Gold Hill mining district, Grant County
Table 94-Metals production from the Lone Mountain mining district, Grant County
Table 95-Mines and prospectsin the Lone Mountain mining district, Grant County
Table 96-Mines and prospectsin the Malone mining district, Grant County
Table 97-Mines and prospectsin the Northern Cooke’s Rangemining district, Grant County
Table 98-Metals production from the Pifios Altos mining district, Grant County
Table 99-Mines and prospectsin the Pifios Altos mining district, Grant County
Table 100-Mines and prospectsin the Ricolite mining district, Grant County
Table 101-Selected production from the Chino mine, SantaRita district
Table 102-Metals production from the Steeple Rock mining district, Grant County
Table 103-Mines and prospectsin the Steeple Rock mining district, Grant County
Table 104-Metals production fromthe Telegraph mining district, Grant County
Table 105-Mines and prospectsin the Telegraph mining district, Grant County
Table 106-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Wild Horse Mesaarea
Table 107-Metals production from the White Signal mining district, Grant County
Table 108-Mines and prospectsin the White Signal mining district, Grant County
Table 109-Mines and prospectsin the Wilcox mining district, Grant County
6
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23 1
INTRODUCTION
The Federal Land Policy
and Management Actof 1976 (FLPMA)charges the U. S. Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) with the responsibility for preparinga mineral-resource inventov and assessmentfor mineral
resources for all of the public lands they manage.
In order to meetthis requirement, the BLM requestedthe U. S.
Geological Survey (USGS)to prepare a comprehensive reporton the mineral resourcesin the BLM's Mimbres
Resource Area, which includes
DoM Ana, Luna, Hidalgo,and Grant Countiesin southwestern New MexicoFig.
1). The USGS, in turn, requested the assistance of the s t a f f at the New Mexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral
Resources ( N M B M M R ) . This report includes sectionsdescribing the mining historyand geology ofthe mining
districts in the Mimbres Resource Area, which will be included
in the final USGS report. This report is open-filed
by NMBMMR in order to make this information available quicklyto the public. This report also contains some
information not includedin the final USGS report. This study is based upon integrationof limited field
reconnaissance with published and unpublished reports
and geochemical data. More detailed reports
are underway
and will be availableas NMBMMR county bulletins.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Robert Eveleth,Frank Kottlowski, and Virgil Lueth
( NMBMMR) and Dave Lindsey
and Susan Bartschin
W i d e r (USGS) reviewedparts of this manuscript and their comments are appreciated. USGS scientists helped
the field workand mineral-resource assessmentand some oftheir conclusions are added, especiallyJeny
Hassermer, Jim Picktin, and Doug Klein. Robert Myers (Environmental Services,
WSMR) authorized accessto the
White Sands Missile Rangeand his assistanceis appreciated. In addition, I would like to acknowledge Robert
North and many students overthe years who assistedin compiling the production statistics. Daniel Hack
and Tim
Peace provided technical assistance. David McCraw
(
N
M
B
Cartography Department) draftedthe figures.
This work is part of ongoing research on mineral resources
at N
MBCharles Chapin, Directorand State
Geologist.
MINING HISTORY AND PRODUCTION INTHE MIMBRES RESOURCE AREA
Introduction
Mining has beenan integral part of the economy ofthe Mimbres Resource Area since pre-historic times.
Mining districts are found throughoutin the Mimbres Resource Area (Table
1, Fig. 1)and several world-class ore
deposits are found in the region. Unfortunately, financial scams and frauds along with exaggerations
of vast
mineral wealth have also plagued southwestern
New Mexico. Despitethis, the Mimbres Resource Area accounts
for most of the copper and zinc production fromNew Mexicoas well as significant amountsof gold, lead, and
silver. Total production fromthe Mimbres Resource Areais estimated to amount to 15.7 billion pounds
of copper,
100 million ouncesof silver, 1.2 million ounces
of gold, 651 million poundsof lead, and 2.8 billion poundsof zinc
(Table 2). This accounts for over 90%
of the total copper, zinc, and silver production from New Mexico (18481993), 89% ofthe lead, and 46%of the gold production(NMBMMR file data, compiled by V.T. McLemore).
Other commodities have been produced
as well.
TABLE 1-Mining districts of the Mimbres Resource Area. District names modified from File and Northrop
(1966), Northrop, 1959), andNorth and McLemore (1986). Type of deposit after North and McLemore
(1986,1988) andincludes USGS classificationin parenthesis (Coxand Singer, 1986).
DISTRICT
(ALIASES)
DoiioAno Counw
Aden (Patrillo, Black
M0""tain)
Bear Canyon (Stevens, San
AgUStin)
BlackMountain'(Kent,
Organ)
Brickland (Eagle)
Doila Ana Mountains
I
YEAR OF
DISCOVERY
YEARS OF
PRODUCTION
COMMODITIES
PRODUCED (PRESENT)
1900s
1950s-presenl
scoria
1900
early 1900% 1932,
1950s
1883-1900s
Cu, Ag, Pb, Ba (F, V, Mo)
Rio Grande Rift
C u , Au, A& Pb, F (Ba)
. .
Rio Grande Rifl
1883
1900s
1900
I
I
present
early 1900s
1930s
1914
I
I
none
1914
volcanic
brick clay, silica,limestone Isedimentary
A& marble
- . (Mn, Pb, volcanic-epitheml(25b,c,d,e)
I Cu,Au,
I
I
I
IronHill(RobledoMts.)
Norihem Franklin
Mountains
I
TYPE OF DEPOSIT
I
;In)
I
Fe, travertine
deposits
1 sedimentary
iron
(340
Ag, Pb,Fe,jamsite, gypsum Rio Grande Rift, volcanic-epithmal(?)
limestone, shale (F,Ba)
7
6
YEAROF
DISCOVERY
PRODUCTION
1915
1918-1951
F, Mn @a, Co, clay)
Old Hadley (Graphic)
1880
1880-1929
Tres H m a n a s
1881
1885-1957
Victario (Gage)
1870s
1880-1957
Cu, Pb, ZL
I Au, Ag (Ba, U,
alunite)
Cu,Pb,Zn,Au,&Mn(lJ,W,
Ge, Be, F, Fe,travertine)
Cu, Pb, Zn,Au, As. W,
limestone (Be, U, Fe, F, Mo)
DISTRICT(ALIASES)
Luna County (C0"t.)
Lillle FIoridaMountains
COMMODITIES YEARS OF
PRODUCED (PRESENT)
Rock)
TYPE OF DEPOSIT
Ria Grande Rifl(7), epithennal manganese
(ZSp), fluorite veins (26b) (Black
volcanbepithennal (25b,c,d,e)
Laramideskam(19418a),Laramidevein
(2%)
carbonate-hosted Pb-Znreplacement(19%
lSa), tungsten-beryllium contactmetasomatic deposits(14a), porphyry Mo-
w
, 1% ,,<.x
'Black Mountainis now restricted inthis report to include onlyRio Grande Rift deposits inthe Black Mountainarea. No& and
McLemore (1986) and McLemore(1994b) included the desmiptionfor Mineral Hill(€"reCambrian veins and replacement deposits)
as p a t of the
Black Mountain district. However,the gold productionfrom Mineral Hillwas medited to the Organ Mountains district.
The veins at Mineral Hill are
now classifiedas epithmallmesolhmd veins andare included as p a t ofthe Organ Mountains district.
%e Central mining district is not used inthis repon Historically, itrefem to all or p a t of the Bayard, Chloride FlaS Fierro-Hanover,
Flemins. Georgetown,Lone Mountain, Piiias Altos, Santa Rita,and Silver City mining districts.
10
TABLE 2-Base- and urecious-metal oroductionin the Mimbres ResourceArea.
12
&estimated data. Small. some. W-uroduction not available.
- No data
DISTRICT
Grant Counw
pont.)
PERIOD OF
PRODUCTION
ORE
(SHORT
TONS)
Carpenter(Sw&)
1891-1969
Chloride Flat
(Silvercity)
1873-1946
149,000
Copper Flat
Cora Miller
(200,000)
(300)
Eureka (Hachita)
1927-1947
1940-1941
1880-1961
Fieno-Hanover
1890-1980s
-
Fleming
1882-1893
1936-1948
1,436
1866-1975
-
Gold Hill
Lone Mountain
I
1911-1941
REFEENCES
COMMENTS
I
I
(310,000) (75,000)300 (60,000-180,000~
1
I
G~Orgetown
ZINC LEAD
(POUNDS) OUNCES)
(TROY
(POUNDS)
SILVER(TR0Y
OUNCES)
I
I
I
GOLD
COPPER
(T'OUNDS)
1
(20,000)
-
(4,000,000:
W
W
W
W
W
(5,000)
(500,000)
(I,250,000,000)
-
1871-1950
-
1884-1961 Malone
-
w
(450,000>
(X0,OOO)
(X,OOO,OOO)
(<1,000)
(100)
54 450
some
Some
I
I
I
(200)
I
(300,000)
11,192
(3,858,000)
I
I
I
1,620 6,845 5,686
(3,000)
(16,100)
(>loo,ooo)
(<1,000)
2,800 5,342 1936-1950
18
28,578
some
(12,000)
(>10,000)
(5,000)
1,000
(5,000)
13
some
- USBM files;and
North
M c h o r e , 1986
- North and McLemore, 1986;
USBM fde data
some North andMcLemore, 1986:
I'
morelhan$1OO,OOOinAg
(Richter and Lame,
i983)
about$300.000 maduced
ORE
PRODUCTION
OUNCES)
(SHORT
TONS)
COPPER
GOLD
POUNDS) (l'OLINDS)
OUNCES)
(TROY
SILVER(TR0Y
(169,000)
(XO0,OOO)
RockSteeple
1880-1991
relegraph @ed
1938-1951
W h i l e Signal
1880-1968
. .
'
(2,600,000)
(X,360,000)
(151,000)
(3,400,000)
(6,000,000)
-
(5,000,000)
1 1880-1950,1970s
I
1
COMMENTS
LEAD
REPERENCES
ZINC
POUNDS)
14
(64,000,000) Johnson, 1972:USBM filedata; overbl09million
McLemare,
andNorth
1986;
produced; $4.7 million
RichterandLawrence, 1983;
pmducedpriorio 1904
OsterbergandMuller, 1994
(Jones, 1904)
Trujillo,
-and
Wunder
1987;
North and McLemore,1986;
Lang, 1995
(4,000,000) Richterandhwmce, 1983;
Carlislemine,iatal
criggs andWagner, 1966;
produdion about $5 million;
additional produdionin
USBM file data; Northand
total district
McLemore, 1986; Tookerand1970s;
Vercoutere, 1986;McLemore,produced
about $10 million
15
Mining records and, especially, production records
are generally poor, particularly for the earliest times;
because they have not been preserved through
the generations. Miners do not always keep adequate records
or
advertise their activities. Many of the early recordsare conflicting and scams were andstill are common. Metals
production fromthe area sincethe late 1800s is listed by districtin Table 2. Tables 3-8 list production of other
commodities fromthe Mimbres ResourceArea. These production figuresare the best data available and were
of which are on fileat the NMBMMR
obtained froma variety of published and unpublished sources, most
However, someof these production figuresare subject to change, as new data are obtained.
TABLE 3-Placer gold deposits in the Mimbres Resource Area (modified from Johnson,
1972; McLemore,
1994a). Production is in troy ounces.
DlSTRICT
YEAR OF
GOLD
GOLD DISCOVERY
Piiias Altos
84
900
1908
Hill
1860
ESTIMATED
RECORDED
TOTAL
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION
PRIORTO1902-1991
1902
38,842
REFERENCES
LX)CATION
5,995
ESTIMATED
GOLD
PRODUCTION
50,000
1,700
White
Signal and
Malone
Bayard
some
366
some
128
Sylvanite
none
109
Gold
7
7
1
Bum0
Mountains
Lordsburg
7
1
7
1
1
none
16
T16-17s R13-14WBear Creek,Rich Gulch,
Whiskey Gulch Santo
Doming0 Gulch, near
Mountain Key mine
T2OS R14,lGW " G o l d
Gulch, Gold Lake
Lasky and
Wootton (1933),
Paige (1911,
1912), Wells and
Woonon(1940)
Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
T17-18s R12-13W Lasky(1936a)
drainazes near Bayud
T28SRlGW "drainages Lasky(1947),
from west side ofLink
WellsandWootton
Hatchet Mountains
(1940)
7 T21SRlGW"GoldHill
Richterand
canyon (Foster)
Lawrence(l983)
7 unspecified streams and
dry washes
1 arroyos
drainingknown
Nonhrop
(1959)
TABLE 4-Known barite and fluorite production
from mines in the Mimbres ResourceArea. * Includes
. .
ennessee, Golden Lily,Rub
TABLE 5-Uranium production from mines in the Mmbres Resource Area (McLemore,1983). This includes total
ore that was receivedat the buying stations and mills.
MINENAME
SHORT
TONS
POUNDS
UsOs
% U ~ O S POUNDS V205
%V 2 0 ~
ORE
Organ
DoiiaAna County
in Blue Star
Cap(Bishops
12 1955 0.04
149
PERIODS OF
PRODUCTION
0.06
TABLE 6 4 t h e r production from mines in the Mimbres Resource Area. Location includes section, township, and
range.
MINE
DISTRICT
LQCATION
PERIOD
PRODUCTION
OF
PRODUCTION
REFERENCES
DoitaAna County
Hembrillo,
Redrock
Texas
Canyon
San AndrecitoHembrillo
Organ Mountains
Potrillo
Scoriapits
various
M0""tlins
h n Hill
Copiapojmsite mine
NorthernFranklin
GranrCounty
BostonHill,
Chloride
Chloride
Flat
Flat
Copper Flat
Copper Flat
sec. 1, 12
1917-1930,
10,000
short
tons
T22S 1942-1945
R4E 2,602
shorttons
ofialc
oftalc
sec. 34 T22S
1908-1921
small amount ofore containins
R4E
1%Bi
MexicoNew
shorttons
582,000
estimated
1975-1988
Inspector(1950-1982)
million.
$10worth
1930-1950
unknown amount of 50.55%
Fe
sec. 8 T26S
1925-1928
several hundredshorttons of
R4E
jarosite
-
-
-
1931-1937
18
2.7 million
short
tons Mn-Fe
ore (3040% Fe)
10,000shoatonsof55-58%Fe
Chidester et al. (1964),
FiesimmonrKelly
and
(1980), McLemare
(1994b)
Dasch
11965)
~I
StateMineS
Harrer
(1963)
Kelly
and
Dunham(1935)
Harrer
(1963)
Kelly
and
HmerandKelly(l963)
TABLE 7-Tungsten production from the Mimbres Resource Area. Location includes section, township,
and
TABLE 8-Manganese production from the Mimbres Resource Area, 1883-1958(fromFamham, 1961; DOIT:
1965).
MINE
""liar
DISTRICT
Little Florida Mountains
Little Florida Mountains
Florida Mountains
ORE PRODUCTION
GRADE
(LONGTONS)
%Mn
I
12,933
6,593
1,421
I
I
I
GRADE
CONCENTRATE
PRODUCTION
(LONG
21.4
I
19.1
22-30
I
%Mn
I
19,871
1,522
-
I
I
45
30-45
-
Early mining activities
Native Americans werethe first miners in the area and used local sourcesof hematite and clay for
pigments and obsidian for arrow heads. Their houses were made
of stone, adobe, and clay (Fig. 2). Clay was also
used in making pottery. Stone tools were shaped
from local deposits of pebbles, jasper, chert,and obsidian. The
19
first commercial mining by Native Americans
was to obtain turquoisefor trading and makingornaments. The
that simple heatingof the rock was usedto fTee the valued
fiequent occurrenceof charcoal at old mines suggests
blue-green turquoise. Charcoalis also a necesmy ingredient in both smeltingand working iron and steel (ie.
blacksmithing). Native copper was mined
at Santa Rita and traded for weapons and impliments. Stone tools were
great quantities of minerals; vast deposits were
left for
undoubtedly wed. But the Native Americans never mined
om of Spanish, European, and American miners.
L
FIGURE :GRock house atthe Gila CliffDwellings~tionalMonument K T .McLemore phoio, 1994).
The Spanishfirst entered New Mexicoin 1534 withthe expedition led by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
and followed in 1539 by Fray Marcos de
Niza Francisco Vasques de Coronado led
an expedition in 1540 looking
for gold (Jones, 1904; Christiansen, 1974). Coronado did not find any gold
or silver, but he did find turquoiseand
led the way tofuture colonization. Early Spanishmining in New Mexico was centered around
the Cemllos and
Old Placers districts
in Santa Fe County,but some activity occurred
in the Mimbres ResourceArea, near Silver
City. The Pueblo Revoltin 1692 was in part attributed to Spanish enslaving'the Native Americans
into mining;
but there is little documentation to suppolt such accounts (Jones, 1904; Northrop, 1959). Probably
the earliest
mining by the Spanish in the Mimbres ResourceArea was for turquoise in
the Burro Mountains and at Santa Rita
(Paige, 1922; Gillerman, 1964). However,
mining by the Spanish in the Mimbres ResourceArea did not amount
to much until ca. 1798, whenan Apache Indian told Col. Manuel Carrasco about
the copper depositsat what is
to form a partnership and they were
now known as Santa Rita. Carrasco interested Francisco Manuel Elguea
issued a landgrant, the Santa Rita del Cobre Grant By 1804 Elguea bought out Carrasco and began
mining the
copper at Santa Rita in earnest. Elguea found a ready market for copper
in Mexico City for coinage. Actual
production recordsare lacking, but Christiansen (1974) estimates he shipped 200 trains
mule annnally, amounting
to about 6,000,000 pounds of copper per year.The expedition of Lieutenant Pikein 1807 encounteredmining at
or no processing and what processing
that was required
Santa Rita (Jones, 1904). The ore was shipped with little
involved smeltingin simple adobe furnaces.Elguea died in 1809 and miningat Santa Rita diminishedas a result
in Mexico, and
of increasing costs, difficult transportation, Native Americans uprisings, declining copper demands
finally the Mexican Revolutionin 1810. The records are conflictingas to who owned and operated the mines after
1809 and the mines finally closed in 1834. They were still inactive when Kearney's army visited the area
in 1846
(Jones, 1904; Milbaner, 1983).
20
.I
0
I
m
m
I
1
I
k!
m
I
k!
m
7
I
first commercial mining by Native Americans wasto obtain turquoise fortrading and making ornaments. The
frequent occurrence of charcoal at old mines suggeststhat simple heating of the rock was usedto free the valued
blue-green turquoise. Charcoal is also a necessary ingredientin both smelting and working
iron and steel (ie.
blacksmithing). Native copper was mined
at Santa Rita and traded for weapons
and impliments. Stone tools were
undoubtedly used.But the Native Americans never mined great quantities
of minerals; vast deposits wereleft for
future generations of Spanish, European, and American miners.
~~~~
~
~
~
-
~~~~
~
.
~
FIGURE 2”Rock house~atthe Gila CliEDwelliigs National Monument(V. T. McLemore photo, 1994)
The Spanishfirst entered New Mexico in 1534 with the expedition ledby Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
led an expedition in 1540 looking
and followed in 1539by Fray Marcos de Niza. Francisco Vasques de Coronado
for gold (Jones, 1904; Christiansen, 1974). Coronado did
not find any gold or silver,but he did find turquoise and
the Cerrillos and
led the way to future colonization. Early Spanishminingin New Mexico was centered around
Old Placers districtsin Santa Fe County, but some activity occurredin the Mimbres Resource Area, near Silver
City. The Pueblo Revolt in 1692 wasin part attributed to Spanish enslavingthe Native Americansinto mining;
but there is little documentation to supportsuch accounts (Jones, 1904; Northrop, 1959). Probablythe earliest
mining by the Spanish in the Mimbres Resource Area was turquoise
for
in the Burro Mountainsand at Santa Rita
amomt
(Paige, 1922; GiUerman, 1964). However,miningby the Spanish in the Mimbres Resource Area did not
the copper depositsat what is
to much until ca. 1798, whenan Apache Indian told Col. Manuel Carrasco about
now known as Santa Rita. Carrasco interested Francisco Manuel Elguea
to form a partnership and they were
issued a landgrant, the Santa Rita del Cobre Grant.By 1804 Elguea bought out Carrasco and began mining
the
copper at Santa Rita in earnest. Elguea found a ready market for copper
in Mexico City for coinage. Actual
production recordsare l a c h g , but Christiansen (1974) estimates he shipped 200 mule
trains annually, amounting
to about 6,000,000 pounds of copper per year. The expedition
of Lieutenant Pike in 1807 encounteredmining at
that was required
Santa Rita (Jones, 1904). The ore was shipped with little or no processing and what processing
involved smeltingin simple adobe furnaces. Elguea died
in 1809 andmining at Santa Rita diminished as a result
of increasing costs, difficult transportation, Native Americans uprisings, declining copper demands
in Mexico, and
finally the Mexican Revolutionin 1810. The records are conflictingas to who ownedand operated the mines after
1809 and the mines finally closed in 1834. They werestill inactive whenKeamey’s m y visited the area in 1846
(Jones, 1904; Milbauer, 1983).
20
In 1848, New Mexico becamepart of the United Statesas a territoryand the mining industry becamea
dominant forcein thestate. Written recordsof mining activity and production werestill rarely preservedand
conflicting stories exaggerating mineral wealth
in New Mexico are abundant in early accounts. At first,mining
was by small groupsof individuals; large mining companies were not formed
until the late 1880s. Gold was
discovered in the Ortiz Mountains in north-central New Mexicoin 1828 (Jones, 1904; McLemore, 1994a) and
drew an estimated 2,000-3,000 miners tothat region. Whenthe gold played outat Ortiz, many of these miners
began prospecting throughout
New Mexico, especiallyin theMimbres Resource Area. Additional prospectors
traveling through the state heading for the gold fieldsin California in the1850s, found New Mexicoto their liking
and stayed. Prospectors had already discovered
the mineral depositsin the Organ Mountains in the 1830s; the
in 1849 (Dunham, 1935; Eveleth, 1983). Placer gold was discovered
in
Stephenson-Bennett mine was discovered
in the district (Milbauer,
the Piiios Altos districtin 1860 (Table 3), when morethan 700 miners were working
1983). Mining began in the Fierro-Hanover districtin 1850, Bayard districtin 1858, and Piiios Altos, Fremont,
and Steeple Rock districtsin 1860 (Table 1). Mining had resumedat Santa Rita by the late 1850s. But then the
All mining in theMimbres Resource Area ceased
Civil War eruptedin theeast and the soldiers were needed there.
in 1862 with the invasion of New Mexico bythe Confederate forces (Milbauer,1983). The Civil War depletedthe
Indian raids; thus many districts
number of soldiers in thestate and the mining camps were no longer safe from
remained inactiveuntil after the war.
Mining after the Civil War
The end of the Civil Was brought tremendous changeto mining in New Mexico. Better records were kept
in the late 1800s and preserved forthe future. Settlers and prospectors fled the war torn east to start new livesin
the west. Soldiers weresent to New Mexicoand Arizona to eliminate interference by Native Americans.
The
Mimbres Resource Area was one
of the last areas in the United Statesto be rid of the threat of Indian attacks and
many mining districts were not discovered
until 1890-1900 (Table 1). The Federal Mining Act of 1866 established
rules and regulations governing prospecting
and mining with provisions to obtain private ownership
of federal land
containing valuable mineral resources.
The act was subsequently amended
in 1870 and 1872 and in theyears
since. The mining act further encouraged mining and prospectingin theMimbres Resource Areaand the mining
boom of 1870-1890 began. Many districts beganto open up and production beganas the Indian threat was
subdued (Table1). The telegraph and then the railroad improved conditionsin the area as mining continued to
flourish. New metallurgical techniques were developed.The cyanide process was perfectedin 1891 and
revolutionized gold recovery. Times were
excitingfor the miner in the late 1800s as metal prices soared.Large
mining companies were formed
to develop the larger deposits.
The 1870s and 1880s saw growthin mining in many districts.In 1873, M. B. Hayes obtainedthe Santa
Rita mineand commenced mining. The mine changed owners several timesfrom 1881 to 1904 (Sully, 1908). The
railroad was completedto Lordsburg in 1881, to Hanoverin 1891 and to Santa Rita in 1899 (Sully, 1908;
Christiansen, 1974) and made ore production more profitable. Silver was discovered
in the Black Hawkdistrict in
1881 and gold was foundin theMalone and GoldHill districts in 1884 (Gillerman, 1964). Fluorite was minedfor
smelter flux in the 1880s at the Burro Chief minein the Burro Mountainsdistrict and at the Foster minein the
Gila Fluorspar district (Gillerman,
1964; Williams, 1966). Iron ore wasalso mined in thearea and used for
smelter flux (Harrer, 1965).
in the Chloride Flat
Silver became importantin 1870-1880s in many districts. Silver was discovered
district in 1871, which produced approximately$4 million worthof silver prior to 1893. The lead-zinc-silver
deposits in theCooke’s Peak district yielded approximately
$3 million by 1900. Horn silver was found
in the
Telegraph district in 1882 with assays as high as $300-$500/ton (Northrop, 1959). Georgetown produced$3.5
million worth of silver prior to 1893 (Anderson, 1957). In 1890 the Sherman Silver Act was passed which
increased the price and demand for silver. It was short lived. The Sherman SilverAct was repealed in 1893 and
most silver minesin the Southwest closed, neverto reopen. A depression resulted and,in some districts, only gold
ore was important.The Hanover mines wereidle during most of the 1880s; but in 1891 markets developed foriron
and zinc and once
again the Hanover minesbegan production. Manganese was produced
from the Chloride Flat
district in 1883-1907 and was usedin smelters in theSilver City area(Farnham, 1961; Don; 1965). However, by
1900, little activity occurredin themuch of the Mimbres Resource Area.
Mining inthe Twentieth Century
New mining and milling technologies were developed throughout
the twentieth centurythat encouraged
exploration and development
of many depositsin theMimbres Resource Areathat were ignoredin the 1800s. But
booms and busts were
the norm for most mining towns in New Mexicoas world warsand financial slumps
controlled the metals markets. Demandsfor new commodities suchas manganese, uranium,and barite were seen.
In 1904, Daniel C. Jackling openedthe first large, open-pit mineto produce low-grade copper ore (less
than 2% Cu) at Bingham Canyon, Utah. Atthe same time, JohnM. Sully arrivedat Santa Rita and recognized the
similarity of ore at Santa Rita to that mined at Bingham Canyon. Sully thoroughly explored
the area and
attempted to obtain backers (Sully,1908). Finally, in 1909 he obtained financial backingand in 1910 production
began. The first concentrator mill was erected
at Hurley in 1911; flotation concentration was added
in 1914
(Hodges, 1931).
4, 6,s). Fluorite was discovered and mined
at Fluorite Ridge
Other commodities were developed (Tables
in 1909 and manganese was producedfrom the Little Florida Mountains in 1918 (Griswold, 1961). Manganese
production resumed throughout
the Mimhres Resource Areain 1916 for useas smelter flux at Pueblo, Colorado
(Dorr, 1965).
New Mexico became a state
in 1912 and in 1914 World WarI began. Metal prices and production
increased as metals were neededfor the war effort. The annnal production of minerals in New Mexico wasan all
time high of over $43 million and much of that production came from
the Mimbres Resource Area (Table
2). In
1918, World WarI ended and was followed by a depression which closed many mines (Northrop,
1959). Fluorite
was produced fromthe Cooke’s Peak district in 1918 and from the Tonuco and Tomgas Mountains districtsin
1919 (Table 4). The Ground Hog minein the Fierro-Hanover district began productionin 1928. In 1930, the
price of copper droppedfrom 18 to lessthan 10 cents per pound, but production continuedat the big mines in the
1959).
area. Copper was only 5 cents per poundin 1932, forcing most of the copper mines to close (Northrop,
Recovery did not occuruntil 1938.
On October 6,1942, the
World WarII began in 1940 and onceagain a war increased demand for metals.
U. S. War Department closed
all gold minesin theU. S. Only base metalsand other strategic mineralssuch as tin,
tungsten (Table7), manganese (Table8), beryllium, fluorite (Table4), and iron were mined. Exploration for these
commodities increased and many mines went into production.
The war endedin 1945 as didthe Federal ban on
gold mining.
Mining in the Mimbres Resource Area continued after
the war; boomsand busts in exploration and
production continued to be
the trend. Drilling in the Piiios Altosarea by the U.S. Mining, Smelting,and Refining
Co. in 1948 encountered lead-zinc ore bodies
that were recently mined by Cyprus Metals Co. (Osterberg
and
Muller, 1994). The Federal government initiated incentive buying programs for domestic production
of
manganese (Agey et al., 1959), tungsten, and uranium in 1951. Tungsten anduranium mines in thearea began
production (Tables5,7) and exploration intensified. Terminationof these programsin 1956 (tungsten), 1959
(manganese) and 1965 (uranium) effectively closed these mines
for good. Most districtsin the area have seen
some exploration since
the 1960s as company after company examined
the area, lookingfor the missed deposit.
But most districts have seen
insignificantproduction sincethe 1950s (Table 1,2). Most mining since 1950 has
occurred in theSilver Cityarea. Industrial minerals have become more important
in the 1970s (Tables 4,6).
Today metalmining is occurring in the Silver Cityarea (Chino, Tyrone, Continental mines)
and in the
is sporadically produced from government stockpiles
in Luna
Lordsburg and Steeple Rock districts. Manganese
County. Industrial minerals, especially scoria and sand
and gravel are i m p o d t commodities.
Mining Methods
The earliest mining methods were crndeand simple. The ore was simplydug out using simple tools.
Locally, the rock was brokenup by heating using fire and quenching with water. Mechanized methods
of
production were not common
nntil the 1880s.
Although most mineralization found
in the early years occurred
at thesurface, shafts were the common
method of production which connected underground to working drifts,
level raises, and haulagedrifts. The
Eighty-Five and Bonney minesin theLordsburg districtare the deepest shafts in the Mimbres Resource Area
with
workings to 1,650 and 2,200 ft deep (Youtz, 1931). Most undergroundmining utilized shrinkageand cut-n-fill
techniques. Square-set techniques were used onlyrare
onoccasions, becauseof high cost of lumber in
southwesternNew Mexico; onlyfour stopes utilized square-set timbering
in 11 years of mining at the Eighty-Five
mine (Youtz, 193 1).
22
The Silver City area
i s well known for the large openpits: SantaRita (Chino), Tyrone, Continental, etc.
But mostof the early productionat these and othermines was by undergroundmethods. Open-pit mining began at
Santa Ritain 19 10 (Thorne, 193
1) and mining methods, although more refined
and safer, are basically the same
today as in the past (Hardwick, 1958).
Ore Processing
The first ore processing techniques were simple, requiring only crude adobe smelters
(Christiansen,
1974). Gold was processed using stampm i l l s or arrastra (Fig. 3) mills. In the late 1800s, m i l l s and smelters were
built in most major mining districts.
~~
~~~~
~
~
FIGURE G k a s t r a ~ m i lon
l display at the WayIt Was Museumin Virginia City, Nevada. Thesem i l l s , pnlled by
mules werecommon in southern New Mexico and throughout western United States
(V. T. McLemore
photo).
The Federal Mining Actof 1872 established procedures for patenting a millsite. Many millsites were
patented, butthe records are not always clear as to what of
kind
mill, if any, was establishedor if the mill operated.
It is difficult to trace the history of a givenmill,because owners changed andm i l l s were typically dismantledat
one site and rebuiltat another site. The early mills were typically associated
with a specific mine;in the late
1800s, mills were established
in or near a large district and would custom
m
liore from throughout the Southwest.
Selected mills are listed
in Table 9.
The Demingarea has been the site of numerous millssince 1928 whenthe Peru mill was fust built (Table
9). ASARCO built a mill in Deming in 1949. Both processedlead-zinc ores from
the Silver City area.
Manganese was concentrated and shipped
from a purchasing depotin Deming 1953-1955 (Agey et al., 1959);
much of the remaining material has been reprocessed and sold. Deming has abundant groundwater, adequate area
for disposalof tailings, andi s accessibile tothe railroad (Griswold, 1961). Today, bothm i l l s in Deming are closed
(Fig. 4, Table 9). However,the Hurley and the Playas smelters are active(Fig. 5). In addition, two processing
plants arein El Paso: ASARCO’s El Paso smelter (copper) and Phelps Dodge’s
El Paso Works (430,000 tpy
copper bySX-Ew).
23
~~
FIGURE 4--cyPrus
FIGURE 5-Hurley
~
~~~
~~
~~
~~
~.
~~
m
l
l
i
at Deming in 1995, before closure (V. T. McLemore photo)
smelter in Grant County, New Mexico in 1995 (V. T. McLemore photo).
24
TABLE 9"Selected active, inactive, and dismantledmills in the Mimbres Resource Area. Somemills were rebuilt or changed owners at the same site,but are
included as separate mills. Location includes section, township, and range. Active mills denoted by *. FN-unpublished field notes, V. T.
McLemore.
"
organ
MOrn2lI
NE1421S4E
32O28'58"
106°30'2"
3-stampmill
Au,Ag
organ
organ
orcan
MOIlllan
NE1421S4E
21 23S4E
11,1422S3E
32'28'58"
32'17'23''
32O24'9"
106"30'2"
106'32'44''
106°36'2"
cyanidemill
adobefurnee
Au,Ac
mill
Pb,Zn
SoledadCanyan
Stephenson-Bennelt
25
Pb
1888-1890,
1892-1900
1905-1910
uriorio 1854
1908-1911,
1933-1934
-
-
-
-
Dunham (1935), Lindgrenet
al.(1910,p.210)
Dunham(l935)
Dunhm(1935)
Anderson (1953, Lindgen et
al.(1910),NMBMMRfile
26
LZ
28
DISTRICT
Lordsburg
NAMEOFMlLL
&la-NellieBly
23s 19W
Bonney Lordsburg 142.3 23s 19W 32O 17'53"
Bonney Lordsburg 14,23 23s 19W 32' 17'53"
LONGITUDE LATITUDE
TYPEOF IDCATION
COMMODITIES
YEARS
MILL
OPERATED
108O45'44" 32O19'9"
E 11
1924-1931
leaching.
a&
flatation mill
108°45'39"
blastsmelter
Cu
1910
108'45'39''
cu
mill
1936-1968,
Luna County
Cdlilo
Cooke's peak
Cooke's Peak
Carizallilo
Graphic
C2228SllW
3220S8W
31°51'25"
32'31'42''
107°5T6"
107'40'59''
Faywood
24 20s 9W Lucky32'Cooke's
33' 13"
Peak 107' 43' 8"
20 23s 9W
32" 17'2"
107O47'45"
Deming
MARC0
D&g
aCyprusPinasAltos 2023S9W
smelter
?
&,Au,slag
flotationmill
1922-1924
AgPb
mill 107'44'44" F 32'33'47" 12-152OS9W
1940s
wncemtrator
Pb,Zn
flotationmill
1949-1987
Zn,&Pb,Cu
COMMENTS
REFERENCES
-
NMBMMR file data
-
NMBMMR file data
NMBMMR file data
-
-
-
Gates(1985)
NMBMMR file dab
Elston (1960)
NMBMMR file data
Griswold (1961), NMBMMR
,(il- A d r
-1-
Deming
Deming
Deming
ILapurisima
PerU
'Southwest
American Minerals
107'47'45" 32'17'2"
mill
Cu,Zn,AgAu
ASARCO
12523S9W
132'16'34''
32°18'10"
2523S9W
l107043'28"
lflotationmill
1823S9W
107O48'28" flotationmill
107'43'28" 32'16'34"
mill
29
IF
ZbPb
Mn
11931-1954
1928-1961
"
Hanon et
present
I-
al. (1994) formerly operated by
I Griswold(I961),NMBMMR
.
.~
file data
Griswald(l961)
Demingwasthesite 1976-present
Ageyetal.(1959),Hattonet
for Mn stockpiles
al.(1994)
during World War11
-
TYPES OF DEPOSITS
Numerous classifications have been applied
to mineral deposits (Jkkstrand, 1984; Guilbert
and Park,
1986; Cox and Singer, 1986; Robertsand Sheahan, 1988; Sheahanand Cherry, 1993). In New Mexico, North and
McLemore (1986,1988) classifiedthe metal depositsof New Mexicoaccording to age, mineral assemblages, form,
alteration, tectonic setting, and perceived origin. This classilication, with a few modifications
and additions, is
in the Mimbres Resource Area.It is beyond the
retained in this paper (Table 10); there are 25 types of deposiu;
the reader is referred to Coxand Singer (1986), Northand
scope ofthis report to describe each deposit type;
McLemore (1986, 1988), McLemore and Lueth (in press) and McLemore
(in press a, b) forspecifc details.
TABLE 10-Types of deposits in the Mimbres Resource Area, New Mexico (after North
and McLemore, 1986,
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF THE
MINING DISTRICTS OF DORA ANA COUNTY
by VirginiaT.McLemore and David M. Sutphin
Introduction
the first counties createdin New Mexicoin 1852 and formsthe eastern part
Dotia Ana County was one of
of the Mimbres Resource Area (Fig.1). It is the only county commemoratinga woman, named afteran aristocratic
lady of the 17th century (Julyan, 1986, 1996). Las Cruces, Spanishfor crosses, is the second largest cityin New
Indians
Mexico and gotits name from a collection
of crosses marking burial
a
ground of people killed by Apache
in the 1840s. It lies on El Camino Real,the major trading route from Mexicoto Santa Fe, and is on the Rio
Grande. Today, the metropolitan areaof El Paso, Texas,and Jnarez, Mexico, witha combined populationof
nearly 2 million lies
along the southern county boundary and has a large economic
and political impacton the less
populated Doiia Ana County. Santa Theresa, south
of Las Cruces and west ofEl Paso is an international portof
entry.
Minerals have been
and still are a significant contribution the
to economy of Doiia Ana County; although
agriculture, constrnction,and light industryare currently economically more important. The White Sands Missile
Range formsthe northeastern portionof the county andis withdrawn from mineral entry. Metals production began
in the 1830s in the Organ Mountainsat the Stephenson-Bennett mine (Table1;Dunham, 1935). By 1910,all
30
metals mining districts had been discovered
and prospected. The majorityof the past metal production has come
from the Organ Mountains district, east
of Las Cruces (Table2), which is the 6th largest lead producing district
in
New Mexico (McLemore and Lueth,1995, in press). Current production fromthe county consistsof aggregate (ie.
sand and gravel), clay and shale
for brick manufacture, scoria, travertine, and minor dimension stone (Hatton et
al., 1994). The Eaglemill near El Paso (Brickland) mannfachnes bricks forthe nearby popnltaion centers. Juarez,
Mexico, is the home oftwo cement plants,a hydrofluoric acid plant, and a brick plant.
Aden district
Location and mininghistory
Scoria deposits are found
in the Aden (Potrillo, Black Mountain) district
in the Potrillo Mountainsand
adjacent areasin Dofia Ana and Luna Counties,an area encompassing over500 k m 2 (Fig. 1). Aden Cone was
to India (Julyan,
named bythe railroad companyin the 1880s after Rock of Aden on the sea route from Suez
1996). More than 150 cinder cones occurin this area (Seagerand Mack, 1994) and only a few have been quarried
(Table 11). Total productionis unknown, but estimated production from1950-1994 amounted to approximately
$10 million (Table12). In the West Potrillo Mountains, Mt. Riley,
and Aden Lava Flow Wilderness Study Areas,
Kilburn etal. (1988) estimates an inferred resonrceof at least 400 million cubic yards.
TABLE 11-Selected scoria (volcanic cinders) deposits
in Dofia Ana and Luna Counties.Statns-A, active in
1993 (Hatton etal., 1994); M, prior production;0, occurrence, no knownprodnction. Aspectratio is the
ratio of height to basal diameter (Osbum,1979, 1982). Aspect ratios were recalculated using
7%
topographic maps. *Within Wilderness Study Area. MRDS-Mineral Resource Data System,
U> S>
31
32
TABLE 12-Scoria production in DotIa Ana and Luna Countif:s, 1950-1994 (from New MexicoState Mines
Inspector, Annual Reports, 1950-1988). W-withheld (company confidential data). Production after1988
is withheld. * Fiscal yearending June 30.
I
YEAR
I
VOLUME
I
VALUE($)
I
Scoria deposits
Scoria and pumice are pyroclastic deposits formed
as volcanic fragments ejectedduring explosive volcanic
eruptions. Scoria (volcanic cinder)
is red to black to gray, vesicular, basaltic
(5040% Si02)volcanic fragments.
or mounds of stratified
Most scoria deposits occur
as loose, poorly consolidated, poor to well sorted cones
fragments (Geitgey, 1994; Peterson and Mason,1983; Osburn, 1979,1982; Cima, 1978). The ejected material
ranges in size from minor quantities
o f volcanic ashor cinder (< 2 mm in diameter), scoria(2-100 mm in
diameter), and volcanic bombs (smooth-sided) and blocks (angular fragments) which
are greater than 100 mm in
diameter. Most volcanic cinder cones contain approximately
75% scoria (Cima,1978; Osburn, 1979,1982). Scoria
is not to be confusedwith pumice. Scoriais denser and more coarsely cellular
or vesicular than most pumice
(Peterson and Mason, 1983). Pumice is light in color ranging from white to gray
to pale yellow, pink, or brown and
is also vesicularbut of a dacitic to rhyolitic composition(60-70% Si02) (Greitgey, 1994; Harben and Bates, 1984).
33
!
The vesicular natureof scoria resultsin lower density and higher porosity
than most rocktlpes. These properties
result in commercial useas lightweight aggregates, insulators, absorbents, and abrasives (Geitgey, 1994; Harden
and Bates, 1984).
Most scoriain New Mexicois used currentlyto mannfacture cinder block and concrete.
In the 1950s,
scoria was usedin railroad ballastand road aggregate.Scoria is quarried from open pits by digging and ripping
with tractors and rippers, stockpiled,
and then crushed and screened(Osburn,1982). Some scoria is also currently
used as a decorative stonefor landscaping. Usein landscaping depends upon select
size and color; reddish-brown
color is more popular. Cindersare also usedon highways during winter stormsto improve traction. Other uses
include roofing granules
and erosion control. Scoria typically
has a highercrushing strength than pumice and is
more desirablefor certain aggregate uses.
Economic considerationsof scoria includethe color, grain size, sorting, density, and consolidation
of the
scoria. Another property affecting
the economics of a depositis the aspect ratio(Osburn, 1979,1982). The aspect
ratio is the ratio of the height to average basal diameter
of the cinder cone or volcano.
The most economic deposits
to have thick
have aspect ratios between
0.1 and 0.2 (Osburn,1982). Coneswith lower aspect ratios (<0.1) tend
lava flows whichare undesirable in mining. Cones with higher aspect ratios
p0.2) tend to consist of large amounts
of agglutinate (scoria blocks welded together with lava material)
and approach spatter cones.
The agglutinate
deposits requiredrilling and blasting which increases
the production costs. Scoria
is typically a low-cost
commodity andis marketed locally.In Dofia Ana County, most scoria
is utilized in theLas Cruces and El Paso
areas becauseof the close proximity to
the quarries.
Scoria resourcesinDofia Ana and Luna Counties
are large and should be sufficientto meet local demand
of the Aden districtis designated as Wilderness Study
in the near future (Austin et al., 1982; Osburn, 1982). Much
Areas; however,the active operationsare outside of these restricted areas.
Bear Canyon district
Location and Mining History
The Bear Canyon district, also
known as theStevens or San Augustin district,is in the
southern San
San Nicolas
Andres Mountains and extends from
Bear Canyon (north of Black Mountain) northward to Little
Canyon (north of Goat Mountain). Shafts, adits,and prospect pits occur alongthe foothills (lower contact
deposits) and nearthe crest (upper contact deposits)(Table 13,
Fig 6). The district was discoveredin 1900 byJ.
Bennett (Dunham, 1935; Talmage and Wootton, 1937). Production occurred a few years later. Less
than 10,000
pounds of copper, 100 ouncesof silver, and some lead have been produced from
the district (Tables1,4; Dunham,
1935; McLemore, 1994b). In 1932,50 short tonsof barite was producedfrom the Stevens mine (Williams, 1966).
The district lies entirely witbinthe White Sands Missile
Range and is withdrawn from mineral entry.
TABLE 13-Mines and prospectsin theBear Canyon district, DofiaAna County, New Mexico,shown in Figure 6.
34
11
30’
-
32-3
I
32-3
TZO!
32”31’3(
Figure 6”ines and prospects inthe Bear Canyon district, D o h Ana County, New Mexico.
!5’
Geology
The Bear Canyon district consists
of westward-dipping, Cambrian through Mississippian sedimentary
rocks in either fault or unconformable contact
with Proterozoic granitic and metamorphic rocks (Dunham, 1935;
Bachman and Myers, 1963, 1969). Thrust faults (low angle), locally mineralized,
in the southem portionof the
range have placed Proterozoic rocks over Ordovician and Cambrian sedimentary
rocks 1935; Bachman
(Dunham,
and Myers, 1969). Younger sedimentary rocks of Pennsylvanian through Tertiary age overlie
the rocks westof the
district. A series of sills and dikes of presumably Tertiaty age intmde the sedimentary rocks southof Bear Canyon
on Quartzite Mountain (Bachman
and Myers, 1969; Seager, 1981). These sills are sericitized, quartz-feldspar
porphyry. Basaltic, dioritic dikes intrude
the sedimentary rocksnorth of Bear Mountainand are higbly altered and
weathered (Bachmanand Myers, 1969). Normal faultsare common in the southern portionof the district and
locally are mineralized.
Mineral Deposits
Rio Grande Rift barite-fluorite-galena depositsare found scattered throughoutthe area and are found
in
limestones and dolomites along the low-angle fault between the Ordovician sedimentary rocks
and Proterozoic
granite in the foothills (lower contact deposits)
and within the Silurian dolomites beneaththe Percha Shale
(Devonian) along the crest (upper contact deposits)(Fig.6 ; Dunham, 1935; Williams etal., 1964; Bachmanand
Myers, 1969; Smith, 1981; McLemore, 1994b). The deposits consist of predominantly veins, breccia cement,
cavity-fillings, and minor irregular replacement deposits
along faults, fractures, unconformities,
and bedding
planes in dolomitic limestone. The Percha Shale and Proterozoic granitic
and metamorphic rocks may have acted
as an impermeable capfor upward migrating mineralizing fluids. Barite, fluorite, calcite, quartz
and are
predominant minerals in these deposits. Locally, galena, malachite, and wulfenite
are found (C.W. Plumb,
unpublished report, Nov. 1925 on
file at NMBMMR archives). Assays as high as 2.6 odshort ton Ag, 12.2% Cu
and 34.8% Pb have been reported
(W.E. Koch, unpublished report, July 1911 file
on at NMBMMR archives).
Assays of samples collected for
this study arein Table 14. These assays are selected samples
and do not represent
economic grades, but do indicate
the presence of local concentrationsof these metalsin the deposits. The deposits
along the upper contact nearthe crest are remote and inaccessible
and are uneconomical. The deposits alongthe
lower contactare uneconomic because they are small and low grade.
TABLE 14"chemical analyses of samples collected fromthe lower contactin the Bear Canyon district, October
10, 1993. Analyses bythe NMBMMR Chemical Laboratory (Au, Ag by
fire assay; Cu, Pb,Zn,by FAAS
after aqua regia digestion; Hg by cold vaporAA) and * by the USGS Chemical Laboratory (by ICP).
Black Mountain district
Location and MiningHistory
The Black Mountain district lies
north of the Organ Mountains district
in the southern San Andres
Mountains and consistsof Black Mountain(Fig. 1). The district, also knownas Kent, Organ, and Gold Camp
districts, was discoveredin 1883 byPat Breen. The Mountain Chiefand Black Mountain minesare the only
productive minesin the district (Table 15)and produced lessthan $12,000 of copper (<lO,OOO pounds), gold(600
36
ounces), silver (<1,000 ounces),fluorite (1,100 short tons),and some lead from 1883
to the early 1900s (Tables1,
4; Dunham, 1935; Williams, 1966; McAnulty, 1978; McLemore, 1994b).
It lies onthe White Sands Missile Range
and is closed to public access.
TABLE 15-Mines and prospects in the Black Mountain district, Dofia County. Location includes section,
township, and range.
MINE
NAME
Bighorn
Black
Mountain
Mountain
chief
LOCATION
12 21s 4E
SEI 21s 4E
N W l l 2 1 S 4E
COMMODITIES
LATITUDE,
LONGITUDE
32- 29' 47".
Au,Pb
29' 16"
32' 30'25", Cu, A", Ag, Pb, F, Ba
106'29' 5"
32O 29' 56",
AU
106'30' 7.1"
YEARS OF
REFERENCES DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCTION
none
1883-1900s
500 A adit
Dunham (1935)
pit
M c h o r e (1994b)
1883 Dunham(1935),
60 A shaft
Seager
Geology
Rio Grande Riftbarite-fluorite-galena deposits are found scattered throughout
the Black Mountain area
and are hosted by Ordovician dolomites and limestones
of the El Paso Formation which are
in fault contact with
Proterozoic granite and metamorphic rocks (Dunham, 1935; Talmage and Wootton, 1937; Seager, 1981). Northand west-trendingfaults cut the rocks. The area lieson a gravity gradient between a gravity high
to the north and
to the Organ Mountains batholith.
a gravity lowto the south which corresponds
Mineral Deposits
The Mountain Chief mine
in NW% sec. 11, T21S, R4Eis on the south sideof Black Mountainand
consists of a 6 0 4 shaft and prospect pits. It is an irregular replacement bodyin Fusselman Dolomiteand consists
of gold, quartz, calcite, limonite, pyrite, and chlorite (Dunham, 1935).
The relatively large amountof gold
production reportedis unusual for these types of deposits; unfortunatelythe deposits are remoteand inaccessible
and were not examinedduring this study. Two additional, but minor, prospectsare found in the district (Table
15). Irregular replacement bodies
of galena were developedalong a vein trending N50°W
in Paleozoic dolomiteat
the Bighorn deposit. A small barite-galena deposit occurs
at the summit of Black Mountainin sec. 1, T21S, R4E
(Dunham, 1935). Percha Shale forms a cap the
on deposit. None of these depositsare economic. Geochemical
anamolies in stream-sediments fromthe area include elevated concentrations
of Cu, Pb, Mo, Sb, and Zn,.
Brickland (Cerrode Cristo Rey) district
Location and mining history
The Brickland districtis on the flank of Cerro de Cristo Rey (also known
as Cerro de Mnleros)in
El Paso County, Texas,and Chihnahna, Mexico
southern New Mexicoat the junction between Doiia Ana County,
(Fig. 1). Clay and shalefor brick manufacture have been produced from
the three states sincethe early 1900s.
Plants are located in New Mexicoand Jnarez, Mexico. Limestone has been quarried from
the Cretaceous units for
for smelter flux by
use in cement (Kottlowski, 1962). These materials,along with silica sand also have been used
the ASARCO smelter periodically.
Geology
The clayand shale depositis inthe Mesilla Valley Formation (Cretaceous), which crops outtheoneastern
flank of Cerro de Cristo Rey laccolith, a Tertiary andesitic intrusion. The overlying quartz-rich Anapra Sandstone
has been mined sporadically for silica
flux for the nearby ASARCO smelter and for aggregate. Limestone
is found
in the Edwards Limestoneand Buda Formation.
Mineral deposits
The clay and shaleare mined by open pit quarrying, followed by crushing, screening,firing
and at 9001000°C (Ntisimanyana, 1990).
Limestone was sporadically quarried from
the Edwards Limestoneby the Southwestern Portland Cement
Co. A sample of the limestone contained 93.5%CaCO,, 2.1% MgCO,, 3.2 SO2, and 0.8% A1203 (Kofflowski,
1962). Another sampleof limestone fromthe younger Buda Formation contained 93.3%
CaCO,, 1.3% MgC03,
3.7% Si02, and 0.7%
A 1 2 0 3 (Kottlowski, 1962). However, these limestones are iuterbedded with quartz sandstones
and shales and would not yield a mineable high-calcium limestone (Kottlowski, 1962).
37
Doiia Ana Mountains district
Location and Mining History
The Dofia Ana Mountains
lie east of DofiaAna and the mineral deposits consistof volcanic-epithermal
of copper and approximately
vein deposits that were discovered about 1900 (Table 16; Fig. 1). A small amount
1;North and McLemore, 1986).Marble
100 ouncesof gold and 5,000 ounces
of silver have been produced (Table
and tactite outcrops
are locally commonin these mountains, suggestingpotential for Pb-Znand Au skam deposits
(Table 16).
TABLE 16-Mines and prospects in the Doiia Ana Mountains district, Doiia County. Location includes section,
Geology
Rocks in theDoM Ana Mountains range in age fromPermian through Recent (Seager et al., 1976).
Sedimentaq rocks are theoldest rocksand range in age from Permian through Eocene. The sedimentary rocks
have been intruded by
an Eocene andesite and
an Oligocene monzonite. The emption of the 2,500 ft-thick D o h
Ana Rhyolite (ash-flowtuff)initiated cauldera collapse. Age dates
of the ash-flow tuffand monzonite porphyryare
33.9i1.3 and 34.6*1.3 Ma (K-k
Seager
,
etal., 1976; NMBMMR age data files). The canldera is approximately
by rhyolite flows, ash-flow
tuffs, domes, and breccias. Rhyolite and monzonite
7-8 mi in diameter and was filled
dikes intrudedthe older rocks. Late Tertiary uplift and westward
tilting have exposedthe mountain range (Seager
et al., 1976). The area is characterized by a gravityand magnetic high, whichis related to the canldera and
U, Th, and K.
subsequent intrusions.The area is characterized by elevated radiometric
Mineral Deposits
The Piedra Blanca prospect consistsof thin quartz veinsalong a 4-ft wide rhyolite dike which strikes
N80°W and dips 85"N. The dike intrudes Cleofas Andesite (Seager al.,
et 1976). Threeshafts 80 ft, 25 ft, and 50 f
t
deep and several shallow pits, have exposed
the deposit (Dunham, 1935; Seager etal., 1976). The vein is less than
2 ft wide and consistsof qnartz, iron oxides, manganese oxides, chlorite, calcite,
and pyrite (Dunham, 1935;
Farnham, 1961; Seager etal., 1976). Silicificationofthe rhyolite and andesiteis pervasive (Seager etal., 1976).
Two separate assaysof a high-grade ore shoot
in 1913 indicated 13.5odshort ton Au, 1,835 odsbort ton Ag and
13.6 odshort ton Au, 1,526 odshort ton Ag (Dunham, 1935). Another sample assayed6.6% Mn (F'amham, 1961).
Assays of samples collected forthis report are in Table 17. Another occurrence, similar
to the Piedra Blanca, is
found along a north-trending dike
in sec. 15, TZlS, R1E. A 20-ft shaftand pits expose the thinquartz veins
containing tracesof pyrite.
TABLE 17"Chemical analyses of samples collected fromthe Dofia Ana Mountains district. Analvses
bv the
. . tion).
Similar veins occur
in sec. 20, T21S,R2E near Dagger Flat andare exposed bytwo shafts, 50 ft and 25 ft
deep, a cutand shallow pit (V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes May 28, 1995; Seager
et al., 1976). Quartz
and malachite occur
along Eractures in the Cleofas Andesite. Several prospects northwest of Dofia Ana
Peak have
exposed manganese veins (Table 16).
Marble occursin sec. 10and 15, T21S, R1Eand tactite crops outin sec. 15 and 16, T21S, R1E. Marble
has been quarried for local use
as rip-rap and road fill. The marble varies
in color from whiteto pi& but is highly
fractured and contains impurities andis not suitablefor use as large blocksof dimension stone. Tracesof iron
oxides, pyrite, and chalcopyriteare found, but the metal potentialis low (Table 19). However, one sample assayed
6.12 odshort ton Ag(DMG, Table 16). The tactite consistsof fine-grained garnet andiron oxides with tracesof
pyrite. The marble and tactite are similarin appearance to mineralized skams elsewhere in the Mimbres Resource
Area.
Iron Hill district
Location and Mining History
The Iron Hill district, alsoknown as the Robledo district,is located in the southwestern Robledo
Mountains (Fig. 1). The district was discoveredin the early 1930s;but total productionis unknown. Nearly two
dozen pits,shafts, and adits occurin the area exposing sedimentaryiron deposits (Dunham, 1935; Kelley, 1949;
Harrer and Kelly, 1963). The Gilliland groupof deposits occurin sec. 2, T22S, R1W and
the IronHill deposits
Area lies to the north of the district.
occur in sec. 16, T22S, R1W. The Robledo Mountains Wilderness Study
Geology
Ordovician through Permian and Eocene sedimentary rocks
are exposed in the Robledo Mountains and
are overlain by Tertiary volcanic
and sedimentary rocks and Quaternary deposits (Hawleyal.,
et 1975). The iron
deposits are hosted by limestones
of the Hueco Formation (Permian)@.E. Kottlowski, personal communication,
May 10,1995). Rhyolite sills, dikes, and domes form
the northern portionof the range andthe Cedar Hills to the
sill betweenRobledo Peak and Lookout Peak has
west (Hawley et al., 1975; Seager and Clemons, 1975). The large
the northern part of a gravity high
been datedas 36.1i1.3 Ma (NMBMMRage data files). The district forms
which coincides withthe Doiia Ana Mountains cauldera.
Mineral Deposits
The Iron Hill deposits consist predominantly
of hematite, goethite,and limonite with local concentrations
of manganese oxides,gypsum, calcite, quartz, and ocher (Dunham, 1935; Kelley, 1949). The deposits occur as
lenticular replacements, breccia cement,
and cavity fillings in limestones. Numerous bodies range
in size from
small replacement podsto massive zones 200ft long and120 ft wide (Dunham, 1935). The deposits both parallel
and cut across bedding;the ore is porous and banded with common~ ~ S t a t i ~bouyoidal,
ns,
and stalactitic textures
(Kelley, 1949; HarrerandKelly, 1963).
The orgin of these depositsis speculative. Dunham (1935) suggeststhat they were formedas a result of
leaching of hematite cement from overlying Permian sedimentary rocksAb0
(thetonque of the Hueco Formation)
and precipiatated in voids in the underlying middleHueco limestones. Kelley (1949) suggeststhat these deposits
could be formed by meteoric
or magmatic watersof varying temperatures.
In 1949, Kelley (1949) estimated
the indicated reservesat Iron Hill as 5,000 short tonsand the inferred
reserves as 15,000 short tons, both with a grade
of 50-55% Fe. Despite these reserves,it is d i k e l y that these
deposits will be mined
in the near future becauseof small tonnage, low grade, poor quality,
and inaccessiblity.
39
Travertine occursin thedistrict along the Cedar Hills and other north-trending faults(Hawley et al.,
1975; Clemons, 1976); some
of the larger deposits are in sec. 23 and 25, T21S, R1W. Banded travertine, known
locally as "Radium Springs marble oronyx", occurs as veins and apron-like depositsin sec. 25, T21S, R1W.It is
qnanied and used as decorative stone.The active Rainbowpit is in sec. 23, T21S, R1Wand produces 96 cu Wday
(Hatton et al., 1994). Additionalpits occur in secs. 23,26,35, T21S, R2W (Clemons, 1976). The travertinevaries
in color from pink, orange, lavender, white,
brown, and gold.
Northern FranklinMountains district
Location and MiningHistory
The Northern Franklin Mountains district, discovered
in 1914, is in the New Mexico portion of the
northern Franklin Mountains, which extend southward
into Texas (Fig. l).. A small amount of lead and silver
were producedfrom a Rio Grande Rift deposit (NMBMMR production data). Several hundred short tonsof
jarosite from a possible epithermal deposit
and bedded gypsum also have been produced from
the area (Table 18).
TABLE 18-Mines and prospectsin the Northem Franklin Mountains, DoM Ana County. Location includes
section, township,and range. FN-unpublished field notes,V. T. McLemore.
LOCATION
MINENAME
Capiapo
NE8 26s 4E
Creatonmine
NE34,NW35 26s 4E
Unknown
NE27 26s 4E
Caever?
NE32,NW33 26s 4E
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
LATITUDE,
LONGITUDE
32- 3' 47", jamsite, Ag, Au, CU 200 A s h e 6 pits
106'32'58''
I
32' 00' 26",
gypsum
pits
REFERENCES
Dunham (1935), Kelley and
Mathenv(l983),NMBMMR
IKelley
(1983), FN
.. .,and~ Matheny
I.
NE34 26s 4E
I
I
SE32 25s 4E
31'59'34",
,nrn","..
Pb,Zn,Ag,Ba,F
I
Ipitr,50&2-1OflshaftS,11Oft IDunham(1935),Kelleyand
...
'.73), FN 4/27/95
. ..
~
Geology
The northern Franklin Mountains consistof Ordovician through Permian carbonatesand shales (Harbour,
1972; Kelley and Matheny, 1983). These rocks have been folded, probably
during the Larimide compressional
event. North-trending low-angle and high-angle normal faults offset
the Paleozoic rocksin places (Kelleyand
Matheny, 1983). Quaternary piedmontand alluvial deposits formthe lower foothills, covering
the older rocks.
Proterozoic rocksunderlie Paleozoic rocksin Hitt Canyon, just south of the New Mexico-Texasstate line
(Harbour, 1972). The rocks are correlated withthe Mundy Breccia and
Lanoria Quartzite (Proterozoic) foundin
the central and southern Franklin Mountains. In addition, Proterozoicgranite porphyry andgranite are also found
in H
itt Canyon. These Proterozoic rocks probably underlie
the northern Franklin Mountains in New Mexico.
Mineral Deposits
Veins and replacements of barite, fluorite, lead, calcite,
iron oxides, and qnartz occur in dolomitic
limestones of the Fusselman Formation, whichare typical of Rio Grande Rift deposits elsewherein New Mexico.
Dunham (1935) reportsan assay of 4 odshort ton Ag from one vein in SE% sec. 32, T25S, T4E and
that small
shipments of argentiferous galena were made. Additional assays
are in Table 19.The largest vein is less than 3 ft
wide and several hundred feet long. Brecciation
and jasperoid are common in thecanyon. Local geochemical
anomalies of Pb,Be, Zn,Mo, Sb, Cd, and As occur in the stream sediments.
40
TABLE 19-Chemical analyses of samples collectedfrom the Northern Franklin Mountains district @E%, 32,
T25S, R4E). Analyses bythe NMBMMR Chemical Laboratoly (An, Ag
by fire assay;
.. Cu,
. Pb,
. Zn bv
FAAS after aqua regia digestion).
FIELD I LAB I
Au
I Ag I Cu I Pb I Zn I
DESCRE'TION
I
"
I
NO.
NF1
NE
NF4
NO,
579
580
581
(odton)
0.00
0.00
0.00
(od&)
0.00
0.00
0.00
(pp m) (ppm)
54
93
<SO 54007500
<SO 18000
(ppm)
190
86
4flchipsamplealongfaceatendofadit
selectsampleofdumpatadit
gab sample ofdump of 50 flsh&
the contact with Proterozoic
granite in Hitt Canyon,
Copper is found in Proterozoic Castner Marble near
just south of the New Mexico-Texas state line (Harbour, 1972; Deen, 1976; Goodell, 1976). Small, discontinous
contact-metasomatic depositsat Hitt Canyon consistsof bornite, pyrite, covellite, chalcopyrite, marcasite,
and
pyrrhotite (Deen, 1976; Goodell, 1976). A sample assayed 5.84%
Cu, O.O16%Pb, and 0.81%Zn (Goodell, 1976).
Shallow prospectpits have exposedthe deposits. In addition, iron deposits have replacedthe Castner Limestone
(Proterozoic) wherethe limestone has been intrudedby granite, approximately 1.8mi south of the state line. Iron
occurs assiderite and rarely exceeds 40% Fe (Harbour, 1972). Similar deposits
may occurin Proterozoic rocksthat
occur beneaththe northern Franklin Mountains in New Mexico.
Jarosite
The Copiapojarosite mine is located in the northern Franklin Mountains at Webb Gap (NE% sec. 8, T26S,
R4E). Development consistsof a 200ft inclined shaft with four levels and six prospect pits. Several hundred
short
tons of material were mined
in 1925-28 byF. Schneider Co. for use as pigment in paints.
The deposit occurs along a north-trending, low-angle, fault zone (NIOoE
4O-5O0E) within the Bishop Cap
Member of the Magdalena Group (Pennsylvanian)(Fig.7; Kelley and Matheny, 1983). Atthe shaft, the deposit is
10-15 ft wide foran approximate length of 100-200 ft. The deposit pinches outto the north, a drift at the 100 ft
level is only 20 ft long to the north and 100ft long to the south (Dunham,1935). The deposit thins to the south
( 4 0 ft wide). The host limestone strikes
N13'W and dips40"W.
The deposit consistsof veins and replacement bodies along
the fault zone and containsjarosite (red to
yellow to orange), limonite, hematite (red to black
to brown), gypsum, calcite, and aragonite. Malachitestains are
reported coating fracturesat the bottom of the shaft (Dunham, 1935). Jarosite occurs only within
the upper 100ft
( N M B M M R file data). Assays of selected samplesare inTable 20. A crude zonation
is present. The zone adjacent
to the footwall consistsof black to dark brown hematite and limonite
and is approximately 1-2ft wide. Jarosite,
limonite, and hematite of various colorsform the central zone, which rangesin thickness from 2 to 10 ft. The outer
zone, adjacentto the hangingwall consistsof white calcareous to clayey material with zones
of hematite and
jarosite cutting it.
TABLE 20-Assays of samples from the Copiapojarosite prospect, DoM Ana County. Samplesare located on
by assay; Cn, Pb, Zn by FAAS
Figure 7. Analyses bythe NMBMMR Chemical Laboratory (An, Ag fire
after aqua regia digestion; Hg by cold vapor AA) and * by the USGS Chemical Laboratory(by ICPX no data.
Plan Map
I
35
Y
Cross Section Through
Inclined Shaft
,:i
:
::
,?'
I
c:
I
x
pit
0
shafl
----
underground
workings
//
;azled
-!-I-.
-
\
dump
/
o
0
,,Pn
30 m
3051
sample
numbe
1.2 oz/fonAg chemicalassa:
Figure 7-Map of Copiapo jarosite mine, showing underground workings (modified M.
from
H. Berliner, written
communication, 1949) and assaysof surface samples (NMBMMRfile data; samples assayed by NMBMMR
chemical laboratory).
The originof the deposit is speculative. The mineralogy and crude zonation are suggestive
of a supergene
origin. The minerals are poorly crystalline
to vey-fine grained, whichis consistent with a supergene
origin, Snlfnr
isotope analysesare required to confirm a supergene origin.
It is possible that this deposit overliesepithennal baseor precious-metal deposits,but drilling would be requiredto confirm their presence. The economic potential for
future useas paint pigment is probably low, because ofsmall size and
far distance frompaint mannfacturers.
Additional small, isolated occurrences
ofjarosite, limonite, and hematite occur throughout
the limestones
in sec. 22and 27, T26S, R4E. These occurrences are predominantly fracture coatings and uneconomical.
Gypsum and Limestone
Gypsum and limestone have been quarried
in the northern Franklin Mountains. Gypsum occurs
in two
beds of the Hueco Formation at Anthony Gap; each bed was over
100 ft thick (Harbour, 1972). The gypsum was
quamed mound 1932 for use bythe El Paso Cement Company(Dunham, 1935). Limestone also has been
quamed in the New Mexicoand Texas partsof the area, probably for aggregate.
Organ Mountains district
Location and MiningHistory
(Fig. 1) and includes the Mineral
The Organ Mountains district
is in the Organ Mountains near Organ
South Canyon, Soledad Canyon, and Texas Canyon subdistricts.
Hill, Bishops Cap, Gold Camp, Modoc,
Mineralization was discoveredin the 1830s and perhaps as early as 1797 (Dunham, 1935). Metal production from
the district amounts to$2.7 million worthof copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold (Table
2,21). Other mineral
600 short tons of barite; 1,650 short tonsof fluorite; 14
production fromthe Organ Mountains district amounts to
pounds of uranium; and 9 pounds ofvanadium (Tables 4,5,6). Bismnth occurs locally; a small amount was
produced fromthe Texas Canyon mine (Dasch,1965) and other ore shipments were penalized
for bismuth at the
smelter.Uranium and barite were producedfrom the Bishops Cap area(Table 4,5; Williams etal., 1964;
McLemore, 1983). In addition local occurrences
of Fe,Mn, Mo, Sn, Te,and W are reported (Table1).
From the 1960s through the early 198Os, several companies have explored
the Organ Mountainsfor
potential porphyry copper-molybdenum deposits. Kerr-McGee drilled
18 holes in 1963. AMAX drilled 6 holes in
1969; followed bysix more holesin 1970 by Bear Creek. Conoco drilled14 holes in the 1972-1976. More than 60
drill holes have been drilled northeast
of Organ, rangingin depth from195 to 3,100 ft (Newcomer and Giordano,
1986). Studies of lithology, alteration assembalges, mineral zoning,
and stockwork veining suggestthat a
porphyry copper andlor copper-molybdenum deposit may occur
in the Organ Mountains district (Fig.8). Drilling
has not delineated any ore bodies,
but assays rangefrom 0.001 to 0.065% Cu and as highas 0.15% Mo
(Newcomer, 1984; Newcomer and Giordano, 1986). The Abandoned Mine Lands Bureau has reclaimed
the
Stephenson-Bennett, Modoc, Memphis, and several smaller mines
in the vicinity of the Memphis mine from1989
to 1994.
43
44
IY34
1955
REPORTED TOTAL 1869-1955
ESTIMAIEDTOTAL 1849-1961
6
67,245
-
4,635,263
7,322.35
4,636,000
11,500
45
5
819,790
820,000
2,000
16,906,293
1,678,056
2,659,176
1,700,000
25,000,000
303
2,700,000
I
106"37'30"
@
Black
Mountain
district
+Bear Canyon distri
fluorite-barite-zol
Black Mountain
Quartzite Mountain
+
t
I
Cu-Mo zone
San Augustin Pass
32"22'30"
Organ Peak
fluorite-barite zone
Soledad Peak +
r
Mines & Prospects
*
Disseminatedcopper-molybdenum
Zinc-leadskarns
0 Lead-silver skarns & replacements
a
Gold-silver epithermailmesothermal vei
Rio Grande rift fluorite-barite
deposits
Bishops Cap subdistrict
I
M Memphismine
E Excelsiormine
H Hilltopmine
BP Black Prince mine
ME Merrimac mine
Figure &District zoning in the Organ Mountains,Doiia AnaCounty, New Mexico(modified from Dunham,
1935; Seager, 1981).
TABLE 22-Mines and prospects in the Organ Mountains mining district. Location includes section,tom&ip, and range. FN-unpublished field notes,
V.T. McLemore. WC-written communication. PC -personal communication.
NMBMMR file dah-unpublished file data in the NMBMMR
archives.
GoldCampDolphin
1421S4E
Gold Camp H and H Beryl
14,15 21 S 4E
32" 29' 0",
106' 29' 42"
32" 29' 57':
106"30'40"
Au, Ag
unknown
pits
UnknOWn
vein
-
bayl, feldspar, topaz
none
pit
none
pegmatite
-
47
Gold Camp Tennessee
(Hidden
Treasure, Sedion
SW2521S4E
32'21'19",
106'29'31"
A&Au,CU,Pb,Zn,F
1945-1949
piis,sh&adits
10,730 shorttom
fluorite
25)
48
vein
Williams (1966), Sager
(1981),FN
10/12/93
49
I
I
AREA
MINENAME
I
LOCATION
I LATITUDE.
PRODUCTION
..
Augustin
106"34'20"
32'29'4",
106'38'3"
32O 2T 30':
106O34'30"
32'27'30''.
106'33'33''
Augustin
106'34'9''
Augustin
Sari
unknown
NE1721S4E
Augustin
San
Augustin
OldTuffNut
NE25 21s 3E
san
Iran Mask
NE3021S4E
Augustin
106"34'21"
21s 4E
Augustin
106' 33' 53"
21s 4E
CrestedButk
San NE31
Allgutin
S2ll
Allgustin
Corpus
Chridi
NE33
San
Homestake
32O
19':26'
pitsPb
Ag, Au,
106' 34' 20"
32"27'32",
106'31'43''
32°26'13'',
1912-Bi Au, A& Pb,
106"35'48"
21s 4E.
NE3521S3E
Augustin
San
NE5 22.3 4E
GallOWZt"
32O 25' 24".
Allgustin
I
Sa
I Gray Eagle
"
I
UnknOWn
SE1721S4E
Sari
Smith(Kitlie
SE1821S4E
Augustin
Delund)
Augustin
Sari
Cowpuncher
SE25
21s 3E
Excelsior
SE25
21s 3E
Hand H (Billie
SE28
H, Dona Loga)
215 4E
Augustin
Sari
Augustin
1934
I
..
20 Rpit
1
1913,1928,1934
Dunham (1935)
1625,OOOto 1927,
<1OOshofltom
Au,Ag,Pb
$35,000,97 oz Ag
A& Pb
1896
180 fl shaft
Pb, Cu,A& Au, Zn,
1926
8000flworkings
%50,000-60,000
carbonateDunham(1935),
including adits, shafls
106'33'28''
Te
32" 25' 55".
106°33'20"
32O 28'00",
106' 32' 52"
32" 28' 43",
106'34'7"
32' 27' 2",
106'34'47"
32O 2T S",
106' 35' 8"
Ag,
1924-1935
Cu, Pb
32' 26' 57".
106°31'50"
IPb-Znskam I (1943), FN 10/13/93
1
400fladit
none
Ag
Cu, Bi
I
I
pit
I
1900s,1943
Cu,A&Au,WTe,
BL Pb
191417,1929
Ag, An, Cu, Mo
unknown
50
1
carbonatehostedPb-Zn
12/5/89
vein
1
178flshaft
I (1943)
Dunham (1935), FN
Dunham (1935)
hostedPbZn,Lindgrenetal.
(1910),
PbZnsh
Seager(l981),Albrinon
and Nelson (1943),FN
10/13/93
$30,0OO,upto 102 pegmatite
Dunham(1935)
oZ/tAg,6%Cu
none
carbonate-
I
1 NW5 22s 4E i
Au&n
Sari
Allgustin
S2ll
I
I 7 shorttom 8% Cu. 1 Cu-Pb-Zu
0.58%Bi
175flshaft
$60,000, <500
2/20/94 short tans
Pb-Zn
Au,A&Cu
2 adits, 265 fl adit
unknown
I Albridon
and
Nelson
skm
carbonatehosted
(1943)
Dunham (1939, FN
vein
-
Augustin
S a
Davy King
SW3021S4E
Au&in
S a
Augustin
Texas
BenNevisWg SW3221S4E
Bi
Soloman,
IMaggie Dodd)
t Texas Camon SE34 22s 4E
1,7 22s 3E
Friend
11,14 22s 3E
32'27'22'',
106'34'34"
32O26'4':
106'33'35"
Ag, Au, Pb
Ag,Pb,Cu,Zn,Te,
32'21'2",
Au,Ag,Pb,Cu,Ba,
1890-1939
106"30'56"
Te, Mo,Bi
106"33'44''
mall
unknown
250 fl shaft
small
2adits
UnknOWn
vein
(1935) Dunham
agh
(1981)
pegmatite
Dunham (1939, Seager
4aditjpits
12.7shoritatw
veins
10.8
Dunham (1935), Sager
0.3 ozHAu,
(198l),Albriltonand
0.64%Cu, O.I%Bi
Nelson (1943)
32' 25'Au,
47':
A& Pb
1926-1927
pits, aditsshall
1 odt Au, 40.5 odt veins
Jeske(1987)
106"35'31"
A&. 15.9%Pb
32'24'5".
Pb,Cu,Zn,Au,Ag,
1847-1934
extensiveunderground
$1,15O,OOOworIh
carbonateGlover(1975),Eveleth
106'35'55''
Mo
WOrkingS
(1983),Seager(1981),
hostedPb-Zn
ofPb,Zn,Cu,Ag,Au
JeJke 11987). FN
1/31/94
32'20'40",
Pb, Cu,Zn,A&
Au,
F
1879-1917
shafts,
pits,
adits
$200,000 ormore, carbonate
Dunham (1935), Glover
106°34'47"
Jeske(1987),
(1975),
hostedPb-Zn<2OOOshorttons
FN 12/10/93
Ag,Pb 1902-17
Ag
32' 20' 14':
F, Ba
none
pits
none
fluoritevein
(1935),
Dunham
106"35'12"
Williams (1966)
Au, Ag, Pb, F
unknown
>IO0 ft shaft 2 pits
unknown
Vein
Jeske(1987)
carbonate
Dunham(1935),Glover
30°20'10",
Pb,Cu,Zn,Au,Ag,F priorto1910,1920 lOOfladii,lZ5fl
<IOshorttons
Pb-Znincline
hosted
Pb,Zn,Ag
(1987), ( 1 9 7 9 Jeske
106'34'50''
Ag
Seager(l98l),FN
0%
"
west side
Modoc-Orejon
36229
3E
west side
Silver
Cliff
6,7 23s 4E
west side
unknown
west side
Orejon
N36 22s 3E
N E 1 23S3E
,*,rnm?
zs
The Organ Mountains form a west-tilted block exposing rocks in
ranging
age from Proterozoic through
Quaternq. The oldest rocksin the area are Proterozoic granitic rocks which are overlain as
bymuch as 8,500 ft
of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, mostly
of marine origin (Seager,1981). These rocks were deformed during
the
Laramide compressional event.In the Oligocene, the Organ batholithand volcanic rocks associated with
the
Organ cauldera were emplaced (Seager,1981; Newcomer and Giordano, 1986; Seager and McCuny, 1988). The
Organ batholithis a complex pluton made
up of multiple intrusions (Seager,1981; Seager and McCuny,1988);
three major phasesare the granite of Granite Peak,Sugarloafpeakquartz monzoniteand Organ Needlequartz
syenite. All three phases are relatedto mineral deposits. The Sugarloafpeakquartz monzonite has been dated
as
34.4iO.3 Ma C 0 A d 3 ’ A r , hornblende, McLemore et al.,1995). A gravity low coincides with
the SugarloafPeak
quartz monzonite which may be a result
of widespread sericitic alteration. Rhyolite dikes have intruded
the Organ
batholith locally and also
are related to mineralization. Uplift
and erosion produced younger sedimentary deposits
and the rugged topography characteristicof the OrganMountains.
Mineral Deposits
Six typesof deposits are distributedin five zonesin the Organ Mountains district (Table l)(Fig.
8;
Dunham, 1935; Seager, 1981; Seager and McCuny, 1988). Copper-molybdenum depositsform a core, surrounded
by zinc-lead, lead-zinc, gold-silver, and outer fluorite-barite zones (Fig.8). This district-wide zoningis best
preserved in the northern OrganMountainswhere disseminated copper and molybdenum occurrences have been
of a porphyq copperencountered in drill holes northwestof Organ andmay represent a faulted portion
molybdenum deposit (Newcomer and Giordano,1986).
A zone of disseminated and vein pyrite occursto the east at San Augustin Passin the Sugarloafpeak
quartz monzonite,the last and most volatile-rich phase
of the Organ batholith,and is located in the center of the
northern part of the district. Silver-bearing pegmatites, datedas 30.8*0.1 Ma ( 4 0 A d 3 9 A r , K-feldspar), occur near
1935; McLemore et al., 1995). CopperSan Augustin Passin the Sugarloaf Peak quartz monzonite (Dunham,
breccia deposits occur west
of the SugarloafPeak quartz monzonite
at the Torpedo and Memphis mines.A
transition from disseminated copper and molybdenum
to copper skarnsand breccias to zinc-lead skarnsand
replacement deposits occurs
in carbonates northwestof the Memphis mine andnear the Excelsior minein the
northern portionof the district (Lueth,1988). The Homestake and Memphis depositsare zinc-lead skarns. The
Menimac mine is predominantly zincreplacements; lead withsilver becomes more dominantto the east. The
Hilltop and Black Prince mines
are predominantly carbonate-hosted lead-silver deposits. The Stephenson-Bennett
is a carbonate-hosted lead-silverand zinc-lead deposit (polymetdlic replacement). Gold and silver
epithermal/mesothermal veins occurin the Proterozoic rocksin the Gold Hill area, east of the SugarloafPeak
quartz monzonite (Fig. 9). Silver decreasesto the north and barite becomes dominant. The Modoc
and Orejon
skam andreplacement depositsand may be
deposits alongthe west sideof the Organ Mountains are lead-zinc
related to a third copper-molybdenum zoneis in the central Organ Mountains nearOrgan Peak (Fig. 10). An
outer zone, snrroundingthe Organ Mountains batholith, consists
of Rio Grande Rift barite-fluorite-galena deposits,
locally with copper, silver, uranium, and vanadium; examples include
the Bishops Cap (Fig. 11) and the Ruby
mines. Assays of samples collected from
the district are in Table 23.
53
DESCRIPTION
I
I
756
Rockof
KinA
Silver
0.00
0.00
-
2.76
54.50
I
I
I
-
0.7 Mineral Hill, 5ab sample of dump
56
-
0.5
2500
270
-
43.0
Silver Kin& 4 A chip
sample
3000
1500
-
0.2
Silver King, 5abdump
sample
of
4300
1500
120
2600
380
520
1200
54
Rock of Ages, grab sample of dump
a m s s vein
I
55
FIGURE 11-Banded calcite, fluorite, and manganese oxides
at the Bishops Cap mine, Organ Mountains district
(V. T. McLemore photo).
Alteration, mineralization, and data from drilling indicateatthat
least three porphyry copper-molybdenum
systems probably occur
in the Organ Mountains, but the potential an
foreconomic porphyry depositis low
al., 1988). The potential for copper breccia, skam, carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn
(Schilling, 1965; Luddington et
in the Organ Mountainsis moderate (Luddington
replacement, epithedmesothermal vein, and fluorite deposits
et al., 1988). Other metals occurinthe district, suchas bismuth (Dasch, 1965), tungsten (Dale and McKinney,
1959), tellurium, tin, and manganese. The Torpedo mine contains
an estimated 600,000 short tonsof 4-5% Cu in
reserves (SoulB, 1951). The Stephenson-Bennett mine containsan estimated 35,000 shorttons of ore grading2.9
odshort tonAg, 10.55% Pb, and 13% Zn(Jeske, 1987). The Ruby mine containsan estimated 230,000 short tons
of 18%fluorspar (Jeske, 1987).
Marble
the limestone and rhyolite andquam
Marble occnrs sporadicallyalong the inlmsive contact between
monzonite porphyry northof Organ (Dunham, 1935; Seager, 1981). The marble
is typically white and locally
contains disseminationsof pyrite, garnet, and epidote. One of the largest depositsis at the W t o p mine wherethe
300 ft of white marble interbedded with unaltered limestone. The economic
adit penetrates approximately
potential of these marble deposits
is probably low becauseof small size, distanceto potential markets,and location
within the White SandsMissile Range.
Potrillo Mountains district
Location and Mining History
The Potrill0 Mountains are southeast
of Las Cruces and form a continuous ridge m7-8
i l e s long that rises
above the Potrillo basalt field (Fig.
1). The district was discovered
in 1883, but very little information exists
on the
early discoveryor prospecting of this isolated region.Dunham (1935) and unpublished reports indicatethat some
gold, copper, silver,and possibly lead were produced from
the area in the late 1800s and early
1900s, but actual
production figures are unknown. Heylman (1986) reports that
John Graham discovered a pocket of gold in a
Cretaceous quartzitein the northern portionof the East Potrillo Mountains.It is unlikely that total production
exceeded a few thousand dollars.Mines and prospects are listed in Table 24 and locatedin Figure 12.
56
10
31 "56
6'
T2z
TZ8E
31"5:
0
-
Shaft
# Jasperoids
>Adit
7.8802hDnAg
0.45%. 0.84% cu
0.18%.
1.5mPb
Assays
T2g
T29E
31 "4E
I
3WI R2W
I
I
I
I
RZW R ~ W
Figure 12-Mines and prospects in the Potrillo Mountains, Do6aAna County, New Mexico. Chemicalanalyses by
NMBMMR laboratory.
In 1970, the EPM (East Potrillo Mountains)mining claims were filedon the northeastern portionof the
range by J. Peter Rogowski and WilliamA. Bowers (Table 24; Jenkins, 1977). Subsequently, several companies
including Phelps Dodge Corp., Anaconda Minerals,
Cop., and Exxon Minerals, Inc. have examined
the area, but
no discoveries have been announced. Exxon drilled
10 holes to depths rangingfrom 25 to 465 ft and located
several mineralized zones containing
high silver values (Gese,1985). There is no current activityin the Potrillo
Mountains whichare adjacent to the West Potrillo Mountains and
Mt. Riley Wilderness Study Areas.
-
TABLE 24-Mines and ~prospects in the Potrillo Mountains. Doiia Ana Countv: located
in Firmre 12. Location
includes section, township,and range. F1-unpublished field notes,?.
T. McLemore.
MINE
NAME
LOCATION
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
(Sample Number)
unknownPOT
SW34 27s
31* 54' 50"
107" 2' IS" Ba, Pb, 2% Cu, F, appro%30 fl shaft, pia,
14, IS)
2w
np
shafts
UnknOWn
NE328S2W 10"
31O54'
107"1'40"
Ba,Pb,Z%Cu,F,
approx25Ainclined
SeagerandMack(l994),
shaft
(W shaft)
~~~
~
REFERENCES
SeagerandMack
12/27/93
(199% FN
Bowm(l960), Jenkins (1977),
1960 Jenkins 1977
21,22,23)
UnknOWn
NW3129S
31°
50' 5"
59'
106"
30"
31'50' 35"
106"
59'
25"
1w
Marblequany
SE25
28S2W
A&
pitsAu,
Ba, Pb,
zn
probablya
travertine
FN 11/16/94
caved5Ofldecline
Seager
Mack
and
(199%
trendingN6S0W, IS00 fl Bowen (1960), Gese (1985),
dia quany
Dunham(1935), FN 11/16/93
Geology
The East Potrillo Mountains consist
of approximately 4,400 ft of sedimentary and volcanic rocks ranging
in age from Permian through Holocene
powers, 1960; Jenkins, 1977; Seager and Mack,1994). Permian and
Cretaceous Sedimentary rocks crop out
in the East Potrillo Mountains which
are surrounded by basaltic flows
of
Quaternary age. Mt. Riley and Mt. Cox, northwest
of the range, consistof fine-grained microporphyritic andesite
to rhyodaciteto rhyolite and are probably remnentsof a single viscous lava
dome (Millican, 1971; Seager and
Mack, 1994). An age determinationof the Mt. Riley rhyoliteis reported as 31.7+1.1 Ma (K-Ar, whole rock,
the Love Ranch Formation (Eocene) and volcanic rocksthe
of
Marvin et al.,1988). Clastic rocks correlated with
Rubio Peak Formation (Late Eocene-early Oligocene) cropalong
out the flanks of Mt. Riley and Mt.Cox (Seager,
1989). A concealed plutonis indicated by a zone of
high seismic velocityat a depth of 2,100 ft. The area is
characterized by a large gravity anomaly which
is also consistent witha pluton at depth. The mineral deposits
occur in the Permian limestone and locally
in Cretaceous sandstones exposedin the East Potrillo Mountains.
Mineral Deposits
in limestones of Permian age, eitherthe Hueco
Rio GrandeRift barite-fluorite-galena deposits occur
Limestone or the San Andres Formation (Table24; Jenkins, 1977; Seager and Mack,1994). Jasperiod is common
in areas of mineralized limestonesand is found throughout sec.34, T27S, R7W and secs. 3,4, 9, 10, TBS, R2W
58
(Fig. 12). Jasperiod occurs as pods of varying sizes along faults, fractures, breccia zones,
and bedding planes. The
zones are brown to gray to yellow to redand consist of quartz,calcite, barite,iron and manganese oxides, and trace
amounts of galena, pyrite, sphalerite, malachite,and cerusite. Locally jarosite is present (Jenkins, 1977). Textures
are variable and include brecciation, jigsaw-puzzle, xenomorphic, reticulated,
grandar, ribbon-rock (banded), and
massive (Jenkins, 1977). Temperaturesof homogenization (corrected for pressure) range
from 185O to 238" C
(Jenkins, 1977). Geochemicalsampling ofjasperiods exposed at thesurface by various companies, Jenkins (1977),
al. (1987), andthis study (Table 25), indicate zones
of anomously high values of silver,
Gese (1985), Jones et
copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, and other metals.
The area is characterizedby anomouslyhigh concentrations of
Zn and spotty As, Ba, Co, Mn, and Ti in stream-sediment samples.
TABLE 25-Assays of samples collectedfrom the Potrillo Mountains, Dofia Ana County, located
in Figure 12.
No Au or Bas04 were detectedin any samples. Analyses by
the NMBMMR Chemical Laboratory (Au, Ag
ta.
20
Pot32
21
Pot33
22
Pot35
31"52' lo", 36000
3.54
107°00'10"
52' 31'
lo",
0.00 63000
107°00'10"
319 52' IO",
107°00'10"
0.00
1500
24
26
<O.l
- -
81
82
0.19
-
41
26
<0.1
0"~Op
- outcrop
- - outcrop
-
Travertine deposits
A travertine is found in the southern endof the East Potrillo Mountains (sec. 24, T28S, RZW,Table 24,
Fig. 12). It has been describedas a marble, butis probably a fissure-ridge type
of travertine deposit that is fault
controlled (Barker et al., 1996).The deposit is developed bya small qnany (approximately 300-400ft long and
100 f
t wide) and ashort decline (15ft long). Productionis unknown, hut presumedsmall because of the small size
of the quarry. A stockpile of travertine mixed with limestoneand calcareous soil remains at the site in 1993.
to several centimeters wide). Most
travedne occurs as
The travertine is white withthin black bands (up
small podsor blocks that are fractured and broken. The largest slabs are only a few feet wide. It is recrystallized
limestone of the Hueco Formation (Permian; Hoffer, 1976; Seager and Mack, 1994)
and occurs alongthe rangebounding fault (Robledo fault of Hoffer, 1976). The host limestone strikes
N1O"W and dips25"W.
The economic potentialof this occurrence is low under current economic conditions.
The deposit is too
be used locallyas a decorative
small and too fractured
to have anymajor potential as dimension stone, hut could
stone or as road fill.
Rincon district
Location and MiningHistory
The Rincon district, also
known as the Hatch and Woolfer Canyon districts,lies in the southern Caballo
Mountains in northern Doaa Ana County (Fig. 1) and was discoveredin theearly 1900s.This district includes a
large area of scattered bariteand manganese depositsfrom north of the Doria Ana-SierraCounty line southward to
Rincon (Fig. 13). Production fromthe Rincon district amounts
to 10,250 short tons of barite and 1,529long tons
and prospects are
of 2740% Mn (Farnham, 1961; Dorr, 1965; Williams et al., 1964; Filsinger, 1988). Mines
listed in Table 26.
TABLE 26-Mines and prospects in theRincon district, Doiia
Ana Countv. located in F i m e 13. Location
60
1c 10'
32"4:
13'
Prospect Pit
Shaft
Gravel Pit
j. Adit
7 Exact Location Unknown
Selected Mining
Claims
District Boundary
x
Ya
0
I""
**""///
.' '
O
0
T18!
T19!
32"4(
Figure 13-Mines and prospects in the Rincondistrict, Dofia Ana County, New Mexico.
Mountains
k
v
l
in
-
7
Geology
The Rincon district consists
of Paleozoic rocksthat were deformedduring the Laramide compressional
event (Seager and Hawley, 1973; Seager and Clemons,
1975). These rocks were then overlain by less deformed
Teltiary-Quaternary sedimentaryand volcanic rocks. High-angle normal faults have
offsetthe rocks andlocalized
barite and manganese as veins
and replacements in limestones and volcanic rocks. Local rhyolite dikes and
sills
have intruded thesedimentaq rocks.
Mineral Deposits
Rio Grande Rift barite-fluorite-galena deposits occur
in the Fusselman Dolomite(Silurian),
stratigraphically belowthe Percha Shale (Devonian). The Palm Park deposit
is the largest (Fig. 14)and consists of
calcite, barite,fluorite, and trace amountsof malachite, azurite, pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, covellite,
and quartz (Filsinger, 1988). Assays range from cO.02-0.11%
Cu, 0.01-11.5% Pb, and 0-2.9orlshort ton Ag
(Filsinger, 1988). Brecciation, banded ore, and veins are common textures. Jasperiodis common throughoutthe
district. Manganese and iron oxides are locally pervasive. Fluid inclusion temperatures range from 163’ to 341T
(barite, fluorite,quam) and have moderate salinities (4.8-17.0%eq. NaCI), indicating formation by mixing of
saline connate-meteoric waters with heated hydrothermal fluids, possibly
of a magmatic origin. The Horseshoe
and Prickly Pear depositsare smaller, but similar tothe Palm Park deposit.A rhyolite sill intrudesthe Paleozoic
sedimentary rocksnorth of the Horseshoe deposit wherejasperiod formed. In one locality, jasperiod contains
rhyolite fragments (Filsinger, 1988). These relationships suggest
that the barite deposits are probably younger
than
the rhyolite sill, which is probably mid-Tertiaryin age. Stratigraphic relationshipsat the Morgan mine suggesta
Miocene age~forthe manganese deposit (Seager and
Hawley, 1973),a similar ageis likely for the barite deposits.
~~
1
I
~~
FIGURE 14”View looking to the northeast
of the upperand lower Pa& Park mine, Rincon district, Doiia
Ana
Connty (V. T. McLemore photo).
Drill data indicatesthat the Palm Park deposit contains
1.5 million short tons of ore grading 27% BaS04
as 50,000 short
with a specifuc gravityof 3.07 (Filsinger, 1988). The Horseshoe deposit could contain as much
tons of 5 4 0 % BaS04, but in thin deposits (less than 5 ft thick). The Prickly Pear deposit could contain as much
as
200,000 short tonsof 5-25% BaS04, but also in thin deposits (lessthan 5 ft thick)(Filsinger, 1988). Thesebarite
the demand for
deposits are uneconomic at presentand would be mined onlyif petroleum exploration increases
62
barite in drilling muds. However, the high whiteness and brightness
of the barite is suitable for certain paintsand
fillers and could be produced
if these specialized markets were developed nearby.
Epithemal manganese deposits are common
in the Rincon district. The Blackie (Verlarde,Sheriff)mine
is the largest and consists of replacements, veins,and open-space fillings of manganese oxides, calcite,
manganiferous calcite,iron oxides, quartz, and, locally, barite. Manganese oxides also form cement
in breccias
and sandstones. The depositsare hosted by dolomites, dolomitic limestones, and sandstones the
of Bat Cave and
Cable Canyon Formationsand Upham Dolomite (Ordovician). Assays
of samples collected from
this area arein
Table 27. The area is characterized by elevated concentrations
of Ba, Co, Mn, Ti, and local Cu, Pb, and Zn
anomalies in stream-sediment samples. These depositsare low tonnage, low grade,and uneconomic.
TABLE 27-Chemical analyses of samplesfrom selected minesand prospects in the Rincon district,D o h Ana
County. No gold or silver were detected fire
by assay. Analyses bythe NMBMMR Chemical Laboratory
Travertine
Travertine is common in the Rincon districtand surrounding area. Travertine occurs
in the Palm Park
Formation (Eocene)in the northern Rincon quadrangle (Fig. 13; Seager and
Hawley, 1973). The travertine varies
in color from white, pink, brown, and gray;
is np to 6 ft thick and is banded (Barker et al., 1996). Many other
deposits have not been mapped. The deposits
are typically small and would meet only local needs
as a decorative
stone.
San Andrecito-Hembrillo district
Location and Mining History
The San Andrecito-Hembrillo districtis in the San Andres Mountainsin northern DoiiaAna and southern
and Hospital Canyons
Sierra Counties (Fig.1) and includes the San Andrecito, Deadman, Lost Man, Hembrillo,
and the adjacent slopes. Rio Grande Rift barite-fluorite-galena, Precambrian veinand replacement, and talc
deposits are found in the district (Table 28; McLemore,1994b). Very little information exists onthe discovery,
history, or production of these small deposits. Many mines could not be located
in 1993-1994. The Green Crawford
and Hembrillo Canyon prospects were worked
in the late 1890s or early 1900s. Additional production occurred
fromthe Green Crawford during 1920-1930
andfromthe Hembrillo Canyon prospectsin 1914,1915, and1918
the district probably amounts to less
than
(Anderson, 1957; NMBMMR file data). Total metal production from
$10,000 worthof copper (<lO,OOO lbs), lead, and silver ( 4 0 0 02) (
D
n
n
h
a
m
,1935; NMBMMRfile data). Total talc
production from 1920 to 1945 was approximately 12,062 short tons (Fitzsimmons and Kelley, 1980; Chidester
et
al., 1964). The entire district is within the White Sands Missile Rangeand withdrawn from mineral entry.
TABLE 28-Mines and prospects in the San Andrecito-Hembrillo district, Dofia
Ana Connty. Location includes
. .
Chidester et al.
Geology
The oldest rocks exposed
in the San Andrecito-Hembrillo districtare Proterozoic granite, quartz-feldsparmica schist, quartzite, amphibolite, phyllite,
and talc schist. The rocks are metamorphosed and foliated with
regional strikes of N30-45"W and steep westerly dips. Sedimentary rocks rangingin age from Paleozoic through
Cenozoic crop outin the area (Seager, 1994). The total Cambrian
to Cretaceous sectionis about 7,200ft
(Kotflowski and LeMone, 1994).Rio Grande Rift deposits are found in the Lead Camp Limestone (Pennsylvanian)
and along faults in the Bliss Sandstone (Cambrian). Veinand replacement deposits containing base
and precious
metals and talc deposits occurin the Proterozoic rocks. A Tertiary andesite dike intrudesthe sedimentary rocksat
Victorio Peak and contains disseminated pyrite
and chalcopyrite (F.E. Kottlowski, oral communication, June 15,
1995).
Mineral deposits
There are three typesof deposits foundin the San Andrecito-Hembrillo district:Rio Grande Rift,
Precambrian vein and replacement
and talc deposits (Table 28). The Proterozoic talc deposits the
are most
extensive, and reserves are still present. The Rio Grande Rift barite-fluorite-galena depositsare small, but all of
the reported metal production has come from them. Minor
vein andreplacement deposits occuralong faults and
adjacent to amphibolite dikesin Proterozoic rocks southof Hembrillo Canyonin Hospital Canyon.
Talc deposits occurin Proterozoic granite and metamorphic rocksin Hembrillo Canyonalong the SierraDoiia Ana County line (Chidester et al., 1964; Fitzsimmons and Kelley, 1980).
The deposits are lense shapedand
measure approximately 100ft long and 8-12 ft wide. A reserve of 6,500 short tonsis reported by Fitzsimmonsand
Kelley (1980). Development consistsof adits and pits.
The central portionof the talc lenses consists predominantlyof relatively pure talc. The outer
part is 2-3
ft wide and consists of talc, carbonate minerals, and chlorite. The talc grades
into banded quartz-chlorite phyllite
and schist. Foliationis subparallel to foliation
of the metamorphic rocks,indicating a Proterozoic age.
Rio Grande Riftbarite-fluorite-galena deposits occurin the Lead Camp Limestone (Pennsylvanian)and
Ordovician limestones. The most extensive developmentis at the Green Crawford mine(NW% sec. 31, T17S,
ME).Prospects were also found
in Hospital Canyon
R4E) and Hembrillo Canyon prospects (SE% sec. 9, T16S,
(SW% sec. 18, T16S, R4E). Additional prospect
pits are reported to occur
along veins in Lost Man Canyon
868), but these prospects could not be located during
this
(Dunham, 1935;The MiningWorld, April 23, 1910, p.
study.
The Green Crawford mineis in San Andrecito Canyonand development consists of two adits, several
prospect pits,and shallow shaftson opposite sidesof the canyon (Fig. 15). Thenoah adit is approximately 130ft
long with a 30ft winze and a raise. Prospect pits and a shaft also develop portions
of the noah vein upslope from
the adit. The south adit
is less than 70 ft long witha 30 ft raise. Prospect pitsand trenches also expose portions
of
the south vein.
two
The deposit consistsof a silicitied zone, lessthan 3 ft wide and 100-300ft long, whicb occur along
north-trending faultsthat cut sandstonesof the Bliss Formation (Cambrian) and limestones
of the El Paso and
Montoya Groups (Ordovician; Seager, 1994). The vein
north of the canyon has a strike of N55"E and a dip of
80OE; whereas the vein southof the canyon hasa strike of N25"E and a dip of 87'E. Additional veins may be
present in the area but are covered bytalus material. The veins
are simple fissure-fillings whicb consist
of covellite,
chalcocite, chalcopyrite, cuprite, malachite, and azurite
in a gangueof qnartz, calcite, iron oxides, and a traceof
barite. Chalcanthite coats some walls
along the adits. The host rocks have been silicified
and replaced byiron
oxides adjacentto the veins. A sample of ore reportedly assayed no gold, trace
of silver, and 27.93% Cu (Dunham,
1935). Assays of samples (Fig. 15) collectedfor this report are in Table 29.
TABLE 29-Chemical analyses of samples fromthe Green Crawford, Hospital Canyon,and Hembrillo Canyon
mines. Location of samples from Green Crawford mines
in Figure 15. Analyses by
the NMBMMR
Chemical Laboratory (Cu,
Mn by FAAS after aqua regia digestion; Hg by cold vapor
AA) and * by
Simplified Geologic Sketch Map
Of Sec. 31, T.l7S., R.4E.
F - dump sample
Portal at end of trench
178,000ppmCu -.\\I' :;I
_"
.
North Adit
t
30 ft raise
'Fault
Plan of
South Adit
Bliss Formation
Om
Montoya Group
I
Figure 15-Simplified geologic sketch and plan map
of the Green Crawford mines, Doria Ana County, New Mexico.
Brunton and pace survey (10/11/93). Geology simplified from Seager (1994). Chemical assays
in Table 29.
The Hembrillo Canyon prospectsin Hembrillo Canyon consistof two shafts, 12 and 75-100ft deep, and
two shallow prospect pits.
The deposits may bepart of the Lot OM-69prospect described by Williams et (1964);
al.
however, Williams et al.(1964)places the Lot OM49 prospect in sec. 10,T16S, R3E instead of sec. 9.A
reconnaissanceof section 10 failed to locate any additional veins or prospects.
The Hembrillo Canyon prospects
consist of thin veins and small replacement bodies
in limestones within a faulted block
of Lead Camp Limestone
(Pennsylvanian; Seager,1994). The deposit is less than 300 ft long and consistsof galena, barite, quartz, calcite,
iron oxides, and possibly tracesof wulfenite. A sampleof the Lot OM-69 prospect reportedly contained
77.8%
BaS04, 14.8% SiOn and 0.3% CaC03 (Williams et al.,1964). Samples collected forthis report are in Table 29.
The barite-fluorite-galena depositsin theSan Andrecito-Hembrillo district are classified as Rio Grande
Rift (formerly sedimentary-hydrothermal) deposits North
by and McLemore(1986). Certainly, the deposits in
limestone in Hembrillo Canyonare characteristic of Rio Grande Rift deposits. However,the veins at the Green
Crawford mine have texturessimilar to epithennal veins, butthere is no indicationof any igneousintrnsive
activity. A basaltic to andesitic dike does
intrude the Paleozoic sedimentsnorth of the Green Crawford mine, but
there is no indicationof any relationship between
the two. Therefore,the veins atthe Green Crawfordare classified
as avariation of Rio GrandeRift deposits until M e r study.
Prospect pits and a 15 ft shaft occursin SW% sec.18,T16S, R4E in Hospital Canyon(V. T. McLemore,
unpublished field notes, February19, 1994)
along quartz-calcite veinsthat cut Proterozoic amphibolite. Alteration
consists of hematite and local sericite. Trace amounts
of malachite are present onthe dump.
Additional veinsof copper and barite are reported to occnrin the San Andrecito-Hembrillo district, but
could notbe located during this study. The Kendrick copper prospectis repoaed to occnr on the east slopeof the
mountains betweenSan Andrecito and Deadman Canyons(Dunham, 1935). An adit was reportedly driven along a
copper vein in Hospital Canyon (The
Mining World, April 23, 1910,
p. 868).
San AndresCanyon district
Location and Mining History
The San Andres Canyon districtis in San Andres Canyonin the San Andres Mountains(Fig. 1) and
R4E),a Rio GrandeRift barite-fluorite-galena deposit.
consists of the San Andres lead deposit (SEXsec. 18, TlSS,
in 1900.Development consistsof a 100 ft open cut,550 ft adit with a
The deposit was discovered and developed
130 ft drift and a winze, and several shallow
pits and shafts punham, 1935;Smith, 1981), but all are caved and
inaccessible in 1993. A mill and smelter were erected
in 1900 to 1904 and consistedof a crusher, screens, rolls,
and 15jigs. Capacity was expected be
to 100 tpd. However,the mill and smelter werebnilt before any reserves
were delineatedand the entire operation failedwith <10,000 lbs eachof lead and copper production (Table
2;
Dunham, 1935). Only the foundations are left.
Geology
Sedimentary rocksranging in age from Paleozoic through Cenozoic crop out
in the area. The total
Cambrian to Cretaceous section
is about 7,200ft (Kottlowski and LeMone,1994). Rio Grande Rift deposits are
found in theFusselman Formation (Silurian). North-trending normal
faults cut the sedimentary rocksin places
(Bachman and Myers,1969).
Mineral Deposits
The deposit is a small,irregular replacement bodyin the dolomite of the Fusselman Formation adjacent
to
a north-trendingfanlt that strikes N15"W and dips steeplyto the west (Dunham, 1935;Bachman and Myers, 1963,
1969;Smith, 1981). The deposit is about 200 ft long and up to 20 ft wide (Dunham,1935) and consists of barite,
quartz, minor galena, calcite, fluorite,iron oxides, and clay. Samples collected
for this report assayedas high as
2.2 ppm Ag, 170 ppm Cu, 24,000ppmPb, and 31 ppm Zn (SAOlOR-SA012R,USGS laboratories). The deposit is
characteristic of Rio GrandeRift deposits elsewherein New Mexico (North and McLemore,
1986;McLemore and
Barker, 1985).
Tonuco Mountain district
Location and mining history
is located on the east
Tonuco Mountain mining district, alsoknown as theSan Diego Mountain district,
side of the Rio Grande, southeastof Rincon and consists
of twosmall en echelon uplifts; Tonuco
and West Selden
Hills (Fig. 1; Seager etal., 1971). Rio GrandeRiftfluorite-barite-galenaveins inProterozoic rocks were
discovered in 1900 (Table 26) and from 1919 to 1935,200tons of barite and 7,720tons of fluorite were produced
(Table 4;Rothrock et al., 1946;Clippinger, 1949;Williams etal., 1964;McAnulty, 1978). A fluorite mill was
erected at theTonuco minein 1922 (L,adoo, 1923).
61
TABLE 30-Mines and prospects in the Tonoco mining district, Doiia Ana County. Location includes section,
township, and range. FP-unpublished field notes, V.T. McLemore. NM8"Rfiles-unuublished
file data in the New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resource archives.
Geology
Proterozoic granite and sedimentary rocksof the Bliss Sandstone andEl Paso Groupare exposed in the
Tonuco block. Morethan 8,000 ft of Tertiary volcanicand sedimentary rocks overliesthe Proterozoic and
Paleozoic rocks (Seager et al., 1971). High-angle normal faults have uplifted
the block.
Mineral Deposits
The fluorite-barite veins
are typically small (lessthan one foot wide), discontinous, and trend north
to
northwest. The veins occuralong faults and fracturesin Proterozoic rocks andas open-space fillings in the
silicified Hayner Ranch Formation (Miocene). The Beal vein
is several hundred feet long, less
than 2 ft wide,
strikes N25"W,and dips 70"SW. Samples fromtheBeal claims assayed 21.4-38.7% CaFzand 28.1-49.2%BaS04
(NMB"R files). Most of the fluorite has been mined out. The Tonuco
vein is 1,000 ft long, lessthan 10 ft wide,
strikes N7OoW, and dips 60"SW. A sample assayed 35.7% CaFz and 47.2%BaS04 (NMBMMR files). Both veins
that the
consist of barite, quartz, calcite, iron and manganese oxides, and fluorite. Stratigraphic relations indicate
A barren, Miocene sandstone overlies
the vein in the northern
veins are probably Miocene (Seager et al., 1971).
part of San Diego Mountain.
The manganese depositsare small and discontinous. Manganeseand iron oxides and calcite are common
to most deposits. The Garcia deposit occurs
in fractures trendingN6OoW in sandstone. It is 60 ft long, 3-5ft
of 5-10% Mn. The Iron Mask consistsof at least three bodies ranging
in
wide, and consists of a few hundred tons
size from4-10 ft wide and 20-60ft long.
Travertine
Radioactive travertine occursalong the northwest baseof SanDiego Mountain (Boyd and Wolf, 1953;
Seager et al., 1971; Seager, 1975) and was formed by springs during
the Pleistocene (Barker et al., 1996).
Travertine was quarriedin the Buckle Bar areaof Selden Hills (SE20, SW21, T20S,
RlW). Most of it is white in
color. Most of these depositsare small and theywould meet only local needsfor decorative stone.
Tortugas Mountain district
Location and Mining History
Tortngas Mountain,also known as "A" Mountain, is located eastof Las Crucesin sec. 23,24, T 23S, R2E
(Fig. 1) and the district was discoveredin 1900. Rio Grande Rift deposits ofbarite, fluorite, and manganse occur
along the faults in Permian limestonesand dolomites (Dunham, 1935; McAnnlty, 1978; Macer, 1978; Kingand
Kelley, 1980). From 1919-1943,20,751 short tonsof fluorite and 100 short tonsof barite were produced
(Williams etal. 1964; McAnulty, 1978). Numerous adits, shaftsand pits developedthe veins for a stikelength of
68
1,200 ft and a depthof 286 ft (Dunham, 1935); the New Mexico Abandoned Mine Lands Bureau reclaimed
the
area in 1990 and the deposits are now inaccesible. Atleast eight drill holes have been drilled south
and east of
Tortugas Mountain for geothermal resources
(Gross and Iceman, 1983).
Geology
Tortugas Mountain is a west-tilting horst block
that consists of silicified and dolomitized Permian
limestones and shales and Tertiary
to Recent unconsolidated sedimentary rocks (King
and Kelley, 1980). Normal
faults trending north or N30"W have cutand offset the Permian rocks; many
of these faults are mineralized and
silicified (Kingand Kelley, 1980). It is estimated that approximately2,000 ft of limestone underlies Tortugas
Mountain (Gross andIceman, 1983).
Mineral Deposits
Numerous faults and fracture zonesin theTodugas Mountains are mineralized by fluorite-calcite veins.
The largest fluorite-calcite vein, up
to 10 ft thick, occurs alongthe Tortugas fault and has been minedto 530 ft
(Rothrock et al., 1946; King and Kelley, 1980). Ore averaged77.4% CaF2, 15.68% CaC03 ,and 6.51% Si02
(Ladoo, 1927). Fluid inclusion analyses indicate formation temperatures
of 180' to 1 9 1 T and low salinitiesof
less than 2% eq. NaCl (Macer,1978; North and Tuff, 1986), and were probably formed by meteroric hydrothermal
fluids. It is unlikely that ore remaining in the pillars underground at theTortngas mine wouldbe sufficient
1980,
tonnage to be produced under current ecoqomic conditions (G.B. Griswold, unpublished report, December
of Co, La,
on file at NMBMMR archives). Tortugas Mountainis characterizedby anomous local concentrations
Mn, Mo, Pb, Th,and U in stream-sediment samples.
Travertine
A smalltravertine deposit occurs on
the northern part of the mountain (sec. 23,24, TZE, R23S). The
deposit is white to gray and probably only Suitable
for local use.
69
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF THE
MINING DISTRICTS OF LUNA COUNTY
by Virginia T.McLemore and David M. Sutphin
Introduction
Luna County was establishedin 1901from the western portionof Doiia Ana County and was named after
a prominent politicalfigure of the times, Don Salomon Luna. Deming
is the largest city andthe county seat. The
southern boundaryis with Chihuahua, Mexico,
and Columbus, New Mexicois an international port of entry.
Three state parksare found in the county: Rockhound (Little Florida Mountains), Pancho Villa
(at Columbus),
and City of Rocks (north of Deming).
Spanish explorers undoubtedly traveled through
Luna County in the early 1700s. However,the first
reported exploration did not occur
until the 1870swith the discovery ofthe Cooke’s Peak,Florida Mountains, and
Victorio districts (Table 1).
Total metal production from
Luna Connty amonnts to morethan $6.5 million worthof
copper, gold, silver, lead,and zinc since 1902 (Table3 1). Two of the state’s largest leadand zinc producing
districts are inLuna County;the Cooke’s Peak districtranks 5th in lead production and 9th in zinc production and
the Victorio districtranks 7th in lead production (McLemore and Lueth, 1995;
in press). Currently, agate,
manganese, clay, and sandand gravel are being produced from Luna County (Hatton et al., 1994).
Luna County, New Mexico(U. S. Geological
Survey,
TABLE 3 1-Reported metal production from
.~1902-1927 and
U. S. Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990; Griswold, 1961).-none reported.
YEAR
I
ORE (SHORTTONS)
I
COPPER(LBS)
I GOLD (OZ) 1
SILVER(0Z)
I LEAD (LBS) I ZINC (LBS) I
TOTALVALUE($)
~~
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
28
79
54
76
1,037
3,645
-
-
143
200
1
6
4
94
397
380
745
3,722
13,676
250
3,000
6,000
70
20,000
49,100 1,245
7,400
16,700
74,400
256,700
-
-
796
2,670
786
1,515
10.908
35,146
1
Camel Mountain-EagleNest Area
Location and mining history
of
The Camel Mountain-Eagle Nest area
is located alongthe Doiia Ana-Luna County boundary, west the
Potrillo Mountainsin southeastern Luna County (Fig.1, 16). No productionis reported fromthe area; only a few
shafts (Table 32) have exposedthe small, discontinous volcanic-epithermal veins
and
shallow prospect pits and
carbonate-hosted Ag-Mn replacement deposits.
TABLE 32-Prospects in the Camel Mountain-Eagle Nest area, Luna County,
New Mexico (Griswold, 1961;
Gese, 1985; V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes,5/15/93,4/28/95, 5/29/95). Prospects are shownin
Figure 16. Location includes section, township,and range.
MINE NAME
EagleNed
LOCATION
NW3527S5W
CamelMountain NE13 29s 5W
Prospen Hill
NE9 29s 5W
LATITLDE,
LONGITUDE
31"55'5",
107' 19'30"
31O47' 15",
107' 17'45"
31° 47' 45",
107' 20' 40"
A&Pb,Zn,Ba
ROCK TYPE
DEVELOPMENT COMMODITIES
TYPE OF DEPOSIT
40ftsM
volcanio-epithermel rhyolite
Au, Ag?
10 fl shaft, 2 pits
rhyolite, limestone
volcanic-epithermal
Zn,Ba,Ag?
pits (<IO fl deep)
diorite, limestone xenolith
carbombhosted AgMnreplacement
71
11 24'
31' E
i'
T21
T28
8
31"5
T26
T29
31"4
Rf
hEW MEXICO
MEXICO
1 R5W
CHIHUAHUA
I
R5W R4W
Figure 16-Mines and prospects in the Camel Mountain-Eagle Nest district,Luna County, New Mexico.
Geology
The area consists of several small, isolatedhills ofpoorly exposed igneous rocksthat have intruded
Paleozoic and Mesozoic limestone, such
as at Prospect Hill.Tertiaryvolcanic and sedimentary rocks form other
hills, such as at Camel Mountain (Fig,
17). Two of the more prominent hillsare the Eagle Nest (Fig. 18) and
Granite W s , where granite of suspected Proterozoic age
is overlainhy Cretaceous-Tertiarysedimentav rocks.
Permian sedimentary rocksare exposed at Eagle NestHill. Seismic surveys indicatethe presence of elevated
velocity rockswithin 900-1,200 ft of the surface, which could represent carbonate rocks.
P o r p h ~ t i candesite to
diorite has intruded the Proteozoic(?) granite and Cretaceous-Tertiary sedimentary rocks (Broderick, 1984; Seager
hills
and Mack, 1990;V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes, May 29, 1995). Normal faults have uplifted these
during Basin and Range extension (Seager, 1989).
The hills are surroundedby blow sand and other Recent
alluvial deposits which may conceal additional, more economically promising, volcanic-epithermal
vein and
carbonate-hosted replacement deposits.
~
~~
~~~
FIGURE 17-Camel Mountain, looking north A prospect pit is on the top of the east ridgewhich is formed by a
rhyolite dike(V. T. McLemore photo).
73
FIGURE 18-Eagle
Nest Hill, looking north A prospectpit is near the western crest(V. T. McLemore photo)
Mineral deposits
The Camel Mountain prospects consist
of volcanic-epithermal veinsfilling fault andfracture zones near a
rhyolite dike strikiog N70°E (Fig. 17). The veins consist of iron and manganese oxides, calcite, fluorite, and
quartz. Two samples assayed0.028 odshort ton Au, no Ag, 7.2-9.6ppm Cu, 33-32 ppm Pb, 350-87 ppm Zn, and
<0.20-0.06 ppm Hg (#2485, NMBMMR chemical laboratov). Gese (1985) reports an assay of 0.2 odshort ton Ag,
39 ppmPb, 76 ppm Zn, and 2.1%Mn.
The ProspectW prospects consistof small, discontinous carbonate-hosted replacement
bodies of quartz,
calcite, barite, gehlenite, and clinohumite (Griswold,1961). No metallic sulfides have been found. Gehleniteand
clinohumite are rare silicate mineralsvalued as m i n e d specimens (Griswold,1961). Gese (1985) reports a
sample assayed55 ppm Zn. A sample collected for
this report assayed78 ppm Cu, 110 ppm Pb, 67 ppm Zn and
<O.lXppmHg.
The Eagle Nest area (Fig.16) is perhaps the most economicallyinteresting area in the district. A
volcanic-epithennalvein of quartz, calcite, siderite,iron oxides, pyrite, barite,fluorite, sphalerite, and galena occur
along a mafc dike in a fault trending N50"E (Fig. 19; V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes, May
29, 1995;
Broderick, 1984; Gese, 1985). Chloritic and sericitic alteration, locally pervasive,
sect adjacent conglomeratic
rocks. Gese (1985) reports a dump sample assayed5.7 odshort ton Ag, 4.5% Pb, and 1.6%Zn.
74
FIGURE 19-Vein containing calcite, quartz, siderite, galena, and pyrite
striking east-west at Eagle Nest Hill (V.
T. McLemore photo).
The mineral resource potentialof this area is speculative at best. No production is reported. Geochemical
and low; anomalous concentrationsof As, Co, Cr, K, Mn,
anomalies in the stream-sediment samples are scattered
and Ti occur locally. However,the presence of volcanic and intrusive rocks provides
a source of metals and heat
for minerd deposits. The lack of exposure of outcrops in the area presents challenges for exploration.
Carrizalillo district
Location and Mining History
The Canizalillo district includesa broad regionin southwestern Luna County that consists of the
Canizalillo HiUs, Cedar Mountains, andKlondike HiUs (Fig. 20,Zl). The district alsois known as the Cedar
Hills and Stonewall districts. The mineral occurrencesare scattered throughoutall three ranges and consistof
volcanic-epithermaland Rio Grande Rift deposits (Table33). The districtwas first prospected in the late 1800s;
hut verylittle is known concerning the mininghistory and developement. Numerous pits, shaits, and
a few adits
occur in the area, but noneare very extensive.Ruins of a smelter occur nearHemanas (22, T28S, R11W). Only a
small areais disturbed with verylittle slag, suggestingthat production was probablys m a l l (Gates, 1985). Copper,
than 1,000 oz Ag,
gold, silver, and lead productionin the late 1800s, 1947-1948, and 1956 has been minor; less
less than 100 oz Au, and less than 1,000 pounds eachof copper and lead have been produced
from 1946 to 1956.
(in 1985), Westmont
Recent explorationby various companies, including Canyon Resources, Dome Exploration
(in 1989) and FMC Corp. has failed
to discover any mineral deposits. The Cedar Mountains Wilderness Study
Area occursin the center of the Cedar Mountains.
75
TABLE 33-Mines
and prospectsin the Carrizalill' mining district, Luna County, New Mexico, locatedin Figure
hip, and range.
30MMODITIES I DEVELOPMENT I
I
Mountain
(Larsch and
hmont)
UnknOwn(Iq
JOhnrO"
II
II
I SE1629SllW I
31'47'4''
INE3328SllW 131'49'46''
S22 28s 11W
NW33 28s
Hemanas
Y
II
I
I
TYPE
OF
I
REFERENCES
107'57'46''
107'57'52''
31° 51' 1"
107O
57'
31'50'5"
107°58'21"
7"
NW28 28s
31'50'48''
107O58'3"
cc,z,AA
Hemanas
16.17283 11W 31'52'45''
107°58'40"
Thunder-E
31°52'35"
107°58'41"
BakerEggNo. 1 17288 11W
unknown
unknown
Lucky
unknown
Klondike Hills
I SE1628S 12W
ISW227S13W
22,2326s 3W
108"4'6"
108°7'59'r
108' 8' 15"
I 31'58'58" I
108°8'41"
108'' 8' 54"
32O 1' 47"
NE27 26s 13W
Unknown
I
UnknOWn
31'52'15''
31'58'49"
31' 59' 11"
ISE227S 13W
2 27s 13W
(NW2726S3W
32' 1'10"
108"9'28"
I
I
I
32'1'12"
I
108O9'49"
76
cu
60 fl shaft
Rio G r a n d e m
cu
pit
Rio Grande RifI
Rupert(1986) -~
Rupert(1986),
Thomanand
Drew= (1981)
(1986)
Rupmt
I
-----
Figure 20”ines
District Boundary
and prospects in the Carrizalillo mining district, Luna County, New Mexico.
)7''55'
-fAdit
130)
o.wv0.2
Shaft Depth
Assays
lozlton Au / ozlton Aa)
"
=-
5
5
Mountains
Entire map area is contained within
the Carrizalillo mining district.
I
I
0.411.40.01106~
28
27
36
12
I
13
Figure 21-Mines and prospects in the Carrizalillo Hills, southern Carrizalillo mining district, Luna
County, New Mexico (chemical analyses from Gates, 1985).
Geology
The Canizalillo Hills and Cedar Mountains consist predominantly
of Tertiary calc-alkaline basaltic
and
andesitic flows, rhyolitic ash-flow
tuffs, and volcanic breccias,tuffs, and andesite flows (Griswold,1961;
Bromfield and Wruke, 1961; Varnell, 1976; ThormanandDrewes, 1981; Gates, 1985; Seager and Clemons,
1988). Calc-alkaline, peraluminous rhyolite dikesand domes have intrudedthe volcanics. The ash-flow tuffs are
outflow sheets from distal calderas.In the southern Cedar Mountains and Klondike Hills, Cambrian-Ordovician
throngh Cretaceous sandstones, shales,and limestones are exposed (Griswold, 1961; Varnell, 1976). The Cedar
Mountains form a homocline
that is offsetby normal faults.Faulting is predominantly northwest, exceptin the
vicinity of the rhyolite domes. In the Klondike Hills, Proterozoicgranite dated as 1390 Ma @-SI) is overlain by
1986; Rupert and Clemons, 1990).
Cambrian through Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (Rupert,
Mineral deposits
Small, discontinuous volcanic-epithennalvein and Rio Grande Rift deposits occur scattered throughout
the area (Fig. 20,21). Volcanic-epithennal quartz veins and stringers with local galena, chalcopyrite, and
sphalerite fill faults and occnr along
the contacts of rhyolite and andesite dikesin the Canizalillo Hills. The
largest depositis the Calumet mine which accounts for most
of the production (Table33); the veins occnr along a
rhyolite dike intnding andesiteand contain malachite, limonite, quartz, manganese oxides, and calcite (Griswold,
1961; Gates, 1985). The vein strikes N20”W and dips
6OoW and is less than 3 ft wide. Minor production also
occurred fromthe Hermanas minein 1946. Additional calcite veins occur
in the area nearthe Johnson Ranch
(Table 33). Assays ofveins range as high as 0.18 odshort ton Au, 16.88 odshort ton Ag, and 35,200 ppm Cn
(Gates, 1985). Quartz veins and breccia zonesare up to 20 ft wide. Manganese oxides, quartz, calcite,
chrysocolla, malachite,and azurite are common.
In the Cedar Mountains,the Lucky mine consistsof carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement
and vein
deposits along a north-east-trending
fault in Paleozoic limestone (Griswold,1961). Steeply dipping vein and
replacement deposits contain galena, quartz, calcite, and malachite. Jasperiods
are common.
In the Klondike Hills, localized zones
in carbonate rocks belonging the
to Hachita Formation
(Mississippian) and Hitt Canyon Member ofthe El Paso Formation (Ordovician) are replaced
by silica, copper, and
lead minerals forming jasperiods, and are especially common along faults (Rupert,
1986).
Silicification andargillic alteration is widespread in the limestones, andesites,and rhyolites in the
Canizalillo district (Griswold, 1961; Vamell, 1976; Gates, 1985; Seager and Clemons,1988), and may be
responsible for a large, regional gravity low. Jasperiods occur as fillings
void and replacement depositsin the
Paleozoic limestones and locally contain trace amounts
of pyrite, galena, barite, and malachite. Argillic alteration
is characterized by chlorite, calcite, clays, quartz, and, locally, epidote. Silicificationand potassic metasomatism
also are associated with quartz-calcite veins, many
of which carry goldand silver. Potassic alterationis
characterized by K-feldspar, clays, sericite, chlorite,
q m , calcite, andiron oxides (Seagerand Clemons, 1988).
Argillic alteration increases
in intensity towards many
of the veins.
Reports of a molybdenum discoveryin the area (Leonard,1982) could not be confirmed, butthe geology,
alteration, and geochemistry suggests such a possiblity. Geochemical anomalies
in the stream-sediment samples
are scatteredand low. Anomalous concentrations of As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, La,Mn, Sb, Th, and Y occur in streamsediments from throughout the area.
Cooke’s Peak district
Location and MiningHistory
The Cooke’s Peak district, also known
as the Jose district, is the most productive districtin Luna County
and is located in the Cooke’s Range in northern Luna County (Fig.1). Cooke’s Peak was named after Captian
Philip St. George Cooke, leader
of the Morman Battalionthat passed throughthe area in 1846-1847. The district
is adjacent to and extendsinto the Cooke’s Range Wilderness Study Area.The eastern groupof deposits are
known as the Cooke’s subdistrict andthe prospects on the western sideare known as the Jose subdistrict. The
district was discoveredin 1876 and by 1900, approximately $3 million worthof ore was produced from carbonatehosted Pb-Zn replacement and polymetallic vein deposits. Estimated total production
from 1876 to 1965 is $4
million worthof lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold, including
>50 million Ibs Pb and 7 lbs Zn (Table 34). The
average grade produced from1902 to 1947 was 15.3% Pb, 11.5% Zn, and 2.51 odshort ton Ag (Griswold,1961).
In addition, 452 short tons of fluorite and 450 long tonsof 33-46% Mn have been produced from carbonate-hosted
deposits (Tables4,8; Rothrock et al., 1946; Elston, 1957; Famham, 1961). Newmont ExplorationLtd. examined
the district in the late 1980s and drilled several holes;
the results of their exploration programare unknown.
TABLE 34-Reported metal production from the Cooke’s Peak district, Luna County (from
U.S. Geological
Geology
Paleozoic through Cretaceous sedimentary rocks unconformably overlie Proterozoic
granite in the district
(Jicha; 1954); the mineral depositsare predominantly in the Fusselman Dolomite (Silurian), beneath
the Percha
Shale (Devonian). The sedimentary rocksin the district form a plunging anticline. Cooke’s Peak consistsof
has been datedas 38.8*1.4 Ma (biotite, K-Ar; Lo.nng and Loring, 1980);
intrusive granodiorite porphyry which
dikes radiate outwards from
the center. Fracturesin the Cooke’s Peak district parallel some
of these dikes,
80
Mineral Deposits
The major depositsof the Cooke's Peak districtare carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacements and veins (Table
35) and occur along northeast-trending fractures
in the Fusselman Dolomite (Silurian) beneath jasperiod bodies
and/or the Percha Shale. Locally, the shale is iron-stained and silicified. The jasperiods contain fluorite, calcite,
quam, and locally pyrite and cerussite.The ore bodiesrange in shape from irregular, tabularto kidney-shaped
(mantos) to pipe-like (chimneys); most bodies
are small and less than 100 ft long, 50 ft wide, and as muchas 20 ft
thick (Jicha, 1954). They are controlled by faults, fractures, and, locally,
anticlinal folds. Veins along faults are
common in the western portion of the district and locally wideninto tabular replacement bodies
(Elston, 1957).
Individual mines rarely
produced morethan 2,000 short tons of ore (Table36). The primary oreminerals are
galena and sphalerite in a gangueof pyrite, fluorite,and ankerite (Jicha, 1954). Oxide minerals include cerussite,
smithsonite, and anglesite. Plumbojarosite was discovered
in the district in 1905 (Clarke et al., 1905). Lead
typically exceeds zinc and copper
in abundance in most minesin the district. However, oreat the Summit mine
averaged 16%Pb, 23% Zn,and 1.7odshort ton Ag ( N b B m f i l e data). The upper levels were oxidizedand
have been completely mined out. Silicification, known as jasperiods,
is prevalent in the district and snrrounds
most ore bodies; brecciation and recementation
are common.
Small pocketsof ore, typically as polymetallic veins, occur
in thegranodiorite porphyry and
in the Sarten
Sandstone (Cretaceous). They contain quartz, pyrite, calcite, chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite. Theseveins
in size (Jicha, 1954).
were generallyhigher grade than thecarbonate-hosted deposits, but much smaller
Disseminations of sulfides, typically pyrite
and chalcopyrite, are locally presentin the granodiorite.
Fluorite and manganeseare common in the district. The Lookout and Section 27 mines were produced
for fluorite (Tahle 35). The Ruth wasthe most productive manganese mine. Placer manganese deposits
in the
southern part of the district were workedin 1959by Q.M. Drunzer (Griswold, 1961).
Most explorationin the district concentratedon extending knownore bodies. Much of the Fusselman
the Percha Shale and in thevicinity of
Dolomite west of the district may have potential, especially beneath
jasperiods (Jicha, 1954);drilling is required to assessthe potential. Local Ba,Be, Cr, and Mn anomalies occurin
stream-sediment samplesfrom the area.
TABLE 35"Mines and prospectsfrom the Cooke's Peak mining district, Luna County, New Mexico. Only mines
81
TABLE 36-Metal production from individual mines
in the Cooke's Peak district,LUMCounty, New Mexico
(Jicba, 1954;NMBMMRfile data). Jicha (1954) listed some mines under
their dais name; those mines
are included underthe accepted name usedin Table 35. Location includes section, township and range.
7
82
Florida Mountains district
Location and Mining History
The Florida Mountains district, discovered
in 1876, is located eastof Deming (Fig. 1) and includes only
the main Florida Mountains, south
of Florida Gap. The district is adjacent to the Florida Mountains Wilderness
Study Area. From 1880to 1956,5,000 lbs Cu,4 0 oz Au, 8,000 oz Ag, and >30,000 lbsPb worth approximately
$102,000 were produced
from carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement and polymetallic
vein deposits in thedistrict
(Table 37). The Mahoney and Silver Cave mines
are the largest metal producers.In addition, 200 short tonsof
flnorite and 1,421long tons of 22-30%Mn have been producedfrom epithermal veinsin the area (Tables 4,s;
Rothrock et al., 1946; Farnham, 1961). Manganese was mined
from veins onthe southeast slopesduring the
Government purchasing programin the1950s.
U.S. Geological Swey,
TABLE 37-Reported metal productionfrom the Florida Mountains, Luna County (from
1902-1927; U.S. Bureau ofMines, 1927-1990; Griswold, 1961).-none reported.
YEAR
1934
TOTAL LEAD
ORE(SH0RT
SILVER GOLDCOPPER
(LBS)
TONS)
200
I
38 I
I
(02)
-
(02)
170
I
(LBS)
15,000
I
VALUE ($)
681
Geology
The Florida Mountains form
the northern portion of the Laramide thrust belt as defined by Drewes
(1991b) andare along the Texas lineament. Rocksin thearea consist of Paleozoic throngh lower Tertiary
sedimentary rocks overlying Proterozoic
and Cambrian granite and syenite plutons (Clemons
and Brown, 1983;
Clemons, 1984). Tertiary rhyolite, diorite,and andesite intrudesthe older lithologies; a rhyolite west
of Florida
Peak was datedas 29.1+1.3 Ma (feldspar, K-Ar; Clemonsand Brown, 1983). Laramide tilting,thrusting and
uplift, followed by Tertiary basin
and range uplift have deformed
the rocks. The district coincideswith gravity and
magnetic highs.
Mineral Deposits
Carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposits occur throughout
the district (Table 38). The carbonatehosted depositsare typically in Fusselman Dolomiteand follow fracture and/or fault zones. The deposits occuras
fissure veins or manto-replacement bodiesthat contain smithsonite, cerussite, malachite, azurite, barite, quartz,
calcite, and local galenaand sphalerite (Griswold, 1961). Lead typically exceeds zinc and copper
in abundance.
The deposits are typically small, lessthan 5 ft wide and several hundred feet long.
Polymetallic veins also occur
along fractures and fanlts within Proterozoic granite, Cambrian syenite,
and
Tertiary agglomerate (Table 38).
The Park mine occurs along fault
a separatingProterozoic granite and Paleozoic
sedimentary rocks. Productionfrom these veinshas been small, but locally, they
are higher in grade than the
carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposits.The veins are typically lessthan 5 ft wide, several hundred feet
long, ofvariable dips, and contain qnartz, pyrite, calcite,
iron and manganese oxides, chalcopy&e, and local
galena, sphalerite, fluorite, and barite.
Fluorite occurs as veins, void filllings, and replacements
of limestones (Table 38). Breccias
and
jasperiods are common. Mostof the fluorite veinsand fissures occuralong fanlts and fractures. Fluoriteand quartz
data of fluorite
are the predominant minerals in a gangueof calcite, clay,and rare barite and pyrite. Fluid inclusion
from the Florida Mountains indicates,formation from low temperature (146-194' and
C) low salinity (6.2-8.4 eq.
wt.% NaC1) fluids, suggesting a meteoric origin (North
and Tuff, 1986).
The Waddell Atir mine wasfirst prospected in 1910 (Williams etal., 1964), butthere is no reported
production. In 1980, Barite Corporation
of America drove a 77547
long adit to intersect the vein, but did notfind
enough ore to produce. The vein strikes N6OoE and dips55"SE and consists ofbarite, fluorite, galena, calcite,and
quartz. It is 5-12 ft wide and 200fi long and occurs in Cambrian syenite. A sample assayed 41%
BaS04, 19.7%
CaF2, and 1.8%Pb (Williams etal., 1964).
Epithermal and carbonate-hosted manganese deposits occur throughout
the Florida Monntains. The veins
and replacementsare typically small; veinsare generally lessthan 3 ft wide andthe largest replacement depositsat
the Birchfield mine are only 8 ft wide. The deposits follow bedding planes which
strike northeast. Locally, the
deposits form cross cutting pipe-like bodies, i.e. chimneys.
The potential for additional barite-fluorite
and manganese depositsin the Florida Mountainsis probably
good, but not likely to be produced
in the near future because of poor market conditions. Additional carbonatehosted Pb-Zn and vein deposits
are likely to be found
along strike of most deposits.Areas of alluvial cover should
also be examined. Anomolous As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, La,Mn, Nb, Pb, Sn, Th,Y, and Zn occur in streamsediment samples from
the area.
TABLE 38-Mines and prospects in the Florida Mountains, LunaCounty,New Mexico. Location includes
section, township, and range.
MWE
LOCATION
LATITUDE,
COMMODITIES
NAME
LONGITUDE
Anniveaarv I SW126S I 32O04'23". I
51;' 36'107'8W
Bigpocket
SE13 26.9
32°2'30",
8W
7" 107'36'
Birchfield
SE31,SW32 32'05'11",
107O35'34"
Mn(San.
25s7w
Tex,
Birchfield
YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCTION
TYPE OF REFERENCES
PRODUCTION
DEPOSIT
1970
pits
200 shorttons
barite-fluorite
McAnaulty
60%fluarite
veins
(1978)
?
pits
8 short tons
epithmal
epithmal NMBMMRfile
NMBMMRfile
25%Mn
manganese
manganese data
data
1942 - 1958 1 longadit, 2
1,420 shorttons
carbonate- &wold
shafts, pi%,
25%Mn
hostedMn (1961),
trenches
replacement Famham
(1961)
F
Mn
Mn
Group)
zinc
I
I
Bradley
SE18 25s
(Edna Belle, 107'
7W
2:2
1:!Bear)
32' 05' l l " , smallZn, MR
pits Ag1940s
107'34' 18"
SW32 25s
7w
Birchfield
I
I
G
r
a
n
d
7W
(Georgia
Bell)
Lobo
SE19 25s 6'
7w
W126S 8W
Lucky John
I
prism
I SE1226S
~
pits
I
2 shallow shalts,
small
polymetallic
adit,
carbonate- Griswold
hostedPb-Zn (1961)
I rePlacement I
Griswald
vein
(1961),
Clemons
Pb, Ag, Zn
A& Cu
cu
Zn, Pb,
A&
(Cu)
I
I
I
1903 1930
Ag, Cu (zn)
32' 50",
107' 36' 20"
32" 04'32'',
107'36 44"
(Mahoney)
I
I
I
32"
07'37':
Pb,
35' 52"
26s
32O3' lo",
7w
10" 107'36'
18 & 19 25s
32'7' lo",
107O36' 10"
Copper
SW14
Queen
late
32'33'30''.
107' 36' 44;'
I
MRF
107"39' 12"
Sunset)
107'38' 15"
1881-1885
I
I
I
Silver Cane
12 26s 8W
I
Stemon
(Alabama,
Georgia, S.
Carolina,
107' 36' 07"
8W
(1916),
replacement
I
32" 3'20",
107'36' 10"
Pb, Ag, Zn
?
cu, ap
last in 1956
pits
I
I
SW1425S
I
32"OT
48",
107'38'33"
84
vein
data
1,800 shorttons carbonate- Griswold
worth $60,000
hosted Pb-Zn(1961),Darton
Brown
(1982)
unknown
carbonateNMBMMRfile
hosted Pb-Zn data
replacement
a shaft
small
polymetaIlic
Griswold
vein
(1961),
Lindgren et al.
(1910)~
Clemons
(1984)
inclinedshaft
vertical shaft pit,
adit
3 adits
and
(Waddell
Prospect.
stir)
King
(Pacheco,
South Side,
Wet King)
WhiteKing
(San-Tex)
8W
107'37' 17"
adit
NE 23, NW Wet32" 01' 13",
24265: 8W
107"37' 10"
Mn
World War I
1955
NE31 25s
7W
Mn
WWII,1950s pit, sh&
32'05'43'',
107O 36' 04"
~
2 shafts, several
pibandtrenches
806 short tom
21%Mn
epithmal
manganese
smalltomage
during WWII
andin 1950s
epilhermal
manganese
(1966).
Williams et al.
(1964)
Griswold
(1961),
Famhm
(1961)
Famham
(1961)
Fluorite Ridge district
Location and Mining History
The Fluorite Ridgemining district is located approximately10 mi north-northeastof Deming, southof
Cooke's Peak, and is south of the Cooke's Range Wilderness Study Area
w i g . 1). The deposits occurin two
areas: Lower Campin the southeast andthe Upper Campin the central part of the ridge. The district also
includes the hills to the south that contain manganese depositsand Goat Ridgeto the west. The district was
discovered in 1907 and production beganin 1909. Three types of deposits occurin the district: Rio GrandeRift
barite-fluorite-galena deposits, epithermal fluorite veins, and epithermal manganese veins. has
There
been no
base- or precious-metal productionfrom the district. Fluorite productionfrom 1909 to 1954 was 93,827
short tons
of the ore was shipped to
(Table 39). The Saddler and Greenleaf mines
are the largest fluorite producers. Much
Deming. Less than 1,000 shoa short tonsof low-grade manganese orehas been produced fromthe southern part
of the district, primarilyfrom the Ruth and Starkey mines (Table
39).
TABLE 39-Mines and prospectsfrom the Fluorite Ridgemining district, Luna County, New Mexico. Location
Duke of
Luxembourg
8W
107°41'47''
NE
SE18
32"
23'10",
22s 9W
107O 43' 10"
Veins
F
none
lOOflsh&
with Greenleaf
fluofite
veins
85
FN 6/30/95,
NMBMMR file
data
-
LATITUDE,
BNGITUDE
32' 23' 50",
107' 43' 39"
32' 24' 44':
107"43'39"
2OMMODITIES
YEARS
OF DEVELOPMEN? PRODUCTIOh
PRODUCTION
F
none
15flpits
"One
32'23'36",
107' 42' 24"
1934-1951
II
32O 26' 08",
107'47' 19"
320 25' 50",
107'47' 00"
32' 23' 25",
107'41'47"
I
I
F
DEPOSIT
434Ashaftwith
levels shallow
IIsh*'pits
12,000 short
tons fluorite
Johnston(l928)
prospect pitsand
"One
-"--I
travertine
F
F
Griswold(l961)
41,900 short
:omfluorite
a1.(1946),
McAnulty
(1978), Russell
(1947a), FN
6/30/95
32' 23' 42".
107O 42'23"
333 shorttens
32'23'46",
107' 42' 46"
F,Zn
32' 23' 53
107'43'03
F
32O 23' 57"
107'42'31"
F
32*24'38",
107' 43'36"
F
32' 24' 49".
107'43' 27"
nuorile
IPi*
cmSsC"ts,
Williams
McAnully
tunnels,
34,283 short
ansfluorite
36 short tons
deep 50 A apart,
20 fl pit
1943 - 1953
tluorite
400Ashaft,4
levels with short
; ;: 1 I
veins
I
none
I
3 surface pits fmm Nnne
1.000to 1.200 A
32' 24' 58",
107°44'08"
levels
86
Rolhrock el al.
Rio Grande Rothrock et
Riftbarite- (194%
fluorite
Williams
al.
Geology
Fluorite Ridge consists predominantly
of granodiorite porphyry, whichis similar tothe intrusive rockin
the Cooke's Peak districtthat has been datedas 38.8*1.4 Ma (biotite, K-Ar, Loring and Loring,1980; Clemons,
1982). A dike cuttingthe northern exposure of the porphyry on Fluorite Ridgehas a dateof 37.6A2.0 Ma (whole
rock, K-Ar; Clemons, 1982). Griswold (1961) interpretes the Fluorite Ridge granodiorite porphyry
to be a separate
pluton fromthe Cooke's Peak porphyw,but the age determinationof the cross cutting dike would suggest
the two
are of a similar age.The porphyry is surrounded by Proterozoicgranite and Cambrian, Permian, Pennyslvanian,
Cretaceous, and early Tertiary sedimentary rocks (Clemons,
1982). The entire districtis faulted, and the
sedimentary rocks form a dome with
the granodiorite porphyryin the center.
Mineral Deposits
Numerous mines and prospects have developed
the veins on Fluorite Ridge (Table
39). Most ofthe
fluoriteveins and fissures occur
along faults and fractures; the largest veins occur
at intersections of fault and
fracture zones (Rothrock et al.,1946; Russell, 1947a). One groupof faults strikesN17-27"E and the other group
strikes N6"E-N1S0W (Burchard, 1911). The Tip Topand Hilltop Spar deposits occuras fillings in solution
cavities in the limestone (Table39; Rothrock et al.,1946) and are typicalof Rio Grande Rift barite-fluorite-galena
deposits elsewherein the state (McLemore andBarker, 1985; McLemore and Lueth, 1995, in press). In all
deposits, fluoriteand quartz are the predominant mineralsin a gangueof calcite, clay, andrare barite and pyrite.
Brecciation, crustification,vug filling, and recementation are common and consistent withan epithermal origin.
The veins occur mostly
in the granodiorite porphyry, but smaller veins do cut of
most
the lithologies on Fluorite
Ridge. The veins rangein size to as muchas 20 ft wide and 100 ft long (Burchard, 1911; Rothrock et al., 1946).
Grades in 1911 ranged from60.9 to 95.6% CaF2 by hand sorting (Burchard,1911); lower grades were shippedin
later years with less hand sorting.
Temperatures of homogenization in fluid inclusionsof fluorites fromthe district range from170 to 223OC
and salitinites are lessthan 10 eq. wt.% NaCl (Hill,1994). Geochemical, fluid inclusion,and stable-isotopic data
indicate that the fluorite in the Fluorite Ridge district was formed from
low salinity, low temperature meteoric
fluids (Hill, 1994). Fluorite in Gila conglomerateand ina basaltic dikeat the Gratton mine, indicates alate
Tertiary or early Quaternary age
of deposition (Griswold, 1961).
Most ofthe veins were never explored
at depth and fluorite resources undoubtedly remain. Additional
fluorite most likely occurs
in the subsurface surroundingthe ridge andin the area betweenthe Greenleaf and
Valley mines. Anomalous concentrations of As, Be, Ba, Cd, Cr,
C n , Mn, Pb, Th, Ti,and Znoccur in streamsediment samples from
the area, suggestingthat the veins should be analyzed
for potential base and precious
metals, which could occur
at depth.
Travertine occursat Goat Ridgeand could be quarriedfor local use.
Little Florida Mountains district
Location and Mining History
The Little Florida Mountains
are northeast of the Florida Mountains; Florida Gap separates
the two
ranges pig. 1). Rock Hound StatePark is inthe southwestern part of the range. Two types of deposits occurin
(Fig. 27). No
the district (also knownas Black Rock):epithennal fluorite veins and epithermal manganese veins
precious or base metals have been produced from
the district. Fluorite production, mostly from
the Spar mine,is
estimated as 13,428 short tons(McAnulty, 1978). Manganese productionis reported as 19,527 long tonsof ore
and 21,393 long tonsof concentrate (Table8; Farnham, 1961). The Manganese mine was one
of the larger
manganese minesin the district (DeVaney et al.,1942). Production of manganese ceasedin 1959 when the
Federal government endedit's buyingprogram. In 1923, a small mill was erected
at the Luna mine for processing
manganese, butthe gravity concentration was not efficient
and the mill closed.
Geology
The Little Florida Mountains consists predominantly
of interbedded andesite, dacite, ash-flow
tuff,
rhyolite, and fanglomerate intruded by rhyolite domes
and dikes (Lasky, 1940; Clemons, 1982). An ash-flow tuff,
near the base of the stratigraphic section has been dated
as 37.3+1.4 Ma (biotite, K-Ar, Clemons, 1982). A
rhyolite near RockHound StatePark has been datedas 23.6*1.0 Ma (whole rock,K-Ar, Clemons, 1982). Seismic
data indicatesthat there is only 600 ft ofvolcanics in the subsurface.
Mineral Deposits
The depositsin the Little Florida Mountains consist
of epithermal fluoriteand manganese veins in
fanglomerate and Tertiary volcanic rocks (Table
40). The fanglomerateis interpretated as being 23.6 Ma, similar
in age as the rhyolite (Clemons, 1982); therefore mineralizationis younger than 23.6 Ma. Silicificationis common
in breccias along faults (called jasperiods by Lasky,
1940).
Fluorite and barite occurs
in veins along faults with manganeseoxides, calcite, quartz, and rare pyrite and
galena (Griswold,1961; McAnulty, 1978). Most veinscan be traced easilyin outcrop by prominent silicified
breccias. Local veins are as much as 6 ft thick; most are lessthan 3 ft thick. Brecciation, crustification, and
silicification are common and indicative ofan epithermal origin. The ore gradesare estimated as 20-60% CaF2
(Griswold, 1961). Barite is predominant at the Apache mine (sec.SEX 7,T24S, R7W); whereas fluoriteis
predominant at the Spar mine (sec.7,8, T24,S R7W). A sample at the Spar (Florida) mine assayed74% BaS04
and 9.5% CaF2 (Williams et al.,1964). The fluorite veinsare typical of Rio Grande Rift deposits elsewhere.
The manganese veins occur along faults and
fiactnre zones and as breccia cementin the fanglomerate and
contain various manganese oxides. Few ore shoots contained more
than 60,000 short tonsof ore (Lasky, 1940).
Most deposits decreasedin size and grade at 200-400 ft depths and manganiferous calcite becomes more abundant
(Famham, 1961). The average gradeis 1520% Mn withvarying amounts of silica, calcite, iron, phosphorus, and
barite. Trace amountsof copper, lead, zinc, silver, and arsenic
are present locallyin some veins(Lasky, 1940); but
can not be recovered economically.
Barite and fluorite can be mined
in the Little Florida Mountains only
if there is a local demand for these
commodities. It is unlikely that manganese will be mined
again in the Little Florida Mountains, even thongh
manganese resources arestill present, becauseof low grades andthin deposits. Lasky (1940) estimated that
550,000-1,000,000 short tonsof manganese ore remainsin reserves, but Famham (1961) estimates remaining
reserves are less than 75,000 short tonsof 10-18% Mn. Anomolous concentrationsof As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, La,
Mn, Pb, Ti, and Znare foundin stream-sediment samples fromthe area.
Rock Hound State
Park is one of the few state parksin the United Statesthat allows collectingof rocks
and minerals withinthe park boundaries. Visitors from throughoutthe United States collect agates, geodes, and
jasper; total production from
the park is unknown.
88
TABLE )-Mines and prospects of the Little Florida Mountains mining district, Luna County,
New Mexico.
. .
MINE
NAME
American
no. 29
Claim
Apache
(North End
D"ryea)
EEfrella
Fierro No.
1
(American
No. IS)
Fimo No.
2
(American
No. 11)
Frederick
Group
Killion
Liitle
Florida
M0""tainS
clay deposi
Luna
(American
GrOUP,
Killion
Mine, Wen
mine)
Manganese
Valley
(Pluto)
Muller
Pluto
SPZ
(Florida
Fluonpar
Mine,
Duryea
Claim)
Old Hadley district
Location and Mining History
as part of the Cooke's Peak district (Griswold,
The OldHadley(or Graphic) district, sometimes described
1961), is located eastof the Cooke's Peak districtin northern Luna County(Fig. 1). The districtis adjacent to the
1880 to 1929 is estimated as 150 ounces gold,550 ounces
Cooke's Range Wilderness Study Area. Production from
2). ASARCO examinedthe
of silver, and minor copper, lead,and zinc from volcanic-epithermal veins (Table
district in the late 1980s and drilled at least one hole;the results of their exploration programare unknown.
Geology
The dominant rockin the district is the Macho andesiteof Tertiary age which
is overlain in places bythe
Rubio Peak Formation (Tertiary; Jicha, 1954).A latite tuff from the Macho andesiteis dated as 40.7*1.4 Ma
(biotite, K-Ar; Loringand Loring, 1980). Numerous faults cutthe andesite. Silicificationand argillic alteration is
89
prominent; acid-sulfate alteration, characterized by alunite
and kaolinite, is locally pervasivein Rattlesnake
Canyon (Hall, 1978).
Mineral Deposits
Volcanic-epithermal veins occurin altered Macho andesite
in the Old Hadley district (Table 41).
The
veins are steeply dipping, associated
with gypsum and clay alteration,as much as 300 ft long, and typically less
than 4 ft wide. Silicificationis prevalent adjacentto the veins. Theveins trend NO-15"W to N55-65"E and
parallel faults and fracture zones. They contain chalcopyrtte, galena, sphalerite,
and oxidized minerals such as
malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, cuprite,
and melaconite in a gangue of quartz,barite, pyrite, iron oxides, sericite,
chlorite, and other clay minerals (Jicha, 1954). Brecciation, silicification,
vug filling, and recementationare
common. The veins are similar to those in the Cooke's Peak district, except
the Old Hadley veinscontain more
gold, barite, andquartz. Anomalous concentrationsof As, Bi, Cd, Mo, Pb,Sn, U, and Zn occurin streamsediment samplesin the area and spotty concentrations
of Ag and Sb are found locally.
TABLE 41-Mines and prospects in the Old Hadleymining district, Luna County, New Mexico.All of these
deposits are volcanic-epithermalvein deuosits. Location includes section, township,and range. FN-V,
T.McLemore, un] bl&hed field notes.
I
LATITUDE LONGITUDE
!OMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCTION
REFERENCES
none
FN 7/2/95,
NMBMMRfile dam
unknown
FN 7/2/95
none
Hall (1978), FN
7/2/95
NMBMMRfile data
NW29 20s
32'30'33"
107O 41'08"
U, Pb,
Cu
Raltles"&e
NU2 4 2 1 s
32'30'49''
107°40'28"
Au, Ag, Cu
Rattlesnake
s w 3 2 20s
32'30'55''
107O 41'00"
pits
alunite
Keystone Group
(incl Daylight and
Coliseumlades
Hadley
32 20s 8W
3231'34"
107'40'59''
Pb,
shafts,
Ag
29.32 20s
32'31'41''
107°41'00"
Cu, Pb, As. Aush&,
Native
Silver
Gmup ( i n C l .
Native Silver,
Hub, RockIsland
Millsite
29.32 20s
32'31'41''
107°41'09"
7 iPb,GAg q x & z
32'31'42"
107°40'59"
Lindgren el al.,
NMBMMRfiledata
shafts,pits, adits,
trenches reclaimed
pits, shafts
pits, adits,
trenches
unknown
I
I
pits, adits, 12 shoatam
trenchescontaining
57 oz
Ag, 2,832 Ibs Cu,
447 Ibs Pb
shafts, pits, adits, unknown
trenches
Jicha(1954),
NMBMMR file data
NMBMMRfile data
Keystone, Native
Silver, Daylight,
Coliseum Hub,
Rocklsland
Cappelto"
2922 20s
32'31'49''
107°41'01"
Jumbo
32 20s 8W
32'31'50''
107"41'01"
32"31'51"
Pb, Zn Ag, Au
Au
107°40'51"
shafts, pits, adits,
trenches
shafts, pits
I
32'31'43''
107"40'58"
Au,Ag
1 ton containing11
IbrPb
UnknOW
I
I
2sh&>100fl
deep, pits
Jicha (1954),
NMBMMRfile data
NMBMMRfile data
02 Ag, 361
unknown
FN 7/2/95
Tres Hermanas district
Location and Mining History
The Tres Hermanas districtis located near Columbus,in southern Luna County (Fig. 22), and was
discovered in 1881. Total production from the Laramide skarn and Laramide vein deposits in the district is
unknown, hutis estimated from 1885-1957 as $600,000 worth of copper, gold, silver, lead,and zinc, including
200,000 lbs Pb and 1 million lbs Zn (Table 42).
The Cincinnati, Hancock,and Mahoney mines were activein
1905 (Lindgren et al., 1910)and the Mahoney mine remainedin production until 1920 (Griswold, 1961).In 19061907, ore was shippedto the Mississippi Valley area
for smelting (Lindgren, 1909).The results of drilling in the
Tres Hermanas Mountainsin theearly 1980sare unknown.
90
TABLE 42 -Reported metal production from the Tres Hermanas district. Luna Countv (from
U.S. Geoloeical
I
..
I
ESTIMATED
-
I
I
550
I
I
7
4,000
.
I
200,000
I
1,000,000
1,000,000
PRODUCTION 18851957
Geology
The Tres Hermanas Mountains consist predominantly
of a quaaZ monzonite stock, datedas 50.3~t2.6Ma
(hornblende, K-Ar; Leonard, 1982) andare surrounded by a thick sequence
of predominantly Paleozoic and
Cretaceous sedimentary rocksand Tertiaryvolcanic rocks (Balk,1961; Griswold, 1961; Leonard, 1982). Thrust
faults are common;in the West Lime Hills, Permian rocks
are tlnusted over Lower Cretaceous rocks (Drewes,
by quartz monzonite (Homme, 1958;
1991a). Manyof the Paleozoic limestones have been metamorphosed the
H o m e and Rosennveig, 1970).A chemical variationwith time from older metalnminous andesites, dacites,
and
rhyolites to younger alkaline rhyolite
and latite occnrs in the calc-alkaline rocksin the Tres Hermanas Mountains
(Leonard, 1982).
91
107"45'
Q
Shaft
----
20
= District Boundar)
r
-7"
31"5
T27
T22
31"5
R1(
I
,8
19w
Figure 22-Mines
and prospectsin the Tres Hermanas mining district, Luna
County, New Mexico.
107'41 '30'
Mineral Deposits
Three typesof deposits occurin the Tres Hermanas district (Table 43, Fig.
22): Laramide veinsand
of the qnartz
Laramide skarn. The age of the mineral depositsis Tertiary; theymost likely formed after intrusion
monzonite but prior to intrusion
of the basaltic dikes (Griswold, 1961; Doraibabu
and Proctor, 1973).
of mineralization fromthe quartz monzonite, although locally
the
Geochemical data are consistent with a source
older bedrock may have contributed metals (Doraibabu and Proctor, 1973). Multiple periods of mineralization
are
liely, because of the variations in mineralization styles and alteration.
The most produciive deposits
are the Laramide skarns which occur
in the Escabosa Limestone
(Mississippian) and overlying Pennsylvanian
sedimenmy rocks (Table 43). The replacement deposits
are tabular
to pod-shaped and are controlled by fractures and faults which trend east-west
and north-south. Silicificationis
common near these deposits (Griswold, 1961). Ore minerals consist predominantly
of sphalerite, galena,
chalcopyrite, willemite, smithsonite,and other oxidized lead-zinc mineralsin a gangueof calcite, quartz, pyrite,
and calc-silicate minerals (Wade, 1913; Homme and Rosenwieg, 1970). Ore
at the Mahoney mine averaged 26.7%
Pb, 34.5% Zn, and 5.9odsbort ton Ag. Gold assays range as high as 1,500 ppbAu (Griswold et al., 1989). The
Mahoney and Lindy Ann mines arethe largest producers (Table 43).Skarns are locally commonin the limestone
xenoliths and limestones adjacent
to the stock (Table 43). Scheeliteis reported in a tactite near South Peak
(Griswold, 1961).
Fissure veinsin quartz monzonite contain galena, willemite, smithsonite, and hydrozincite,
and samples
assayed 29-37% Zn, 11-40% Pb,and 2 odshort ton Ag (Lindgren, 1909). Veins also occur
along faults and
fractures in Paleozoic sedimentaty clastic rocks,qnartz monzonite, and Tertiary volcanic rocks. The most
productive veins, such as
the Cincinnati, trend east-west;the north-trending veins have been less productive (Table
S, and is 10,000 fi long. Most
43; Doraibabu and Proctor, 1973). The Cincinnati vein strikes N75"E, dips 75-80'
veins are less than 4 ft wide. Disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite,and galena occur sporadically
the potential for a porphyry copper and/or copperthroughout the quartz monzonite stock (Table 43), suggesting
molybdennm deposit; althoughthe stock is not extensively altered as typical porphyry copper deposits. However,
drilling in the stock has failedto reveal any economic concentrations (Griswold, 1961;
NMBMMR file data).
Most of the mines in the Tres Hermanas districtare shallow; only a few reach depths
of 300-500 fi. None
of the deposits have been explored
at greater depths, especiallyin the Mahoney and Cincinnati mines (Griswold,
1961). Areas of pyrite disseminations need examination,for example secs.26,27, T27S, R9W. Where alluvinm
covers the extensions of these depositsis also favorable, but requires
drilling. Anomolous concentrationsof As,
Ba,Be, Co, Cd, La, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb,Th, Ti, Y, and Znare foundin stream-sediment samples fromthe area.
Marble occurs adjacent to
the quartz monzonite snrroundingthe Tres Hermanas Mountains (Griswold,
1961; Leornard, 1982). The marblewas originally Paleozioc,is medium- to coarse-grained,and contains local
intercalculated bandsof garnet. The quantity of resources of marble for dimension stoneis unknown. Yellow and
white travertine (Mexican onyx) occurs
in bands as muchas 5 ft thick in latite on the southern slopesof the Tres
Hennanas Mountains (sec. 24, T28S,
R9W) and could be minedfor local use. Spumte, a rare pale-grayto purple
mineral, is valued by collectors and used
as an ornamental stone,and occnrs in a limestone xenolithin quartz
monzonite on the east slopeof South Sister Peak (Griswold, 1961).
93
TABLE 43 -Mines and prospects in the Tres Hermanasmining district, LunaCounty,New Mexico, locatedin
94
Victorio district
Location and mining history
The Victorio district is in central Luna County, westof Deming (Fig. 23) and was discovered
in the late
1800s. Production of carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn (Ag, Cu) replacement deposits began about 1880. Most
of the early
production was fromthe Chance and Jessie mines where $800,000-$1,600,000 worth
of lead, zinc, and silver were
produced (Jones, 1904; Lindgren etal., 1910). Mining continued until 1957. An estimated 70,000to 130,000
short tons of ore were mined between 1880 and 1957 and yielded approximately
$2.3 million worth of lead, zinc,
silver, gold, and copper,including 17.5 million lbs Pb and
>60,000 lbs Zn (Table 44; McLemore and Lueth, 1995,
in press).
95
1c
32'1 2'3C
17'
4'
lo Gage $10)
t
x Prospect Pit 0 Center of
Drill Holes
4955
,'
'!I,,
sa
8
8
8
8
31
TI 2M
32"IC
t
I
124s
Figure 23-Mines and prospects in thevictorio mining district,Luna County, New Mexico.
Beryllium and tungsten contact-metasomatic deposits were discovered
in the Victorio Mountainsin the
1900s (Griswold, 1961; Holser, 1953; Dale
and McKinney, 1959). In 1942, approximately 20,000short tons of ore
containing an average of 1% WO, were produced from
the Irish Rose claimand was worth nearly $70,000 (Dale
and McKinney, 1959). The ore contained mostly scheelite
with some galena, smithsonite, and helvite.
In addition,
19.6 short tons of 60% wo, (Hobbs, 1965) were produced
fromthe mine.
Recent explorationhas been modest. GulfMinerals Resources, Inc. delineated a snbeconomic porphyry
Mo-Be-W depositin 1977-1983, northwestof Mine Hill. At a cutoffgrade of 0.02% WO,, resources were
estimated as 57,703,000 short tons of 0.129% Mo and 0.142% WO,. Open pit resources were estimatedas
11,900,000 short tons of 0.076% WO, and 0.023% Be (Bell, 1983).In 1987-1988, Cominco AmericanResources
examined the district for gold potential,but the results are unknown. Other exploration companies also have
examined the district in recent years,but no productionhas occurred since 1957.
97
Most of the workings are on Mine Hill in thesouthern part of the Victorio Mountains (Griswold,
1961).
Several shaftsare 276 ft deep and underground workings
are extensive (Griswold,1961; V. T. McLemore,
unpublished field notes, December
1993). Most of these workings have been closed the
by New Mexico
Abandoned Mine Lands Bureau in 1994.
Geology
The oldest rocks exposedin thearea are Ordovician limestones, dolomites,and calcarenites of the ElPaso
Limestone, which is about 240 ft thick (Kottlowski, 1960,1963; Thoman and Drewes,1980). The El Paso
Limestone unconformably overlies the Bliss Sandstone (Cambrian-Ordovician)in thesubsurface and is
conformably overlain by
the Montoya Group (Ordovician).In the Victorio Mountains,the Montoya Groupis 300
ft thick and consistsof limestones and dolomites (Kottlowski,1960) in four formations (from oldest
to youngest):
Cable Canyon Sandstone, Upham Dolomite, Aleman Formation,
and Cutter Dolomite (Kottlowski,1960; Thoman
and Drewes, 1980). The Fusselman Dolomite (Silurian)
lies conformably on theMontoya Groupand consists of
30-710 ft of dolomite, whichis commonly dividedinto four informal units (from oldestto youngest): gray
tan member, and upper black member (Kottlowski,
1960). The crest of the
member, lower black member,
mountains consistsof volcanic rocks; andesite
is dated as 41.7+2 Ma (zircon, fission track;
Thoman and Drewes,
1980). The Victorio granite is dated as 32.2+1.6 Ma (K-Ar,biotite; Bell,1983) and the granitic porphyry at the
Irish Rose mineis dated as 36.3*1.4 ( K - A r ; Bell, 1983).
The district is part of the Laramide thrust belt as defined by Drewes
(1991b) and is along the Texas
lineament. The rocks dip to the north and are offsetby faults. The area is also part of a large gravity anomaly
which correspondsto near-surface carbonate rocks. Seismicdata indicates these rocksare within 2,400 ft of the
surface. The area is characterized by a slight areomagnetic radiometricU anomaly with low K and Th, whichis
characteristic of mineralized carbonate rocks
in southwesternNew Mexico.
Mineral Deposits
Two types of deposits are present in theVictorio Mountains (Table45): carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn
replacement andW-Be-Mo vein and tactite deposits (Richterand Lawerence, 1983; Noah and McLemore, 1986).
In addition, GulfMineral Resources, Inc. delineateda subeconomic stratiform, pyrometasomatic Mo-W-Be deposit
northwest of Mine Hill (Bell, 1983). In addition, limestone was quarried for aggregate.
The carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacment deposits occur
as oxidized replacement and
vein deposits within
along faults or
Ordovician and Silurian dolomites and limestones (Fig.24). The more productive deposits occur
fractures that strike N30-65"Eand dip steeply east(Fig. 25). Brecciation, dissolution,and recrystallization of the
dolomites are common in thevicinity of the mineral deposits. The faults exhibit both preand post-mineralization
movement (Griswold,1961). Ore minerals include galena, smithsonite, cerussite,and anglesite with rare
sphalerite and chalcopyrite
in a gangue of quartz, calcite, andiron oxides. Lead typically exceeds zinc and copper
in abundance. Ore at the Rambler mine averaged12.5%Pb and 3.9% Zn (NMBMMR file data). Gold assays
range as high as 5,500 ppb Au (Griswold etal. 1989). Someveins are as much as 900 ft long. Assays of samples
collected for this report are in Table 46.
as veins and tactites within
the Ordovician limestonesand
The tungsten-beryllium deposits occur
dolomites in the vicinity of rhyolite intrusives. Ore minerals include helvite, wolframite, scheelite, molybdenite,
galena, sphalerite, and beryl
in a gangue of quartz, calcite, and local grossularite, tremolite, pyroxene, idocrase,
and phlogopite (Holser,1953; Warner et al., 1959; Richter and Lawerence, 1983).
Gulf Minerals Resources, Inc. drilled71 drill holes northwestof Mine Hill and founda subeconomic MoW-Be deposit at depths rangingfrom 900 to 1,500 ft (Bell, 1983). Ore mineralsinclude molybdenite, powellite,
scheelite, beryl, helvite, bismuthinite, and wolframite.
The area surroundingMine Hill that is covered byalluvium should be
further examined and drilled for
additional carbonate-hosted deposits. Anomolous concentrations
of Be, Co, Mn, Pb, and Zn are found in streamsediment samplesfrom the area.
98
FIGURE 24-Closeup view of a 3-ft wide veinin limestone at Mine W, Victono miningdistrict. Center of vein
consists of calcite, smithsonite, anglesite, cerussite, and
iron oxides (V. T. McLemore photo).
FIGURE 25-4Fissure vein in limestone at the Parole mine, MineHill, Victorio mining district. Limestoneto the
left of the vein is relatively unaltered, whereas
the limestone to the right of the vein is replaced byiron
and manganese oxides(V. T. McLemore photo).
99
TABLE 45-Mines and prospects in the Victorio mining district, LunaCount located in Figure 23. Location
includes section, township, and mnge.FN"V.-T. McLemore, unpub :hed field notes.
MINE NAME
LOCATION
LATITUDE,
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMEN?
LONGlTUDE
Helen Group (Helen and C of SE32
3Z0 10'21",
Au,A&CU,Pb
24s 108O
1ZW
05' 51"
Josephine Lodes)
REFERENCES
TYPE OF
DEPOSIT
carbonate.Griswold(1961),
FN
hostedPb-Zn2/28/94
shall
hosted Pb-Zn
replament
carbonateGriswold
(1961)
hosted Pb-Zn
replament
carbonate- NMBMMRfile data
hosted Pb-Zn
replament
carbonate- Grirwold(l961)
hosted Pb-Zn
replacment
carbonateNMBMMRfile
data
hosted Pb-Zn
replament
carbonate- LindgreR et a1 (1910),
hostedPb-ZnGriswold(l961),
replament NMBMMR file data
carbonate- NMBMMRfdedata
hostedPb-Zn
wlament
carbonate- Lindgrenetal. (1910). FN
hostedPb-Zn2/28/94
Blackjack
C ofNE33
24s 12W
32- 10'39':
&Pb,Zn
pits
sh&
108' 05' 18"
+
hosted Pb-Zn
replament
Advance,
Independence,
E
ofNE33
October, and Crackerjack 24s 12W
4
Virginia
NE33 24s
12w
Armistice
NE33
32' 24.9
12w
Tip
C Top
,
ofNW33
32' 10'41",
108" 04'36"
I
Pb,
10'41",
108" 05"' 02"
pits shafts,
A&Pb,Zn
Burke Mine (Jessie,
Chance & Jessie)
NW33 24s
12w
Espermza(Esfrella, El
E ofNW33
24s 12W
32O 10'42",
108' 05' 08"
Progreso)
I
N Tipton
ofNW33
24s 12W
pits
hostedPb-Zn
A& Pb, Au, Cu,
Zn
Arizona
Florida (Corbett and
W p q St.Lauis,
Chance)
NW33
Parole
32O 10'48''.
108O 05' 20"
pits
shafts,
A&Pb,Zn
I
shaft
A&Pb
adit,
N ofNW33
24s 12W
NU2 33 24s
12w
32O 10'50",
108' 05' 22"
32O 10' 50",
108' 4' 50"
a&Pb,Zn
24s
pits
I
32O 10' 49",
108" 05'28"
12w
300 fl adit
A&Pb,Zn
shafts,
12w
24s
carbonate- Lindgrq et al(1910),
hosted Pb-Zn NMBMMRfile data
lament
hosted Pb-Zn
!
Jessie Group (Jessie,
NW33
Law4 May)
I
carbonate- I FN 12/28/93.NMBMMR
hosted Pb-Zn file data
lament
surface only
I
I
150fladit
I
Ag
32' 10'41",
108' 04' 41"
32OA&Pb,Zn
10'
shafts,
41':
108O05' 18"
32" 10'41",
108' 05' 22"
24s 12W
CU,Pb
A& Pb, A", CU,
Fe
32O 10'52",
sh&,shallow
Ag Pb,
108' 05' 19"
shafts,pits
250 tf 180 ft,: 45
flshafts
prospectpits
100
+
?"+
hosted Pb-Zn
re lacment
data
carbonateNMBMMRfile
hosted Pb-Zn
re lament
FN
carbonate-Griswold(1961),
hostedPb-Zn12/28/94
replaanent I
carbonateINMBMMRfiledata
hosted Pb-Zn
data
carbonate.
NMBMMRfile
hosted Pb-Zn
hosted Pb-Zn Thoman &d Dhwes
replament (1980),FN 2/29/94
Ogre-Bodepedford3
Prospect)
SW29, SE30
24s 12W
Section28 prospects
(WOK, Bradley,&
Wildcat Claims)
32'11'35".
NW1/428
24s
12WPb-Zn
NMBMMR
2/29/94,
hosted10S005'
pits 10"
3 2 O 11'2Sq3,
108'06' 18"
Pb,
W,
2%Be
deposits
carbon&
DaleandMcKinney
Pb-Zn (1959), FN 2/29/94
replament
numemurprosppect
carbonateGrirwold(l961),
FN
approximately20
hosted
Mpits
Pb, A& Au, Cu
replament
data
file
~
Table 46-Chemical analyses of samples collected fromthe Victorio district, Luna County.All samples contained
<0.50 ppm Mo. Cu, Pb, Zn byFAAS at NMBMMR Chemical laboratories andAu by ICP and Hg by cold
173
174
I VICZOO
I
890
42,000
I
I
118,000
123,000
1
I
95
15,000
I
1
0.60
0.50
I
I
0.35
1.4
I dumpsample,Rover
I dump
sample
atTun@aHillmine
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF THE
MINING DISTRICTSOF HIDALGO COUNTY
Virginia T. McLemore and David M. Sutphin
Introduction
Hidalgo County was establishedin 1919 fromthe southwestern part of Grant County(Fig. 1) and was
named to commemoratethe Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which endedthe Mexican Warin 1848 and ceded New
Mexico, Arizona,and California tothe United States. It is one of the least populated countiesin New Mexico;
Lordsburg is the county seat and largest city.
Mining has been important
to the economy of Hidalgo County
and up until the 1960s, Hidalgo County
typically ranked second @ehind Grant County)
in base- and precious-metal productionin New Mexico @lston,
1960,1965). McGhee Peakmining district is the 8th largest zincand lead producing districtin New Mexicoand
Lordsburg is the 10th largest lead and zinc producing district
in the state (McLemore and Lueth, 1995,
in press).
until arrival of the railroad in Lordsburg in 1880.
Prospecting beganin 1870, but no serious production occurred
By 1930, all 13 mining districts were discovered (Table 1). Copper-gold veins were mined
in the Lordsburg
to 1994 exceeds$50 million worthof copper,
district for silicafluxin 1990-1994. Total production from 1880
lead, zinc, silver, and gold; most
of the production value came from
the Lordsburg district (Table47; Elston, 1960,
flux (Brockman and Pratt mines) and
1965). Current production includes silica sand
and clay for use as smelter
(or Playas) smelter was builtin 1979 in the
sand and gravel as aggregate (Hatton et al., 1994). The Hidalgo
Animas Valleyand is currently producing copper, silver, gold, and sulfuric acid (Table
9; Hatton et al., 1994).
TABLE 47-Reported metal production from Hidalgo County, 1920-1957 (fromU.S.Geological Survey, 19021927; U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990). Production prior to 1920 was includedwith Grant County.
Zinc productionis for ore actually produced; zinc was discarded
for many years. -none reported.
'-estimated.
102
Antelope Wells-Dog Mountains district
Location and Mining History
The Antelope Wells-Dog Mountains
mining district is inthe Alamo Hueco, White,and Dog Mountains
along the New Mexico-Mexicoborder in theNew Mexico panhandle (Fig.1). In 1954, T.C. Boyles shipped5.6
long tons of 37.9% Mn from the Rusty Ruthlee mine to Deming
(Farnham,1961). Manganeseis widespread in the
area as epithermal veins (Table 48, Fig.
26). The only other identified mineral deposits
in the district consistof
small showingsof uranium which occurin fault breccias. Two exploration pits were dugin 1954, each
approximately 10 ft deep, at the Opportunity claims, where there
is a small occurrenceof radioactivity. About 2
short tons of ore were milledand results indicatedthat the uranium was intimately associatedwith opal and qnartz
and could not be separated (Reiter, 1980). Mineral specimens
of radioactive opalare collected at the Opportunity
claims. Manganese veins and lenses occur locally throughout
the area. At one site, a 6-ft deep prospect
pit was
dug in travertine, but no depositsof commercial value were identified.The Alamo Hueco Mountains Wilderness
Study Area lies north of the district.
TABLE 48-Mines
and prospects in theAntelope Wells-Dog Mountains
mining district Hidalgo Countv. New
~~wnship,
and range.
3CK I
TYPEOF
I
REFERENCES
Oppoaunityclaims
(Nede% Dog
Mountains)
SE 15 34s 15W
31°20'50",
108~21'00"
u
rhyolite
unknown
SE1633S14W
31O25'55".
108' 15'40;'
31' 21' 45",
108' 35'25"
31"21'30",
108935'55''
31"21'55",
108035'55"
31"28'30",
u. Mn
mithermal
rhvolite
Boles
8 34.3 17W
Unknown
SE 1134s 16W
Rusty Ruthlee
17,18343 17W
Guano
SE35 32s 16W
tnO6"J
epithmel Mn-U Everhart (196% Zeller
(1959), May et ai. (1981),
Waltonetal. (1982),
McLemore (1983), Rei=
(1980)
Mn-U 11980)
Reiter
~~,
~
\ - ~
(259)
MRU
hyolite?
epithennal Mn-U
(25g)
Mn,travelline
travertine
epithmalMn
Mn
rhyolite,
epithmal Mn
McLemore (1983), Elston
(1960)
Reiter(l980)
(25g)
guano
on,,
103
andesite
(25g)
basalt
guano
Famham (1961)
Elston(1965),Reiter(1980)
I
m
N
m
0
r
Geology
a
The Alamo Hueco, White,and Dog Mountains consist
of layered mid-Tertiary volcanic rocks overlying
conglomerate containing limestoneand sandstone cobbles. The conglomerate resemblesthe Timberlake
Fanglomerate of the central Animas Mountains (Zeller, 1959; Zeller
and Alper, 1965; Deal et al., 1978; Reiter,
in the Animas
1980). Ash-flow tuffs of the Alamo Hueco Mountainsare outflow sheets, primarilary from sources
Mountains. Brecciated zones are present in some volcanic units. Sometuffs are interbedded withsedimenmy
units that may represent lake beds. Northwest- to north-northwest-trending
faults have intensely broken
the range.
The area borders onthe eastern part of the San Luis cauldera, datedat 23-24 Ma (Deal et al., 1978).The district is
associated with a magnetic lowand a general gravity low between
two gravity highs. The area coincides with
moderate aeroradiometricK, U, and Th anomalies.
Mineral Deposits
Epithermal veinsof manganese anduraninm have been identifiedin theAlamo Hueco and
Dog
Mountains (Table48). Analysis of stream sedimentsin the area indicates scattered
high anomalies of As, Be, Bi,
in thearea.
Cd, Cr, C u , K, La, Mn, Mo, Nb, Th, Y, and Zn. Travertine and guano also occur
At the Opportunity claims,uranium occurs in a highly fractnredand opalized zoneat theintersection of
two normal faults in thevolcanic rocks (Everhart, 1957; McLemore, 1982, 1983). Samples assayed
0.02-0.77%
U308(McLemore, 1982, 1983). Mineralized breccia was traced
for 450-600 ft to the northwest along strike.
Radioactive veinsof opal and quartz approximately
1-2 inches thick surround angnlar clasts
of Tertiary rhyolite of
the Oak Creek and Gillespie Tuffs. The opal is attractive and collected
by mineral dealers.
Jasper and opaline quartz veins
are found in several majorfault zones in the southern part of the area
(Reiter, 1980). Red, brown,and orange jasper veins and pods up toft9long were identifiedat the intersection of
two faults in sec. 16, T33S, R14W (Table 48). No analysis
has been doneto determine whetherthe veins contain
appreciable amountsof uranium. These mineralized areas need
to be examined and sampledto determine their
mineral-resource potential.
Extensive travertine deposits, with manganese, occurin the Bluff Creek Canyon Formation
in the
southern part of the area (Reiter, 1980). Thereare two travertine beds, each about 3ft thick, separated by tahin
sandstone unit. Psilomelane bands
up to 1inch thick formthe lowermost parts of the travertinebeds. Prospect pits
have developedthe deposit, but production,if any, is unknown. Guano is found in a cave in sec. 16, T33S, R14W
(Reiter, 1980).
Apache No. 2 district
Location and Mining History
The Apache No. 2 (Anderson, Hachita)mining district, locatedin the Apache Hillsin easternmost
the south is in the
Hidalgo County, was discoveredin the late 1870s (Fig. 1,27). The nearby Fremont district to
of copper, silver, lead, gold, and
zinc have been producedfrom the
Sierra Rica. An estimated $107,000 worth
Apache No. 2 districtfrom 1880 to 1956, including
1.3 million lbsCu and 300,000 lbsPb (Table 49; Elston,
1965). The chief productsof the district have been copper ore containing gold
and silver. Bismuth was recovered
from some ore, and some
rich silver ore was shipped(Lasband Wootton, 1933). A considerable amount
of
scheelite occursin theApache deposit (Lasky and Wootton, 1933).
TABLE 49-Reported metal production from
the Apache No. 2 mining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico
(from U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990). Mostof the production camefrom the Apache mine. Small
quantities of bismuth have also been produced.
For years omitted, thereare no reported production
figures. -none reported.
YEAR
OI(E
(SHORT
COPPER
GBs)
GOLD
(OZ)
SILVER
(02)
105
LEAD
(LW
ZINC
(LBS)
TOTAL
VALUE ($1
2'
31 "48'3(
F
Figure 27-Mines and prospects in the Apache No. 2 mining district, Hidalgo County,New Mexico (modified from Strongin, 1957, and Peterson, 1976).
Three major mines,the Apache, Chapo,and Daisy, are located in the district (Fig. 34; Table 50). The
Indians who carted ore to Chihuahua
for smelting (Strongin,1957).
Apache minewas first operated by Chihuahua
Robert Anderson operatedthe mine for a numberofyears starting in 1880. Most mining was between1900 and
1908. In the early days,rich silver ore consisted mostly
of cerargyrite. Later, oxidized copper ore was shipped
containing 3 4 % Cu, 0.03-0.04 odton Au, and 6 odton Ag; the ore wasrich in calcite and was in demand as a
smelter flux. From 1915 to 1919, large quantities of silver-copper ore with bismuth in calcite gangue were
shipped. From 1927 to 1929, a considerable tonnageof ore averaging1.5% Cu and 1.5 odton Ag was shipped.
Additionally, severalcars of ore were shipped averaging12 odton Ag and 10% Pb. Since that time, only relatively
small amountsof ore have been shipped.
The last known operationof the Daisy mine wasin 1908, when ore was
shipped assaying18% Cu, 18 odton Ag, and 0.03-0.14 odton An. Total production fromthe Daisy mineis
estimated tobe less than $10,000 (Strongin, 1957). The only production data available for
the Chapo mineis that
in 1940 some unknown amountof copper-gold ore was shipped (Strongin,
1957).
TABLE 50-Mines and prospects in the Apache No2 mining district, Hidalgo
in
. County,
.~New Mexico, located
Figure 27. Location includes sfxtion, township, andrange.
YEARS OF
PRODUCTION TYPE
DEVELOPMENT
OF REFERENCES
PRODUCTION
DEPOSIT
1870s - 1956 300,470 flshafts, 50,000 tons ore
L i n d p n et al.
skm,
7500flofdrifts
since 1870
carbonate- (1910),
and aosscuts,
hosted Pb- Andenon
opencut, pits
Zn
(1957). Dale
:OMMODITIES
Cu, A& Pb, Zn,
An, Bi, W
(1959),
Str0"gin
none
C u , Pb, Zn
inclinedshaft
vertical shaft
none
180flsh&
several pmspect
pits
40 carloads48% Cu
1916-1940
Cu,Pb,&Au
none
Cu,Pb, Zn, Mo
inclinedstope 100 some
A long, other
shallow workings
Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag,
MO
C u , Pb, Zn, Mo
zhMo I
Cu,Pb
Pb, Zn
Pb
(1957)
carbonate- Petenon
hostedPb- (1976),
prospect holes
Z"
SInngin
I(1957)
I
I
I
1930.1940s I sh& 150 A deeo.
.. 126 tom ore I carbonate- IPeterson
50 A adit
averaging 15hosted Pb- (1976);
2O%Pb, 16%
Zn
strangin
Zn, 4-5 oz A&
(1957),
1% C"
NMBMMRfile
data
1950
inclinedshafl60 A 1carloadofPb- carbonate- Strongin
Ag ore
hostedPb- (1957)
deep
Zn
a few shallow none
none
carbonate- Stmngh
holes
hosted Pb- (1957)
I
none
107
in 1948 - 80
tons Cu-Ag ore
250 Ash&
1948,1949
I
Cu.Pb.
opencub, shafts no $8,000 Cu-Agmore than 40 A
Au ore
deep
1860s,1908
(1957)
carbonate- Strongin
hostedPb- (1957)
Zn
skm,
Strongin
carbonate- (1957).
hosted Pb- Petenon
Zn
(1976),
NMBMMRfile
data
carbonate- Peterson
hostedPb- (1976),
Zn
Strongin
(1957)
carbonate- Petmon
hostedPb- (1976).
Zn
Lindgen et al.
I
I
3 prospectpits
. ,
( Z n l
none
carbonate- Strongin
hosted Pb- (1957)
I
MINE NAME
(ALIAS)
Queen's Taste
(Lead Queen)
Summertime
Unknown
NE26 28s
14W
I
I
SW2828S
14W
I
5 29s 14W
workingNE of NW33 28s
Big Shiner
14W
I
3lo5O'08",
I
I
I
none
Cu,Pb,Zn,Mo
I
I
31'48'44".
108' 16'49"
31949'48':
108O 16'41"
I
I
Cu,Pb
I
I
Cu, Pb
I
shaft near VE Day none
shaft
108' 16' 50"
I
I
I
LATITUDE, COMMODITIES YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT PRODUCTION TYPE OF REFERENCES
LONGITUDE
PRODUCTION
DEPOSIT
3Io50'36",
Cu, Pb, ZQ Mo 1930,1931,193 prospectpits and afewtons of
carbonate- Peterson
108°14'04''
Pb-Ag ore
shafts
hosted Pb- (197%
7,1949
LOCATION
I
none
none
I
I
I
I
I
7pits
shallow inclined
pits
I
I
I
zn
I Zn
none
I
carbonate- NMBMMRfile
hosted Pb- data
I zn
none
Str0"P.h
I(1955
carbonate- Peterson
hosted Pb- (1976)
I
carbonate- Strongin
hostedPb- (1957)
.
.
IZn
Geology
The Apache Hills consistof Tertiary volcanic rocks overlying Cretaceous sedimentaty and
rocks
Paleozoic
limestone (Strongin,1957; Peterson, 1976). The main volcanic rocks belong
to the Chap0 Formation, which
is
dated as 30.66+1.15 Ma (K-feldspar, K-Ar, Deal etal., 1978). These rocks wereintmded by the Apache quartz
monzonite porphyry stock datedat 27.1W.63 Ma (K-Ar,feldspar; Peterson, 1976; Deal et al., 1978). Irregular
dikes and sillsof monzonite porphyryare present in theCretaceous rocks,and propylitic andsilicic alteration is
pexvasive. The district lies within the region of gravity and magnetichighs that form a geophysicaltrend including
K and Th and slightly elevated U
the Fremont district. The area coincides with a low aeroradiometric
aeroradiometric anomaly, which
is characteristic of mineralized carbonate rocks
in the Mimbres Resource Area.
Mineral deposits
Three typesof deposits occurin thedistrict: skams, carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacementsand
polymetallic veins (Table50). Oxidized skarn and carbonate-hosted lead-zinc deposits with copper sulfides occur
in strata of Cretaceous U-Bar Limestoneat the contact withthe quartz monzonite. The deposits extendinto the
Sierra Ricaof Mexico. Additional copperskarns are associated with monzoniteand rhyolite dikesthat were
probably apart of a resurgent magmaof the Apache caldera (Elston et al.,
1979; Deal et al.,1978). Mineralization
occurred after emplacementof a massive dikeof xenolith-rich rhyolite porphyry along
the Apache fault which
follows the southwesternmargin of the resurgent quartz monzonite stock (Elston,
1983). A thin but persistent
zone of oxidized copperskams extends alongthe contact betweenthe dike and Cretaceous limestone. The rhyolite
is younger than, but probably related to,
the Apache Hills quartz monzonite stock. Predominant
ore minerals
include malachite, azurite,and chrysocolla; an ore shipmentin 1914 assayed 1.55% Cu and 2 odton Ag (Wade,
1914).
The Apache ore bodyis an irregularly-shaped skam deposit in Cretaceous limestone andis associated
with the quartz monzoniteporphye that intruded the limestone (Lindgrenet al., 1910). Ore deposition was
controlled by major north-trending structnres.
The most prominentof these structuresis the McJSinley fault which
hosts the Apache depositon itssoutheast side and
is only slightly mineralized
with galena, sphalerite, and
chalcopyrite. Zones of skam development in the limestone beds formed near
the irregular contact with the igneous
the same
rocks. At the main shaft, the limestone has been recyrstallized to a coarse-grained calcite; nearby,
limestone has been alteredto a greenishor brown garnet and calcite. The Apache ore body consisted
of large and
small stringers, shoots,and pods of ore randomly distributed throughoutthe sediments (Strongin,1957). Most of
the material mined consisted
of sedimentary rocks cut by sullide-filled fractures
that contains little or no calcsilicate minerals. Veins containing andradite garnet, epidote, hematite, fluorite,
and chalcopyrite occur locally.
Ore minerals include galena, sphalerite,
and associated cerargyTitein a gangueof calcite, garnet, limonite,and
pyrite. Scheelite, cuproscheelite,and bismutite were identified
in dump samplesof recrystallized limestone
the Apache mine contained0.05 odton An, 12.7 odton Ag, 21%
(Strongin, 1957). The richest ore shipped from
Pb, 4% Cu, and 25% Zn (Elston, 1960). Dump ind chip samples collectedin themid-1980s assayedas high as
1.3% Cu, 800 ppmMo, 6.0%Pb, 0.2%Zn, and 5.1 odton Ag (Peterson, 1976).
The Daisy mine, a carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn deposit, consists
of fissure-filling veinsand replacements in
brecciated limestoneand is confined to northeast-trending faults.The veins pinch and swell, but are generally 2-3
ft thick. Stringers of iron and copper minerals occur
in thebreccia and replace the limestone adjacent to
the faults.
The deposits are similar to those at the mines in the Fremont mining district. Chalcopyrite and pyrite occur
in
108
I
quartz-calcite veins; native bismuth
and tenorite have been reported. Oxidized minerals
include malachite, azurite,
chrysocolla, jarosite, hematite, limonite,and pyrolusite (Strongin, 1957). A sample assayed 0.4% Cu, 22 ppm
Mo,
850 ppm Pb, 625 ppm Zn, and
2.1 odton Ag (Peterson, 1976).
Quartz veins locally containing lead, silver,
and copper cut andesiteof the Last Chance Formation and
basalt and rhyolite dikes (Strongin, 1957).
Extent of the veins is unknown. Chloritic alterationis common along
odton Au, 1.5
theveins. Samples at theChapo mine assayedas high as 2.61% Cu, 5.95% Zn, 4.72% Pb, 0.01
odton Ag, and 0.004% Mo(NMBMMRfile data). A sample from
the Luna mine assayed2.0% Cu, 225 ppm Mo,
5.2% Pb, and2.8% Zn; whereas a sample
fromthe Snmme~memine assayed 1.1%C y 66 ppmMo, 200 ppm Pb,
and 100 ppm Zn (Peterson, 1976). Gold assays
fromvarious pits range as high as 910 ppb Au (Griswoldet al.,
1989).
Very little exploratory workhas been donein this district. Undiscovered ore bodies undoubtly exist, but
discovery ofa large deposit would be required to pay
for exploration. The favorable areas for exploration would be
intersections of the marblized limestone,Indian and McKinley-Chap0 faults, and other north or north-east
trending faults (Strongin, 1957; Elston, 1960). Anomalously
high concentrations of As, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, K, La,
Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, Th, U, Y , and Zn occur in stream-sediment samples collected from drainages
in the area.
Big Hatchet Mountains district
Location and Mining History
The Big Hatchet Mountainsmining district is in theBig Hatchet Mountainsin southern Hidalgo County
is small. The mines
(Fig. 28). Only a few prospects have been discovered
in thedistrict (Table 51) and production
are located in theBig Hatchet State Game Refuge and
the Big Hatchet Wilderness Study Area. Prospecting began
of gypsum and minor carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn (Ag)
in themountains in 1917, and some extensive occnrrences
replacement deposits have been discovered.
Early production recordsare not available orare ambiguous, but total
production from 1920 to 1931is estimated as less than $2,000 (Table 2; Elston, 1965). In 1917, one carloadof
zinc was shippedfrom the Sheridan mine, andin 1919 a small
lot was shippedfrom the Brock mine (Elston,
1960). Since then,
the only known production has been several truck ofloads
agricultural-grade gypsum (50%70% CaSO4.2H20)that were producedin the 1950s and 1960s.
TABLE 51-Mines. and
. prospects in the Big Hatchet Mountainsmining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico,
109
Figure 28"Mines and prospects inthe Big Hatchet Mountains mining district, Hidalgo
County, New Mexico
(modified from Drewes,et al., 1988).
The Big Hatchet Mountains consist
of faulted and tilted Paleozoic limestones
and Cretaceous shales and
sandstones that show fewsigns of mineralization oralteration (Lindgren et al., 1910; Drewes, 1991b).
The rocks
in the district consist predominantly
of Horqnilla Limestoneand Earp Formation, witha thin,thrusted band of
Oligocene andesiteor basaltic-andesite. Outcropsof Colina Limestonerest upon the Earp Formation. Thrust faults
occur onthe western sideof the district. Small carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposits have been identified
along the faults. The district is associated with large gravity and magnetic lows
and a low aeroradiometric and
K
Th and slightly elevatedU aeroradiometric anomaly.
Mineral deposits
T w o types of mineral deposits have been identified
in theBig Hatchet Mountainsmining district, small
in Epitaph
carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposits
of presumably Tertiaryage and bedded gypsum deposits
gypsum occurs in thefoothills sonthof the Big
Dolomite (Permain). Additionally, Lower Cretaceous evaporite
Hatchet Mountainsin theHell-To-Finish Formation.The replacement Pb-Zn deposits occur
in two areasof the
district, at theSheridan minein the northern part of the district, and at theLead Queen mine
in thesouthern part
(Fig. 35; Table 5 1).
Marine gypsum deposits occurin the western part of the district where gypsumhas been
qnanied at the Proverbial mine.
At the Sheridan and Lead Queen mines, lead-silver-zinc oxide and sulfide
minerals occur with calciteand
limonite-manganese-stained gouge along bedding planesfaults
and in Horqnilla Limestone (PennsylvanianPermian). Smithsonite and galena occuralong afault at the Sheridan mine (Scott, 1986; Drewes et al., 1988).
The fault is less than 4 ft wide and was tracedfor 160 ft underground. Samples assayedas high as 0.39% Cd,
16.6% Pb,1.8 odton Ag, and 36.1% Zn (Scott, 1986; Drewes et al., 1988). Silver is associated withthe lead
minerals and cadimium is associated with the zinc minerals.The remaining indicated resourcesat the Sheridan
mine are estimated as 4,500 short tons of material averaging 3.2% Pb, 0.4
odton Ag, and 2.2% Zn (Scott, 1986;
Drewes et al., 1988). Fuaher exploration down dipand along strike could discover additional resources. However,
these resourcesare probably low grade, small tonnage,
and they are subeconomicat present.
The Lead Queen mine contains less calcite, more galena, and greater concentrations
of cadmium, lead,
as high as
silver, and zincthanfound at theSheridan mine (Scott, 1986; Drewes et al., 1988). Samples assayed
0.12% Cd, 0.01% Cu,33.2% Pb, 7.4 odton Ag, and 16.9% Zn. Three mineralized faults at themine were
estimated to contain a total
of 2,900 short tons of material averaging 0.21%
Pb, 01.1 odton Ag, and 0.5% Zn
for the
(Scott, 1986; Drewes et al., 1988).As with the Sheridan mine,the low grade and small tonnage reported
Lead Queen mine makes
the deposit subeconomic. However,
further exploration downdip and along strike could
discover additional resources.
Drewes et al. (1988) determinedthat the Big Hatchet Mountainsmining district has a relatively low
potential for copper, lead, silver, zinc, uranium, and
industrial rock and mineral resources. The area along
Sheridan Canyonfault between Mine Canyon Tank
and Hell To GetTo Tank was identifiedas a geologicterrane
having mineral potential,in part, because of the presence of the Lead Queen, Sheridan,and numerous other
prospects.
Additional sitesof subeconomic resources were identified
in the area as having mineral potential,such as
east of Sheridan Canyon fault. These sites occur
in the vicinity of several calcite veins. Mostof these veinsare
less than 3 ft thick and are typically barrenof metals, but some contain small, local amounts
of Ag, As, Ba, Cu,
and Zn (Drewes et al., 1988). Geochemical anomalies
of As, Cd, Sn, and Ti are scattered in stream-sediments
samples in the Big Hatchet Mountains, and selected samples contain anomalously
high concentrations of Co,Mn,
Nb, and U on thesouth endof the range.
At the Proverbial mine, gypsum occurs
in an outcrop of Epitaph Dolomite andcan be seen in a quarryas a
distorted, dome-like structurehaving an exposed thicknessof approximately30 ft. The deposit contains alarge
amount of gypsum, anhydrite,and impurities suchas clay, dolomite, limestone, and shale. Samples
from the
Proverbial mine contained 60-80% CaSO4.2H20. Gypsum
is a low-value, high-tonnage commodity where
the
location of the deposits andthe distance to market play
impomnt roles in whether or not the deposits are
developed. The Proverbial minein the Big Hatchet Mountainsis quite distantfrom a marketand precludes
development ofthe deposit forthe foreseeable future.
Weber and Kottlowski (1959) describes deposits
of Permian gypsum exposedat the southwestern edgeof
the Big Hatchet Mountains,in sec. 20,21,28, and 29, T31S, R15W. The exposure covers about 23 acres and
has
a thickness estimated between 200
and 300 ft. The contorted gypsumis interbedded with dolomites.The large
111
thickness was suggested by Weber and Kottlowski (1959)
is possibly dueto plastic flowof the gypsum at the base
of overthrust sheets.
Weber and Kottlowski (1959) reports
that outcrops of Lower Cretaceous gypsum are exposed
in the
foothills southof the Big Hatchet Mountainsin two places. One outcropis in a gully nearthe center of NW%
NW% sec. 10, T32S, R15W,and the other is to the north in a gullyin NW% SW% SW% sec. 3, T32S, R15W.At
least two bedsof gypsum have been identitied interbedded with red shale, red sandstone, and marine limestone
in
the uppermost part of the Hell-to-Finish Formationand below the limestones of the U-Bar Formation. Estimated
combined maximum thickness
of the two bedsis about 60 ft, and they have been traced for approximately one
to be of high purity, but again,are too far from a market to of
be
quarter of a mile. The gypsum deposits appear
commercial interest.
Brockman district
The Brockman district (sec.1, T26S, R17W) consistsof the Brockman silicaquarry, operated by Phelps
the Mojado
Dodge Corp., near Playasin southern Hidalgo County(Fig. 1). Silica sand has been produced from
flux in nearby smelters. Lessthan $1million has been
Formation (Cretaceous) sincethe early 1900s for use as
produced sincethe early 1900s. Capacityis approximatley 70,000 short tons/year (Austin al.,
et 1982).
Fremont district
Location and Mining History
The Fremont mining district is located in the northwestern Sierra Rica about 15
mi southeast of Hachita.
the United States and
It is at the junction of Luna and Hidalgo Counties, andthe international boundary between
Mexico formsits southeastern border (Fig. 1) and most known mineral deposits
in the district arein Mexico. The
district was discoveredin 1860. In the past, the Fremont mining district has produced
a small amountof base and
precious metals from volcanic-epithermal vein and carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacment deposits (McLemore,
in
press b; McLemore and Lueth, 1995, in press). The district has produced 190,000 lbs Pb, 10,000
oz Ag, 2,000 lbs
the International mine (Table
Cn, 10 oz Au,and 4,000 lbs Zn (Table 52). Mostof this production bas come from
52) whichis located near the eastern tip of the area. Other minesin the district have hadlittle or no production.
TABLE 52-Reported metal production fromthe Fremont mining district, Hidalgoand Luna Connties, New
Mexico (fromU.S.Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990). For 1949 and 1950, there are no reported prodcntion
Since the discovery of lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold deposits
in 1880, the International mine has
produced approximately 879 short tons
of ore (Griswold, 1961). The bestore was a 10-shortton shipment grading
40% Pb and $62 per ton silver (at 95 centsper ounce; Lindgren et al., 1910). Between 1910
and 1959, 14 railroad
cars of approximate 50 short tons eachand another 129shoa tons were shipped. Additional shipments probably
were made, hut not reported. The Napone mine yielded 35 lbs U308
of in 1955 (Table 5).
Geology
The Fremontmining district is on the edge of the Apache Hills calderaand forms the eastern part of the
intermediate zoneof the Cordilleran orogenic belt
(Drewes, 1991b). It is characterized by gravityand magnetic
highs. The rocks range in age from Paleozoicto Qnaternruy (Strongin, 1957; Peterson, 1976; Griswold, 1961;
Drewes, 1991b). Thrust faults are common. Paleozoic carbonate rocks
and Cretaceous clastic rocksare overlain
hy Tertiary volcanic rocks and intruded quartz
by
monzonite and monzonite stocks. The
main volcanic rocks
belong to the Cbapo Formation, whichis dated as 30.66+1.15 Ma (K-feldspar,K-Ar; Deal et al., 1978). The
monzonite is dated as 27.03~t0.59Ma (K-AI,feldspar; Peterson, 1976; Deal etal., 1978). Rhyolite, latite, felsite,
and lamprophyre dikesare common. The limestones are silicilied and the volcanic rocks exhibitargillic alteration.
The area is associated with gravity and magnetic highs.
The area is associated with a low aeroradiometricK and
Th and slightly elevated U aeroradiometric anomaly.
Mineral deposits
The deposits in the district are volcanic-epithennal vein and carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposits
(As, Bi, Cd, Pb,and Sb) are found in stream sediments
(Table 53). Only a few localized geochemical anomalies
from the area.
TABLE 53-Mines and prospectsfrom the Fremont mining districf Hidalgoand Luna Counties, New Mexico.
Location includes section, township,
and range.
OF
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
volcanic-epithmal LindgreR et al
MINE
NAME
LOCATION
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
TYPE
(ALIAS)
SE25 29s 14W
American
I
IVanadiurnLead
Weatherford
I
.-,,
1 nlrl
NE 13 30s
14W
31"45' 15"
Cu, &
108°12'40''
shallow pits
I
I
108"15'30" 31'45'30"
Cu,Pb,VSW2729S
pits
I
31'42'23"
cu
108" 12'34"
pits
I
I i 1 9 6 6 FN 12/2/81
Strongin(l957) volcanic-epithmal
carbonate-hosted Strongin(l957)
Pb-Znreplacement
The Napone (or Nutshell) mine, discovered
in 1894, yielded several hundred
short tons of lead-zinc ore
prior to 1949. In 1953,9.23 shoa tons of ore were producedthat contained 35.06 poundsofU308(0.19% G O S )
and 3.69 poundsV205(0.02% V205).The deposit consistsof replacement bodiesand veins along bedding
fractures andfaults and is approximately 700ft long. The ore bodiesare en echelon andOCCUT in areas of
extensive brecciation and silicification
of the limestone. The extent at depth is unknown. Uranium minerals
(carnotite, autunite) are sporadically distributedin ore bodies consistingof galena, cerussite, smithsonite,
sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, calcite, siderite,
and quartz. One selected sample contained0.13% U~OS
and 127
ppm Th (McLemore, 1983) and Mayet al. (1981) reports one assay
of O.47%U3O8. Ore assaysrange as high as
45.8%Pb, 30.8%Zn, and 1.03 odton Ag (NMBMMRfile data).
The Internationalmine exploits a 4,000-ft
long volcanic-epithennal vein in a fault cutting Lower
Cretaceous sandstone, shale, and limestone conglomerate.
The vein is mineralized for about 2,000 ft; about 1,000
ft of the mineralized vein is inMexico (Griswold, 1961).The vein ranges from1to 10 ft wide on the surface and
averages approximately ft4 wide. Near the vein, the beds are contorted, suggestingtearings and left-lateral
movement alongthe fault. The vein follows a 5-ftthick band of reddish gritfault gouge that was recemented with
silica and calcite (Griswold, 1961).
The ore mineralsare galena, sphalerite,and chalcopyrite accompaniedby
quartz, calcite, iron oxides, and pyriteas gangue. Gold and silver are present, and oxide mineralsare evident on
the outcrop.
113
The Eagle mine consistsof replacement bodiesin limestone and minor veins along fault
a striking N5OE
(Elston, 1960). The mine producedin the1880s andagain in 1906-1907 and yielded 200 short tonsof
argentiferous galenathat averaged 40% Pb and 20 odshort ton Ag (Lindgrenet al., 1910). Galena withquartz and
calcite has replaced limestone with
little or no recrystallization;iron staining is prevalent at thesurface. Tungsten
and bismuth have been reported
to sporadically occurin the vein (NMBMMR file data).
Numerous other prospectsand mines occurin the area (Table 53). Most are shallow andthe mineral
potential at depth is unknown. A core-drling program mightfind additional orein the vein, butthe value of the
ore would probably not pay the
for cost of exploration, development, mining, and transportation (Griswold, 1961).
Griswold (1961) reports
that a perlite deposit had been reported
in the volcanic hills north of the Sierra Rica, but
he was unable to locate
and confirm the occurrence.
Gillespie district
Location and Mining History
The Gillespie mining district, also h o w n as the Red Hill district,is located in the Animas Mountains
about 30 mi southwest
of Hachita and 22 mi southof Playas (Fig. 29). The Cowboy Spring Wilderness Study Area
lies southof the district. The district was discoveredin 1880. A minor amountof Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, and Zn,
amounting to $100,000, was producedfrom volcanic-epithermal veinsfrom 1880 to 1950 (Table 54;
L a s b and
Wootton, 1933; Elston, 1965). Mostof the ore was producedfrom the Red Hill mine which was active
sporadicallyduring that period. Ore grades for
the Red Hill mine between 1905 and 1950 were
0.01 odshortton
Au, 4.06 odshort ton Ag, 0.18% Cu, 17.92% Pb,and 0.91% Zn. Workings consistof two inaccessible shaftsand a
400-ft main shaft with
two levels having about 1,000
ft of drifts and crosscuts.
TABLE 54-Reported metal production from
the Gillespie mining district, Hidalgo and
Luna Counties, New
Mexico (from U. S.Geological Survey, 1902-1927;U.S.Bnreau of Mines, 1927-1990; Elston, 1960). For
114
2o
I
36'
T
21
22
23
\
/
I
/
/
\
\
/
I
25
I
I
f
/
/
/
/
7
4
1
6
0
Prospect Pit
Shafl
4
Adit
x
----
0 Center of
Numerous
Drill Holes
Approximateboundary
of caldera
DistrictBoundary
"
8
"
I
!
,
1
i
8
9
12
lNllll
Mountains
!
"
I
R18WIR17W
Figure 29-Mines and prospects in the Gillespie mining district, HidalgoCounty,New Mexico.
The Gillespie deposit was discovered
in 1880. Presently, the workings consistsof shafts and numerous
pits; the deepest is 100 ft (Zeller and Alper, 1965) Avisit to the district in 1994 indicated that there had been
development workat the Gillespie mineas late as 1991 in at least oneof the shafts. No production has been
reported forthe Gillespie mine.
In 1960, fluorspar was discoveredat the Athena prospectsat the Winkler anticline (known then as the
50-100 ft deep
Volcano claims) southeastof the district. Several trenchesand four shallow test shafts were dug,
percussion holes were drilled,and extensive sampling and geochemical testing were performed. A resource was
as
identified of approximately 150,000 short tons of material containing25-35% CaFz, with copper and silver
potential byproducts. A mill was erected
in sec. 34, T30S, R18W (Fig. 30) and 1,500 short tons fluorite was
shipped in the 1970s (Phil Young, local rancher,oral communication, April 19,1994). However, the ore was low
grade and difficult to concentrate, so the mill was unsuccessful.
Manganese was also produced
from several veins (Table
55). Approximately 276 long tons of 22-45%
Mn was produced. Tungsten occursin these veins, butthere is no reported production@ale and McKinney,
1959).
TABLE 55-Mines
and prospectsfrom the Gillespie mining district, Hidalgo County.New Mexico. Location
116
~
~~
~
~
~~
~~~~
~
~~
~
~
~~~
~
~~~
~
~~~
~~~~
FIGURE 3GPhoto ofthe fluorite miU in 1994, lookingnorth (abandoned) at the Winkler anticline,operatedby
the Mining and Milling Corporationof America, 1972-1975(V. T. McLemore photo).
Geology
Laramide deformation accompanied andesitic
and basaltic volcanismand intrusion of intermediate
composition stocks; and was followed
in the Oligocene by large-scale volcanismand formation of major ash-flow
calderas @Iston et al., 1979).The district liesat the junction of the h a s Peak, Geronimo Trail, and Juniper
calderas. In some of these calderas, porphyry stocks were intruded into
the caldera dnringa resurgent magma
pulse. The Juniper cauldera, in the RedHill area, formed35 Ma ago p e a l et al., 1978). In the Juniper caldera, the
exposed Animasand Walnut Wells porphyries (Zeller and Alper, 1965)
and a quartz monzonite stockthat was
located by drilling are evidence
of magma resurgence(!%ton et al., 1979). The Animas quartr monzonite was
McLemore et ai., 1995). The major structural feature
ofthe district
emplaced at 34.0 *O. I Ma (4aAr/39Ar, feldspar,
is the Winkler anitcline. The area is characterized by low gravity, high magnetic,
and low aeroradiometricK, U,
and Th.
Minerad deposits
Mineralization consistsof volcanic-epithermal veins offluorite, gold-silver-lead,and manganese (Table
55). Four types ofveins occur: silver-bearing (Gillespie mine), fluorspar (Winkler anticline deposits), oxidized
lead-silver (Red Hill), and manganese (Combined Minerals Corporation mine).SMcation is common nearthe
veins. Streamsediment geochemistry anomalies include Ag, As, Be, Co,
K, La, Mq Nh, Th, U, Y, and localized
Au, Ti, and Sn.
The largest minein the districtis the Red Hill mine (Fig. 3 1) where a northwest-trending oxidized leadquartz latite ash-flowtnft The veinstrikes N77"W, dips 75-85"N E , and consists
silver vein cuts altered Tertiary
mainly of cerussite, minor anglesite,and a small amountof residual galena, locally argentiferous (Zeller and
chqsocolla,
Alper, 1965; Elston, 1965;V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes, April 19, 1994). Malachite,
smithsonite, sphalerite, and wulfenite are also found
(V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes, April 19, 1994).
Quartz and calcite are gangue minerals, with minor fluorite.
117
FIGURE 31-Photo of the Red Hill mine in 1994, GiUespiedistrict. The vein is approximately3ft wide and t h e
hanging wall is altered to clay(V. T. McLemore photo).
~
~~~~
~~
i.
i
c
~
~~
FIGURE 32-Photo
~
~
~~~~
~
~
~
~~
~
~
~
~ . .
~~
of the Gillespie m i n e in 1994, Gillespie district(V. T. McLemore, photo)
118
The Gillespie mine is situated on a small
vein that strikes N65"Eand dips 65ONW (Fig. 32). Host rocks
are altered Pennsylvanian-Permian Horquilla Limestone and calcareous siltstone
of the Earp Formation. Azurite
and malachite occur on
the dump; linnearite was foundin a vug from a prospect pit. Calcite, quartz, siderite, and
minor fluorite are gangue minerals. Silifficationis common.
The Winkler anticline fluorspar deposits occuras scattered podsand breccia cementin irregular fluoritejasperoid replacement mantos. Pennsylvanianand Cretaceous limestonesof the Horqnilla Limestoneand U-Bar
Formation are the host rocks. Formationof the Winkler anticline produced fracturesin thehost rocksthat allowed
hydrothermal solutionsto enter. Dissolution breccia occurs
with fluorite filling open-spaces. Jasperoids are
common. Clear, white, green, and purple fluorspar were identifiedin a gangue of quartz and calcite. Locally,
trace amountsof sulfides occur withthe fluorspar. The Texas LimeCo. drilled several holesin 1970-1971 and
delineated estimated reserves
of 150,000 short tonsof 25-35 %fluorite (Scott, 1987). The majority of the material
remains after production failed.
Manganese veins occur scattered thronghout
the district (Table55; Zeller and Alper, 1965; V. T.
McLemore, unpublished field notes, February
21, 1994). Volcanic rocksand the Animas quartz monzonite
typically hostthe veins, which consistof manganese oxides, calcite, barite, fluorite,
and rare quartz (Zeller and
Alper, 1965). Ore producedfrom the CombinedMinerals Corporation mine contained
40-45% Mn and less than
0.25% combined copper, lead,and zinc. The veins occuralong normal faults that strike N14"E to N21"W, have
steep dips,are typically lessthan 3 ft wide and several hundred feet long.The manganese-fluorite veinsat the
as much as 1% W03 and 39% Mn, but recoveryof tungsten from manganese oreis
Ridge (Hodget) mine contain
not yet economically feasible
@ale and McKinney,1959; NMBMMR file data). The veins are hosted by rhyolite,
less than 2 ft wide in a zoneless than 15 ft wide, and less than 150 ft long @ale and MCKiMey, 1959; Williams,
1966).
Granite Gap district
Location and Mining History
The Granite Gap(or San Simon) mining district is located nearthe southern endof the central Peloncillo
Mountains eastof the Arizona-New Mexicostate line and southwestof Lordsburg. Mines southof Blue Mountain
lies south of
and along Granite Gap
are included in the district (Fig. 1). The Granite Gap Wilderness Study Area
the district. Depositsin the district werefirst explored in about 1887, but large-scalemining operations did not
begin until 1897 when controlof several propertiesof the Granite Gap mines was consolidated
(Gilleman, 1958).
T w o types of deposits occurin the district: carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacementand Laramide skarn deposits.
Most production ended
in 1915, although small amounts
of ore were produced sporadically
until 1926 and
probably into the 1950s. Most of the production of lead and silver was shipped
to Douglas, Arizona; Deming, New
Mexico; and El Paso, Texas (Table56). The total value of production until 1906 is estimated as atleast $600,000
in 1954 and 1955, but total production is unknown.
(Lindgren et al.,1910). The Crystal mine was being worked
Total estimated productionfrom the district amonnts to$1.95 million, including morethan 1.6 million lbsPb and
91,000 oz Ag (Table 56). In addition, 3,000 short tons of 0.5% W03 was produced in 1943. In 1948,s short tons
of 6% Sb was produced (Hobbs,1965; Dasch, 1965).
TABLE 56-Reported metal production fromthe Granite Gap mining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico (from
U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990). Some ofthis production may have come from
the McGhee Peak
Geology
The oldest rocksin the district are Proterozoic granite that crops outin a northwest-trending bandin the
northern part of the district north, of Preacher Mountain. Muchof the remainder ofthe district consists mainly of
Cretaceous and Paleozoic marine
sedimentag rocks exposedin fault-bounded blocks. However, large
a
area in the
southernpart of the district, oneither side of Granite Gap, has beenintruded by Granite Gap granite (Cargo, 1959;
Armstrong et al., 1978; Gebben, 1978; Richter et al., 1990). The granite is located mostly between Preacher
Mountain and Granite Gap faults. Previously, Gillerman (1958) describes this granite as being Proterozoic and
part of a fault-bound horst
trending east-northeast transversingacross the middle of the mountain rangeat Granite
Gap. 40Ar/39Ar age determinationof the Granite Gap plutonindicates emplacement near 33.2 Ma (McLemore et
al., 1995). Several dikes,sills, and irregular masses ofTertiary granite porphyry intrude the Granite Gap granite
and Cretaceous and Paleozoic rocks
in the central Peloncillo Mountains (Fig.33). The area is characterized by
magnetic and gravityhighs and high resistivity, whichare consistent withintrusive rocks in the area.
Mineral deposits
Carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement andskam deposits are present in the Granite Gap miningdistrict
and are associated with Tertiary intrusions. The deposits occurin two geographic groups, thosealong the Preacher
Mountain fault bounding the northern limit of the Granite Gapgranite (Crystal mine) and those near
the Granite
Gap fault.
Both types of deposits have
similar mineralogy and occurprimarily in limestone. Veins depositsin the
district are fissure fillings that occur mostlyin limestone, as atthe Granite Gap and Crystal mines.Skam
mineralizationis less well developed than
at the McGhee Peakdistrict to the north. In the skarns, limestoneis
replaced by calc-silicate minerals, mainly garnet, and minor amounts
of quartz, calcite, epidote, and wollastonite.
to Tertiary igneous
Some zonescontain 50-60% andradite garnet (Cargo, 1959). The deposits formed adjacent
intrusive rocks. Skam mineralizationwas accompanied bythe introductionof galena, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite
(Armstrong et al., 1978). Tungsten is present in several mines (Table57; Dale and McKinney,1959).
10 03'
32'lr
R21'
I
0
6'
5
Shaft
Y Adit
Numerous
Drill Holes
T2G
32"OL
Figure 33-Mines and prospects in the Granite Gap mining districts, Hidalgo County, New Mexico (modified
from
Armstrong, et al., 1978, and Gilleman, 1958).
122
The primary ore mineralsare sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite with minor tetrahedrite
in a gangueof
qnartz, calcite, pyrrhotite, barite, and pyrite. Silver occurs
as matildite blebsin galena; assaysof 100-500 ozlton
Ag are common (Williams, 1978). Bismuth occurrsin arsenopyrite (Williams, 1978). Scheeliteand molybdenite
occur in some mines. At Granite Gap,
the sulfides have been almost completely oxidized
to limonite and
manganese oxides. Jasperiodsare common. Armstrong et al. (1978) found no metamorphismof the highly
fractured and thrust-faulted limestone host rocks.
It is likely, that skarn deposits developed nearerthe intrusive
bodies which werethe main sonrces of heat and possibly
of metals, and the carbonate-hosted lead-zinc replacement
deposits formedat lower temperaturesfarther from the intrusions (McLemoreand Lueth, 1995,in press). Regional
geochemical anomaliesof Be, Mo,Nb, Pb, Th, and U and localized anomaliesof Ag, La,and Sn arefound in
stream-sediments samplesfrom the area.
Tungsten occurs with
the base- and precious-metalsin some mines, especially along
the Preacher
Mountain fault (Cargo, 1959). Atthe Sunrise mine, scheelite
with molybdenum occursin quartz veins in the
granite and as disseminationsin thegarnet zone alongthe contact; assaysas high as 0.58% W03 are reported
(Dale and McKinney, 1959). Scheelite occurs
in small pods and zonesas much as 6 ft wide in tactite at the BakerStandard claims. Assaysas high as 1.2% WOSare reported fromthe Buck Deerclaims p a l e and McKinney,
1959).
Kimball district
Location and Mining History
The Kimball (or Steins Pass)
mining district is located in the northern Peloncillo Mountainsalong the
Arizona-New Mexicostate line, north of the McGhee Peakmining district (Fig. 1). This district includes mines
and prospects northof Steins Pass(I-lo), as well as thosein sec. 16, 17,20, and 21, T24S, R 21W (Elston, 1960).
Elston (1960) placesthe Charles minein the McGhee Peak district,but it is a volcanic-epithermalvein deposit
similar toother mines in theKimball district and is included in this district in this report. The volcanic-epithemal
vein deposits were discovered
in the area in 1875,but serious mining did not beginuntil about 1883 (Wellsand
Wootton, 1932,1940). Production from 1885 to 1933 was valued
at over $500,000,including 400,000 oz Ag,
1,500 oz An, 125,000 lbs Pb, 12,000 lbs and
Cu, some zinc (Table 2). Most production was
prior to 1910, but
development continueduntil at least 1981. Silver wasthe chief product, but a considerable amount
of gold was
produced. The Volcano silver mine andthe Beck gold mine werethe main producers (Table 58). Some
F
a
m
h
a
m
,1961).
manganese was producedfrom the Black Face mineduring World WarI1 (
123
MIZ I
I
rocks in the district are volcanic and igneous intrusive rocks, including rhyolite domes and flows,
tuffs, and
megabreccia. Much ofthe district consistsof tuffof Steins, a light colored, densely welded ash-flow
tuff. Richter
et al. (1990) define
the Steins canlderain this area and the tuffof Steins is related to this cauldera. Lindgren et a].
(1910) describedthe rocks as being quite similarto those in the Steeple Rock district to
the north. Some fanlting
has occurred, and mineralized epithermalquartz veins have been identitied
in silicified brecciatedfault zones in
the igneous rocks.
Mineral deposits
and consist of
Volcanic-epithennal veins occnr
in late Cretaceous or Tertiary volcanic rocks (Table 58)
pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, argentite, cerargyrite,
and native gold (Lindgren et al., 1910; Lasky and
Wootton, 1933; Elston, 1960). Mostof the veins are oxidized, but some sulfidesare present. Calcite is prevalent,
especially nearthe surface. Stream-sediment geochemical anomalies include Ag, Cn, Pb, Sn,
and spotty La and
Mn.
The Volcanoand Beck minesare the largest minesin the district. The Volcano minesits on the 9,000 ft
long northeast-trending Volcano vein, which reaches a width
of as much as 45
ft. The vein is brecciated, fissure
filling, and silicified and forms a prominent outcrop, because
it is resistant to weathering. Ore was foundin a
quartz band onthe hanging wall sideof the brecciated zone. Cerargyrite wasthe main ore mineralin the oxidized
zone.
The Beck mineis situated in the ENE- to WNW-trending Beck vein which extends
for 3,000 ft in Tertiary
andesitic rocksthat have been cut by prominent dikes
of monzonite porphyry (Enders, 1981; Richter
and
Lawrence, 1983). Argillic alteration is predominant. Ore minerals include cerargyrite, argentite, pyrargyrite,
proustite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, bornite, and chalcocite with calcite, pyrite, clay,
and qnartz as gangue
as high as 1.05odton An, 25.11 odton Ag, 2.06% Cy
(Enders, 1981; Lindgren et al., 1910). Samples assayed
( 4 0 ppm), and mercury (<300 ppb); most assays
0.33% Pb, 0.12%Zn,and low arsenic (<300 ppb), antimony
were much lower (Enders, 1981). Metal concentrationsare higher in the upper levelsof the mines, especiallyat
the Beck mine (Enders, 1981). The most favorable areas
for future exploration arethe eastern extensionof the
Beck vein andthe Ester mine area (Enders, 1981).
Epithermal manganese veins occnr
in rhylite porphyryat the Black Face minein the northern part of the
district (Table58; Famham, 1961). The veins are npto 700 ft long, strikesN7OoE, and dips 75"Nto vertical.
Lordsburg district
Location and MiningHistory
and Shakespeare) is located in
The Lordsburgmining district (alsoknown as Virginia, Pyramid, Ralston,
the northern part of the Pyramid Mountains,just southwest of Lordsburg (Fig. 34). Thefirst mining locations were
made in the district in 1870, and some early attempts were made
to ship silver ore fromthe Laramide vein
deposits. It was notuntil the Southern Pacific Railroad reached Lordsburg
in 1880 that mining began in earnest
(Huntington, 1947). Between 1904 and 1933, the Lordsburg area produced more
than 1.5 million short tons
of
copper, gold, silver,and lead orevalued at approximately $19.5 million (Table59; Lasky, 1938a). Hnntington
(1947) reportsthat ore produced between 1904
and 1935 contained 2.58% Cu, 0.117
odton An, and 2.24 odton
of fluorite have been produced from
two veins (Thormanand Drewes,
Ag. In addition, a few hundred short tons
1978). Total productionhas been over$60 million and includes11million lbs Pband 4.2 million lbs Zn.
Reported production from
the district aconntsfor more than 96% of total production value reported for Hidaglo
for small, intermittent, silica-flux-mining operations.
County from 1880 to 1978. The district remains active
Placer gold has been reported (Johnson, 1972; McLemore, 1994a) and 3,527 short
of fluorite
tons
were produced.
RIOWI R I ~ W
Figure 34-Mines and prospects in the Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico (modified from
Thorman and Drewes,1978).
TABLE 59-Reported metal production from the Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo
County,New Mexico (from
U. S. Geological Survey, 1902-1927;U. S. Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990; Richter and Lawrence, 1983).
For yearsomittea there are no reported production figures.-none reported.
YEAR
ORE
(SHORT
COPPER
(LBS)
GOLD LEAD
SILVER
(OZ)
(OZ)
(LBS)
ZINC
TOTAL
(LBS)
VALUE ($)
Two principal producing mines
in the district, the Eighty-five and Bonney mines, are located on
the
northeast-trending setof faults and has been mined over
strikelength
a
of 4,350 ft and a depthof nearly 2,000 ft
(Clark, 1962,1970). The Eighty-five mine wasthe most productive minein the area. The Eighty-five groupof
claims produced virmally90% of the ore from1904 to 1935. This production, however,was dependent almost
entirely on demand from copper smelters for siliceous-fluxing
to reduce
ore the melting pointof the copper ore.
The mines are paid for
the gold and copper content and penalized
for zinc. Mining activity was suspended when,
in 193 1, this demand ended. The oreat the Eighty-five mine came from
the Emerald vein which was mined for a
continuons length of about 2,000 ft and to a vertical depthof 1,900 ft and produced approximately 1.4 million
short tonsof ore. The average ore fromthis deposit contained2.8% Cu, 1.23 odton Ag, and 0.111 odton Au
(Lasky, 1938a).
The Bonneyvein was probably
the second largest producing
vein in the district. Between 1910 and 1940,
the Atwood group ofclaims, which includesthe Atwood and Henry Clay mines,
produced 36,630 short tonsof ore,
containing 3,330 oz Au, 136,364 oz Ag, 706 short tons Cu, and almost 115 short tonsPb (Huntington, 1947). By
1943, the Bonney mine had been developed to a vertical depth1,450
of ft and for 2,000 ft along strike. Minimum
width of the stopes was4 ft and the maximum vein width was about
20 ft (Hnntington, 1947). At that time, the
Bonney mine wasthe principal producing minein the district having maintained
an annual production rateof
3,000 short tons per year
for several years (Hnntington,1947).
Perlite has been mined from
three quarries in the southern part of the district in 1953 and 1954. However,
the presence of woahless stony rhyolitewithin the perlite deposits made production uneconomic. Perlite resources
were conservatively estimated by Flege
(1959) as 30 million cubic yards.
Geology
Host rocksin the district consistof Lower Cretaceous andesite
to basalt flows at least 2,000 ft thick which
were intruded by plugsof basalt and rhyolite breccias
and plugs of white rhyolite (Fig.34). The volcanics have
been intrudedby an irregular, horseshoe-shaped Laramide granodiorite porphyry stock
(59.8h4.4 Ma, horndblende,
K-Ar, Marvin et al., 1988) (Lasky, 1938a; Thorman and Drewes, 1978; Elston et al., 1979) and related
granodiorite porphm or aplite dikes. Plugs and dikesof quartz latite and dikesof white felsite cutthe
granodiorite. The volcanics correspond to large gravity and magnetic highs.
Five setsof faults occur in the area: northeast, east-west, northwest, east-northeast, and north-south
and
they are,for the most part, pre-mineralization and acted
as channels for ore-forming solutionsas well as sites of
mineralization (Lasky, 1938a; Clark, 1962,1970; Jones, 1907). In general, the faults dip vertically. Veins are
accompanied by argillic and propylitic alteration (Clark,1962; Agezo and Norman,1994).
Mineral deposits
Deposits in the district are Laramide baseand precious-metal, fissure-filling veinsin fault and fracture
60; Wells, 1909; Clark, 1962, 1970;
zones that transect the contact zoneof the granodiorite porphyry pluton (Table
Richter and Lawrence, 1983). The vein deposits are genetically related
to the emplacement of the pluton and
consist of quartz and pyrite and lesser amounts ofbase-metal sulfides, chiefly chalcopyrite, galena,
and sphalerite.
District zoningis prevalent (Clark,1970). Fluid inclusion studies indicate
that the veins formedat 200->300° C
by acidic fluids (pH4.5-6.0; Agezo and Norman, 1994). Gold assaysfromprospectpits range ashigh as 3,100 ppb
Au (Griswold et al.,1989). Geochemical anomalies from stream sedimentsin the area are anomalousin Ag, Co,
Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, and Pb, with local anomaliesof Ba, Be,K, Nb, Sn, Th, andY.
TABLE 60-Mines and prospects in the Lordsburg mining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Location
includes section, township, and range.
MINE NAME ( A L I A S )
LOCATION
Ada Etta (Mikesell, Summit, Big
NE10,
Dike, Daisy, Monday, Florence
NWll23S
May, Sterling, Lone Star,
19w
Copper Nuepet 1 and 2)
Anita (Tam Group, Old Virginia, E1/2 11 U S
Mono, Ontario, Dewey, Queen,
19w
McGinty, Lucy, Kathryn)
TYPE OF REFERENCES
DEVELOPMENT
LATRUDE, COMMODITIES
LONGlTUDE
DEPOSlT
32" 19' 22"
Ag, Au, Cu 700 fladit, Pb,
Laramide Lasky (1938a), Thoman
1 0 8 O 46' 38"
numerous shallow and veins
Drewes (1978), Richter
shafls
and Lawrence (1983)
32" 19' 09"
1089 45' 44"
Pb, Cu, Ag, Au, 820 fi shsfi with 5 Laramide Lasky (1938a), Anderson
2"
veins
levels, shafls, adits
(1953, Clark (1970), Flege
(1959), T h o m n and
Drewes (1978)
128
~
MINE NAME (ALIAS)
Atwood (Atwood-Henry
Clay,Yellow Jacket, Bessie,
Florence,Sauthern, Valedon,
Road, Plumbo, New Year,
LOCATION
E12, W07
23s 18W
11& 12 23s
Claim, Lookout, Flagship)
19w
LATlTUDE, COMMODITE DEVELOPMENT TYPE OF
LONGmUDE
DEPOSlT
32' 19' 06" Cu, Ag, Au, Pb, 750 fl shaft, 6
Laramide
108' 44'22"
Z"
veins
levels, shallow
shafls, adits, pits
329 19' 01"
108' 45' 08"
Cu, Au, Ag Pb,
Z"
openouts, pits,
shallow shafts, 1
adit
I
Big Three
NU5 U S
19w
32' 16' 57"
108' 44' 46"
Pb, Ag, Cu, Zn, shallow pitsand
bulldozer cuts
Au
I
Bluebird (Center Nos 1 and 2)
Chest, Lone, Teddy, Cachisa,
Shoo Fly, Sunrise, Copper Dick,
Mulberry, Happy Hooligan, Red
NW30 23s
18W
32" 16' 58"
108'44' 11"
SE14, N U 3
us 19w
32' 17' 53"
1089 45' 39"
r
CenNry (Eigthy-Fiva Group)
Phaenix Group, Copper Link,
Anna Mary)
WIR 02 24s
19w
SW 12 23s
19w
32' 14' 50"
108" 46' 10"
32" 18' 52"
1089 45' 21"
sw11us
32' 19' 04"
108" 46' 19"
19w
U 14 23s
Negm Mine, Black Sam, Tom
Cat, Black Capper)
Capper Reef Group (Capper
Reef Mine, Copper Reef no. 2
and 3)
Jim Crow Mines: Rockford.
Playmate, 85, 86, 99, Emerald,
Mine, Or0 Fino, Oro Alto,
Sunrise, Independence)
Fluorite Qroup (&eyer Mines,
Fluorite nos. 1 to 12,
Diffenderfer Group)
Francis Kay Sweet)
Pb, Ag, Au, Cu
shaft and several
prospect pits
4 shafts and
several prospect
pits, 2,ooO R
deep, 8 levels
F
shaft
Pb, W
pits
18 shallow shafls
and 3 opencuts
32' 18' 16"
108' 45' 47"
Cu, Ag, Au, Pb
R3S,
R19W, 12,
13
NE13 23s
19w
32' 19' 43"
108" 44'4 2 (
C"
32' 18' 23"
108' 44'43"
Cu, Ag, Au
sw12,
NW13 23s
19w
32' 18" 52"
108* 45" 04"
Cu, Au, Ag, Pb, 5 shafls, 16
Z"
working levels
adit,
C13 23s
19w
32' 18" 19"
108" 45" 05"
Pb, As, Cu, Au
34,35,2,3
32" 15" 17"
108' 46" 58"
F
32' 17" 31"
108" 45" 13"
Pb, Ag, Cu, Au,
c of s 2 24
32' 17' 04"
23s 19W
108' 45' 01"
Pb, Ag, Cu, Au, 200 ft shaft and
Zn
several shallow
prospect pits
19w
23s &24S,
700 ft of drifts,
0penC"tS
19w
NW24 23s
19w
5W ft shaft with
2"
129
14 shafts,
trenches, pits,
sdits
10 shallow shafts,
12 small opencuts
several shallow
shafts and small
prospect pits
5 shafts, adit, and
numerous shallow
prospect pits
2 shafls and
several pits
REFERENCES
~~
~
Lindgren et al. (1910),
Lasky (1938a), Huntington
(1943, Storms (1949),
Clark (1970)
Laramide Lasky (1938a), Anderson
veins
(1953, Richter and
Lawrence (1983), Nonh
and Eveleth (1981)
Laramide Clsrk (1970), Thorman and
veins
Drewes (1978), Elston
(1960), Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
Laramide Jones (1903, Thorman and
veins
Drewes (1978), Richter and
Lswrenca (1983)
Laramide Lindgren et al. (1910),
veins
Lasky (1938a), Flege
(1959), Clark (1970),
Thorman and Drewes
(1978)
Fluorite Jones (1903, L a s k y
veins
(1936b)
Laramide Lindgren et al. (1910),
veins
Lasky (1938a), Clark
(1970), Thorman and
Drewes (1978)
Laramida Clsrk (1970), L a s k y
veins
(1938a), Thormsn and
Drewes (1978), Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
Laramide Lasky (1938s), Lindgren et
veins
al. (1910), Thormsn and
Drewes (1978), Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
Laramide Elstan (1960); FN 4/17/94
veins
Laramide Clark (1970), Lasky
veins
(1938a), Thorman and
Drewes (1978), Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
Laramida Lasky (1938a), Clark
veins
(1970), Jones (1903,
Lindren et al. (191O),Youtz
(1930, Flege (1959)
Larsmida Jones (1903, Clark (1970),
Thorman and Drewes
veins
(1978)
Fluorite Rothrock et SI. (1949,
veins
Fleea (1959). Williams
(1966);
and
Drewes 1978
Laramide Jones (1903, Lindgren et
SI. (1910), Clark (1970),
veins
Thorman and Drewes
I
F'y
MINE NAME (ALIAS)
Gerry Boyle Mine)
LOCATION
C07 23s
18W
LATITUDE, COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
LONGITUDE
32' 19' 12" Cu, Ag, Au,Pbpits
108' 44'07"
NlL2 12 23s
19w
32' 19' 23"
108" 45' 09"
Gwen King (Bluebird, White
Cloud)
sw19,
NW30 23s
18W
32" 16' 54"
108' 44' 23"
Henry Clay (Anvood-Henry Claj
Group))
SE12 23s
19w
32' 19' 03"
108" 44' 47"
Hobson Claim (pan of the
Eighry-Five Mine)
Homesteke-Needmore
(Homestaka & Needmore
extensions nos. 1 and 2)
C12 23s
19w
s2 19 23s
18W
32" 19' 06"
108" 45' 12"
32' 17' 02"
1080 44' 20"
Montan*)
Kirk's Perlite Industries Deposit
shaft and
Cu, Ag, Au, Pb shallow
numerous small
pits
Pb, Ag, Au,Cu 3 shallow s h a b
and several
prospect pits
Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn, 800 ft shaft with 5
AU
levels
Pb, Ag, Cu, A",
F
3 shallow s h a h
and several
pmsppect pits
Last Chance (Last Chance, Clara
Sutton)
LeitendarfHills Perlite (Kirks
Perlite Industries)
Lone Star Prospect (Stick-Porter
Groups)
NW18 25s
18W
S25, N36
23s 19W
32'08' 11" Expanded perlite open pit
108" 44' 11"
32' 16' 06"
108" 44' 53"
and several pits
Misers Chest (Copper Regent,
S.W.B., Columbia, Ft. Savage,
Little AMie, VirEinia)
Nellie Bly (Bmther Gsrdner,
Baltimore, Independence, Billy
NE23 23s
19w
32" 17' 33"
108' 45' 51"
NWO1,
NE02 245
19w
C S2 14 23s
19w
32' 15' 02"
108' 45' 36"
32" 17' 59"
108' 46' 03"
NW SE 24
23s 19W
32' 17' 21"
1080 45' 01"
SE23 23s
19w
01,11,1224s
19w
32' 17' 10"
1089 45' 58"
32" 14' 05"
108' 45' 20"
NWO1,
N!32 24s
19w
32' 15' 10"
108' 45' 32"
March, Reynolds Group)
Claim, Morningstar)
file data Elston 1960
Laramide Laskv (1938a). Clark
pits
Cu
32' 12' 16"
Nw2124s
17W
108' 36' 01"
SW18 23s
3Z9 17' 57"
18W
Eli2 01 24s
108" 44'53"
19w
Lady Mary
TYPE OF IREFERENCES
(1960), Richter and
%mice aggregate pits
Not specified
shaft and several
levels
I
~~
Cu, Ag, Au, Pb, 600 ft shaft with
Zn
11 levels,
opencuts, pits
Cu, Ag, Au, Pb, 400 ft shaft with 6
Zn
le"&
C"
3 shafts
Pb, Zn, Cu, Ag, 160 ft shaft and
Au
several prospect
pits
C"
Perlite
shafts
pits
I Elston (1960)
volcanic
Fluorite Rothmck et al. (1946),
veins
Williams
(1966),
Thorman
and Drewes (1978)
Larsmide Lindren, et al (1910), LasQ
veins
(1938a),
Anderson (1953,
Flege (1959), Clark (1970)
Laramide Lindgren et a1.(1910),Clark
Jones (1903, LssQ
veins
(1970),
(1938a)
Laramide Lasky (1938a), Flege
veins
(1959), Thorman and
Drewes (1978)
Laramide Lasky (1938a), Lindgren et
veins
al. (1910), Clark(1970),
Thorman and Drewes
(1978)
Larsmide Thorman and Drewes
(1978)
veins
volcanic Flega (1959),laster(1956),
Richter and Lawrence
Cu, Ag, Au, Pb main shaft with 3
levels, several
shallow shafts
(1970).
veins
I-"
Rosemary-Kingfisher Group
SWll4
6,NW1/4 7
23s 18W
19, 18W, 24,
19W 23s
r-"
32" 19' 39"
1089 44' 21"
32" 17' 26"
108' 44' 32"
Pb, Ag
prospect pits end B
shallow shaft
Zn, Pb, Cu, Ag, 500 ft inclined
Au
shaft, pits and
trenches
130
Weber
(1968)
~~~a~
J O ~ (lgon,
~ S
and Drewes
Larsmide Elston (1960)
Laramide Anderson (1953, Clark
Thorman and
veins
(1970),
Drewes (1978), Elston
LOCATION
Section 34
NE34 22s
19w
LATEUDE, COMMODEIES DEVELOPMENT TYPE OF REFERENCES
DEPOSE
LONGITUDE
32' 20' 59"
Larsmide Thoman and Drewes
Mn, U (?)
several pits,
vein
108" 47' 23"
deepest 10 fl
(1978)
Silver Bell
SE114 02
24s 19W
32" 14' 32"
108' 45' 47"
Susia
32' 14' 55" NW11401
Ag, Cu
24s 19W
108' 45' 15"
NE 01 24s
32" 14' 57" Ag, Pb, Cu, Au
19W Century,
108*
Planet,
44' 53"
MINE NAME (ALJAS)
Venus (Leitendorf, Viola,
Harlem,
Winnie)
I
Waldo (Millsite Group)
I
Not specified
I
E2 07 23s
18W
32' 19' 10"
1089 43' 37"
shsfl
hundred A deep
400 fl shaA with
2,500 fl of drifls
and stopes
Pb, Zn, Cu, Ag, 3 shafts
A"
I
Laramide Clark (1970), E l a m (1960)
veins
Laramide shafl
several
Clark
(1970), Elston (1960)
veins
Laramide Lindgren et al. (1910),
veins
Lash (1938.4. Clark
(1976),'Tho-n
and
Drewes (1978), Elston
(1960)
Larsmide L a s e (1938a), Clark
veins
(1970), Thoman and
Drewes (1978). Elston
I
Tourmaline is a characteristic gangue mineral. Granodiorite
and basalt appear to he the most favorable
host rocks. At least seven stages
of brecciation occurred with six stages
of mineralization (Lasky, 1938a). Vein
filling occurred along with the faulting, and each reopeningof the vein system is recognized by achange in the
character of the mineralization. Only the second stageof mineralization yielded economic deposits. Ore minerals
include chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite
in a gangueof tourmaline, calcite, specularite, barite, sericite,
manganosiderite, and fluorite. Oxidation and secondary enrichment occurred
at variable depths(L.asky, 1936b).
In some places, sulfides were found near
the surface; oxidation andleaching were seenat the 1400-foot levelin
the Eighty-five mine (Huntington, 1947).
in contact
with granodiorite, whilethe Bouney,
Ore at the Eight-five mine was found chiefly within
or
Henry Clay, Atwood, and numerous others mines were
in basalt (Lasky, 1938a; Clark, 1970). The Bonney vein
and is located ahout 1,000ft from
strikes for more than 3,000 ft on the surface at N50°E, dips steeply northwest,
the granodiorite contact.It averages 5 to 6 ft in width, but reachs a width
of as much as 30 ft. At depth, the vein is
nearly vertical.The vein reportedly contained approximately2.6% Cn. Drilling showed that the amount of gold
and silver decreased rapidly with depth,
and the amount of silica gangue decreasedfrom 75% in the upper levelsto
45% at the 15004 level.
North of the Lordsburg mining district, approximately 10mi north-northwest of Lordsburg, Raines et al.
(1985) used Landsat images
to identify a large, anomalously
limonitic area in Cenozoic gravels. With additional
geochemical and geophysical data,the area was interpretedas being a chemicaltrap that may contain
concentrationsof uraninm similar to calcreteuranium deposits. It was thoughtthat groundwater originating in the
Burro Mountains with known
uranium deposits, drainsthrough the area and is forced nearthe surface by a buried
bedrock ridge alongthe western side of the anomaly. Changes in groundwater chemistrymay precipitate uranium
along the eastern marginof the anomaly.
Fluorite occursin veins in thesouthern part of the district (Williams, 1966; McAnuIty, 1978).The
deposits are lenticular, occurin a zone approximately one mile long,
are less than 4 ft wide, and consistof fluorite,
calcite, and quartz. Production averaged60% CaF2 (Williams, 1966). Fluoritefrom the area (sec. 2, T24S, R19W)
of 142-174°C and salinities lessthan 1.4 eq.wt.% NaC1; boiling
had fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures
of fluids probably did not occur (Elston
et al., 1983; Hill, 1994).
Commercial depositsof perlite occurin the southern part of the Lordsburg mining district. Perlite crops
It is
out in a northwest-southeast band nearly two miles
long and as much as one half-mile wide (Flege, 1959).
typically greenishto dark reddish brown and
has a resinous luster.The perlite is banded and cut by stony rhyolite,
which lessensits value. Atthe LeintendorfHills perlite mine, perlite occurs
in anexposed area of about 1square
mi as irregular lenses and seams
of devitrified glassand alteration productsin a volcanic domeof sodic rhyolite.
McGhee Peak district
Location and Mining History
The McGhee Peakmining district is located in thecentral part of the Peloncillo Mountainsnorth of
Granite Gap (Fig.1) and containsthe abandoned mining camp of McGheeville. Mineralizedskarns were first
the mining rights to
identitied in the district in 1894, butit was not until 1904that the McGhee family acquired
131
the area @on McGhee, mine owner, oral communication, April 18,1994). Carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement
and skarn deposits were mined and yielded
12 million lbs Pb,10 million lbs Zn,85,000 lbs Cu, 100oz Au, and
200,000 oz Ag making this district the leading districtin the county in lead and zinc production (Table 61).
Recent drilling has located aporphyq copper depositin thesubsurface in thenorthwestern part of the district (Fig
35).
TABLE 61"Mines and urosuectsin the McGhee Peakmining district, Hidalgo County,New Mexico, locatedin
3s. Lo& [includes :tion, townShip, and range.
(McGhee
proper&,
Oronogo and
Carbon Hill,
Externion
LOCATION
LATITUDE
SE34 24s
21w
32' 10' 11"
NW1/4 03
25S21W
32' 10'00"
29, SE30,
W28 24s
320 11' 10"
33 24.9.04
25s 21W
32" 10'05"
z1w
1
TYPE OF
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
108~59'01" Pb, Ag, Zn, Cu, mainsh&w/Z400
carbonateGillerman(1958),
Au
fl of drifts.short
hosted
Pb-Zn
A r m N o n e et al.
adit & sh&
replacement,
(1978), Adenon
skam
(1957),Thormi
and Drewes (1980),
FN 4/18/94
108" 59'31"
carbonate- Gilleman (1958),
10 m adit with
sholt drifts
hosted Pb-Zn Richterand
replacement, Lawrence (1983)
I skam I
I
109' 01' 15"
cu
22 drill-holes
oxidized
NMBMMRiile
data
(labeled
A-U
an
capper
I &PO)
porphm
108' 59'55"
Pb, Zn, Ag
Smallpits,shallow
carbonate- I Gilleman (1958),
shafts, large
hosted
Richter
and
opencut
Pb-Zn
Lawrence
(1983),
replacementNMBMMRfiledata
Pb, Zn,Cu
2 shafts, w/ short
carbonate NMBMMRfile
data
108°58'40"
driftshosted
several
Pb-Zn
0pe"CIlts
replacement
A",Cu,Zn,Pb,
carbonateAditElston
(1960),
108' 59' 50"
hosted Pb-Zn Richter and
Ag
replacement, Lawence(l983),
skam
NMBMMRfile
data
108O59'52"
carbonate- Liidgren et
Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn 2 inclined shafts
hostedPb-Zn
(1910),
Gilleman
and an adit
replacement, (1958), ArmNong el
skam
al. (1978), Thoman
and Drew= (1980)
109"01'30"
Cu,Au carbonateLindgren
pits
et al
hosted
(1910),
Richter
and
Pb-Zn
Lawrence (1983)
. .
replacement
108' 59' 15"
Pb, Zn, a& Au, pits
carbonate- FN 4/18/94
CU
hosted
Pb-Zn
replacement
prospeas,
carbonate3
NMBMMRfile
data
109' 01' 23"
Pb,
Zn, A& Au, 19
hostedc u
shafts
Pb-Zn
replacement
108' 59' 10"
Pb, Zn, Ag
15 or 20 pits, 2
carbonate- Gilleman (1958),
shallow shafts,2
hosted
Elston (1960),
adits
Pb-Zn
Richter and
replacement Lawrence (1983)
108' 59' 14"
2 shallow shafts
carbonate- Elston (1960)
Pb, Zn
severalhoned
pits
Pb-Zn
replacement,
skam
109~01'01"
Pb
l5OflsM
carbonate. Elston (196%
hosted
Richterand
prospectpits
Pb-Zn
Lawrence (1983),
replacement Lindmen etal.
LONGITUDE
'OMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
I
I
I
~
I
I
Hamilton
and W no 6,
Copper Queen)
(Sterling Price,
south VUginia)
NW1/4 11
25s 21w
32' 08' 57"
NW1/4 03
25s 21w
32' 09' 45"
SW03, SE04
25S21W
32' 09'36"
Sl/2 20 24s
21w
32'11'50"
SE3 25s
21w
32- 09' 10"
21,28,29,3133 24s 21W
32' 11' 19"
SEV4 27 24s 32' 10'55"
21w
10 25s 21W
t
SilverBell
NE114 05
25s 21w
32O 08' 42"
32" 09' 46"
al.
132
I
MINENAME
(ALIAS)
Silver Hill
i_s
JBCATION
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE I
DEPOSIT
"
NW03 25s
32"
47"
09'
108' 59'40"
5 levels
and Drewes (1980).
Elston(l960)
'~
carbonate- Elston (1960)
hosted
Pb-Zn
replacement
"
Simonton (Silver
Bell, Duke, Happ:I
Promise, Silver
Saddle, Big Jim,
BigBoy, Rody,
and T h e Top
Cl&S)
Stella Maris #I
(Copper Queen 7)
zlly
Pb, Zn, A& Au,
C"
pits
Pb, 2% Ag, Au,
shaft 20 m deep
"
03,04 25s
32' 09'20"
1 0 8 O 00'30"
"-I--
carbonatehostedPb-Zn
replacement,
s h
carbonatehosted
Pb-Zn
qlacement
C"
"
Sweet's New Year
Antimony
Prospect (3.4 mi
SSW ofRoad
Forb)
Tenneco Van Ann
Group
unknown
lI25S21W
32'08'18''
108°58'08"
25s 21W
"-t-E1/2 2 25s
32' 09'35"
Sb, Pb, Zn
65 fltrench 7 fi
openpir, 290 A
drill hole
Pb, Zn, Ag, Au,
CU
piis
Pb,Zn, A& Au, 11 shaft
a-
108O 58' 02"
q--"
Pb, 2%Ag, Au,
shafts, pits, adits
unknown
Pb, Zn, Ag, A",
C"
1 prospect
unknown
Pb, Zn, Ag, Au,
cu
1 prospect
Unknown
NE3224S
32' 11'00"
109"00'2"
cu
I
Lindgren et al.
(1910), Gillman
(1958), Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
NMBMMRfile data
carbonate- NMBMMR file data
hosted
Pb-Zn
replacement
carbonate- INMBMMRfile data
hosted
Pb-Zn
replacement
carbonate- NMBMMRfile data
hosted
Pb-Zn
replacement
carbonate- NMBMMRfile data
hosted
Pb-Zn
replacement
carbonate- NMBMMRfile data
hosted
Pb-Zn
Of the several mines and prospects
in the district, the Carbonate Hill (or McGhee) mine was
the largest
and most productive,until June 1948, whenfire destroyed the head frame,shaft timbers, and surfacebuildings
(Anderson, 1957). Total value of production of the mine was probablygreater than $1.5 million (Gillerman,
1958). Approximately 91%
of the value of the reported productionwas from lead and zinc; 9% was from silver.
Most recent production was
in 1956. Approximately 100,000tons was producedthat averaged 6% Pb,54.5% Zn,
and 1-2 odton Ag (Gillerman, 1958; Richter and Lawrence, 1983;
Don McGhee, mine owner,oral
communication, April 18,1994). Whenvisited in 1994, the head frameof the CarbonateHill mine had
deteriorated and was unsafepig. 36).
133
R21W I R20W
Figure 35-Mines and prospects in the McGhee Peak mining district, Hidalgo
County, New Mexico (modified
fromhstrong, et al., 1978).
FIG=
3 6 P h o t o of the Carbonate Hill mine and mill,in 1994, looking west, Hidalgo County,
(V. T
McLemore photo).
Geology
The central Peloncillo Monntains consist
of fault Proterozoic to middle Tertiary extrusive rocks
and
intrusive igneous rocks and sedimentary rocks overlain
by middle Tertiary to younger extrusive volcanic rocks
(Armstrong et al., 1978). Paleozoic carbonate rocks
and Mesozoic clastic rocks witha large portion of carbonate
rocks underlie mostof the mountains. The sedimentary rocks and Proterozoic
granite are intruded and
metamorphosed hya number of igneous rocks. South of the district, at Granite Gap, Tertiary
granite was emplaced
at 33.2 Ma (McLemore etal., 1995). Granite porphyry dikes and sills were intruded
29.810.9 to 32.511.0 Ma
that are probably
(biotite, K-feldspar,K-Ar; Hoggat etal., 1977). Fine-grained porphyritic to felsic rhyolite dikes
related tothe granite porphyry were intrudedand were followed by quartz-latite
porphyy dikes and sills at 2710.8
to 25.8M.8 Ma (biotite, plagioclase,K-Ar; Hoggat et al., 1977). Dikes andsills ofporphyritic granite, rhyolite,
and quartzlatite may be quite extensive, being upwards
of 100s of ft thick and up to 3,000 ft long. Although the
dikes andsills vary somewhatin composition and texture, theyare quite silicic. The district lies on an elongate
gravity high which i s consistentwith the trend of the intrusive rocks.
Mineral Deposits
in carbonate rocks adjacentto dikes andsills,
Many small, lead-zinc-copper-silver deposits occur
the
northeastern
limb
of
the
major
anticlinal
structure
of the mountainrange pig. 35; Table 61).
particularly on
Deposits proximal to intrusive rocks tend to be characterized
by skarns with calc-silicate gangue mineralogy, while
more distal deposits tend
to he more stratigraphically and structurally controlled are
andmore typicalof carbonatehosted replacement deposits. Stream sediments include geochemical anomalies
of Ba, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, and Pb,
and locally anomalous Be, Bi,
and Cr.
The Carbonate W mine contains localskam minerals, suchas epidote, gamer and wollastonite;
but most
of the ore is sulfide-replacement of permeable beds, particularlyf o s s i o u zones, inPennsylvanianHorqnilla
Limestone. Ore minerals include galena, cerussite, argentiferous galena, sphalerite, smithsonite,and chalcopyrite
in a gangue of quartz, calcite, and garnet. Ore grade was approximately6% Pb and 5% Zn. Workings consistedof
135
a mainshaft containing about2,400 ft of drifts, a short adit,and several shallow shafts and pits.The main shaft
reached a depthof about 600 ft, but the working levels wereat a lesser depth.
The Johnny Bnll mine, located about
1.25 miles southwestof the Carbonate Hill mine produced a
considerable tonnageof copper ore prior to 1910 (Gillerman, 1958). It was oneof the largest minesin the area at
that time. The Johnny Bull mine
is a copper skarn deposit
in Horquilla Limestone adjacent to
the northwesttrending JohnnyBull fault. The deposit is in the contact zone between limestone
and a granite porphyry sill, about
1,000 ft west of the sill and has more copperthan the Carbonate Hill deposit. Chalcop~te,azurite, malachite,
galena, bornite, and chrysocolla
are ore minerals,in a gangueof garnet, calcite,quartz, pyroxene, epidote, and
wollastonite. The mine consistsof two inclined sbafts; the deeper of which reachs a depthof 150 ft. The Johnny
Bull mine had been reclaimed 1958.
by
Drilling in the early 1970s and 1990s located a porphyry copper deposit
at a depthof 100 ft in the
northwestern part of the district (NMBMMRfile data). Cyprus Minerals Corp. hasfiled claims in sec. 30 and 3 1,
in most drill holes.
T24S, R21W.pyritization and argillic alteration occurs
Muir district
Location and Mining History
The Mnir miningdistrict is located in the southern Pyramid Mountains between
the Lordsburg and
Rincon districts(Ffig. 1) and these mines and prospects previously have been included
in both districts by various
geologists. Mineral occurrencesin the district are mostlyfluorite and volcanic-epithermal veinsand have been
included in the Lordsburg or Rincon districts hysome geologists. Fire clay occurrencesalso are in the area. Past
production and known resources
in the Muir miningdistrict are generally
small, but the district has not been
extensively explored. Approximately100 ounces of silver ore has been produced fromthe Silver Tree mine,and
the Doubtful mine (Table62), including 9,175 short tons
$40,000-60,000 worth of fluorite has been produced from
of fluorspar ore containing about
60% CaF2hetween 1942 and 1953.
TABLE 62-Mineral occnrrences of the Muir mining district, Hidalgo County. Location includes section,
MINE
LOCATION
LATITUDE,
COMMODITIES
NAME
JfUIA.3,
Allen
SE7 25s
32' 8'28''
108"44'25"
18W
Cedar
DoubtfUl
(Animas,
I
SE12 25s
18W
SE15 25s
19W
I
8'20"
108"44'30"
32"7'35"
108'47' 10"
YEARSOF
&,Pb,
none
DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCTION
TYPEOF REFERENCES
adit
volcanic- Elston (1960);
epithermal Elston et al.
(1983)
volcanic- NMBMMRfile
epithemal data
fluorite Elston (1960).
veins
William (1966)
none
Zn,Sb
I
Ae.Pb.Zn
32'
~, .
F, Mn
I
none
19405 19511952
Dit
I.
shafts, adits
I
none
9,175 t o m
$40,000-60,000
I
I
Geology
The district is aligned mostly alongthe northern interior wallof Muir caldera, a deeply eroded Oligocene
ash-flow tuffcaldera (Deal et
al., 1978). The westernmost part of it is within the Lightning Dock Known
Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA) where hot wells
(70-115" C)supply greenhouses with hot water
and heat.
136
The district lies on both gravity and magnetic highs--the magnetic
high is probably caused by felsic
a intrusion into
the caldera and/orskarn mineralization.
Rocks associated withthe Muir cauldera form most
of the Pyramid Mountains. Pre-caldera rocks consist
of Pennsylvanian and Cretaceous sedimentaq rocks, late Cretaceous and/or early Tertiary
basalt and andesite, and
Oligocene andesite (Elstonet al., 1983). In general, the volcanic rocksof the Pyramid Mountainsare calcalkaline, with rhyolite ash-flow
tnffs, lava flows,and breccias beingthe most abundant rock types (Dealal.et
,
1978; Elston et al., 1983; Elston, 1994).
The tuffof Woodhaul Canyonhas been datedas 36.82M.81 Ma (biotite,
K-Ar, Deal etal., 1978) and approximates
the age of the cauldera. A later group of Oligocene-early Miocene postcaldera ash-flowtnffs and basaltic flowsare designated the Rimrock Mountain group. These
tnffs originated
beyond the Pyramid Mountains-somefrom the Animas Mountainsto the south and some from nnknown sources.
Numerous diorite, monzonite porphyry, andesite, and rhyolite dikes and small stocks
intrude the cauldera and
older rocks (Elston et al., 1983). One andesite stock
has an age date of 29.4+0.7 Ma (whole rock,K-Ar; Elston et
al., 1983).
Mid-Tertiary geologic structures
in the Pyramid Mountainsare dominated bythe Mnir caldera (Deal et
al., 1978; Elston et al., 1983; Elston, 1994).The caldera is an elongate structure withits long axis striking
northwest roughly parallel the
to pre-Tertiary basement structures
in the region. It consists of an inner caldera in
which a thick
fill of ash-flow tuffaccnmulated, bordered by a collapsed caldera wall and three
of successive
zones
ring-fracture felsic domes, flows,
and moat deposits outside
of the caldera wall. The caldera collapsedin two
stages, each associated
with a rhyolite ash-flow
tuffsheet and ring-fracture domes. Ring-ftachxe zones and the
caldera wallare preserved onlyon part of the northeast side. The remainder of the zones are hidden beneath
Animas and Playas Valleys.
In the F'yramid Mountains, hyrdothermal alteration occurred
during collapse of the Muir caldera in
Oligocene time and again during Miocene or younger time via hot springsand shallow vein-forming hydrothermal
fluids (Elston etal., 1983). The Oligocene alterationis widespread, butis unrelated to present thermal activity.
The rhyolite of Jose Placecia Canyon and
the tuffof Woodhaul Canyonare intensely argillizedand pyrite is
widespread (Elston et al., 1983). Modern geothermal activity be
may
a relictof widespread fault-controlled hotspring activity overthe last 20 Ma. Fluorine-bearing watersof the Lightning Dock KGRA maybe a late-stage
product of the hydrothermal activity.
Mineral deposits
Veins of several ages and mineral assemblages
are scattered throughoutthe district (Fig.45, Table 62).
They are fault- and fracture-controlled, occurin thering-fracture zoneof the Mnir cauldera,and are associated
with argillic alteration characterizedby chlorite, pyrite, andquartz. Fluorite was foundin drill cuttings at the
Cockrell Corp.No. 1Federal wellin sec. 21, T24S, R19W,indicating mineralization of Recent age (Elston et al.,
1983). Stream-sediment geochemical anomalies include
Ag, Ba, Be, Co, Mo, Pb,Y, and Zn, localizedCd and Nb,
K to the west, andCr and U in the northwest.
Fluorspar depositsat the Doubtful (Animas) vein,are unrelated to the adjacent porphyry whichis the core
of the resurgent domeof the Mnir caldera (Elston, 1994).
The deposit occursin a fissurevein that strikes N2O"W
and dips 80"SW in fine-grained andesite, interpretedas being 36Ma (Elston, 1994). Green and white, finegrained to coarsely crystalline fluorite
is interwoven with finely crystalline white
qnartz, manganese oxides,and
manganiferous calcite. The fluorite material fills a seriesof nearly vertical veinletsand cements brecciaalong the
veins.Average vein thickness is 4 ft, with the maximnm thickness being 10 ft. A grab sample of stockpiled
material contained 43.0%CaFz, 28.6% SOz, and 19.5% CaCOs (Williams, 1966). Fluid inclusion studies indicate
temperatures of homgenization of 137-349OC with evidenceof boiling; salinities were below 9.47 wt.%
eq. NaCl
(Elston et al., 1983;
Hill, 1994). The age of mineralization is most likely Mioceneor younger (Elston etal., 1983).
Volcanic-epithermal veinsat the Silver Tree and Allen mines occurin andesite of Holtkamp Canyon and
tuffof Woodhaul Canyon (Elston et al., 1983).The veins consist of pyrite, quartz, galena,and stibnite. Additional
volcanic-epithermal veins occur
in the area (Table 62) and need
to be examined to determine their mineral
resource potential.
Pratt district
The Pram district (sec. 33, T27S,mow) consist of the Pratt shale and clay qnany, south of Pratt in
Hidalgo County (Fig.1). The Pennsylvanian shale has been mined sporadically since 1912
for use as refractory
material in the nearby copper smelters. Production since 1912is estimated as $150,000-200,000. Current capacity
is 1,500 short tondyear.
137
Rincon district
Location and Mining History
The Rincon (orAnimas)mining districtis located in the northern part of the Animas Mountains
and
southwest of Animas (Fig. 1)and contains carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement, volcanic-epithermal,
in the area in 1880. Production has
carbonate-hosted Mn replacement deposits (Table 63). Prospecting began
been minorand amounts to approximately $320,000 worthof copper, silver, gold, and lead; including<10,000 lbs
Cn and >10,000 oz Ag (Table 2).
TABLE 63-Mines and prospects of the Rincon mining district, Hidalgo County. Location includes section,
Geology
The oldest rocksin the noahern Animas Mountains consist
of Proterozoic basementof porphyritic,
coarse-grained granite dated at 1,200 Ma (Soul& 1972; Drewes, 1986). Restingnnconfomably onthe granite are
Paleozoic marineand Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks. Tertiary post-orogenic intrusive
and volcanic rocks
are the youngest rocksin the district. One of these intrusivesis a quartz monzonite porphyry
that has been dated
as 34.0i0.1 Ma &-feldspar, 40Ar/39Ar; McLemore et al., 1995). Rhyolite dikes occur
in the northern part of the
district where they
intrude along post-Laramide normal faultsor as linear zones which expanded, thermally
metamorphosed, and deformedthe country rock(SoulC, 1972). The areais characterized by gravity and magnetic
lows which may be related
to regional hydrothermal alteration.
Mineral Deposits
The Rincon mineis a carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposit hosted by light-gray, medium-bedded
Horquilla Limestone southeastof a northeast-trending strike-slip fault.
The mineralized limestoneis 2-5 ft thick,
brecciated and folded, and below a gray to black shale (Elston, 1960). The main workings
are along two fault
zones that strike N45'W, dip 56"NE and N80°E, dips 56ONW (Elston, 1960). Jasperiod is common. Ore minerals
include galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite,and hemimorphite.
The Fredingbloom, Zinc,and White Rose mines occur
along a ridgeof Escabrosa Limestone. The ore
predominantly occursin replacement depositsat or along faults. Smithsonite and anglesite are dominant minerals
138
at theFredingbloom and Zinc mines, whereas barite, galena, and sphalerite
are dominant mineralsat the White
Rose mine (Elston, 1960). Clnysocolla is found at the Zinc mine. A sample from
the Zinc mine assayed35% Pb
and 14% Zn (Elston, 1960).
The Cowboy mine is ina volcanic-epithermalvein in theRed Hill rhyolite (notto be confusedwith the
Red Hill minein the Gillespie district). Several small quartz veins occur
in a zone lessthan 3 ft wide and a few
with trace amountsof pyrite and gold occur
in the veins
tens of feet long. Quartz, iron and manganese oxides
(Elston, 1960).
Additional carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement and volcanic-epithermal
vein deposits are found scattered
throughout the district, but none have yieldedlarge amounts of ore (Table63). These depositsare typically small
and similarto those described above. Economic potential appears for
lowmost of the deposits, but they couldbe
indicative of larger deposits at depth.
Small carbonate-hosted manganese deposits occur along
faults and fractureswithin Paleozoic carbonate
rocks at theBlacktop No. 1 claim. A grab sample of ore assayed28.55% Mn, 0.27% Cu, 0.50% Pb, and 0.26% Zn
(Elston, 1960).
Stream-sediment geochemical anomaliesin thearea include As, Cd, Cu, La, and Th, and local Nb and Pb.
Silver Tip district
Location and Mining History
The Silver Tip mining district is located in thesouthern Peloncillo Mountains, where
it straddles the
vein
Arizona-New Mexicostate line (Fig. 37). The district is named for the Silver Tip mine, a volcanic-epithermal
deposit, whichis located in Arizona about 0.3 mi west ofthe Arizona-New Mexico stateline (sec. 25, T22S, R32E,
Arizona baseline). The Silver Tip mine consistsof a 240-ft adit and a3 0 4 shaft (Hayes et al., 1983). The mine
may have produced, buttotal production is unknown. There is no productionfrom the New Mexicoside of the
district. Additional prospects occuralong the Silver Tip vein. In the early 198Os, approximately 90 mining
in
claims, mostly nearthe Silver Tip mine, were filedand in 1980, geophysical exploration was being conducted
Inc.; but no
and around the district. In the mid 198Os, a drilling program was conducted by Nicor Industries,
reserves were found.North of the district a small abandoned rock quarry remains where rhyolite
tuffwas quarried
for local use as building stone.
Geology
The district lies within the Geronimo Trail caldera whichis characterized by a gravity gradientand
magnetic high. The Geronimo Trail tuffis dated as 24.2 + 0.5 Ma peal et al., 1978). The caldera marginis
delineated by an aeroradiometricTh and U high. The district consistsof Oligocene and younger volcanic rocks
that Deal et al. (1978) and Erb (1979) suspected were vented from a nearby volcanic center. Rocks
in thedistrict
and dacitic lavas. The oldest
are rhyolitic ash-flowtuffs, volcanic breccia and epiclastic sedimentary breccias,
rhyolite tuffs are 27.1+1.5 Ma (zircon, fission track; Hayes,
1982). The breccias are largely volcanicwith
subordinate sedimentruy rocks derived
from the volcanic breccia. The dacitic lavas are from Oligocene porphyritic
flows and domes. Some tuffaceous sandstone and conglomerate with interlayered
tuffof probable Mioceneage
occur in thenorthern part of the district and small remnants
of Pleistocene or Pliocene olivine basalt cap some
of
the higher hills (Hayes, 1982; Hayes and Brown,1984). Rhyolite dikesand domes are common in thearea
(Emanuel, 1985; McIntyre, 1988). Parallel north-south-trending normalfaults of little displacementcut the
volcanic rocks. A structure truncatesthe Geronimo Trail cauldera that McIntyre (1988) interpreted as the Clanton
Draw cauldera. The Skelton Canyontuffmarks the beginning of the collapse of this younger cauldera.
Mineral Deposits
The Silver Tip mine and several nearby prospects
are located near the New Mexicopart of the district in
an area of argillic and advanced-argillic altered rocks
that extends for about 0.5 mi into the New Mexicopart of the
district (Emanuel, 1985; McIntyre, 1988). The deposit is in a 1-10 ft thick, 1,500 ft long mineralized fault zone,
which is part of the Geronimo Trail canldera ring-fracture zone. Pyrite
is common and bromargyrite has been
identilied at the Silver Tip mine (Emanuel, 1985). Rock chip samples collected by Nicor Industries, Inc.
are
typically lowand contain as high as 0.62 ppm An, 8.5 ppm Ag, 225 ppm Cu, 490 ppm Pb, 1350 ppm Zn,and 235
ppm Mo (Emannel, 1985). Argillic and local advanced-argillicalteration and siliciftcation occursalong the fault
zones.
t
There is little additional field evidence
of metallic mineralizationin the district. Previous studiesof the
area include a 1980 mineral-resource survey
of the Bunk Robinson Peakand Whitmire Canyon Roadless Areas
of
Arizona and New Mexico (Hayes, 1982; Hayeset al., 1983; Watts et al., 1983; Hayes and Brown, 1984) which
identifies a zoneof altered rockshaving probable mineral potentialfor Ag, Au, Bi, Mo, Pb, andZn. This zone
stretches southand southwest for about 1.5 mi from the southern contactof a dacitic lava flow
in the northern part
of the district and consistsof argillically altered rocks
and anomalous As, Ba, Mo, and Pb in stream-sediment
samples (Watts et al., 1983).Many of the mining claims are located alongthis zone. The quartz veins zonestrike
N10°W-N15"E, are up to 20 ft thick, and steeply dipping (McIntyre, 1988). Pyrite
is locally abundant.
a of mostly dominant rhyolitic lava
Northwest and east of the district, Hayes et a4.(1983) delineated tract
having anomalouslyhigh values of Be,Bi, Mo, and Sn in stream-sediment samples. These anomalies are not
indicative of surficial weathering,and may suggest the possibility of mineralization at depth. Other geochemical
samples include anomalous Be,
Cu, La, Mo, Pb, and Zn and local Bi, Co,Nb, Th, U,and Y. The presence of
obsidian layersas much as 8 ft thick in rhyolitic lava suggeststhat perlite resources couldbe present (Hayes et al.,
1983).
Sylvanite district
Location and MiningHistory
The Sylvanite mining district is located southof the Eureka mining district in theLittle Hatchet
Mountains (Fig. 1). In some reports (Anderson, 1957: Johnson, 1972),
the Sylvanite mining district is included
with Eureka district to form the Hachita mining district. Laramide skam, Laramide vein,and placer deposits
occur inthe district and productionis estimated as approximately$3 15,000, including 2,500 oz Au, 130,000 lbs
Cu, and 8,000 lbsPb (Table 64).In the southern portionof the district, 5,632short tons of scheelite-garnet ore
grading 0.44% W03 was producedfrom a smallskarn (Dale and McKinney, 1959).A carload of As was produced
in 1924 (Dasch, 1965).
TABLE 64-Reported metal productionfrom the Sylvanite mining district, Hidalgo County, New Mexico (from
U.
S. Geological Survey, 1902-1927:U. S. Bureau ofMines. 1927-1990). 650 tons of scheelite-eamet ore
was producedgrading 0.44% W03(Dale and McKinney,'l959). For years omitted, there are na' reported
-
The old mining town of Sylvanite is inthe southwesternpart of the area, approximately12 mi southwest
of Hachita. Copper was discovered
in several locationsin thearea in the1880s (Lindgren etal., 1910). In 1908, a
worker at theWake UpCharlie claims discovered placer gold and tetradymite
in a small gulch east
of Cottonwood
Spring (L.asky, 1947). The tetradymite was misidentifiedas the mineral sylvanite, a gold telluride, which
the
141
prospector had seenat Cripple Creek. This led to the naming of the Sylvanite mining camp and to a gold rush
(Jones, 190Xa, b; Dinsmore, 1908; Martin, 1908).
After discovery,the placers were mined by hand using simple techniques
and implements. Dry washers
and rockers were employed
in concentrating the gold becauseof the shortage of water Cindgren et al., 1910). The
placers were not extensive,
and by March 1908, they had been largely abandoned. Despite early optimism,
the
value of the placer gold was not great (Anderson, 1957). Total placer production was estimated
to be lessthan 200
oz, worth between $2,000and $3,500 in gold (Table 64). The short duration
of the gold rushis reflected in the
history of the town of Sylvanite which was established
in 1908 and hadan average populationthat year of 500 to
1,000. By 1909, with abandonmentof the placers, the population had droppedto 70. Placer goldcan still be found
in some of the arroyos (Johnson, 1972; McLemore, 1994a).An abandoned placer operationin sec.13, T28S,
(V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes, July1, 1995).
R16W appears to have been worked recently
Once the placers started giving out, prospecting
for gold-bearing hard-rock deposits began. Most
of the
Mining was at such a
deposits that had been exploredup to 1937 in the Little Hatchet Mountains were small.
small scalethat none of the mines extended much below
the water table,and those that did are now flooded.
least to the water table.
Moreover, at that time, all known shoots of minable size appeared to be mined atout
Lasky (1947) describesten different typesof mineral depositsin the area, of which only a relative few
A few of these mines produced gold
and other metals
have accountedfor the total past production (Elston, 1965).
over a significant period.
A small amountof scheelite was produced
from the Eagle Point tungsten claimsin 1943
(650 short tonsof 0.44% WOS;Dale and McKinney, 1959). The last ore shipment reported wasin the early 1950s
from the Hornet mine (Anderson, 1957). The Copper Dick deposit was discovered
in the 1890s and produced
An attempt to ship ore from
copper, silver, gold,and lead fromat least 1905 to 1954 from underground mining.
an open cutat the Copper Dick mine was not successful.
In the 1960s through198Os, several companies have examined
the area for potential metal deposits.
Exxon Corp. drilledten holes (greaterthan 30,000 ft total) in the 1960s to 1970s. Phelps Dodge, Inc., also
examined the area. In 1990, Champion Resources, Inc., drilled 27 holes (12,000
ft)and in 1991 to 1993,
Challenger Goldjoint ventured with Champion Resources
and drilled 7 additional holes (7,000ft). The results
were not encouraging, although
drilling did intercept40 ft that assayed 0.06odton Au.
Geology
The oldest rocksin the district occurat the southern endof the mountains and in isolated hills, where
(Lasky, 1947; Zeller, 1970). The
Proterozoic porphyritic granite has been cut by northeast-trending aplite dikes
younger rocksin the district include Paleozoic
and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks and Tertiary volcanics. The
sedimentary sequence begins with Bliss Sandstone resting unconformably the
upon
Proterozoic granite (Zeller,
1970; Lawton et al., 1993). Elsewhere
in the Little Hatchet Mountains, massive Permian Horquilla Limestone
is
the oldest exposed sedimentary formation. Cretaceous
sedimenmy formations makeup the bulk of the Little
Hatchet Mountains. Early Tertiary Hidalgo Formation consists
of volcanic rocksthat rests unconformably upon
the older sedimentary formations; a hornblende andesite
at the base of the section hasan age dateof 71.44+0.19
Ma (40Ar/39Ar, hornblende; Lawton et al., 1993). The upper
part of the volcanic rocksis truncated by thrust
a
fault. Middle-to-Late Tertiary volcanic rocks consist chiefly
of rhyolite and latite pyroclastic rocksand rest with
angular unconformityon the older rocks.
In the Little Hatchet Mountains, several Laramide-age stocks, dikes, sills
and have intrudedthe
Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, and
the most highly mineralized areasare associated with these intrusions.The
quartz monzonite and monzonite in the Sylvanite and Eureka districts
is called the Sylvanite quartz monzonite
stock (Zeller, 1970),but detailed studiesare needed to determineif there is more than one intrusive phase.North
of Hachita Peak, stocks and large
sills of diorite form much
of the eastern and northern slopes. The andesite
contains altered zones. The youngest intusive rock appears
be to
the granite at Granite Pass, whichhas been dated
as 43-48 Ma (zircon, fission track; Zeller, 1970). 40Ar/39Ar dating
of K-feldspar yielded aplateau ageof
32.33*0.18 Ma (V. T. McLemore, unpublished age determination). Rhyolite, felsite, and
latite dikes have intruded
this granite as well as the older intrusive rocks.
Mineral Deposits
Four types of deposits occur
in the district: Laramide veins, Laramide skarns, disseminated pyrite
in
Tertiary intusive rocks,and gold placers (Table 65). Lasky (1947) describes
ten different mineralogical
associations: 1) disseminated pyrite in Tertiary intrusiverocks, 2) chalcopyrite skarns (Copper Dick mine), 3)
pyrrhotite replacements (Clemmie mine), 4) chalcopyrite-tourmaline veins (Buckhorn mine),5) arsenopyritetonrmaline veins (Creeper mine), 6) tetrahydymite-native gold veins (Gold
Hill mine), 7) chalcopyrite-barite
142
veins (Santa Maria mine),8) galena veins (SilverTrail mine), 9) quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite veinsproken Jug
mine), and 10) fluorite-calcite-quam veins. Theyare hosted in Cretaceous sedimentary rocksand Tertiary granitic
or mafic intrusive rocks.
TABLE 65-Mines and prospects in the Sylvanite mining district, Hidalgo and Grant Counties (from Lindgren et
al., 1910; Lasky, 1947; Dale and McKinney,l959; Zeller, 1970; Elston, 1960; Cooper, 1962;
Hammarstrom et al., 1988; V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes, 9/14/93,7/1/95). Location includes
section, township, and range.
I MINENAMB I LOCATION I LATlTUDE, COMMODWIE-S I YEARS OF I DEVELOPMENT I HOST
TYPE OF
LONGlTWDI
Albert
Bader Placer
20,2128s 319 51' 1 9 ,
Broken Jug
NW35 28s
I
NE 27 28s
(Cmmp,
Three Snakes
Clemmie
NElO29S
CacN8
314'9' 58",
108'27" 25"
I
Buckhorn (Wood,
Russell , Barney )
16W
C2 29s 16W
DEPOSW
placer gold
Larsmide
vein
I
31' 50' 39", Au, Ag, C u , Pb, 1880s - 1940
108" 27' 46"Zn, Bi, Te
31" 48'06", W,Mo,
As,
Cu,
Bi
31"
49'
30",
Au, Bi, Te, Cu
108'25' 56"
Copper Dick
31"
51' 2",
108'27'38''
NE2228S
16W
Cottonwood
springs Placers
29 28s 16W
31' 50' 00",
108' 29'
26"
alluvial
I 1908 - 1910
I
I
I 1905 - 1954
Cu, Ag,Au,Pb
Au
Abandoned in
1908
Ashaftand
an adit Cret Hell-ToFinish
Formation
I pits
1 Cret Mojada
Formatian
150 ft shafts, 20 A I Cret Hell-ToI of driRF
I Finish
Formation
I 100 ft shaft, pit, I Cret Hell-Totrench
Finish
Formation
pits
Cenozoic
gravels
3 29s 16W
I
I
FOIllUtiO*
1908 - 1941
Au, Ag, Cu, Bi,
Te
Au,Cu
Ag,
I
adits (265, 165 ft), Cret U Bar
60 fl shaft
FODtiO"
opencut, trenches, Penn.
adit
Horquilla
Limestone
pits, shafts
Cret Hell-ToFinish
31' 51' 26", Au,Ag, Cu, Zn, unknown
Pb
108'27' 00"
Gold Hill
(Hardscrabble,
Silver Lake,
Golden Eagle
I
I
I
As, Au, Te, Bi, none
CU
W,Mo, Pb, Cu, 1943
Ag, Zn
olaims
Eagle Point
Gold
Acres
I
I 1943
I
I
3 adits, pits
ft shafl
Pre 1910
30
Cret Hell-ToFinish
Formation
Sylvanite
quam
Green (Little
Mildred, Martin)
Au, Ag, Cu
I
Larsmide
skam
Laramide
skarn
Laramide
skarn
Placer gold
Larsmide
vein
Laramide
skarn
Laramide
skarn,
placer gold
Laramide
vein
Laramide
vein
monzonite
I
1920,
1935
Laramide
vein
I stock
adit
30"27'
108"
I
2 shsllow
shafts,
Cret Hell-ToFinish
Formation
Sylvanite
Omega 1 and 2)
Larsmide
vein
Laramide
vein
monzonite
Hand Car
opencuts, 20 fl
I
Cu, Ag,
Au,
Zn 1900s
Finish
King Solomon
Sylvanite
quam
monzonite
I stack
I
65 and 90 A deep Cret Hell-Toshafts
Formation
pits
Sylvanite
monzonite
143
Laramide
vein
Laremide
skarn
Laramide
vein
MINE NAME
LOCATION
(ALIAS)
Knickerbocker
(Quartzite)
27"
Little Hatchet
(Albert Bader
Property, S a m
Maria, Faria)
Pearl @ h u e
CriSto)
Ridgewood
(Adelina,
Monrania)
Silver Lake
NE15 29s
16W
21 28s 16W
sE3 29s
16W
SW35 29s
16W
sE34 28s
16W
31" 48'
28",
108" 27'
25"
31" 49'
16",
108" 27'
00"
Au, Ag
1909
3 adits (60,80,
and 90 fl lonp)
Au, Cu, Ag
1909
Surface cuts,
shaft, 40 fl adit
49'
31"
48", unknown
pits
Au,
Cu Ag,
108' 27 '32"
V, Pb, Zn, Cu,
Ag
Silver Trail
SE2128S
16W
31'51' 1 9 ,
108' 28' 45"
Wake-Uv-Charlie
NE34 28s
31"49' 44", Au,
Cu,
Bi,
108" 28' 07"
Te
I
Yellow Jacket
"fIknOW"
unknown
UnknOW"
-1
unknown (Grant
1909
pits, shafl
1908
2 s h a h (60,1W
ft deep)
..
I
I
NE24 28s
31' 49' 30", A", Cu, Pb, Ag
108" 28' 10"
25",
14 47'
29s
16W 31"
Ag
108' 26' 15"
NW3 29s
31'
49'
10".
Cu,
Ag,A",
Zn
108" 27 45"
33.34 29s 31'50' W",
Au?*Ag?
108' 27' 40"
52'
SW13 28s
TYPE OF
DEPOSE
Laramide
vein
Laramide
sksrn
LATRUDE, COMMODITIES
YEARS OF
DEVELOPMENT
HOST
LONGITUDE
PRODUCTION
31' 47 '25",
Ag
early 18808
pits
Cret Majado
108
Fromation
31"51' 18", Pb, Cu, Ag, A", 3 shafts, 90-100fl Cret Hell-To108' 28' 45" Zn, Mo, V, Ba
,1200 fl of drifts Finish
Fonnatian
31'
29,
108' 26' 5"
I
Au
I
1908
shafl
none
pits
unknown
sdit
none
pits
unknown
I
pits
Cret U Bar
Laramide
vein
Formation
Cret Hell-ToLarsmida
Finish
sksrn
Formation
Cret Hell-ToLarsmida
Finish
skkarn
Formation
Cret hell-ToLaramido
Finish
vein
FOrm*tiOll
Sylvanite
Laramide
quam
vein...vlacer
lmonronite
gold
stock
Cret Hell-ToLaramide
Finish
skarn
Cret Majado
Laramide
FOInlFtio"
vein
Tertiary diorite
Laramide
vein
Sylvanite
disseminsted
quam
I
Cenozoic
alluvial gravels
placer gold
Gold in the district chiefly occnrrs
in quartz fissure-veinsin the Sylvanite stockand in the adjacent
limestone (Anderson, 1957), althoughthere is excellent potentialfor gold-bearing skarn deposits. The veins
typically consistof coarse-grained white quartz cutting and replacing altered host rocks (Lasky, 1947).
Tourmaline occursin the altered rocks and actinolite
and chlorite occurin pockets in the quartz. Tetradymite may
be the most abundant gold-bearing mineral. The veins
are typically short, erratic, steeply dipping,
pinch and swell,
of earliest production
and less than 15 ft wide. Many occur near lamprophyre dikes. Samples from somethe
reportedly assayed 216-300odton Au @Iartin, 1908). Lasky (193%) believes potential existsin the subsurface for
similar deposits between
the Sylvanite and Eureka districts.
The Eagle Point, Cactus Gronp, and Copper Dick mine are examples
of the skarn deposits. A small
tungsten skarn occurs in a garnetiferous zonealong the contact between Horquilla Limestone
and Tertiary
intrusive rocksat the Eagle Point claimsin the southern tip of the area (Fig.38; Dale and McKinney, 1959; V. T.
McLemore, unpublished field notes, July 2, 1995). Molybdenumis present, and garnet is a gangue mineral. The
contacts between tungsten-copper-lead skarns with
the limestone are irregular, but sharp (Fig. 39). Another small
molybdenum- and tungsten-bearing skam occurs in a garnetiferous zonein Howells Ridge Formationat the Cactus
Group claims@ale andMcKinney, 1959; Hammarstrom et al.,1988; V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes,
September 14, 1993). Scheelite wasthe mineral of economic interestat these deposits.
The Copper Dick mine
is a copper-garnetskam deposit in at the intersection witha lamprophyre dikein
Hell-to-Finish Formation limestone. Calc-silicate skam-type minerals such
as epidote, chlorite,and actinolite are
in the southern
present as gangue minerals. A small bismuth anomaly was discovered by Challenger Resources
part of the district, which may be related
to lead-zinc and/or gold skarns.
144
~~
FIGURE 3 C E a g l e Point adit (looking east) with unaltered limestoneto the right and skam to the left, Sylvanite
district, HidalgoCounty (V. T. McLemore photo,7/1/95).
FIGURE 39-Closeup of W-Cu-Pb s k m at the Eagle Point mine, Sylvanite district,
Hidalgo County (v.T,
McLemore photo, 7/1/95),
145
The Buckhorn mineis in metamorphosed limestone beds about
500 ft north of the Sylvanite stock. The
mine is located at thewest endof a vein outcrop having a general
trend of S70"E and dipping 70' to 90° NE
(Lasky,1947). The vein averages 4-5ft wide but varies from 1-15 ft, and lies between a lamprophyre dike
and
and breccia occuralong the vein. Native gold,
garnetized bedsof metasediments. In some places, clay gouge
silver, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, bismntite,and tellurobismnthiteare ore minerals, andquartz, calcite, tourmaline,
limonite, pyrite,and chlorite are gangue minerals.
At the Green mine, gold occurs
in a pinch and swell-typevein in limestone conglomerateand garnet.
Quartz monzonite of Sylvanite stockand dikes are associated igneous rocks.The most abundant metallic ore
mineral is tetradymite (Lasky, 1947). Visible goldis recognized, occursas grains and thin streaks in thequartz.
The silver-gold ratioat the Green mine was about 1.5-2 times
as much silveras gold; muchof the silver occurred
in hessite. Chemical analysesof selected samples fromthe Sylvanite mining district are shown in Table 66.
TABLE 66"chemical analyses of samples fromthe Sylvanite mining district, Hidalgo County. Samples
are
representative dump samules.No gold was detected in anv samDles. Analvses bv New Mexico Bureau of
Zones of disseminated pyrite occurin themonzonite near Cottonwood Spring.The monzonite is altered
to jarosite, iron oxides, and pyrite. Unaltered, pre-ore lamprophyre dikes
cut the altered monzonite, suggesting
that the alteration is older than the mineralization (Lasky, 1947).
Gold placer depositsare found in many of the arroyos draining the lode deposits (Table 66).
Panning of
most arroyos could yieldfree gold. However, noneof these placer depositsare large enough to be economic.
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF TEE
MINING DISTRICTS OF GRANT COUNTY
Virginia T.McLemore, David M. Sutphin, Daniel
R. Hack, andTim C. Pease
Introduction
until it was establishedin 1868; it included part of Luna
Grant Connty was
part of Doria Ana County
County until 1909 andall of Hidalgo Countyuntil 1919. It is the largest metal producing county
in New Mexico.
Several world class deposits
lie within its borders. The Chino copper mine at Santa Rita was probablyfirst mined
by Native AmericanIndians for ornaments, tools, andtradingpurposes. Since becomingpart of the United States
in 1846, Grant County typically led
the state in metals production. Table67 shows annual production from 1869
to
1982.
TABLE 67-Metals production from Grant County. New Mexicofrom 1869 to 1982 ninderen et al..
147
PLACER
YEAR
LODE
1983-1995
TOTAL1869-
ORE
(SHORT
I
w I
WI
571,025,106
GOLD
COPPER(LBS)
GOLD
1,927
W
W
9,894,038,707
769,638
SILVER
LEAD(LBS)
-
I
5,800
19K?
148
VALUE($)
ZlNC(LBS)
w
I
120,462,893
W
W
W
W
32,388,069
331,621,364
2,195,454,446
4,926,770,758
Many districtsin Grant County account
for most of the metals productionin New Mexico. The Chino
(Santa Rita district)
and Tyrone (Burro Mountains district) mines
are the largest porphyry-copper deposits
in New
Mexico. The Chino mineis also the state’s largest gold producer.
The Burro Mountains districtis the 2nd largest
silver producingdistrict in New Mexico, whereasthe Bayard districtranks 3rd. The Bayard districtis the 2nd
largest silver producing
district in the state. The Fierro-Hanover districtranks 3rd in copper production behind
Santa Rita and Burro Mountains districts,
and it ranks 4th in lead and 1st in zinc production. Otherdistricts also
are significant base-and precious-metals producers: Piiios Altos(5th zinc, 6th copper, 10th gold), CopperFlat
(6th in zinc), Carpenter (7thin zinc), and Steeple Rock(9th gold, 13th silver).
Currently, three metal minesare in production in the county: Chino (SantaRita district), Tyrone (Burro
Mountains district),and Continental (Fierro-Hanover district).The Hnrley smelterat Hnrley (Fig. 5) and solventextraction-electrowinning(SX-EW) plants at Tyroneand Santa Rita are operated by Phelps DodgeMining Co. In
addition, sandand gravel, limestone,and fire clay alsoare produced from the county (Hatton etal., 1994). Silica
flux containing precious metals was produced from
the Steeple Rock districtin the early 1990s.
Silver Cityis the largest communityin the county. The Gila and Mimbres Rivers cut through Grant
County. The Gila Wilderness Area, one
of the first areas in theU.S., has been withdrawn from mineral entry since
its formation in 1924. Additional acreagehas been addedto the Gila Wilderness Area since
then which amounts
to 558,065 acres. The Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area was established
in the Black Rangein eastern Grant County
in 1980; it totals 202,016 acres,including small portionsin Sierra County. Muchof the county is within the Gila
National Forest (2,704,724 acres, including
large portions in Catron County). The Gila CliffDwellingsNational
Park lies just north of the county line in Catron County.
Alum Mountain district
Location and Mining History
The Alum Mountainmining district, also knownas the Gila River, Alungen, and Copperas Creek
districts, is located about17 mi east-northeast of the GilaFluorspar mining district (Fig. 1). It was first discovered
1 odton Au and 21 odton Agfromvolcanicin 1892. In 1945,3short tons of ore were produced containing
epithermal vein deposits (Table 2). Approximately 1,100
short tons of meerschaum have been produced from three
shafts in the area in 1885 (Northrop, 1959;RattC et al., 1979).It is used in manufacturing articles such
as cigar
of the material was pressedinto tobacco pipes and other
holders, pipes, and mouthpieces used by smokers. Some
material was usedas an absorbent for nitroglycerine. The best meerschaumis impnrity free and forms in blocks
from which pipes can be carved. These maybe very ornate with clay, amber,
wood, metals, and other materials
added to heightentheir commercial appeal. Lower-grade materialis processed to free it of impurities and pressed
or molded into shape (Talmageand Wootton, 1937).
Geology
The district is situated on Gila Flats, between
the northwest-southeast-trending Gila Hot Springs graben to
the north and Sapillo graben
to the south. The rocks in the district are part of the Oligocene volcanic complexof
Alum Mountain(29.7*1.0 Ma; RattC et al., 1979). The volcanic complexof Alum Mountain consists
of andesitic
flows and breccias, pyroclastic and volcanic rocks
and associated smallintrusivebodies. Surrounding the volcanic
complex are the slightly youngerlatitic and andesitic lava flows
of Gila Flat (29.6 *1.1,29.3*1.1 Ma; K-Ar,
biotite, sanidine;Ratte et al., 1979).
All of the hydrothermally altered rocks
in theCopperas Creek and Alum
Mountain areas belongsto the
volcanic complexof Alum Mountains (Fig. 40; Ratte et al., 1979). The altered rocksare confined to andesitic and
latitic lava flows, flow breccia, and bedded volcaniclastic
and pyroclastic rocksthat are cut by smallsilicic rhyolitic
and dacitic intrusive bodies. Most
of these bodiesare dikes andsills a few meters thick,
but there are several larger
is more evident,but shallow intrusive or
venting
bodies. In the southern part of the district, local fracture control
activity is also present.The alteration is of a similar age as thehost rocks (30 Ma;
RattC et al., 1979; Marvin et al.,
1987). RattC et al. (1979) interpretes
that these highly argillizedand silicified rockson Alum Mountain represent
solfatnric-type alteration commonly associatedwith volcanic vent activity. However, McLemore (1994c,
in press b)
presents the possibilty that this acid-sulfate alteration maybe indicative of high-&dation gold deposits at depth
(Cox and Singer, 1986; Rye et al., 1992).
149
IO
-
13'10
T13S
T145
-.'.
.?.
33'05'
I
t Pit
'1 4s
7 5s
Figure 40"ines
and prospects in the Alum Mountain miningdistrict, Grant County, New Mexico (modified from Wargo, 1959).
are the most abundant alteration products (Hayes, 1907).
The
Quartz, opal, alunite, alum, and clays
district is named for the natural alum minerals that arefound in deposits on Alum Mountain between Sapillo
Creek andthe Gila Riverand on both sides of Alum Canyon tothe north. These minerals do not occnras original
constituents of the rocks butare alteration products.Rattk et al. (1979) interprets the alteration at Alum Mountain
probably to have resulted
from hydrothermal solutions given
off by a larger intrusion beneaththe volcanic center.
Mineral deposits
has resulted in widespread solution and
Alteration causedby descending or ascending meteoric water
redeposition of hydrated-aluminum sulfates, mainly halotrichite and alunogen,
and created unusuallylarge deposits
69,
of these minerals(RattC and Gaskill, 1975;R a t t C et al., 1979). These deposits have been prospected (Table
and a large body of 90million short tons of sodic alunitewith significant quantitiesof microquartz, kaolinite, and
iron oxides has been defined. Locally, zones contain30% alunite, with quartzas the other main constituent. In
late 1970s, a processin use in the former Soviet Union was
being studied as an economic meansof exploiting the
alunite deposit (Hall, 1978; Ratti et al., 1979). Locally, goldand silver occurin quartz veins; one sample
contained 0.28odton Au and0.36 odton Ag (Rattk et al., 1979).
Talmage and Wootton (1937) descrihesthe meerschaum depositsas veins in Tertiary igneous rocks.The
meerschaum occursin theveins as impure nodules
or in blocks someof which are several feet across (Table 68).
In most instances,the meerschaum contains crystalsof quartz or calcite, so that grinding and washing are
required.
TABLE 68-Mines and prospects in the Alum Mountain mining district, Grant County,New Mexico
Location includes section, township,
and range.
al. 1979 Hall 1978
In the southern part of the district north of Copperas Creekand to the east, is anarea where meerschaum
(a common name forthe mineral sepiolite) occursin veins. Sepiolite is a hydrous silicateof magnesia having the
composition 2Mg0.3Si02, a specific gravityof2, and a hardnessof 2 to 2.5 (Sterrett, 1908). It is a tough, Snely
granular, white mineral.Much of it is so porous that, whendry, it will floatin water. The popular name
meerschaum is German for "sea foam," which beliesthis unusual property. Meerschaumis a productof the
alteration of magnesian rocksor minerals, generally magnesite
or serpentinite.
Bayard district
Location and Mining History
The Bayard (or Central) mining district is between Silver City
and Santa Rita (Fig. 1). Some writers,
such as Anderson (1957), have included deposits
from the Santa Rita, Fierro-Hanover, and Bayard district
into the
Central mining district. Lasky (1936a),for example, notesthat the Central mining district officially includes
the
Hanover, Fierro, andSanta Rita subdistricts and claims near
the town of Central. This report restrictsthe Bayard
district to the immediate vicinityof the town of Bayard (Table 69; Fig. 1);
the Central disttict is not usedin this
report. The Bayard district was discovered
in 1858 and total production is estimated as 110 millionIbs Cu, 24,000
oz Au, 7.5 million oz Ag, 225 million lbs Pb, and 809 million Ibs Zn (Table 2). Laramide veins and placer gold
deposits are found in thedistrict. Manganesehas been producedfrom mines on theManhattan and Pleasant View
claims. The claims were originally patented
in 1903 for lead and zinc and also produced several carloads each
of
high-grade lead-zinc ore (Famham, 1961).
151
TABLE 69-Mines and prospects of the Bayard mininz district, GrantCounty.
_ .New Mexico. Deoosits
are Laramidev&ns-Location includes section, township, and range.
MINENAME
(LIB)
LOCATION
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
REFERENCES
Texas
NW0218S13W
32'46'45"
10S009'45"
A&Au,Pb,Zn
400Rshaft
Three Brothers
NW31 17s 12W
32'4T 30"
108'07'30''
Vigil (Link Goat)
NE31 17s 1ZW
32"
47'
15"
108'' 07' 15"
Pb,
ZbPb, Cu,
A&
A"
Zn
Lasky(1936a),Lindgren
etal. (1910)
inclinedshaft 156 LaSky(1936Q Jonesand
fl deep with 400 R Hemon (1973)
of workings
sh&
and
adits Lasky (1936a)
The SanJose claim, which has become part
of the Ground Hogmining operation, is one of the oldest
mining claims in the area (Lasky, 1936a). It was mined for copper, gold,and silver prior to 1869.The Ground
Hog and Lucky Bill claims were located
in 1900 afterthe vein had been exposed by stream erosion
at the mouth of
Lucky Bill Canyonin the northern endof Bayard Canyon.
Geology
The Bayard districtand the surrounding rocks have been studied extensively because
of the mineral
wealth that has been produced there for
over a hundred years. However,there appears to be no recent s u m m a r y
specifically of the geology and mineral productionof the area. Lasky (1936a) provides a bibliography
of studies to
that time. Jones et al. (1967) updatesthe bibliography and offers a modern lookat the geology of the Santa Rita
quadrangle wherethe majority of the district is located.
The exposed rocksin the area rangein age from Pennsylvanian to Recent. Rocks of Pennsylvanian and
Cretaceous ageare broken byfaults, locally domed and folded by forceful injection
of Late Cretaceous-Tertiary
152
magma, and intruded by swarms of dikes trendingin a northeasterly direction (Joneset al., 1967). In the southern
part of the area, flat-lying volcanic rocks
of Miocene(?)age overliethe older sedimentary rocksand form dissected
plateaus. The Pennsylvanian rocks include
the Oswaldo Formation, which consists
of c h e q limestone, thin beds
of shale, and lenses of sandstone, and
the Syrena Formation whichis a limy shale and argillaceous limestone.
Triassic, Jurassic, and Early Cretaceous beds
are absent in the area. Late Cretaceous sedimentary rocks
are the
Beartooth Quartzite,a fine-grained crossbedded quartzite, and Colorado Formation consisting
of a lower black
shale member andan upper sandstone member.
At least 25 types of intrusive rocks occur
in the Santa Rita quadrangle (Jones et al., 1967). The intrusions
consist of sills, laccoliths, stocks, dikes, and plugs
of Late Cretaceous(?)and Early Tertiary age. The volcanic
rocks in the area include flows, dikes,
tuffs, and plugs. The Rubio Peak Formation, a thick sequence
of flows and
tuffs, is overlain by SugarlumpTuff which is inturn overlain by Kneeling Nun Rhyolite
Tuff. These latter two
units make upthe bnlk of San Jose Mountainin the southern part of the area. Quaternary sediments consistof
semi-consolidated gravel deposits, hillside ruble and talus, and sand, gravel,
and soil.
The Bayard areais near the trough onthe eastern limbof the Pinos Altos-Central syncline.Four periods
of faulting have been recognizedin the Bayard area: 1) subsequent tothe intrusion of the sills, along which
granodiorite porphyry dikes were
later injected, 2) after the injection of the dikes, 3) afterthe expulsion of the
volcanic rocks, 4) near the end of the explosive stageof volcanic activity (noneof the faults in the district can be
truly labeledas being from this period, butthe Bayard and Ground Hog faults may have originated
at this time).
All of the faults are normal, and
the downthrown sideis generally tothe southeast (Lasky, 1936a).
Mineral deposits
The Laramide vein deposits
in the Bayard districtare chiefly precious-and base-metal fissurefillings and
replacement bodiesin faults and fractures. These deposits have been enriched by
both
supergene and hypogene
processes. At the Ground Hog mine, granodiorite dikes have intruded quartz diorite porphyry
of the Fort Bayard
laccolith, within faulted massesof Colorado shale and alonga fracture zone about200 ft wide. The ore occurs
within fracturesand fracture zonesin the granodiorite dikesand their wall rocks (Spencerand Paige, 1935).
Hypogene ore-minerals include chalcopyrite, galena,
and sphalerite. Supergene minerals include chalcocite
pseudomorphs after galena, cermsite, wulfenite,
and goslarite. Vanadium as cuprodescloizite has been found
underground at the Ground Hog(Lasky, 1930,1936a).
At the Ivanhoe and Ninety mines, both now under mine waste dumps the
nearChino mines concentrator,
ore occursas fissure filling and replacements alonga contact betweena granodiorite porphyry dikeand shaly
limestone and qnatz diorite sill of the Colorado Formation. Chalcopyriteis irregularly distributed throughout,and
narrow bandsof fine-grained galenaparalleling the fault are associated with sphalerite. Cerussite
and pyritic
chalcocite are abundant supergene minerals (Lindgren et al., 1910).
Veins onthe Manhattan and Pleasant View claims consistsof pyrolusite, wad,and some psilomelane
associated with lead-carbonate and lead-zinc sulfides
in a fissure zonein quartz diorite porphyry.The fissure
ranges from 3 to ft6wide, strikes N30°E, and dips steeply southeast. Assays
of samples are in Table 70. The
and stringers as much
manganese minerals occurin narrow stringers,in bands 2 ft wide, and small irregular veins
as a footor more in length (Famham,1961). Most of the shafts have been backiilled
by the Abandoned Mine
Lands program.
TABLE 70-Chemical analyses of samples collected fromthe Manhattan and Peerless claims. Analyzed
by NMBMMR Chemical Laboratory(Lynn Brandvold, manager)by FAAS and fireassay for cold
153
The placer regioncovers mostof the drainage areaof the pre-volcanic rocks; even
the smallest arroyos
and channels have yieldedgold (Lasky,1936a). The most productive placers were
north of San Jose Mountainand
east of the town of Central. The gold was derived fromthe fissure veinsin the area. Experienced gold panners
found gold contentof the sands increased wherethe arroyo crossed a vein,then abruptly declined, onlyto increase
again when another vein was crossed &as@, 1936a).
Gold dust with a fineness
of 0.705 is common, hut nuggets
than 1,000 oz of gold has been produced from
the placers
the size of a small lima bean have been found. Less
(McLemore, 1994a; Johnson, 1972).
Black Hawk district
Location and Mining History
21 mi
The Black Hawkor Bnllard Peakmining district is inthe northern Burro Mountains, approximately
all of the mines and prospect pits within five miles
to the east and south
west of Silver City. The district includes
of Bullard Peak(Fig. 41). Mining began in the district in 1881 withthe discovery ofthe unique silver-nickelcobalt depositat the Alhambra mine(Gilleman andWhitehread, 1956). Subsequent prospecting soon discovered
additional deposits.Mining continued until 1893, when a decline
in silver priceand depletion of rich silver ore
caused the mines to close.Dnring 1917, the Black Hawk mine was dewatered, but had no recorded production.
In
1920, pitchblende (uraninite) was recognized on mine dumps
in the area, andin 1949 the area becameof interest
as a possible sourceof uranium, nickel, and cobalt. Types
of deposits foundin the Black Hawkmining district
include: Laramide veins, tungsten placer deposits, and pegmatites. Total metal production
from 1881-1960 is
estimated as 3,000 lbs Cu, 1,000 oz Au, 1,286,000 oz Ag, and 4,000 lbs Pb (Table 71). In addition, 10,542 short
tons of (2.7-71 % WO,) tungsten ore (Richter and Lawrence, 1983; Dale and McJGnney, 1959)
and 615 short tons
of fluorspar ore have been produced (Williams, 1966; McAnnlty, 1978).
I
TABLE 71-Metals production from the Black Hawkmining district, Grant County, New Mexico
(U.S.
Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990; Lindnren
et
al.,
1910).
Additional
uroduction
included
with
Burro
Mountains district. Mstimated.
YEAR
I ORE(SH0RT I COPPER I GOLD 1 SILVER(O2)
. , I LEAD (LBS I TOTALVALUE I
~~
~I
TONS)
1940
1946
TOTAL 1940-1946
ESTIMATED
(LBS)
292
67
359
-
(OZ)
1,000
1,100
5
9
14
1,000=
2,100
3,000'
($)
4,095
542
4,637
1,28G,000e
200
3,800 4,533
4,000'
3,210
1,323 3,600
1,000,000'
T O T A T IPP1.14Cn
Geology
The oldest rocksin the Black Hawkmining district belong to
the Proterozoic Bullard Peak Group, which
includes quartzite, amphibolite, migmatite,
and various typesof schist and gneiss (Hewitt, 1959; Gillennan, 1964).
Intruding these rocksis Proterozoic quartz diorite gneiss, whichis the predominant rockin the area and part of the
Burro Mountain batholith
that crops out extensivelyto the south and southwest of the area (Gillerman, 1964). The
gneiss, which contains 35 ppm
Co and 23 ppm Ni (Gerwe
and Norman, 1985), is inturn intrnded by Tertiary Twin
Peaks monzonite porphryand other rock types. The Twin Peaks monzonite stock
also occurs as dikes and
irregular massesin the northern portionof the district (Gillerman, 1964). This monzonite contains approximately
20 ppm Coand 11ppm Ni (Gerweand Norman, 1985), is Late Cretaceousin age (72.5 4.7 Ma; Hedlund,
to a vein
1985a), andis asociated withthe mineralized veins. A whole-rock sample of altered material adjacent
has an age dateof 65.3H.2 Ma (K-Ar; Gerwe, 1986). Metamorphic and igneous rocksare overlain by Cretaceous
quaaZite and Tertiary rhyolite
in the northern areaof the district (Gilleman, 1964).
T w o prominent fault systems trending slightly east
of north are the main geologic structuresin the district
off, trending
( G i l l e m , 1964). Each fault system consistsof a rather persistentfault from which other faults split
to the northeast or northwest.
*
154
L
I
zL
I
i-
7-l
\
\
\
I
C
9E
LE
OE
PZ
X
E2
X
81
PC
EL
LC,
,PZ.80 L
Mineral deposits
The unusual nickel-cobalt-silver deposits
of the Black Hawkmining district makethe area one of special
interest. Although similar deposits are described worldwide (Cobalt and Great Bear Lake
in Canada and
known deposits have nickelJoachimstahlin the former Czechoslovakia; Gillerman and Whitebread, 1956), few
cobalt-silver ore with uranium in carbonate gangue (Gillerman, 1964).
In the Black Hawk district,
the mineral
in the quartz diorite gneiss near bodies
of monzonite porphyry.
deposits are simple fissure-filling veins mostly
Four mineral assembalges occnr: 1) silver-argentite-nrminite-niccolite-rannneisbergite,
2) silverr~eisbergite-gersdorffite-nickelskntterudite, 3) chalcopyrite-tennantite-galena-sphalerite,and 4) acantbitejalpaite-pearceite-covellite(Von Bargen, 1979, 1993). Pitchblende
is found with minor pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena,
and sphalerite. Otherminerals occnning in these deposits are millerite, erythrite, annabergite, barite,
manganocalcite, and various nickeland cobalt sulfarsenidesand arsenides (Gillerman, 1964; Von Bargen, 1979,
1993). Depositsare most plentifulin a 1-mi-wide byas much as 3-mi-long area on the southwest sideof Twin
Peak stock (Gillerman, 1964).The veins can be traced for morethan 1,000 ft and have reachedas much as 600 ft
vertically. They varyin width from 1to 3ft but may opento as much as 10
ft wide where they cut
quartz diorite
gneiss. The veins are inconspicuous in outcrop andare recognized by brown-stained, carbonatefilling (Gillerman,
1964). The carbonates, largely calcite, dolomite, siderite,and ankerite, are themost commonvein minerals.
U308,
Quartz is rare, occurringas a dull yellow-green chertor chalcedony. A dump sampled assayed 0.005%
0.08% Cu, 0.05% Pb, 0.06% Zn, and 0.0052% Ni (McLemore, 1983, #3745). Mineralization occurred about
65.3*1.2 Ma ago and at temperatures of 29O0-41O0C (Gewe,1986). Low salinitiesoffluid inclusions (<2 eq. wt.%
NaCl) suggestthat the water in thesystem was meteoric (Gewe, 1986; Gewe
and Norman, 1985).
Larmide veins consist
of native silver, with silver occnring
in thecentral part of the vein and nickel- and
cobalt-bearing minerals, mostly nickel skutterudite,
are on the vein margins (Gillerman, 1968). Uraninite is found
mostly in theoutermost zones associated with
the nickel- and cobalt-bearing minerals, not with
the silver. The
carbonate vein-minerals form
in a sequence wherethe carbonate species calcite, dolomite, ankerite,
and siderite
replace one another due
to increased carbon dioxidein themineralizing solutions at a constant temperature
(Naumov et al., 1971).
Kissin (1988) notesthat deposits havingthe five-elementsuite (silver-nickel-cobalt-arsenic-bismuth)in
resultingfrom
veins suchas those in the Black Hawk area, indicate non-magmatic epigenetic mineralization
continental rifting. The deposits formfrom mineralizing solutionsthat are rather oxidized and form where
reduction, dilution,and cooling actas major constraints on deposition.
The sonrce of the nickel and cobalt in the
Black Hawkdistrict was probablyleaching of the Proterozoic quartz diorite gneiss
during the Laramide, becauseof
its large areal extent. The Proterozoic quartz diorite gneiss
has the highest nickeland cobalt concentrationsof the
predominant lithologies (Gerweand Norman, 1985; Gewe, 1986; VonBargen, 1979).
Gillerman and Whitebread (1956) reportsthat inMay 1952, three1,000 ft diamond drill holes were
positioned to intersect the Black Hawk vein.The core was checked for radioactivity, but no anomalous readings
were made. In 1982, the Black Hawk mine was being mined on a small scale for silver.
Tungsten deposits also occur
in the area to the south and eastof Bnllard Peak (Table 72). Scheelite placer
and lode deposits have been located
by prospectorsusing ultraviolet lamps@ale and McKinney, 1959).The
deposits are found near Proterozoic pegmatites
and amphibolites ( G i l l e m , 1964; Johnson, 1983).Pure scheelite
seams are found associated with pegmatite
dikes @ale and McKinney, 1959)or along faults (Gillerman, 1964).
Where found associatedwith quartz veins, scheelite commonly occnrs
at thevein margin, or as disseminationsin
the country rock(Gilleman, 1964).
TABLE 72-Mines and prospects in the Black Hawkmining district, Grant County,New Mexico
156
TYPE OF
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
Laramide 1 Gillman(l964>
.
.
I(1959)
vein
Laramide Gillman (1964)
I
I" **
NE21 18s
16W
SW28,
NW33 18s
Missouri Girl
Morning star
Osmer Silver
SE29
18s
Pacemaker(Reed)
SE35
16W
18s
16W
(MoneaUaNo. 2)
108°29'40"
Ag
32"42'15"
108'30'46"
W
32'42'10"
108929'50"
&U
41'45"
32"
108" 27'45"
W, Mo
90 A shaft, level 81
55 A
2 2 f l s h a 3 100
fl Cuts, pmSppeR
32"38'35"
108933'20"
Tweto (1962), Gillman
40 fl shaft with
drift
NW2419S
17W
RiCRCrraves
32O43'
54"
vein
50and30fl
shafts, pits
W
McKinney (1959), Richter
40 A s h a
prospect pits
Hewin(1959), Gilleman
I
I
Rose
Silver King
(Hobson)
NE2918S
16W
NE21 18s
16W
32'42'48''
32O108*
40"
43'
29'
I
I
I
108"30'39"
&Ni,Co,U,Cu,
200flshaftwith4
Au
levels 100 fl shaft
a g ,u
54"
diu, pits
300 A adiq
inclined shaft
Gillman and h i t e k e a d
vein
(1956), Gilleman(l964),
Hedlund1980
Laramide Gillman (1964),Hedlund
vein
(1978a),
Gilleman and
Whitebread (1956),FN
7/23/80
Laramide Gillman(l964), Hedlund
vein
(1978a),
Gillman and
Whitebread 1956
Laramide Hedlund(l980)
Larmide Hedlund(l980)
. ,
vein
Laramide Hedlund (1980)
I
I
Gillman (1964), Hedlund
157
Bound Ranch district
Location and Mining History
The Bound Ranch (Langford
Hills) mining district lies in the southern Burro Mountains, approximately
16 mi south ofthe Tyrone porphyry-copper depositand 4 mi southeast of Gold Hill mining district (Fig. 1).There
has been only fluorite and tungsten producedfrom t h i s district, beginningin the early 1900s (Tables4,6). A few
of the deposits have been worked for fluorspar
and gold, butthe gold content was too low
for continued mining
I, briefly in the early 1930s,
(Table 73). The American mine,for example, initially operated during World War
again during World War
11, and sporadically there after, producing 98 short tons
of fluorspar orein 1953
1966).
The
deposit
was
worked
also
for
gold,
but
the
gold content was low.The
(Gilleman, 1964; Williams,
Double Strike (Valley Spar)deposit was opened originally
as a gold minein the early 192Os, but during World
during World WarII and probably
War I1 it was minedfor fluorite. The Continental deposit produced fluorspar
as of 1951. Total production amounts to 3,230
before. The J A P Ranch and Windmill deposits had not produced
short tonsof fluorite and 4,150 short tonsWO, have been produced
.fromHillside, Alpha,and Bluebird mines
p a l e and McKinney, 1959; Hobbs, 1965).
TABLE 73-Mines and prospects ofthe Bound Ranchmining district, Grant County, New Mexico.
These deposits are Laramide veins and fluorite veins. Location includes section, township, and
LATITUDE
LQNGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCTION
REFERENCES
32'21'56''
10So22'38"
Cu W,
32' 23' 22"
108" 22' 45"
SW15
AuF,
lOOflsha%
pit
32'22'28''
F. Mn Ni
2 shafts. adit
Dale and Mdcinney
(1959), Gilleman
(19641,NMBMMRfde
'
&ta
98 shorttons CaF2 Gillerman(l952,1964),
Hedlund (1978%
NMBMMR file data
Gillennanf1964).
3,500 shorttons
shafl,pit
wo,
GreatRepublic,
Sunday)
t"t7
(Spar)
22s
American
32"21'44"
108'
24'
I
15"
108°22'21"
I
F,Au
I
3 shafts, p i s
Valley, Signal
32' 25' 7''
23'108"
13"
F, Au
pits, $hat%
I
-
l(1937)
3 shorlmns CaFz Gillerman(1952,1964),
William (1966)
Gillman(1964),
Rothrocketd. (1946).
Williams (1966)
121 shorttons
Gillermanf1952.1964).
"
Ij,
none
(Valley Spar,
I
I
50"
1089 24' 59"
F
shaft oit
31'23'4"
108"26'
12"
F
shaft
pits 6
24'
329
22s15w
6 shorltonsCaFz
22s 16W
Grant county
NW8 22s
1080 24'48" none
trenches
shaft, F
32024'27"
I
J A P Ranch
SEZS
Langfard
Windmill
32°20'45"
F 108'22'13''
32'21'54''
22.9
NE9 22s
I
32°21'36"
108°26'27"
32' 24' 32"
cu
108"25'35"
I
I wo.
pit
pit
none
none
F,U
pits
108' 23' 14"
I
F
none
I
I
none
Gilleman (1952,1964),
Hedlund (1978%
NMBMMRfile data
Johnaon(l928).
Gillman(1952,1964),
Hedlund (1978%
NMSMMRfile data
and McKinoey
I f19591 Gillermanf1952.
i964):Hedlund(l<78d),'
NMBMMRfile data
Hedlund (19780
Gilleman(1952, 196%
Hedlund (1978d)
Lovering(l956),
Gillman (1964).
McLemore'(l983)
I
IWilliams
^... (196%
I.^_-
.^_.I
13 22s 16W
22 22s 1 5 w
108' 22'40"
I
158
F
none I pits
(1978d)
1 Hedlund
I
Geology
Rocks in the Bound Ranch district consist
of Proterozoic granite and include schists and quartzites
that
are intruded by several dikes
of varying compositionsand ages. The most wide-spreadgranite in theBurro
Mountains is predominantly a grayish-orange, medium-grained variety containing
high percentage
a
of quartz and
potassium feldspar, minor albite,and minor biotite. The potassium feldsparis orthoclase or microcline, or both.
Large poikilitic orthoclase phenocrysts containing inclusions
of quartz, albite, biotite, and accessory
minerals are
locally present. Sphene, apatite,and magnetite are common accessory minerals; zircon, rutile,
and tourmaline are
locally present. Within the district, lenses of Proterozoic schist, amphibolite,
quartzite and other metamorphic
rocks are common in the granite as are Proterozoic aplite, pegmatite, and diabase dikes.
Northeast-trending faultsare common in thedistrict. These faults are commonly marked by mineralized
zones. Mineral depositsin the Bound Ranch district consist mainly
of fluorite fissure-filling veins
that occur along
faults in theProterozoic granite.
Mineral deposits
Mineral deposits in theBound Ranch districtare chiefly fluorspar stringers
and veins in Proterozoic
granite (Table 73; Johnston, 1928; Rothrock et al.,1946; Gillerman, 1951,1968). Fluorite is predominately green
or purple, butit may be also white, yellow,or violet (Gillerman,195 1). The fluorite characteristically occurs
as
massive texture, but columnar
or granular texturesare locally common. Cubeand octahedronforms are most
common crystal forms, but
at the American, Double Strike, and
JAP Ranch depositsin thedistrict, the
dodecahedron modifyingthe cube formis common. At the Double Strike deposits cubesof fluorite modified by
dodecahedrons, tetrahedrons,and bexoctahedrons have been found (Gillerman,
1951). Two or three stagesof
mineralization occurredin thevicinity of the Burro Mountainswith violet fluorite usually representing
the last
with the fluorite
stage (Rothrock et al.,1946; Gillerman, 1951). Quartz is the most common mineral associated
with minor amountsof calcite, pyrite, cbrysocolla, turquoise, malachite, hematite, limonite, native gold, silver,
manganese oxide, halloysite, autunite,
and uranophane.
The Double Strike, Windmill, American, Continental,
and JAP Ranch deposits were localized along, or
are near, the Malone fault and are mineralogically similar (Gillerman,1951). The American, Continental,and
Double Strike deposits have been mined
for both fluorite and gold and have numerous
sbafts, pits, and trenches.
The JAP Ranch and Windmill depositsare small and have been explored by shallow workings.
At the Continental deposit, fluorite occurs intermittently along a prominent
fault over about3,200 ft in
veins associated with silicifiedfault gouge and breccia (Rothrock et al.,1946; Gillerman, 195 1). The fault trends
of Proterozoic schistand
approximately tothe north and dips 60" to 85' E and cuts Proterozoic gneiss, lenses
quartzite, and middle Tertiary volcanic rocks. Fluorite
is found in both the Proterozoic rocks and
the volcanics, so
mineralization post datesthe middle Tertiary. Atthe deposit, fluoriteis commonly clear greenor yellow-green
coarsely crystalline cubes having etched crystal faces.
The only mineral associated
with fluorite is quartz, although
scheelite is present in a quartzvein about 600 ft to the west ofthe fluorsparvein.
The American deposit occurs
as veins and breccia zones along faults
that splay from the southwestern side
of Malone fault within Proterozoicgranite (Rothrock, et al., 1947; Gillerman, 1951). Pegmatite, aplite, diabase,
and rhyolite dikesintrude the granite. Fluorite is most abundant within approximately
300 ft of the Malone fault
and is not foundfarther than 700 ft from the fault. The veins are as much as 3 ft wide, and the breccia zonesup to
30 ft wide. Fluorite occurs as almost pure coarsely crystalline
green fluorite in veins and as a cementing material,
with quartz, of the breccia material between veins.
A 2-foot chip sampletaken from a cut45 feet northeast of the
main shaft assayed 47.0% CaF2 (Williams, 1966).
At the Double Strike deposit, fluorite occurs
in three silicified breccia zones
that range from 1 to 4 ft wide
in faulted Proterozoicgranite (Rothrock et al.,1946; Gillerman, 1951). As at the American deposit,the fluorite
of
occurs as veins cutting the silicified fault gouge or as part of the breccia. At the Double Strike deposit two types
fluorite are present; purpleand dark-green, coarsely crystallinefluorite was deposited beforepale green and white
fluorite having excellent crystalform.
At the JAP Ranch deposit,fluorite occurs sparinglyin a fissure veinlet system.The deposit consistsof
pods and veinlets in a northeast-trendingfault. Veinlets range from a few inchesto 12 inches thick and crop out
for a length of 80 ft. The fluorite is pale greenand well crystallizedas cubes and dodecahedrons (Williams,1966).
Two to four miles southwestof Malone fault,are the Bounds, Fence Line, Grandview, and
Grant County
deposits (Table73; Rothrock et al.,1946; Gillerman, 1951). These depositsare small andare similar to each
other. At the Bounds deposit, coarsely crystalline green fluorite occurs
in a vein 1 to 2 ft wide in granite that can
be traced for 300 ft on the surface. Smaller veins outcrop nearby.At the Grandview deposit, avein of clear green,
159
:
of disseminated fluorite occurin a highly
coarsely crystallinefluorite 2 fi wide and a 1to 2 foot wide zone
brecciated fracture zone in granite (Williams, 1966). The Fence Line andGrant County deposits occur along
the
At the Grant County deposits,four
same mineralized zone separated
by a wide valley filled with Recent gravels.
in several trenches.
subparallel veins have been exposed
Less than 2 miles sonthof the Grandview deposits,lies the Langford depositthat is economically
unimportant, butis of interest becauseof the uranium minerals associated withthe fluorite. Fluorite at the
Langford depositis ingranite in a silicified breccia zoneft5wide and striking N15'W and dipping 62ONE
(Gilleman, 1951). Mineralization consistsof dark purple, fine-grained fluorite occurring
as encmstations andas
veinlets lessthan one-inch thick between breccia fragments. Uranium minerals occur
in thebreccia zone
concentrated in the vicinity of the dark purple fluorite and possibly within
it (Gillerman, 1951).
Scheelite and wolframite occur scattered throughout narrow quartz veins
in several deposits (Table 73).
of 3.3 shorttons of 60% WOSis reported fromthe Hillside and Alpha
Grades were typically low, but one shipment
mines (Hobbs, 1965). Garnet, epidote, hornblende, calcite, and quartz
are found withthe scheelite at the Alpha
mine (Gillerman, 1964).
Burro Mountains district
Location and Mining History
of the Big Burro and Little Bumo Mountains (Fig. 1).
The Burro Mountains mining district includes parts
Copper minerals were
first discovered in the district aboutGOO A.D. when Native AmericanIndians mined
turquoise for jewelry and trade, but it was notuntil the early 1860sthat mining claims werefiled. In about 1880
and 1881, extensive prospecting
in western Grant County resulted
in finding gold, silver, lead, and copper
deposits. Mining began in thedistrict shortly after discovery,
and mining of rich silver ore continned until 1885.
In 1885, a stamp mill
that was erected onthe Gila River,and in 1903 aleaching plant was constructed near
the
mill (Hewitt, 1959).The Tyrone ore body was mined by nnmerous underground operations the
from
1870suntil
1909 when Phelps Dodge
Mining Co. consolidated 150mining companies that operated in the area at thetime. It
was notuntil 1921 when underground
mining ceased. During this time several high-gradeareas averaging 2-3%
Cu were mined out.From 1948 tothe 1950s, adrillingprogram was employed to define
the Tyrone orebody.
Overburden strippingbegan in 1967, and open pit mining commenced in 1969, and a 272-year old underground
mine was consumed by
the pit. In 1990-1992, additional reserves were located.
Currently, Tyrone uses solvent extraction-electrowinning
(SX-EW) technology to produce 148 to
150 million poundsof copper cathodesper year. During its history, mining at Tyrone has gone from
underground to open pit,
and from sulfide concentration
to heap leaching. Advancesin bio-leaching
technology, would open huge tonnage
of ore to ftnther copper recovery (Bruce Kennedy, Phelps Dodge
Mining Co., oral comm., April 1994).
Approximately 300 million short tons of ore grading 0.81% Cu were processedby the
concentrator at Tyrone from 1969 to1992 (Table 75). Approximately 425 millionshort tons of ore
grading 0.35% Cu have been leached(R. J. Stegen, Phelps DodgeMining Co., written communication,
October 3, 1994). In addition, silverand gold were recoveredfrom 1903 to 1992. Reserves are estimated
as 230.2 million short
tons of leach oregrading 0.35% Cu (RobertM.North, Phelps Dodge
Mining Co.,
written communication, October, 1995).
While Tyroneis the largest producer,it is not the only producing mine
in the district (Table 76).
Total production from the district amounts to more
than 5.24 billion lbs Cu, 50,000 Au,
oz 10 million oz
Ag, 200,000 lbs Pb, and300,000 lbs Zn (Table 74).The Contact minehas had significant production
(Gillerman, 1964). The 225-ft deep Contact shaft wassunk on the Contact vein hoping to find gold in
silver, butit was workedin 1939 for base metals; 150
short tons of ore were shippedthat year. In 1942
mining resumed, and between 1942 and1944,2,121 short tonsof ore containing 6-7% combined and
Pb
Zn, 2 odton Ag, 0.02- 0.03 odton An and 0.25% Cu were shipped.
In 1943, the Contact mine was
Mn were shipped. Tnrquiosehas been
worked for manganese and 140 short tons of ore averaging 20%
produced from the district (Zalinski, 1907)as well as 172,539 short tons of fluorite and 30 lbsU308.
TABLE 74-Metals production from the Burro Mountains (Tyrone)mining district, GrantCounty, New
Mexico (U. S.Geological Survey, 1902-1927; U.S.Bureau ofMines, 1927-1990). Includes
161
ORE (SHORTCOPPER
GOLD
(LBS)
(OZ)
ESTIMATF,D
TOTAL 19671992 ( k " e
mine)
ESTIMATED
TOTAL 1871-
-
315,700,000
5,068,200,000
318,000,000
-
-
LEAD
(LBS)
-
-
ZINC
TOTAL VALUE
(LBS)
-
($)
W
W
-
W
I
I
I
-
SILVER(0Z)
5,240,000,000
>50,000
>10,000,000
>200,000
>300,000
>2,000,000,000
TABLE 75-Copper production from the Tyrone mine,Burro Mountains (Kolesar, 1982;U.S. Bureau of
Mines, 1927-1990). 1914-1921 productionby underground methods. 1967-1992 pro duction by
162
TABLE 76-Mines and prospects iI
te Burro Mountains mining
MINENAME
LOCATION
LA'ITITJDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMEW
AceHigb
E28 18s 15W
district, Grant ~unty,New Mexico.
TYPEOF 1
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
Austin-
3Z042'50"
45" 23' 108'
NE35 19s
32O36'49"
F
108' 21' 30"
A& Zn,Pb, CU
108'27' 34"
Cu. Ag, Au,Mo,
U
(Frankie, Bull
Aldorado
Beasely
(National and
Mayflower)
Beaumont
It-"
N18 19s 15W32O39'28"
pits
145 fl shaR
5 shafts,pitsand
opencuts
3 shafts, 160,110
108" 25' Mo
Cu,
45"
SO fl
I
I E13 19s 16W 1
Bismuth
Lode 19s
(Alexander,
Jacobs
19s 16W
32939'15"
32ONE27
37'
108°26'30"
Ag, Mo, Pb
shaft, shallow
pits
108°28' 48"
Bi
70 fl shaft, pits,
shallow shafts
vein
(1978%
Richter'ind
Lawemce (1983). FN
7/22/80
Laramide Gilleman (196% Hedlund
veins
(1978e), Paige(l911),
Richter and Lawrence 1983
Laramide Gilleman (196% Pram
veins(1967),
Richter and Lawrence
pits
Richter and Lawrence (1983),
Gillman(l964), Hedlund
198%
Laramide Gillman (196% Hedlund
vein
(1978e), Paige (1911),
Schilling(l964)
108O 22' 45"
290flshaft
LaramideLindgren
shaft, adit
OPEilCUts
44"
108O 26'45"
shafts and
shallow
Mo
Cu,
I
I
Laramide
vein
et al(1910), Paige
I
Burrochief
Fluorspar
Burro
Mountains
(Amre,
Elizabeth
Pocket,
Turquoise)
California
Gulch
SE15 19s
15W
32°38'58"
108' vetiical
22' 43"
NEl6,NW 15
19s 15W
32' 39' 15"
108'33'33"
I
workings and
large openpits
NE of NE 17
19s 15W
32" 39' 35"
CaSinO
W2 19s 15W
32O 41' 02"
108"22' 16"
Ag, Au
C0"M
W2 19s 15W
32O 41' 01"
108O 22' 07"
Cu,Pb, Zn, MD,
A& Au
CopperKing
W15 19s
Rotkock et a1(19461.
fluorite
108'24'25''
andtrenches,
(1983j
pits
shoa adit, shallow
pits, shafts
shafts, adits,pits
32' 39' 15"15" 108'23'
cu
400fishaP~
32' 38' 14"
27"
108O 23'
cu
32* 37'00"
108' 21' 00"
CU
sh&,trmches,
pits
shafts
32' 37' 45"
108* 28' 15"
ZRAu
77flsha
pits
Laramide
Gillman (1964),Hedlund
108" 22' 09"
Pb, Zn
2 shafts
hamide
Lawrence 1983
Richter and Lawrence (1983)
108' 28' 00"
F
pits
108' 22' 55"
Ag
108'23'48"
Cu, Ag
3 adits, shaft,
0pe"C"t
108' 18'00"
Kaolin
pits
fluorite Gillman (1952), Williams
veins
Laramide Gillman (196% Hedlund
vein
1978e
Pornhvrv Gilleman (1964).Hedlund
&Mo(1978e), "i"t..;".d
Lawrence 1983
volcanic Patterson andHolmes(1977)
15w
Copper
M0""tain
Emma and
SW16 19s
15W
SW25,NW36
19s 15W
NW26 19s
16W
surprise
Foster Zinc
(Badger)
(Woodward)
Gardnff
I
C26 19s 16W
32"37'30"
163
shafts
vein
198%
LaramideGillerman(1964)
I
MINENAME
(ALIAS)
Lone Pine
C0ppPer
Neglected
Nellie Blv
OakGrave
LOCATION
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
TYPE
I
19S.15W
32O 32'42"
NE25 20s
16W
SW16 19s
32'38'56"
15W
IE3619SlSWI 32O36'40"
I
Ohio and Little
Rack
Oilcenter
Tool
Osmer Gold
(Shammck,
L A W E
1
SEI7 19s
15W
I
21 18S15W
(1911)
I
I
32' 39' 07"
I
32O44'00"
108°24' 18"
108°20'33"
C"
I
I
F
Cu, F
108O24' 42"
I
108°24'00"
adit
Cu,Au, Pb, 2%Bi 314fladiS 3
sh&, pits
108O 26'32"
U
I
I
100fladit
Ipit 3 m deep
225 ft sh&
inclined shaft,
open pit
pits
1-
2223 19s
16W
32O 38'30"
108O 28' 15"
Au, As, Bi, Cu
pits, 5 sh&
NE33 19s
16W
N11 19s 15W
32O36'52"
108'29'46''
A& Au,Ph, Cu
16Oflshafl
NW16 19.7
15W
32O39'30"
108°24'15"
CU
S22719S
16W
32O37'7.2"
108'28'43''
F
SE24 19s
32'38'05''
I
I
I
OF
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
Laramide Gillerman(l964)
I
vein
Laramide Gilleman (196%
Hedlund
vein
(1978e)
Laramide
Richter
and
Lawrence 11983).
,
vein
Hedlund
(19852)
fluorite I Gilleman (1952), William
vein
(1966)
Lar-de
Gillman (1964). Hedlund
vein
(1978% Richter and
Lawrence (1983)
Laramide Butler et al. (1962)
. .
vein
I
Laramide Gilleman (196% Richter and
vein
Lawrence (1983)
I
I,
.
SilverDollar
SilverKinp
Mrstery
SouthemStar
Spar Hill
Tall Pine
I 16W I
I 1820s 16W I
Thompson
canyon
(Brock)
Tullockand
13,18 19s
Bostoniq Tall 14W,15W
Pine
Tunuco
2818s 15W
32"40'30"
Au, Cu
108°21'45"
32"34'10"
I
1
108°26'57"
108e32'05"
cu
I
1
Perlite
Laramide
vein
Laramide
vein
epithemal
Mn
shaft adit
3 adits and
opencut
fluorite
veim
50 fish& pits
andtrenchpits
1-
(pits
I
1
vein
Perlite
W16 19s
15w
.
I.
I
1 G i l l e m (1964), BaUman
(1960)
32'39'45''
cu
108°20'30"
3 shallow shafts
vein
32'42'55''
u, C"
108'23'45''
32O39'30"
108°24'00"
Cu, Au
367 i? adit
vein
164
Gillman (196% Richter and Laramide
Lawrence (1983)
FN 9/23/82. McLemore Laramide
pits
vein
Two-Best-hThree
(1978),Hddlund&78e)
Gillman (1964). Hedlund
(1978e)
Gillman 11964). Hedlund
(1978e)
Gillman (1964), Granger
andBauer(1951),Hedlund
(1985a)
Gillman(l964), Williams
(1966), Hedlund(l978e),
McAnulty(l978)
Richter andLawence (1983)
.
. Laramide
(1983)
Gillerman(l964). Hedlund Laramide
(1978e), Richtmand
Lawrence (1983), Hedlund
(198Sa)
Geology
The Little Burro Mountains
are located onthe northeast sideof the Mangas Valley. Theyare an isolated
fault block along the west
range of hills 18 mi long and1to 2 mi wide that trend northwestalong a northeast tilted
side of the northwest-trending Mangas fault. These mountains consist
of Proterozoic granite and Cretaceous
sedimentary rocks intruded
by andesitic and rhyolitic rocks overlain
by Tertiary volcanic flows (Kolesaar,
1970,1982; DuHamel et al., 1995).The Big Burro Mountains are southwest
of Mangas Valleyand consist of
Proterozoic granite of the Burro Mountains batholith, which
is emplaced into a series
of schists, amphibolites, and
quartzites of the Bullard Peak series. The granite has been intruded
by Proterozoic diabase dikesand contains
rhyolite dikes and plugs,
and dikes and plugsofvarious rock typesand the Tyrone stock, a quartz monzodiorite
porphyry laccolith datedas 52.8i1.2 to 56.6+1.6 Ma @uHamel et al., 1995). The exposed
part ofthe laccolith is
elliptical in shape and is 6 mi long by 4 mi wide (Kolesaar, 1982). Gila Conglomerateand Recent sands gravels
fill Mangas Valley.
The Burro Mountain granite, which comprises about of90%
the batholith is the major component ofthe
Big Burro Mountains. It is typically a medium-to coarse-grained equigrannlargranite with locally porphyritic
occurrences. The color, texture, mineral
and chemical composition,fracturing and jointing, and degree of
weathering and alteration
are quite variable( G i l l e m , 1970).
Tyrone stockand smaller plugs and dikes
of varying texture, composition, and age intrude
the Burro
Mountain batholith.The largest part of Tyrone stockis made up ofquartz monzodiorite (Hedlund, 1985a), which
is a medium light-gray, medium-grained massive quartz monzodiorite (Hedlund, 1978a, c). The remainder
of the
stock is mostly very light-grayto light brownish-gray quartz monzonite
porphm, pinkish-gray aplite,andvery
as much as 35 m wide. Paleozoic strata and Mesozoic rocks are
light-gray Porphyritic quaaZ monzonite dikes
largely absent, except for some minor Mesozoic in
units
the Little Burro Mountains (Hedlund, 19S5a)
Gillerman (1970) notesthat structural features are most important
in localizing the ore bodies, lithology
being of secondary importance. Northeast-trending faults, fractures,
and shear zones arethe prominent structures
in the area in and around the district. Five major fanlts have been recognized Osmer, Bismuth-Foster-Beaumont,
Austin-Amazon, Burro Chief, and Sprouse-Copeland. Other major faults, such
as the Mangas and Walnut Creek
faults, trend northwesterly. Mangas fault
is an eastern boundaryfault for the Big Burro mountain block, while
the
Walnut Creek fault lies within
the block. Someof the faults have been intruded
by rhyolite and quartz
of the dikes.
monzodiorite porphyrydikes, and subsequentmovement alongthe faults has caused brecciation
Mineral depositsin the district are dominated
by the Tyrone porphyry-copper deposit, but deposits
of precious and
base metal, fluorite, uranium, clay,
and dimension stone also occur
in the district (Gillerman, 1964; Ricter and
Lawrence, 1983; Hedlund, 1985a).
Mineral Deposits
Mineral depositsin the Little Burro Mountains
part of the district are divided geographically
by deposit
type. Depositsin the central part of the Little Burro Mountains contain gold, silver, copper,and
lead,
zinc in
fractures and faultsand consist of gold, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, probably argentite,
and their
oxidation products. Pyrolusiteand psilomelane are common and one deposit,the Contact mine, was mined
for
manganese in 1943 @amham, 1961). Proterozoicskarns containing scheelitecanbe foundat the contact zonesof
the Burro Mountaingranite with hornblendic schistsof the Bullard Peak Series (Hedlund, 1985a). Deposits
of
fluorite, uranium, clay,and dimension stone occur also
in the Little Burro Mountains.
Numerous minesand prospects occurin the district (Table76; Gillerman, 1964; Hedlund, 1985a). Those
of the Bostonian and Montezuma groupsof claims in theeastern part of the district are typical of copper deposits
in the southern part of the mountains. The host rocks forthe numerous shafts, pits, and adits are Early Tertiary
monzonite porphyryand quartz monzonite porphyry (possibly
part of the Tyrone Stock) whichhas been intensely
altered. Laramide veins strike generally northeast
and are vertical to steeply dipping.The veins are quite narrow
and can be traced for no morethan a few hundred feet. Some
of the deeper shafts in the area have beensunk along
be found there. Quartz-molybdeniteveins (pyrite and
or close to Mangas
fault in hope that mineralization was to
chalcopyrite) occurat the northwest margin of the Tyrone Stock,and quartz-specularite veins occur
at the eastern
end of the Stock (Hedhmd, 1985a). Some ofthe veins have siliceous
and ferruginous cappings owing to extensive
oxidation,but where erosionis rapid, the veins are relatively unoxidized.
One groupof gold-silver-base metals deposits
in the central Little Burro Mountainsis the Contact group
of claims (Gillerman,1964). These workings exploit quartz-filledfissure veins along north-northeast-trending
faults. Development at the group consistsof the Contact and Virtue shafts,and the Virtue tunnel,all along the
Contact vein. The Contact vein strikes N60" E and dips 70' SE at the Virtue shaft and strikes N20' E and dips
75" SE at the Contact shaft. It is 5-6 ft wide. The ratio of gold to silver at theContact minein 1944 was 4 to 1,
and chalcopyrite,
and in 1960 it remained little changed at 3.5 to 1. The vein consists of quartz with minor pyrite
and abundant psilomelane, pyrolusite, argentiferous galena,
and sphalerite. The vein lies along the contact
between granite and andesite, and silicified fracturesare seen alongthe vein. A sample fromthe Austin-Amazon
mine assayed no gold,0.64 ozlton Ag, 7.4% Cu and 0.003% U308(McLemore, 1983, #3745).
By far the most i m p o h t deposit in the district in terms of production is the Tyrone porphyry copper
deposit. The Tyrone ore body is a chalcocite blanket developed over
the Tyrone stock (Kolesaar,
1970,1982;
DnHamel et al.,1995). At the Tyrone mine,most of the stock is a porphyritic quartz monzodiorite with abundant
quartz, oligoclase,and sporadic chloritized biotite (Kolesaar,
1970, 1982), with the mineralized portion exhibiting
pronounced potassic metasomatismand sericitic alteration. Fine-grainedquartz monzonite dikesintrude the stock
and the surrounding Proterozoic granite.The main ore body consists
of a supergeneblanket containing erratic
chalcocite mineralization varying
from a few feet to over
300 ft thick. Two main episodesof supergene enrichment
a
weak, but younger supergene event (DnHamel et
occurred at 43.64-46.73 Ma and at 19.12 Ma, followed by third
al., 1995; Cook, 1993, 1994). The ore in theoxidized zone consists
of predominantly chrysocolla (varying
from sky
blue to black). Other ore minerals, suchas malachite, azurite, cuprite, tenorite, native copper, turquoise, minor
torbernite, and autunite, occnrin kaolinized areas. Most of the minerals occuras disseminations and fracture
fillings in the Stock, and to a limited extentin the Proterozoic granite (Hedlund, 1985a). The supergene cap
consists of chalcocite and minor covellite. These minerals replace primary pyrite, chalcopyrite,
and sphalerite.
Trace molybdenite and bornite, with pyrite, chalcopyrfte, sphalerite, and galena
are hypogene minerals. Fluoriteis
found locally,and alunite is common in white veinlets. Overall,the ore is low grade,but within the mined areaare
several high-grade areas
that averaged 2-3% Cu.
Within the ore body, breccia ore bodies occur
that were describedas intrusivebreccias by Paige (1922)
by DnHamel et al.(1995). They consistof fragments of granite and quartz monzonite
and hydrothermal breccias
porphyry and are 200-400 ft in diameter. The matrix of the breccia was finer grained breccia,and the breccia was
itselffractured, with some ore mineralsas partial matrix to fragments. The breccias are low in grade, but contain
excellent supergene mineralization (DnHamel
et al., 1995). Breccia pipesare found withinthe Tyrone stockand
also withinthe granite country rockpedlund, 1985a).
Caprock Mountain district
Location and Mining History
The Caprock Mountainmining district is about 20 mi north-northwestof Lordsburg along the
boundary between Grantand Hidalgo Counties(Fig. 42) and was discoveredin 1917. The district lies just
south of the Gila River onthe northern and southernflanks of Caprock Mountain.The Gila Lower Box
Wilderness Study Arealies northwest of the district. Epithermal manganeseand fluorite veins in the
short tons of manganese oreduring World WarI and were
district (Table 77) produced a few hundred
In the 1950s, the mines
reopened during the World War11, producing additional limited production.
produced intermittentlyfrom shallow pits and shafts.In 1959, six men were employed and mined
approximately30 short tons of ore daily fromthe CliffRoy mine @amham, 1961). Hand-sorted ore and
concentrates were sold
to buyers in Deming or Socorro. Total production from the district is 1,148 long
tons of 21-36% Mn and 3,339 long tons of concentrate oregrading 33-35% Mn (Famham,1961; Don,
1965).
166
X
Quaternary
Tertiary
Prospect Pit
0
0
Qa-lluvium
QTg-Gila
0
Shaft
eolian
and
Grow
-----
District Boundary
Cretaceous
mposi15
TliEocensquanrmonrannes
Tuau-iawer Miocene basalicande~ites
Tuai-dpper Oligoceneanaesitesana
basaltic andesiies
T l r p lower 01,giocenesilicic pyroclaslic r o c k
Tla- 10werTeniaryandes;tesand
basaltic
0
1
I
1
.
2
Ma'or Faults
m J w *hem
i"fsmrd,
dances
Kuun~ifferentialed
K D ~ - u per Cretaceous
formation and Beanooth Quamle
Proterozoic
-
0
-
3 mi
2
3
tY
andesites
4km
I
4
Figure 42-Mines and prospects in the Caprock Mountain mining district, Hidalgo and Grant Counties, New Mexico
(modified from Gillerman, 1964, and 0.J. Anderson, unpublished state geologic map, 1995).
~
TABLE 77-Mines and prospectsin the Caprock mining district, Grantand Hidalgo Counites, locatedin
Geology
The oldest rocksin the area are Oligocene basaltic breccias and porphyritic
basalt and andesite
flows of the Cliffvolcanic center. Miocene volcanic-conglomerate
of the Gila Formation overlie
the
volcanic rocksand consists of a lower memberof consolidated coarse conglomerate (the host rock
at the
CliffRoy and Ward Mines)
and a poorly consolidated upper member
of thin sandstones interbedded with
basalt and andesite flows;
the basalt may beas young as Quatemaq pradhanand Singh, 1960). These
sandstones constitutethe hanging wall of the vein at the Consolation mine, with basaltic andesite
forming
the footwall. Quaternary terrace gravels predominate
to the northwest and southeastof the district, and
minor Miocene and Oligocene rhyolite intrusives
are found approximately mile
a southwest (Drewes et
al., 1985). At the Consolationvein,the basaltic andesiteforming the footwall has been datedas 20.9+0.5
Ma (Elston, 1973, 1983).
Major structuresin theCaprock Mountain district
trend N45'W, and many of the well-defined faults
and fracture zones with ore-bearing veinsare parallel to this, most notablyat the Consolation mine. Other
veins trend N27"W, N30°W, and N35"W, with steep dips. The magnitude of displacements alongthe
faults andthe direction of motion are mostly unknown. The district coincideswith a magneticand graviw
saddle.
Mineral Deposits
The epithermal manganese and fluorite deposits occur
along steeply dippingfault and fracture
zones, chieflyin the volcanic Gila Conglomerate(Fig. 41; Farnham, 1961). However,Pradhan and Singh
(1960) statedthat the veins did not show any particular preference
for any typeof host rock. At the
largest deposit, the ClifFRoy,the veins are 2-8 ft wide, strikes N9'W, steeply dipping, andthe ore grades
upward into banded travertine. The ore minerals, chiefly psilomelane with minor pyrolusite, occur
in
disconnected, lenticular shoots ranging from a fewtens of feet to 100ft in length. In the ore shoots,the
manganese minerals occur
as irregular strands, bunches,
and coatings surroundingthe volcanic breccias
ftagments. Chalcedony, manganiferous calcite,
and minor gypsumare gangue minerals. Muchof the
psilomelane contains small inclusionsof milky chalcedony. A sample assayed 45%
Mn, 3% SiOz, and
0.15%P (Wells, 1918).
The Consolation mine yielded approximately 10,000
long tons of 8-10% Mn during the 1950s
(Gillerman, 1964; Ryan, 1985; Richter and Lawrence, 1983; Richter et al., 1988).
The deposit occursin
a fault trending N45"W for 120 ft and is 8-14 ft wide. Argillicalteration and iron
basaltic andesite along
168
staining occur at the Consolation mine as well
as at the Black Bob, where soft
a argillized brecciated
basalt is the host rock (Gillerman, 1964;Pradhan and Singh, 1960).
The other depositsare similar inform and composition tothe CliffRoy, but are smaller in size.
Locally, fluoriteis common (Table 77). Geochemical anomaliesin stream-sediment samples include Ag,
Co, Cu, Mn, and Y and spa@ La, Sn, Th, and Ti.It is unlikely that any of these deposits willbe mined
in the near future for manganese, because theyare small tonnage, low grade, and inaccessible.
Carpenter District
Location and Mining History
The Carpenter (or Swartz, Schwartz)
mining district occurs onthe western slopeof the Mimbres
of Mimbres (Fig. 43). The area is
Mountains about6 mi southwestof Kingston and about 10.5 mi east
mountainous and rugged.
In the 188Os, mineralization was discovered cropping at
outthe Royal John property in
the district (Sonlb, 1950), and the district has been the site of a moderate amountof base-metals productionfrom
low-grade deposits (Table2). The first recorded mining venture in the area was in 1906-07 at the Royal John
mine, butthat attempt was unsuccessful (Harley, 1934).
The mine and mill were operatedagain from 1928to 1930
by ASARCO and then by Albert Owen ofthe Black RangeMining Company. Production npto 1934 was
estimated as 15,000 shoa tons ore (Harley, 1934). In 1943 and 1944, the U. S. Geological S w e y and the U. S.
Bureau of Mines conducted geological studies
and undeaook diamond drilling to determine the extent of
mineralization in the area. The U. S. Bureau of Mines continuedto examine the Royal John mine through 1948
and proposed additional development to increase reserves
of low-grade lead-zinc ore.
At least five mines
in the Grant County portionof the district have produced zinc, lead, and copper ores
with minor amounts
of silver and traces of gold. The Royal John mine is the district's largest producer having
reported sporadic productionfrom 1916 until,at least, 1969. Other minesin the district operated for shorter
periods, chieflythe years during and shortly after World WarII. Total production from1891 to 1969 was
approximately 12.5 million pounds Zn,
6 million poundsPb, 310,000 lbsCu, 60,000-180,000 oz Ag, and 300 oz
Au (Table 78). Average ore grade
was 7.95% Zn, 3.9%Pb, 1.1odton Ag, and 0.12% Cu (Table 78).
TABLE 78-Metals production from the Carpenter mining district, Grant County,New Mexico (U. S.
Bureau ofMines, 1927-1990. Hedlnnd 198% ,
169
C
I
325
x
32’51
Prospect Pit 0 Shaft y Adii
DistrictBoundary
-----
0
Silicatedlimestone
and dolomite
0
1 km
Figure 43”ines and prospects in the Carpenter mining district, Grant County, NewMexico
(modified from Hedlund, 1977).
Geology
The area lies within a horst
of Paleozoic sedimentary rock between
the north-trending and somewhat
parallel Mimbresfault on the west andthe Owens fault on the east. West of the Grandview mine,the Paleozoic
in the range,
sedimentruy rocksare intruded by a mass of granite porphyry (Lindgren et al., 1910). At other places
of igneous rocks near
flows of andesites and rhyolites coverthe sedimentary units. Soul6 (1950) reports three types
and Tertiary intrusive andesite.The
the Royal John mine: Cretaceous andesite agglomerate, Tertiary volcanics,
dominant structural feature
in thedistrict is a gently west-dipping homocline
in thecentral and southern part of the
district. Near the Grandview mine, thereis a north striking doubly-plunging anticline with a coreof Proterozoic
granite (Hedlund, 198%). A number of somewhat
parallel faults cut the horst in the vicinity of the Royal John
mine. Of these, the Discovery and Sunshine faults have been important economically with ore bodies occurring
near them. Mineral depositsin the district are base-metal skarn and carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement deposits
in thePaleozoic carbonate rocks.
Mineral deposits
The geology ofthe mineral deposits withinthe Carpenter mining district has been described by Lindgren
et al. (1910), Harley (1934),andHedlnnd (1977a, 198%). Ericksen et al. (1970) summarizes informationfrom
those reports. Hill (1946) and Soul6 (1950) snmmarizesU. S. Bureau of Mines investigationsin thedistrict. Mine
production is in Table 79 andlist of mines and prospects is in Table 80.
The ore deposits consist chiefly
of small and low-grade
skarn and replacement depositsin theMontoya
Dolomite, and are clearly relatedto rhyolitic plutonsof Oligocene age (34.8H.2 Ma, Hedlund, 1977b). Mostof
the veins are fault controlled, andthe skarns containing bedded-replacement depositsare well developedin the
upper silicated cherty beds
of El Paso limestone (Hedlund, 198%).
At the Royal John mine, replacement ore
bodies are within a horst bounded bythe Owens and Grandview faults, whichstrike N1Oo-25"W. They are at the
top of the cherty thin-bedded memberof the Montoya Dolomite,are as much as 1 2 4 thick, and extend as far as
300 ft west ofthe Discovery fault (Soul&, 1950; Hedlund,198%). In another typeof ore deposit, mineralization
extends downalong the faults into the cherty thin-beddedmember of the Montoya Dolomite andthroughout the
lower massive limestone member beneath. Galena
and sphalerite are the principal ore minerals andare associated
with quartz, calcite, chalcopyrite,and pyrite. Skam-typeminerals such as abundant garnet, epidote, chlorite,and
magnetite occur locally
in the altered limestone. The beryllium mineral, helvite, was
first discovered at the
Grandview mine (Weissenborn, 1948).At the Royal John mine, dark-brownto black sphalerite wasthe main
economic mineralwith lesser quantitiesof galena. None of the calc-silicate skarn minerals were notedat theRoyal
John mine, although extensive silicificationis present (Soul&, 1950).
At the Mineral Mountain mine, carbonate-hosted replacement deposits extend
for about 30ft along
marmoritized and cherty limestone beds
of the Lake Valley limestone. Mineralized faults,
striking chiefly N30"W
and N30°E,and dike margins contain minor galena, sphalerite, and pyrite (Hedlund, 1985b).
theAt
Columbia
mine, sullides closely associated with tactite
in El Paso Limestoneare cut by a 105
ft thick rhyolite dike, which
is
the probable heat source (Hedlund, 1977a).
-
TABLE 79"Reported
production fromindividual minesin the Camenter
79-Reoorted Droduction
Carpenter minine
mining district,
districtGrant
Grant Countv.
County,
New Mexico
M&ico &ill,
(Hill, 1946;
1946; Hedlund,
Hedlund, 198%).
MINE
ORE
YEARS
".,"\
(SHORT
(SHORT
COPPER
(LBS)
GOLD (OZ)
_ I
SILVER
ZINC (LBS) LEAD (LBS)
(OZ)
IUIYO,
Royal John
Columbia
I
80Grandview
1916-1949
I
I
TOTAL
1924
1943-1944
TOTAL
1938
1938-1944
TOTAL
Mineral Mountain
I
I
31,322
18,270
1,780 1956-1969 33,102
18,270
1,709
6,480
1,375 I
3,084 I
6,480
-
18,869
18,949
46
1924
<<
1*1
9.4
-
9.4
-
92,999
92,999
3,282
1.71
-
I
n2,
171
15.34
15.34
23 1
*cc
,7"
41,378
3,899
45,277
2,307
1,603 I
3,910 I
13,963
13,963
220
C127"
1,913,257
206,500
2,119,757
207,627
64,000
271,627
35,662
1,722,828
3,254,085
1,758,490
6,800
I
I
3,160,526
363,200
3,523,726
369,888
266,000
635,888
39,862
3,214,223
-
TABLE 80"ines and prospects of the Carpenter mining district, Grant County,New Mexico, locatedin
> 42. Location includes section, township,
and range.
c
MINE NAME
LOCATION
LATlTIDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
TYPE
OF
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
32' 50' 47"
Acklim
107O 4T 07"
Zn,Cu,
Pb,
Ag
carbon&&
adit
hosted Pb-Zn
Hedlund (1977a)
Columbia
(Fairview
Group, Tee1
Pro ert
Grandview (Tee1
Group)
MeGee
Mineral
Mountain
Rabb Canyon
m0OllStO"e
pegmati(RattlP.S"ake,
unsurveyed
Royal John
(Grand Central)
W9 17s 9W
32O 53' 12"
107O 50'43"
Moonstone
3 trenches and 1
Cut
32' 50'27''
107O 47'06"
Zn, Pb, A& Cu,
Au
3 adits, 3 large
OpellC"lS,
numemusshallow
cuts and short
adits
unknownadit
unsurveyed
32" 49' 25"
replacement al. (15?IO), Hldlund(1977a)
Gem
Kelley
and
Branson
(1947,
(moonstone) Cater (1977)
carbonateLindgren
et al. (1910),
hostedPb-Zn Harley(1934), Hill (1946),
replacement Soul&(1950), Hedlund
(1977a)
107" 45' 58"
carbonateadit Zn Pb,
hosted Pb-Zn
replacemmt
-
Chloride Flat district
Location and Mining History
The Chloride Flat mining district is located 1.5 mi west northwestof Silver City(Fig. 1). In some
designations, the Chloride Flat mining district is considered the Silver Cityor Boston Hill district (File and
Northtop, 1966). Silver wasfirst discovered in the area in 1871, but active mining did not beginfor some years.
The major silver-producing years were
1873 to 1893; subsequentlymining was abandoned because
of the low price
of silver (Lindgren et al.,1910). Some additional silver production occurred
as late as 1937 (Richter and
Lawrence, 1983). Total production is estimated as 20,000 lbs Cu, 200 oz Au, 4 million oz Ag, and 500,000 lbs Pb
(Table 81). The deposits are carbonate-hosted Ag"n replacment deposits.
The ore was valued
for its fluxing qualities which permitted
mining of low-grade material (Hernon,
1949). Although the district is better known for its silver ore,2.7 million short tons of manganiferous-ironore
containing 12% Mn and 30-40% Fe were producedthrough 1962 (Tables 6 , s ;Harrer, 1965), most of t h i s from the
Boston Hill mines.The early mining history of the Chloride Flat mining district, and the history and development
of Silver Cityas a whole, was influenced by
the 1871 discovery and subsequent development
of rich silver deposits
in the vicinity of the Chloride Flat mines (Entwiste, 1944). In this area supergene silverore accounted for the bulk
of production, witha small tonnageof manganiferous iron.The similarity of ores in thedistrict to those of the
neighboring silver districts caused considerable prospecting for but
silver,
very little was discovered.
172
TABLE 81-Metals production from the Chloride Flat mining district, Grant County, New Mexico(U.S.
Geology
The Chloride Flat district consistsof a sequenceof northeast-dipping Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, mostly
limestone and shale, restingon Proterozoicgranite (Lindgren et al., 1910). The rocks strike N35"W and dip25"
NE and have beencut by dikes and sillsof gray porphyry which Liudgren et al. (1910) classified
as granodiorite
porphyry or quartz monzonite porphyry.The porphyry commonly cutsPercha Shale or Cretaceous shale (Colorado
Formation). Oxidized silverand manganiferons-iron replacement andvein mineralization are related genetically
to the porphyry intrusionwith ore bodies having formed
in Fusselman Dolomiteat thecontact withPercha Shale
not far from the dikes.
The rocks in thevicinty of the Boston Hill mines consist mostly
of LowerPaleozoic sedimentary rocks
and
Cretaceous shales. Alarge roughly circularmass of quartz monzonite porphyry and porphyry dikes have invaded
the sedimentary rocks along
the east side of the area.
The igneous rocks showslight to intense hydrothermal alteration. Alarge fault separates the Cretaceous
a felsic intrusion occursin places betweenthe porphyry and the
rocks fromthe Lower Paleozoic rocks, and
Paleozoic rocks.
Mineral Deposits
The mineral depositsin the Chloride Flat district consistof cabonate-hosted Ag"n deposits of
oxidized silver veins and replacements, generally associated with lead and manganese minerals (Table
82). The deposits formas irregular supergene-enriched bodies localized among a 3,000-ft-long zone
of
fractures, joints, and bedding plains
in Fnsselman Dolomite immediately beneath
Percha Shale. Most of
the faults are downthrown on the eastern side.As with several other districtsin this study, the location of
the ore bodiesjust below the shale is attrihuted to the comparatively imperviousshale collecting and
conhning hydrothermal solutionsin theupper part of the Fusselman Dolomite. In the ore bodies, muchof
the limestone has been altered, butother than silicification, the limestone showsno evidence of calcsilicate skam development (Richterand Lawrence, 1983). Hernon (1949) notesthat the ore bodies lie
between dolomite wallsthat are altered to calcite.
173
TABLE 82-Mines and prospects of the Chloride Flat mining district, Grant County, New Mexico.
Ion includes section, township, and range
LOCATION
LATIRIDE
LONGITUDE
C:OMMODlTlES
DEVELOPMENT
DEPOSlT
Squeeze, Grmd
17s 14W
Center, Maty
Belle
Cunningham (1974),
shafts, prospect
(Baltic, Bell,
Providencia, 76,
Silver Cross,
Cunningham (1974),
(Silver Spot,
Legal Tender,
Iron spike,
Adonis,
California, Atlas
and Luck
pits, open cuts,
trenches, and
shaflsup to 150 A
Mn, Fe
(Comanche,
Raven, Noah
hundreds ofopen
pits up 10 320 A
Kelley (1949)
PiL Silver Pick
Second Value,
replament
L
two periods of recrystallization. For one
The overlying Lake Valley Formation had undergone
period, temperaturesof 335 to 380 "C were determined; for
the other period temperatures ranged between
of temperatures were related
to local Late Cretaceous-Tertiary igneous
165 to 260 "C. The upper range
intrusions (Young, 1982). Limestonethat has not been altered, has been replaced by metalic minerals
that
are represented by quartz, galena, argentite,and various oxidized compounds
of lead and silver, and
hematite, pyrolusite, magnetite,and limonite (Lindgren et al., 1910).
Cerarmte is the principal silver
mineral along with native silverand argentite. Embolite, pearcite, argentiferous galena, and native silver
are also present (Hernon, 1949). Bromyrite (silver bromide) and silver iodide were reported (Lindgren et
al., 1910). Most of the silver was probably derived from primary argentite (Entwistle, 1944).
Leadvalues
were so low as to beof little value.
The principal occurrences
of manganiferous iron ore at Chloride Flat are along a steeply dipping
north-trending fracture zone
that cuts the Fusselman Dolomite (Kelley, 1949; Farnham, 1961).
The ore
bodies are exposed for2,000 ft along strike. They rangefrom 50 to 250 ft long and from 30 to 60 ft wide.
Several open cuts have been
dug to exploitthe bodies. The ore is a mixtureof hematite and pyrolusite
with some magnetiteand limonite (Entwistle, 1944; Kelley, 1949). Mestitite, along with specularite,
by hydrothermal solutions beneath
the Percha Shale. These
magnetite, and some sulfides were deposited
were oxidized and concentrated
to manganiferous iron ores
by supergene processes above
the water table.
Kelley (1949) notesthat at Chloride Flat the manganiferous-iron deposits were not as large
as those at
Boston Hill or were relatively less important
as sources of manganiferous-iron becauseof their high silver
content. Calcite, quartz, and baritein small amountsare the gangue minerals. Mineralization occurs
along steeply dipping
fault and fracture zones
that cut the carbonate beds.
The manganiferousiron ore at Boston
Hill is an intimate mixtureof hematite and pyrolusite with
some magnetite and limonite
(
F
a
r
n
h
a
m
,1961). The colorof the ore ranges from reddish brown
to black.
Gangue consistsof small amountsof calcite, quartz, and barite. The brownto grayish-brown ironmagnesium carbonate mineral mesitite
is the primary hypogene mineral
in the area and the oxidation of
mesitite by meteoric waters was responsible
for the supergene mineralizationthat was mined (Entwistle,
1944). Only the deepest mine workingsin the area penetratedthe mesitite bodies. The ore mined
from
1937 to 1944 assayed12-13%Mn and 35-41%Fe.
The ore is found in irregular bodieslocalized along along steeply dipping
fault and fracture zones
replacing gently dipping beds
of El Paso andMontoya dolomites, which crop out
on the eastern halfof the
area, and Fusselman dolomites, which coverthe western half andare overlain by Percha shale(Farnham,
174
I
1961). The north side of the mining area is bounded by the Boston Hill fault, which strikes
N60"E and
dips 7 0 ° W or greater.
Copper Flat district
Location and Mining History
Copper Flat mining district is located near Bayard about
two miles west-southwestof Hanover (Fig.1)and
was first prospected for copper in thelate 18OOs, and mostof the shafts weresunk at that time (Mullenand Storms,
1948). A small amountof iron was producedfrom surface deposits between1931 and 1937. In 1940, an extensive
exploration program began which
led to base- and precious-metal production between
1942 and 1947. From1931
to 1937, 10,000short tons of iron ore were mined from surface exposures. Between
1942 and 1947, ore containing
approximately 27,000short tons Zn was mined from underground workings, along with some Cu,An,Pb,
and Ag
(Richter and Lawrence, 1983). Total production from the lead-zinc, copper, andiron skams (18a, 19a) in the
district is unknown.
Iron production from the magnetite mine was intermittent
with data available for only two years, 193
1
and 1937. Approximately 10,000 short tonsof 5558% Fe is reported as being produced fromthe district. The
iron ore had an average compositionof 57.6% Fe, 13.3% SiO,,0.5% Zn, and 0.047% P (Kelley, 1949). Silica
content was considered moderately high. Reserves were estimated
be to
several tens of thousands of tons of
material containing 50-55% Fe (Kelley, 1949).
Geology
The district is centered aroundthe two small closely spaced outcrops
of the Copper Flat stock, whichare
hypabyssal igneous plugs
of intermediate compositionthat have intrndedthe Lake Valley Limestone
and Oswaldo
Formation countq rocks (Kelley, 1949). Spencerand Paige (1935) describesthe geology of the district and
contains a cross-section that shows the two plugs connectingat relatively shallow depth.
Copper Flat stock, whichis approximately 2,000ft long and 1,000-1,200 ft wide (Jones et al., 1967),
consists of granodiorite andis approximately onthe axis of the Fort Bayard anticline.In the vicinity of the
is imposed upon a broad fold.The stock appearsto have intrudedthe
intrusions, a slight domal structure
surroundingrocks of the Oswaldo Formation without deforming them; althongh locally,
arethey
disturbed nearthe
contact andin some placesdip toward the intrusive (Kelley, 1949).The contact aureole aroundthe stock is 100700 ft wide and consistsof an inner zone of garnet containing principally magnetite
and suliides and an outer zone
of marble (Spencerand Paige, 1935).
The larger plug is about 900ft by 1,800 ft,and the smaller, northern one is about 400ft by 1,300 ft. The
larger plug is made up of light-gray, fine-grained granodiorite
porphm in which small phenoctystsof biotite,
quartz, and colorless glassy feldsparare the only visible minerals (Spencer and Paige, 1935).
A dike-like bodyof
what is probably alater intrusion is seen nearthe center of the larger plug. In the smaller plug,the granodiorite is
much like that of the larger one but
it lacks quartz phenoctysts and has a slightly coarser texture.
Mineral deposits
Mineral depositsin thedistrict consistof Laramide skams and polymetallic replacements
in Paleozoic
carbonate rocks alongthe margins of the stock (Table 83).Two mines in thedistrict, CopperFlat mine, primarily
a zinc producer, and Copper
Flat magnetite mine,an iron skam, are the major deposits.The Copper Flat mine is
located onthe south and east
margin of Copperflat stock where polymetallic materialization has replaced
Pennsylvanian Oswaldo Formation.The magnetite deposit occurs on
the northwest side of the stock. A prominent
replacement zonein Oswaldo Formation surrounds
the pluton. In this zone, sphaleriteand magnetite bodies have
been locatedand exploited. The magnetite is generally found associated with sphalerite, but high-grade magnetite
bodies having no sphalerite have been found (Mullen and Storms, 1948).
The iron deposits have been mined on
the northwest sideof Copper Flat stock. Zinc mining has occurred on the south and east margin of the stock.
175
TABLE 83-Mines and prospects of the Copper Flat mining district, Grant County, New Mexico.
Location includess tion, township,and range.
I MlNENAME I LOCATION LATlTUDE LONGITUDE COMMODlTIES DEVELOPMENT TYPE OF
DEPOSIT
(ALIAS)
I
Copper Flat
Magnetite
I S19 17s 12%
32'
48'
30"
108O 07 15"
I
Copper Flat
(Cumberland,
Congo, Sumpter,
h v r a R, copper
Carbonate, Lhe,
Copper Glance,
32' 48'24"
Fe, Mn
I
108' 0 7 20"
17s 12W
REFERENCES
openpit217A
long by 67 A wide
Laramide Kelley(1949),
skam
Harrer and Kelly
I(1963)
I
I
Zn,
Cu, Pb,A& 400 Ash& 2-300 Laramide Spencer and Paige
Au
Ashafts. shallow
skam
(1935). Mullen and
shafts, open pits
Stok(1948),
Andenon (1957),
Hemon et al. (1964)
The Copper Flat mine occnrsin limestones and shales of LowerMississippian and Upper and Middle
Pennsylvanian agethat are intruded by CopperFlat stock. Around the periphery of the stock, Oswaldo Formation
was foldedas a resultof outward-directed hydrostatic pressure
from the forcefnl intrusion of magma. Subsequent
alteration has produced silicatesand marble from the original sedimentary rocks. A prominent replacement zone
in Oswaldo Formation surroundsthe pluton. In this zone, sphaleriteand magnetite bodies have been located
and
exploited. The ore consistsof sphalerite, chalcopyrite,and galena in magnetite gangue. The magnetite is
generally found associated with sphalerite, but high-grade magnetitehaving
bodiesno sphalerite have been found
(Mullen and Storms, 1948). In 1948, workings atthe Copper Flat mine consistedof a 400 ft shaft, two 300 ft
shafts, several shallow shafts,and numerous small openpits (Mdlen and Storms, 1948).
The Copper Flat magnetite mine, which occurs
in Oswaldo Formation on
the northwestern margin of the
smaller granodiorite plug, exploited high-grade magnetite bodies
having no sphalerite. The ore is principally
hematite with some magnetite
and pyrolusite (Kelley,1949). It is regularly bandedwith thin layers of white, lightpink, and gray gangue consisting
of kaolin, calcite,and serpentinous material. Limoniteis abundant as a resultof
weathering, and malachite disseminations
and coatings are common. Some garnet was reportedalong the edges of
the ore body. A few barren or low-grade areas were discovered
in theore body. The main massiveore bed was
about 20 ft thick, and another medium-grade(3040% Fe) bed of bandedore and silicate at least 10 ft thick
overlies the main ore bed. Ore was produced from
an open pit approximately 220 ft long by 70 ftwide (Richter
and Lawrence, 1983).
Cora Miller district
Location and Mining History
The Cora Miller mining district is located northeastof the Telegraph districtin the Mangas Creekarea of
the noahernBurro Mountains(Fig.44). The district includesthe Cora Miller mine (volcanic-epithermalvein
deposit) and a few epithermal manganese deposits,
along the south side of Mangas Creek.The silver mine was
of high-grade silver ore
from fissure veins (Lindgren
et
worked in the 1880s and produced a considerable amount
the mine has been
al., 1910; Gillerman, 1964). Copper, gold, and lead were presentin the silver ore. Since then,
virtually abandoned. The mine workings consistof a 175-ft shaft inclined at 85", an upper adit at thelevel of the
shaft collar, a loweradit at a depthof 75 ft, and a working levelat 175 ft (Gillerman, 1964). Numerous open cuts,
shallow shafts,and stopes exploredthe vein for 800 ft. Shallow workings at
the mine site may have produced
manganese in 1920 and in 1940-1942 (Wargo, 1959; Farnham, 1961). Total productionis not known.
Geology
tuffwith interbedded andesite
The rocks in thedistrict are Tertiary rhyolites, flow breccias, and welded
and latite porphyry, and thin sandstone and conglomerate beds (Fig.44). The mine is along the northern ringfracture zone of the Schoolhouse Mountain caldera(Fimell, 1987).
176
3252'3
"_
x Prospect
Pit
0 Shaft
DistrictBoundary
c-7 Altered Area
TI4
TI 5
Adit
<2 FracturedZone
101 Quaternary gravels
Stage 3 gravels
Gamma formation
Vitrophyre member
Breccia member
Red Rhyolite member
Porphyry member
Grey Rhyolite member
Pink Rhyolite member
ITmN( Vitrophyre member
Sandstone and breccia member
Grey andesite member
White tuff member
Ifmh/ Brown breccia member
lTdal Brown tuff breccia member
Acid and intermediate dikes
lTail Andesite
a
32'5
1 km
Figure %Mines and prospects i n the Cora Miller mining district, Grant County,New Mexico (modified from Wargo, 1959).
I
y
Mineral deposits
At the Cora Miller mine, silver occurs
in a volcanic-epithermal quartz fissure
vein that strikes N70-75"E
in Tertiary rhyolite ash-flow
tuff. East of the mine the vein dips beneaththe floodplain alluviumof Mangas Creek.
The vein ranges in width from 4 to 5 ft at themine, but narrows to less
than a foot at the furthermost prospect pit.
Gilleman (1964) notes that a small crossfault cuts the vein about 180 ft west of the shaft and a small offset was
seen in the adit about 70 ft east of the shaft. No information is available onthe minerals that were mined; quartz
is the principal gangue mineraland malachite and goldare found in dump samples.
Wargo (1959) describes manganese-bearing
vein deposits also occurin a breccia zone
in shallow
workings at the mine. Crushed breccia fragments withinthe fracture zone have been cemented
and partially
replaced by black manganese oxides. Vein
quartz is present along portions
of the vein.
Eureka district
Location and Mining History
The Eureka mining district occursin the northern part of the Little Hatchet Mountains(Fig. 1). Mining
in old turquoisepits are
activities in the Little Hatchet Mountains began
in 1871. However, stone tools found
evidence of much earlier activity. Legend
has it that the district was named "Eureka" when these old Native
American mining tools were found.The American, Hornet,and King claims in thedistrict were located
in 18771878 at the same time when the Sylvanite districtin the southern part of the mountains was prospected.The
of the Hachita district, which
is no longerin use.
Eureka and Sylvanite mining districts were originally subdistricts
The earliest mining was at theHornet mine;but, Apache Indians were hostileto mining and prospecting
and madethings difficult. By late 1878, when the U.S.Army visitedthe district, only20 people resided there.
Protection afforded by
the army allowedthe miners to return, and
in 1881, ore shipmentsfrom the American mine
at both the American and Hornet mines, but neither
were being recorded.In the early 188Os, smelters were built
smelter operatedfor very long due to technical difficulties.
In 1885, a dropin the price of silver causedmining
activities to subside
until 1902, when the railroad connectedthe smelter townsof Douglas, Arizona, andEl Paso,
Texas, and stimulated production.The total value of ore producedto 1906 was not morethan $500,000 (Lindgren
et al., 1910). Total estimatedproduction from the Laramide veinsis approximately $1.59 million, including 2.9
million lbs Pb,1.7 million lbsZn, 500,000 lbs Cu, 5,000 oounces Au, and 450,000 ounces Ag (Table84).
TABLE 84-Production from the Eureka mining district. Grant Countv. New MexicoCU. S. Bureau of
178
Geology
In the district, the mountains consistof Cretaceous sedimenmy and early Tertiary volcanic rocks intruded
by Tertiary stocks, dikes, and sills. The oldest rocks
in the district are Cretaceous sedimentary rocks consisting
of
thin bedded limestone, dolomite,and shale. Between Howells Ridgeand Old Hachita,the Hidalgo Volcanicsof
early Tertiary age crop out. These rocks consist
of altered andesiteand andesite breccia with a few sedimentary
units consisting of andesite detrital sediments.A hornblende andesite nearthe base of the section hasan age date
of 71.44+0.19 Ma ~ A d 3 ' A r , hornblende; Lawton etal., 1993). South and west of Old Hachita,the Hidalgo
Volcanics have been intruded
by the'sylvanite quartz monzonite stock and diorite.
In the Little Hatchet Mountains,
several Laramide stocks, dikes,
and sills have intrudedthe Cretaceous sedimentaq rocks, and the most highly
mineralized areasare associated with these intrusive rocks.
The quartz monzoniteand monzonite in the Sylvanite
and Eureka districtsis called the Sylvanite quartz monzonite stock (Zeller, 1970), but detailed studies
are needed to
determine if there is more than one intrusive phase.
Mineral deposits
Mineral depositsin the Enreka district consist
of Laramide veinsin limestone and monzonite, Laramide
skarns and replacementsin metamorphosed limestone along
the edge of the intrusive rocks, turquoise deposits,
and
disseminated quartz-specularite deposits (Table 85). Lasky (1947) divides
the mineral depositsinto seven types
based on mineralogy: 1) disseminated pyritein Tertiary intrusive rocks,2) quartz-specularite deposits (sec.2, 11,
TZSS, R16W), 3) lead-zinc skarns and replacements (Hornet), 4) arsenopyrite-lead-zinc veins (American, Miss
Pickel), 5) manganosiderite-galena veins,6) manganosiderite-tetrahedrite-galenaveins (King 400, Silver King,
Howard), and 7) quartz-pytite-chalcopyriteveins (Copper King, Stiles).
TABLE 85-Mines and prospectsin the Eureka mining district, Grant County (from Sterrett, 1911;
Lindgren et al.,1910;Lasky, 1947; Zeller, 1970;V. T. McLemore, unpublished field notes,July
1-2, 1995; NMBMMR file data .
119
unknown(Hill
5758)
unknown
tuquiase pit
ww
16W
2,11 28s
16W
NE2 28s
16W
128s 16W
Fe
none
31' 54' OO",
108' 26' 15"
Cu, turquoise
unknown
31'53'45".
108O 25' 35"
Pb,Zn,Ag, V, Cu
3lo53'O0",
108' 27'40"
unknown
Pits?
pit
shaft
Sylvanite quam
monzonitestock
Tatiary ash-flow
tuff
CretUBar
Formation
disseminated
Laramide
vein,
disseminated
Laramide
Skam
-
Ore depositsat the American mine occnralong a vein in metamorphosed limestonenear the contact with
a monzonite stock (Lasky, 1947).The limestone has been metamorphosed to marble
and garnet. The vein strikes
N50"E and dips 58"to 75"NW and can be traced in outcrop for about 1,000ft before either end plunges beneath
arroyo gravels. In the mine, the vein varies from2 to 20 ft wide. Mineralized vein material contains galena,
sphalerite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, and a trace
of chalcopyrite. Gangue material includes manganosiderite, calcite,
and sericite.
One exampleof an ore depositthat formed in the district without developing calc-silicate, skarn-type
mineralization occursat the Hornet mine.The Hornet minewas oneof the earliest mining locations in the Little
Hatchet Mountainsand for a whileit was the site of the greatest mining activity in the mountain range. The host
rocks at the mine include limestone, Hidalgo Volcanics, and
an irregular diorite sill that intmdes the contact
between the limestone andthe volcanic rocks. Oreat the mine consistedof three types: 1) lead carbonate ore
25 odton Ag; 2) galena orethat was evenricher in silver; and
stained blackby manganese oxides and averaging
3) zinc carbonate ore also
rich in silver. The grade of material shipped between 1905
and 1927 was
approximately 22odton Ag, 3.5% Zn, lessthan 1% Pb, and 0.05% Cu. Gangue was almost entirely coarsegrained calcite; pyrite occurred
in unoxidized material.
Turquoise deposits were rediscovered about 1885
and worked intermittentlyfor 25 yearsor more. Total
production is unknown. Blue and green turquoise
is found in veins in altered trachyte, andesite, and ash-flow
tuf€
(Fig. 45,46). Some bands were np
to 7 ft wide (Sterrett, 1911);but most are smaller (Fig. 46). Impurities include
jarosite, sericite,iron oxides, pyrite, and clay(Lasky,1947; V.T. McLemore, July 1, 1995).
Zones of disseminated pyrite occurin themonzonite in the district. The monzonite is altered to
and replaced byjarosite, iron oxides, and pyrite. Unaltered, pre-ore lamprophyre dikes
cut the altered
monzonite in the Sylvanite districtto the south, suggestingthat the alteration is older than the
mineralization (Lasky, 1947).
A zoneof disseminated quartz-specularite occurrs
in sec. 2 and 11, T28S, R16Win the anticline of diorite
and andesite breccia(Lasky, 1947). Iron was produced and usedin the Hornet and American smelters.The rock
is locally completely sericitizedand replaced by quartz, sericite, and specularite.
180
FIG-
4S"Turquoise pit in sec. 2, TZXS, R16W, Eureka district, Grant Connty (V. T. McLemore photo,
7/1/95).
'1
F'IGURE 4&Turquoise vein with iron oxides (3 cm thick) in ash-flow tuf€ at Turquoise pit in sec. 2,TZSS,
R16W, Eureka district, Grant County (V. T. McLemore photo, 7/1/95).
181
Fierro-Hanover District
Location and Mining History
The Fierro-Hanover mining district is approximately 12 miles east-northeastof Silver City (Fig.1)and
was discoveredin 1850. From 1890to 198Os, 1.25 billion lbs Cu, >50,000 oz Au, >5 million oz Ag, >52 million
Zn were produced (Table 2).In addition, morethan 3,600,000 short tons of iron ore
lbs Pb, and 1.21 billion lbs
was mined intermittently fromthe district from 1891to 1945 (Hillesland et al., 1994, 1995; Hemon, 1949)
and
approximately 670long tons of ore containing 18.9-25.9%Mn was producedfrom the Lost Treasure, Gold
Quartz,
Hamlett, and Old Claim mines (Richterand Lawerence, 1983; Farnham, 1961).
Iron deposits in the Fierro-Hanover district were identifiedin the early yearsof copper developmentin the
Fierro, Hanover,and Santa Rita areas (Kelley, 1949). Early accounts of mining in thearea mention lodestone
cliffs and large high-grade magnetite outcrops.During the 1880s and 189Os, iron ores from the Fierro and
used
flux for nearby smelters
Hanover areas were usedfor smelter fluxes. Some iron-ore float may have been as
even beforethe 1880s. In 1891, the railroad to Hanover was completed and
iron ores for fluxing were shippedto
copper smeltersas far away as Socorro andEl Paso. Supported mostly by productionform the Fierro-Hanover
mines, in 1889 and 1893 New Mexico ranked16th and 24th respectively among States producing
iron ore. In
1899, the railroad was completedto Fierro. The years of greatest production were
the years 1916 to 193
1when
annual production reached a maximum
of 200,000 short tons, and
the ore was shippedto Pueblo, Colorado
(Hemon, 1949). Early in the mining history of the district, six major iron mines were operating. Large-scale
iron
mining ceased in 1931, but small amountsof ore were producedin 1936 and 1937 and again in 1942to 1945. The
and 7.28% SO2.
average iron grade of the concentrates of near surface ores was 51.0% Fe, 13.38% MgO,
During World WarI, the first manganese ore, about 275 longt tons, was shipped (Famham, 1961).
of ore containing 22.2
to 25.9%Mn were
Production resumeddnring World War11, and another 248 longt tons
shipped to Deming. Most of that ore was minedfrom the veins on the Lost TreasureNo. 2 claim. During the
1950s, mining again was undertaken. Dnringthat time, 51 long tons averaging 18.9%Mn of sorted ore were
Mn from the Lost TreasureNo. 2
shipped fromthe Gold Quartz claim and about 70long tons containing 20%
vein. Mining was from open cuts and from underground. Much
of the ore producedfrom the Lost Treasurevein
was mined froman ore bodynear the southwest endof the vein's outcrop(Farnbam,1961). These workings were
idle in 1959.
From 1967to 1994, the Continental copper mine produced over 22,000,000
short tons ore containing
1.00-1.16% Cu and 0.41% Pb. Cnrrent reserves include 10,300,000
short tons of 0.92% Cu (open-pit), 3,600,000
shoa tons of 2.3% Cu (underground),and 80,000,000 short tons of 0.38% Cu as acid leachable chalcocite
and
(Hillesland et al., 1994, 1995). In addition, reserves include 20%iron as magnetite, 0.4% Zn, and minor gold
silver. Preliminary leach tests by Cobre Mining show 8045% recovery. Reserves at Hanover Mountainare
estimated as 80 millionshort tons of 0.38% copper (Hillesland et al., 1995).
Geology
The district is centered aroundthe Hanover-Fierro pluton, a north-trending elongate, discordant intrusion.
The pluton consistsof light gray, fine- to coarse-grain granodiorite porphyry.
The sedimentary country rocks
are
intruded by the pluton and by quartz diorite sills, granodiorite
and quartz monzonite dikes, and post-ore
latite
dikes.
Spencer and Paige (1935)first suggested that the pluton was laccolithicin part. Schmitt (1939) showed
that pushing aside of folding strata by the intrusive was accompanied by
thrust faulting upon whichthe older strata
were emplaced. Aldrich (1974) determined
that the Hanover-Fierro plutonhas a funnel-shaped cross section,and
summarized the events that occurred as the granodiorite was forcibly injected among
the older rocks.
of Hanover-Fierro stock, which was
The district lies on the folded limestone and dolomite margin
intruded through a restricted Proterozoic channelthen
andexpanded by both laccolithic
bulging and pushing aside
the overlying sedimentary rocks south
of Barringer fault (Kelley, 1949). The intrusive is chiefly concordant and
expanded outwardand upward probablyas a result of intrusion to shallow depth
in well bedded rocks. Swarmsof
granodiorite porphyry dikes were intruded fluids
and were injected along fractures, faults, and disturbed zones
in
and around the Tertiary stock which provided permeable channels
that concentrated and directed the flow of
mineralizingfluids (Hemon and Jones, 1968). The Barringer fault is a major fault and cuts the Continenal deposit
(Fig. 47).
Mineral depositsin thedistrict consist of the porphyry-copper relatedskams, iron (magnetite) skams,
lesser zinc-leadskams, and polymetallic veins and replacements
that formed as a direct resultof the intrusion of
182
E81
Calcareous siltstone
0
0
0
0
0
Silty limestone
Impure limestone
Shale
0
nGarnet skarn
0
0
0
0
Limestone
Generalized metal
zonation
.
Wollastonite skarn
Garnet-cpx skarn
Clinopyroxene skarn
r""JMarble
Bi-chl-epi hornfels
=Granite
Unaltered host rocks
Ore
0
Figure &Generalized mineralization patterns in Laramide skarn deposits in southern New Mexico (modifiedfrom
Lueth, 1984; McLemore and Lueth, in press). Garnet
forms nearest to the stock in the purer limestonesof the Lake
Valley and Oswaldo Formations. Garnet-clinopyroxene forms adjacent to the stock in the argillaceous carbonate rocks.
A hornsfel typicallyforms at the parting shale in the Oswaldo Formation. Wollastoniteand marble typicallyforms
the outer zones. Chalcopyrite typicallyoccurs in the garnet zone and sphalerite occurs in the clinopyroxene zone and
at the contact between the skarn
and marble. Ore zones are generalized.
~~
~
~~
~
~~~
~~
~
~~
~
~~~~
~
~~~
~~~~~~
FIGURE 49-Chalcopyrite in skam at the Continental pit, Fierro-Hanover district, Grant County (V. T.
McLemore photo, 4/94).
Most of the copper reservesat the Continental minea e in the Syrena and upper par(of the Lake Valley
limestones north of the Barringer fault. Chalcopyrite is the chief oremineral, with minor magnetiteand iron-rich
sphalerite erratically distributedat the gamet marble interface (Eillesland et al., 1994, 1995). Ore bodies are
associated with the garnet-magnetite skarn, downdip of the Bariuger fault. Supergene coppermineralization west
of the main pit within the Colorado Formationis associated with the HanoverMountain porphyry. Hydrothermal
fluids from the Hanover-Fierro stockmigrated updip in adjacent sedimentsand were damed againestthe Barringer
fault, forming the copper skarns and replacement bodiesOUlesland et al., 1995).
TABLE 86-Mines
and prospects of the Fierro-Hanover district, Grant County, New Mexico. Location
185
LAnT[IDE
LONGITUDE
32' 49' 02"
108O05' 22"
ZOMMODITES DEVELOPMEN:
DEPOSIT
17s 12W
(1935), Andeaon(l957),
Hemon and Jones
(1968), Jonesand
Hemon (1964),
NMBMMRfile data
32'49' 06"
-"-
108' 03' 53"
NW23 17s
t
"Hamlet
NW114 02
17s 12W
32'51'45''
108°03'30"
1
Hanover
Mountain
SW03, SE04
17s 12W
32'51'15"
108O 04'45"
Zn, Pb, Ag
2 shafts, 2 adits
800Rofdrifting
Fe,Mn
shallowpits and
trenches
CU
(Gilchrist
Tunnel)
32'47'49''
32°50'20"
I
Zn, Pb, C u , Ag
shaft
108"04'28"
Cu,Zn, Au, Ag,
shaft 120 A deep
32'50'33"
I
108"04'19"
Fe
Fe, 2%Pb
Fe
I
Mine, Jim
Thayer, Gibhaa,
Nonpareil)
NW27 17s
17s 12W
-I"
32'48'29"
ZR Pb, C u , A&
Au, Fe
108- 04'36"
Group (HodgesDowell. Fierro
Man anese
Mabel
2 shafts 300 fl
deep, tunnel,
opencuts
inclined adit with
3 levels, several
large open pits
(1935), Kelley (1949),
Anderson (1957),Harrer
2-625 Avertical
shafts, 3 levels
Fe
surface
Mn
open cuts and
shafts 80 R deep
Us Ag
17s 12W
SE11403
17s 12W
SE17 17s
etal., (1967), Storms
shall 135 A deep
cuts
lolymetallL
veins
Laramide
Skam
Fe
Zn, Pb, Cu,Ag,
Au, W
Chief, Fighting
Live Oak,
Midnight,
UnknOWn
lolymetallic I Lindgren et al(1910)
opencut and sh&
open Fe
MountainHome
,
eplacement
17s 12W
Co erBonam
Magnetite
Soencer and Paise
(1935), Harrer and Kelly
(1963), Jones (1904),
.
MO
I
Jones etal. (1967),
and Kelly (1963)
tunnels, shafts,
surface workings
108°06'11"
I
Laramide
NE114 17
17s 12w
Mn
surface only
6 adits, 2 deep
shafts,stopes,
shallow shafts,
w k e s , raises,
small pits
pit
Laramide
skam
Lanunide
skam
carbonate Jones and Hemon (1973)
hosted Mn
eplacemenl
186
and McKinney (1959),
Sdunin(1935)
Group, Nugent,
Come by Chance
Valtaire, 6-8-1,
(Pewaubic,
Result, Walpool,
Eclips)
Philadelphia
LOCATIOP
LATITUDE
DNGITUDE
SI12 22 178
12w
NE35,
NW36 16s
12W
SE ofNE21
17s 12w
32' 48'33''
108°04'21
32O 52'40"
108' 02'45"
NWZZ 17s
12w
I benches
and
32O 48' 34"
108' 05' 00"
WlIZ 22
17s 12w
C28 17s
12w
S1/2 15 17s
12w
SEI14 21
17s 12W
32O 49' 07"
108°04'29"
108" 04' 43"
32* 48' 05"
108'05'28''
32' 49'40"
108'04' 19"
32'48'51''
108'05' 00"
SE09 NE16
17s 12W
320 49'45"
108 04'45"
NU2 21 17s
32'49' 15"
108O 05'30"
32' 52' 18"
108'03'37"
I Harrer and Kellv (1963).
32O 50' 14"
108' 04' 26"
108' 03' 15
32' 48' 47"
108' 04' 46"
32'50'35''
108' 04'30"
32O 50'32"
108°05'28"
32O 50' 02"
108' 04' 56"
Lawrence
shaft and adits
330 Rmain shaft
extensive
underground
workins and
0 encuts
opencuts and
tunnels
Fe, Cu, Zn
Zn, Pb, Cu,Ag
200 fivertical
shaft, inclined
shaft several
small shafts, an
adit
and Kelly (1963)
etal. (1967), NMBMMR
file data
i1
I
Laramide
tunnels
32O 53' 05"
1
Schmitt (1939).
ra:F'9)jHm
andKelle 1963
Sdunin
LaramidePaige(1908).
skam
LaramideRichterand
I
Flet& March
no3, Jack
McGee, San
Pedro, Minerva,
SE09 NE16
17s 1ZW
REFERENCES
I
file data
extensive
32' 49' 00"
S10N15
17s 12W
C26 16s
12w
sw11422
17.5 12W
sw114 10
17s 12W
E2,SE 3,4,9
17s 12W
I
shaft wl 2 working
levels
workings on 5
levels
SE34 SW31
16s 12W
Republic (Union,
Republic,
Mother, Eastem
copper King.
Hartburn, Old
Fe
TYPEOF
DEPOSIT
Laramide
hosted Mn
12w
(Modoc,Ansan S,
Zuniga Mines,
part of Hanover
Mt, Sinks Shaft
Gibhart, W
.
:OMMODITIES
DEVELOPMEN?
I
numemu$ open
pits andmts, ulg
acceSSthIough
Union Hill&
Republic
I
187
andKelley (1963)
olymetallic
-
Laramide
Lindgrenetal. (1910)
olymetallic Lindgren et al. (1910)
veins
C u , Fe, Ag, Au,extensive
Zn, Pb
underground
work& being
replaced by large
openpit
Fe, Cu,Zn, Pb,
A& Au
I Kelley (1949), Hmer
(1963). NMBMMR
KniPin (1930), Spencer
and Paige (1935),
Kelley
(1949), Andenon(l957)
The iron deposits
are along the sides of the pluton generallyat the contact or a short distance from
it. The
ore bodies are lenticular masses having
an average thicknessof about 30ft,but ranging in thickness from a few
feet to over 200ft. They rangein length from 100ft to 1,000ft (Hernon, 1949). The ore bodies maybe solid
masses or contain zonesof waste composed of limestone or wollastonite. Ore bodies
are known to form in various
stratigraphic positions from Bliss Sandstone
to Fusselman Dolomite, but most
of the higher gradeiron deposits are
in El Paso limestone (Kelley, 1949).This appears to he becauseof the close proximityof the intrusive to the
limestone, less silicationof the limestone beds,and greater susceptibilityof the El Paso limestoneto replacement
by iron-bearing fluids. In several places, Bliss Sandstone
lies between the pluton andEl Paso Limestone, butthe
more siliceous sandstone was not
as readily replacedas the limestone.
The minerals in the iron deposits include predominant magnetite, subordinate specularite,
and minor
chalmersite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and sporadic molybdenite. Magnetite
is altered to martite at or near
the surface. Gangne minerals include nnreplaced host rock, serpentine,
and apatite (Hernon, 1949). Normal
0.6% Cn, and at some sites leaching and redeposition
of copper has occurred at
nnoxidized iron ores contain about
the contact betweenthe iron ore and the intrusive.
The Pewabic mine, on
the eastern part of the Hanover lobeof the hover-Fierro pluton, exploits pod-like
sphalerite ore bodies, essentially uncontaminated
by lead or copper, that were localizedby the intersection of a
thrust fault with nearly vertical post-silicate northeast
fault zones (Sclnnitt, 1939). They are
as much as 40 ft in
the southwest marginof the Hanover-Fierro stock,
diameter and600 ft long. At the Empire Zinc mine, around
blankets as thick as 135 ft and upright tabular bodiesas much as 1,000 x 120 x 30 ft replace Lake Valley limestone
along granodiorite dikes (Spencer
andPaige, 1935). Ore from 1905to 1969 averaged 8.75% Zn.At the Shingle
Canyon mines (also owned
by Cohre), Zn-Pbskarn occurs in limy mudstoneand limestone-pebble conglomerateof
the Permian Ah0 Formation in the footwall of the Barringer Fault, northeast
of the stock (Anderson, 1957; Hernon
et al., 1964). In 1939 to 1945, ore averaged 10.91% Zn, 3.25%Pb,and 0.11% Cu.
The Lost Treasure andGold Quartz groups are the major source of manganesein the district. The deposit
consists of replacement manganese bodies and lenticular fissure
fillings in gently dipping Pennsylvanian
ft apart strikingN55-60' E. The Lost
Magdalena Group limestonesalong two subparallel faults about 1,000
Treasure No. 2 vein rangesin width from 2to 5 ft and can be traced alongstrike for 800 ft. In places, ore minerals
have replacedthe gently dipping limestone beds adjacent
to the vein. The mineralized beds range fromto23 ft
thick and extend outward about ft3 into the hanging wall of the vein. The Gold Quartz vein is traceable for 2,000
ft and variesfrom 2 to 6 ft in width. Pyrolusite and wadare the chief manganese minerals. Gangue mineralsare
abundant iron oxides, manganiferous calcite,and qnartz (Farnham, 1961).
skarn depositwhere limestoneof the Magdalena
The Hamlett claims contains a small iron-manganese
Group has been contact metamorphosed. Manganiferous
iron ore consistingof magnetite, hematite,and
in various-size lenses along fractnres
and in irregular masses scattered over and area
manganese oxides occurs
several hundred feet square
(Farnham,1961). The larger massesare several feet wideand a few tensof feet long.
Epidote, garnet, and pyroxene
are alterationproducts.
Fleming district
Location and Mining History
The Fleming (or Bear Mountain) mining district
is 6 mi northwestof Silver Cityon the slopes of Bear and
Treasure Mountains where fluorspar, iron, manganese, and as
silver
Laramide veins have been identified (Fig. 50).
Location and name of the district come from the old silver-mining camp called Fleming John
after W. Fleming, a
prospector, that was as active asthe Apaches would permit from about 1882
to 1893 (Lindgren et al., 1910)
and
sporadically thereafter. At the Old Man mine, whichfirst produced in the 1880sto 1893 and then produced
sporadically until at least 1949, oneore chamber contained about $40,000 worth
of silver. In all, about $250,000
worth of silver wereproduced in the district from 1882
to 1905 (Table 87).In 1937,222 lhs of Pb were produced.
About $300,000 worthof ore had been produced
in the district by that time consistingof 1,000 ounces Au, 300,000
ounces Ag, 10,013 lbs Zn, 450 lhsCu, and 465 lbsPb (Table 87;Lash and Wootton, 1933). In addition, a totalof
about 232 short tons
of fluorspar were produced (Williams, 1966). From 1916
to 1959, the district's manganese
deposits produced 1,860 ton
of ore containing about
30% Mn and 20 ton of concentrate containing 45.8%
Mn
(Farnham,1961). As of 1957, the district had not been active
in recent years (Anderson, 1957).
188
32 51
T17,
32'47'3
x Prospect Pit
a Shaft
r
Pit
.""
Adit
R Open
Mine
District Boundary
Ma'or Faults
(da8!wdwnereinfemd,
0
Qgs Quaternary gravel and sand
Tgt Tertiary gravel sand and tuff
Trl Tertiaryrhyoliteandlatite
Ks Cretaceous Colorado Shale and BeartoothQuartzit6
PsPaleozoicsedimenraryrocksincluding:Fierro
Limestone, Percha Shale, Fusselman and Montoya
Dolomites, El Paso Limestone, Cambrian Bliss
Sandstone
pCgs Precambriangranitesyeniteandporphyries
2 km
Figure 5 k M i n e s and prospectsin the Flemingmining district, GrantCounty, N e w
Mexico (modifiedfrom Paige, 1916).
TABLE 87-Metals production from the Fleming mining district, Grant County,New Mexico (US.
Geology
is reddishThe country rockin the vicinity of the Fleming Camp mine on Treasure Mountain
gray or reddish-brown Beartooth quartzite, and,
in many locations, is brecciated or a conglomerate with
1910; Hernon, 1949). Here, the
angular pebbles. It is underlain by Fusselman dolomite (Lindgren et al.,
ore occurredin irregular pockets in beds of quartzite, andthe quartzite nearthe old stopesis traversed by
numerous drusy veinlets of quartz with occasional finely-disseminated pyrite.
Bear Mountain Ridge, which hosts
the Bear Mountain group mines,
trends north-northwest and
is composed mainlyof sedimentary rocks, but north-striking Proterozoic
granite and gneiss is exposed in
an upthrust strip along the middle crestof the ridge. The crest in the southern part of the ridge is formed
by east-dipping sediments overlying
the granite, and west-dipping strata forms the crest of the ridge in the
northern part of the ridge (Lindgen et al., 1910)
Mineral deposits
The deposits foundin the district are listed in Table 88. Silver-bearing polymetallic veins occur
at Fleming Campas irregular oxidized bodiesin Cretaceous BearfootQ m i t e which overlies Fusselman
Dolomite (Richter and Lawrence, 1983). Cerargyrite, native silver, and argentiteare the chief ore
minerals. Gold, copper, and lead minerals
are reported and have been minor byproducts
of silver mining.
Gangue mineralsare quartz, limonite, and pyrite.
At the Pauline mine near Fleming Camp, silver-hearing
minerals occurin a quartz fissure vein in Proterozoic granite (Richter and Lawrence, 1983).
Fluorite occurs in thedistrict as a fissure
fillings and cementing brecciafragments in El Paso
Limestone. At the Ash Spring Canyon deposit, for example,
the breccia zoneis 3 to 6 ft wide in a vertical
fault striking N65" E (Williams, 1966: Rothrock et al.,1946). Fluorite partly replacesthe limestone wall
rock. The vein is traceable for100 ft on the surface beforepinching out at both ends. The fluorite is light
green and mediumto coarsely crystalline. A grab sample
of stockpiled material contained26.3% CaF2,
66.3% SiOz, and less than 1%Bas04 and CaC03 (Williams, 1966). Stockpiled ore fromthe Cottonwood
Canyon prospect assayed52.1% CaFz, 46.4% SiOz, 0.5% CaCOs, and less than 0.1% BaS04 (Williams,
1966). At the San Cristobal deposit,fluorite fills fissures in a pegmatite (footwall)-granite(hanging wall)
contact zone. The vein trends N36'W and dips73'SW (Williams, 1966). A sampleof hand-sorted
stockpiled ore contained92.1% C a F 2 with minorBaS04.
in northern Grant Countyin theSilver City
Discontinuous oolitic ironstone deposits crop out extensively
Range and the Pinos Altos Mountains where they
are isolated nearthe base of the Bliss Sandstone. In the district,
13 ft of basal
deposits of this type occurin Ash Spring Canyon, where2 ft of oolitic hematite overlies
conglomeratic sandstonethat rests upon pinkgranite (Kelley, 1949). Nowhere are theoutcrops very continuous.
A sampleofthe hematite bed contained35.9% Fe, 0.30% P, 1.21% CaO, and 40.2% SOz.
Replacement manganese depositsoccw in the district. For example, the Bear Mountain groupof claims
consists of irregular lenses of manganese orethat has replaced several beds
of Oswaldo Formation limestone.
or more steeplydipping
Manganiferous material crops out
in a 400 ft by 250 ft area whichis crossed by two
fracture zones with which
the replacement depositsare associated. The fracture zones strike about N25"E and in
some placesare mineralized. However, mostof the mineralization occursin the limestone beds adjacent
to the
fracture zones. In some places,the limestone contains superimposed beds
of ore having a thickness
of as much as
60 ft. The chief manganese mineralsare pyrolusite and wad. Psilomelane couldbe found nearthe surface. Calcite
is the principal gangue mineral (Famham,1961).
190
161
TABLE 89-Mines and prospects in the Georgetown mining district, Grant County,New Mexico. These
mines and prospectsare carbonate-hosted silver (manganese, lead) deposits. From Jones
et al.
(1967), Richter and Lawrence (1983), NMBMMRfile data,
and V. T. McLemore, unpublished
. .
Geology
The sedimentary rocksin thedistrict are Paleozoic in age and dip west-southwest
at shallow angles (Jones
et al., 1967). Several northeast-trendingfaults cut the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Near vettical, altered porphyry
dikes, cut the limestones and shales. 40Ar/39Ar dating of K-feldspar from a porphyry dike indicates
an isochron age
of 71*2 Ma (V. T. McLemore,unpublished isochron age determination).
The eastward limitof the district is
restricted by the large northwest-trending Mimbresfault which has brought semi-consolidated gravel deposits
in
contact with withthe Paleozoic sedimentary rocks (Hemon
et al., 1964). Mineral depositsin the district consistof
silver-bearingveins and replacementsin Fusselman Dolomite directly below
Percha Shale. They are similar in
mineralogy and stratigraphic positionto silver depositsin several other districts,such as Chloride Flat in theSilver
City area.The district coincides with a slightly anomously
high aeroradiometricU anomaly and low K and Th,
which is characteristic of mineralized carbonate rocks
in the southwesternNew Mexico.
Mineral deposits
The carbonate-hosted Ag-Mn replacement deposits consist
of irregular, oxidized bodies
in Fusselman
Dolomite beneaththe Percha Shale (Table 89; Richter and Lawrence, 1983).
The deposits occurin beds dipping
the dikes, and vuggy in places. Most ore bodies
10' to 20" S . The host limestone was silicified, especially near
occur in the vicinity of the porphyry dikes. Someof the ore bodiesare localized near contacts with granodiorite
porphyry. The ore was most valued for
its cerargyrite content; native silver, argentite, smithsonite, bromyrite,
and
vanadinite
were
alsopresent (Laskyand Wootton, 1933; NMBMMRfile data). Some
pyragryrite, galena,
the primary ore
pockets of cerussite and other silver mineralswere discovered. Argentiferous galena was probably
prior to oxidation. Ore shipments contained
as much as 320 odton Ag, 18.3% Pb, and 33.6% Zn; most shipments
were lowerin grade (NMBMMR file data). Assays of samples collected forthis report are in Table 90. Vanadium
is present in the dumps, as much as 0.7% V (Larsh, 1911). Early reports indicatethat the miners hadlittle
knowledge of geologic relationships and did not examine
faults for offsetsof ore shoots. Detailed geologic
mapping of the surface and nndegronnd workingsis needed to evaluate the mineral-resource potential.
192
Gila Fluorspar district
Location and MiningHistory
The Gila Fluorspar (Brock Canyon) mining district
is located in Gila River Canyon and
the adjacent
5 mi up riverfrom the town of Gila (Fig. 1). Only fluoritehas been
northern Piiios Altos Mountains about
produced fromthis district; no base-or precious-metals occurin econoic concentrations. In the 188Os, the Foster
in New Mexico. Output was used
as a flux in the lead-silver
mine hadthe first recorded fluorspar production
smelters in Silver C i t y (Gilleman, 1964). Several fluorite minesin the district operated during World War
I, in
the 1920s, and during World War
11, and afluorspar mill was operatedat Gila during the 1940s. In 1944, average
daily mine production was
50 short tonsof fluorspar, most of which was fromthe Clum mine. The government
fluorspar program was terminated
at the end of World War I1 and
mining ceased exceptfor occasional small
shipments. Fluorspar mining came to a haltin 1955, and exceptfor a short revivalin 1959, the district remained
dormant at least until 1964 (Gillerman, 1964). Bythe 1970s, rising prices had stimulated new exploration, andthe
is recorded for 8 of the 13 mines and prospects in
Clnm mine was reopened@am& et al., 1979). Some production
the district (Williams, 1966).The Clum mine produced about 29,000 short tons averaging 52%
CaF2, and the
for the district amountedto 47,586 short
Foster mine produced approximately 4,000 short tons. Total production
91,4).
tons; mostof this production wasfrom the Clum and Foster mines (Table
New Mexico (from
TABLE 91-Mines and prospects of the Gila Fluorspar mining districf Grant County,
Rothfock et al., 1946, Gillerman, 1968; Russell, 1947b; Williams, 1966). Location includes
section, township,and range.
Geology
The rocks are in the volcanic complexof Brock Canyon, which consists
of altered and unaltered
latitic
and latitic lava flows, volcanic breccias,
and possible intrusive rocks unconformably overlain
by silicic ash-flow
tuffs on the north and Gila Conglomerate onthe south. Age dates of lavas nearthe Clum mine range from
30.2+5.3 to 32.743.1 Ma(K-Ar,biotite; zircon, fission track; Rattk et al., 1979). Near
the center of the district, the
than 1,000 Et of intensely altered lava
Gila Riverhas deeply dissectedthe volcanic sequence and exposed more
flows and tuffs of the volcanic complexon both sidesof the river. In the area, the rocks are altered to clays and
193
sericite with intense silicification
(Le. acid-sulfate alteration; McLemore,
in press b) and pyritization relatedto
fault or fractnre control. In some fracture zones, bleaching and alteration
ofbiotite has changed dark gray
trachytic latiteand andesite to light
a
gray or buff color. The diversity of lava flows, breccias, volcaniclastic rocks,
and intense localizedalteration suggeststhat the Brock Canyon volcanic center
was exposedat the mouth of Gila
large quartz-fluorite-calcite fissureRiver Canyon (Ratt6 et al., 1979). At the volcanic center, several small to
filling veins cut both altered and unaltered rocks.
The veins are younger than the altered rocksof the volcanic
center and may indicate greater mineralization
at depth.
Mineral Deposits
The volcanic-epitbermalfluorite vein deposits in the district occurin normal fanltsand fissures in the
volcanic rocks (Table
90). Generally, the faults and fissures strike fromlittle
a east of north to northwest and dip
steeply to the east or west (Gillerman, 1964; Backer, 1974; McOwen, 1993). TheFoster vein strikes N45OE.
Many of the faults are brecciated, withfluorite occurring as fissure filling, interstitial slling between breccia
fragments, and replacements of brecciafragments and in some placesthe wall rock (Rothrock et al.,
1946; Russell,
194%; McAnnlty, 1978; Gillerman, 1964; Ratte et al., 1979). Qnartz is commonly associatedwith the fluorite.
Siliication and argillic alteration of the host rockare common. Fluid inclusion studies indicate
that the veins were
fluids (0.7-5.0 eq. wt??NaCl), typicalof epithermal veins (Backer,
formed at 160-242" C and were low salinity
1974; Hill, 1994).
Three distinct texturesof fluorspar oreare reported 1) coarsely crystalline, clear, translucent
to
transparent, massive green fissure-filling fluorite with minor qnartz;
2) fine- to medium-grainedfluorite with
inclusions of breccia and varying amounts
of quartz; and3) translucent to opaque, microcrystalline, white, red,
gray, green, brown, orlight blue fluoritewith tiny quartz grains distributed thronghontand locally banded. The
latter two textures containas much as 30% silica and are unsuited for metallurgical grade.
The coarse-grained
fluorite, however,has been shippedas metallurgical grade. Barite and pyriteare present locally.
At the Clnm mine,fissure veins are developed alongfaults in Tertiary andesite and
latite of the volcanic
complex of Brock Canyon. Fluorite occursin two veins occupyingfault zones (McAnnlty,1978). The Clnm vein
strikes N5"W and dips 70- 8O"SW. The East vein strikes N25- 33'E and dips 8O"SW. The width of the
mineralized fault zones averages about
3 ft, but locally may reachas much as 100 ft. The East vein is similar to
the Clum vein but smaller. Finely crystalline white
or red fluoriteis present. Some coarse, green fluoriteis found
in veinlets. The workings consistedof a 3 0 0 4 shaft with lateral developments of greater than 1,000 ft (Williams,
1966). T w o grab samples of stockpiled ore averaged61.9% CaFz, 23.5% SOz, 1.0% CaC03, and 7.4% rare-earth
McAnulty (1978) speculatesthat appreciablefluorite remains at theClnm depositsin known and
oxides (Rz03).
be lowered to 25-30%, several
undiscovered veinsand suggests that ifthe cut-off grade for minable ore could
thousand short tons of ore couldbe mined.
The other mines and prospects are similar, but mostare smaller. Local samples contained low gold
and
silver assays(Ratte et al., 1979). Stream-sediment samplesin thearea contain elevated concentrationsof Ag, Ba,
Co, Cu, Mn, Nb, Pb, Y, and Zn (Ratt6 et al., 1979). The intense alteration, geochemical anomalies,
and
occurrence of veins suggeststhat this district could gradeinto precious metal veinsat depth.
Gold Hill district
Location and Mining History
The Gold Hill mining district, also known
as Camp Bobcat,is located in thewestern Burro Mountians
approximately 12 mi northeastof Lordsburg, in Grant and Hidalgo Counties(Fig. 1). As with several of the
mining districts in this study, the Gold Hill district bas a historyof intermittent and somewhat desultory mining.
Gold was discoveredin the area in 1884 at the Gold Chief claim and a stamp mill was erected
in 1886 (Gillerman,
1964). By the 189Os, many small mines were active, and
mining had reachedits peak whenthe mining town of
Gold Hill had a populationof 500 people. By 1900 the shallow, free-milling oxidized ore was almost exhausted
and production wasin steep decline. Shortly after1900, Frank Cline acquiredthe rights to several of the better
mines in the district and mined themuntil his death in 1940.
From 1920 to 1926, several hundred shorttons of high-grade silver ore were mined.It was during the
1920s that the Co-op mine produced morethan $100,000 in silver (Richter and Lawrence,1983). From 1932 to
1940, a revival in gold mining resulted in $18,934 worth of goldbeing produced. Mining was limitedto the
oxidized zone above
the water table.
1952 and 1955; but, the amount
Prospecting and development of the larger pegmatites occurred between
and concentration of the rare-& minerals was so low that mining soon ceased. The same deposits also were
again too low, and the mines were abandoned.In 1954,
mined as a source of mica; but the grade and tonnage were
194
the Bluebird goldmine was rehabilitatedduring explorationfor tungsten. From 1956 to 1960, development work
was undertakenat theNever Fail mine @ichter and Lawrence, 1983).
Total production from
the district amountsto 6,845 lbsCu, 1,620 oz Au,and some silverand lead
amounting to more than $100,000 (Table 92). Prior to 1944,3,000 short tons of ore averaging50% CaF2were
produced at the Bluebird mine,and from 1944 to 1949
the mine again was worked intermittentlywith minor
production. Approximately 500 short tons of beryl was produced fromthe Grandview mine( G s t t s , 1965).
TABLE 92-Metals production fromthe Gold Hill mining district, Grant and Hidalgo
(U. S. Bureau of
Geology
The hills are a northwest-trending range predominantly
of Proterozoic Burro Mountains Granite
(1550
Ma; Hedlund, 1978b) andare surroundedby Quaternary alluvial fans
on the west end and by Tertiary volcanic
rocks onthe east side (Beardand Brookins, 1988). The oldest rocksin thedistrict form the Bullard Peak Groupof
Hewitt (1959) and consistof migmatite, quartz-biotite gneiss, hornblende gneiss, and amphibolite.
This intrusive
episode wastrailed by a pervasive retrograde event
in which the more mafc rocks, like the diorite, were
chloritized, sericitized,and epidotized. Proterozoic diabase dikes and plugs were subsequently intruded. These
rocks are fractured and intrudedby basaltic, rhyolite. and felsic dikes. Some dikes consists of white
to very light
gray rhyolite, which locally, contain disseminated
and highly oxidized pyrite grains.
The Gold Hill mining district occursat the junction of northwest-trending structural elements, indicated
by diabase dikestrending N3OoW,by pegmatites, andan east-northeast-trendiugfracture zone (Gillerman, 1964;
Hedlund, 1978b; Beard, 1987).The Co-Op-McWhorter fault strikes N70°E in the area. The Co-op mine is
situated wherethe fault intersectsthe pegmatites. The area coincides withan aeroradiometricTh high.
Mineral Deposits
The mineral depositsin thedistrict are Laramide veins, fluorite veins, gold placers, and
pegmatites (Table 93). The veins are mostly gold-bearingquam veins, but silverand base metalsare
major constituents locally. Fluorite veins occur
on the eastern sideof Gold Hill. In the northern part of
the area the pegmatites contain rare-earth-element-bearing minerals. Geochemical anomalies
in streamsediment samples include Ag,
Be, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, and Zn.
TABLE 93-Mines and prospectsof the Gold Hill mining district, Grant and Hidalgo Counties, New
. .
19s
196
197
The Laramide veins are of two types: gold-bearing qnam veins and silver-base-metal veins, Goldbearing quartz veins are themost numerous depositsand the sites of nearly all mining operations. The gold
placers formedfrom the weathering of gold-bearing quartz veins and occur in Holocene gravelsin Gold Hill
Canyon.
The gold-hearing quartz veins are simple hydrothermal fracture-fillingsin Proterozoic granite or
commonly along Proterozoic hornblende gneiss-granite contacts( G i l l e m , 1964). Mineralization probably
occurred in the Late Cretaceous or early Tertiary.The veins have banded drusy textnres indicative
of shallow to
moderate emplacement. Theyare irregular and narrow and widen every few feet.Widths range from a few inches
to 10 ft and can be traced foras much as 300 ft (Gillerman, 1964; Beard, 1987;NMBMMR file data). Almost all
of the gold-bearing veins are localized in mafic rocks. They commonlyare along the contact with of the mafic
rocks, be it a basic dike, biotite schist, or amphibolite,
and granite or granite gneiss. Little is known about the
character of the primary ore that was mined. Galena, sphalerite,and possible rnby silveralong with limonite and
pyrite occuron mine dumps in the district. Minor amounts of scheelite and wolframite are found at the Bluebird
mine, on the north side of Engineer Canyon in secs. 6and 7, T22S, R16W (Hedlund, 1978b).At the Reservation
mine, the host rockis mostly hornblendeand mica schist with garnet gneiss nearby; andesite occurs locallyin
contact with the vein. The vein varies from 4 to 6 ft in width. In many of the stopes the ore contained1-3 odton
Au. An equal amount of silver was foundin some veins.
The silver-base metalveins occur chieflyin the southern and eastern parts of the district. They consistof
primary argentiferous galena, pyrite,and sphalerite in calcite and quartz gangue (Gillerman, 1964). Cerussite,
native silver,and limonite are in the oxidized parts of the vein. At the Co-opmine, the highest silver values are
associated with galena and pyrite in the sulfide zoneand with cemssite and limonite in the oxidized zone. A
negligible amount of gold is present.
but are generally low. The average value of the ore ranged
Gold gradesof the ore were widely variable,
from $15 to $40 perton, with some orebeing valued ashigh as $125 per ton (Lindgren et al., 1910). Values cited
by Gillerman (1964) for production in the 1930s, when gold was worth $35
an ounce, showthat ore shipments for
the Grant and Hidalgo Countyparts of the district averaged $15.41and $25.41 a ton, respectively.
'
The rare-& element pegmatites in the district occur in Burro Mountains granite (McLemore et al.,
1988a,b). They vary in size from pods a fewinches across to lens-shaped bodies several
hundred feet long and
almost as wide (Fig. 51). Two veins 2 ft wide and 46 ft long have been located.Minerals in the pegmatites
include quartz, microcline, albite, muscovite, biotite, magnetite, garnet, fluorite,
and rare-earth-bearing minerals,
such as allanite, euxenite, samarkite,and cyrtolite (Fig. 52). Thorium, niobium, tantalum,and beryllium are
present. One of the veins contains 0.05 to 0.72% Th. The pegmatites are zoned with coarse quartz at thecore with
small segregations of microcline (Gillerman, 1964). Surroundingthe core is a qnartz-peahite zone with muscovite
and biotite. The next zone outis a quartz-albite-muscovite or quartz-albite-microcline zone.The outermost zone
is quartz-microcline. At the South pegmatite, massivegreen fluorite occurs in the quartz-albite-muscovite zone.
At the Bluehird depositon the northeast sideof GoldHill in the NE% sec. 22and NW% sec. 23, T.21 S.,
R. 16 W., fluorite occurs in stringers and veins 1inch to 2ft wide, within a brecciaand sheeted zone 2to 8 ft wide
in Proterozoic granite. Fluorite is present as lenses 30 to 50 ft wide for 3,000 ft along the zone whichstrikes
N85"W to N75"E and dips 70- 8O"N. Coarsely crystalline massesof white, green, violet,and purple fluorite occur
associated with quartz and silicified granite wallrock. Limonite is present as are calcite, pyriteand possibly some
gold (Gillerman, 1964).
198
FIGURE 51-Feldspar
photo).
in the White Top pegmatite, Gold Hill mining districf Grant County (V. T. McLemore
~~~~
~~
~~
FIGURE St-Microlite and smarskite in feldspar at the South pegmatite,Grant County (V. T. McLemore photo).
199
Lone Mountain Mining District
Location and Mining History
Lone Mountainmining district consistsof low hills about 7 mi southeastof Silver City(Fig. 1). The
district was discoveredin 1871by Frank Bisbee, for whom
the historic Arizona copper-mining town took
its name.
Once rich silver ore was identified, a mill was erectedmining
and and milling continued for two or three years
until the ore ran out andthe mines wereshut down (Lindgren etal., 1910; Pratt, 1967). Except for a small amount
of manganiferous iron production during World WarI, the area was dormantuntil 1920, when other silver
discoveries were made,and from 1921to 1923, whenmining was again active. It was during this latter period,
that lead was producedalong with silver. Theselater discoveries continued tobe worked sporadicallyin the late
In
1930s to 1950 (Table04; Pratt, 1967). Since then to at least 1967, no additional silver has been produced.
1942,30 short tons of manganese ore averaging 39.5%
Mn were produced (Famham, 1961). From 1950
to 1955,
another 800 short tons of sorted ore averaging 29.1%
Mn was shipped tothe government purchasing depotin
Deming. As of 1967, the silver and manganese deposits were mostly minedand
out
nearly all of the shafts are
caved or unsafe (Pratt, 1967). Total mineral production for
the Lone Mountain mining district is shown in Table
93. Mineral depositsin thedistrict consistof carbonate-hosted Ag-Mh deposits. Someof the deposits were mined
for silver before
turning to manganese production.
TABLE 94-Metals production from the Lone Mountainmining district, Grant County, New Mexico
(U.
S. Bureau ofMines, 1927-1990).
YEAR
ORE
(SHORT
COPPER
GOLD (02)
SILVER (02)
LEAD (LBS)
TOTALVALUE ($)
Geology
that have had small-scale mineral
Geologically,the district has much in common with other local districts
production. Lone Mountain consists of northeast-dipping Paleozoic, and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks,
primarily
limestone and dolomite,that were lifted up along fault
a on the southwest (Lindgren et al., 1910). They
rise about
in thearea range
500 ft above the surrounding plain of Quaternary conglomerate, colluvium, and alluvium. Rocks
from Proterozoicto Recent. Proterozoicgranite crops outat the western baseof Lone Mountain(Pratt,1967). The
granite is overlain by about 4,000ft of sedimentary rocks. From bottom
to top, the sedimentary formationsare the
Bliss Sandstone,El Paso Dolomite, Montoya Group, Fusselman Dolomite, Percha Shale, Lake Valley Limestone,
Magdalena Group,Ab0 (7) Formation, Beartooth Quartzite,and Colorado Formation.On the eastern flankof
Lone Mountain,the Cameron Creek laccolith,an upper Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary
biotite-qum latite, was
probably the intrusion suggested by Lindgrenet al. (1910) as being related to the mineralization in thearea. Pratt
(1967), however, found no evidence
that the mineralization was spatially or genetically related
to the intrusive
bodies recognizedin his study. There are several dikesin the district. They range in composition from quartz
an inferred length of as muchas 3/4 mi. Mostof the
latite to basalt. Most are only a few feet wide, but a few have
dikes filled already existing
fractures or created new ones
as they were emplaced.
Mineral deposits
in main crosscutting fracturesin carbonate rocks (Pratt,
Most of the silver and manganese deposits occur
1967). Some brecciation occnrs along
the fractures, and limestone has been locally silicified (Lindgren al.,
et
1910). The ore bodies did not indicatethe strict stratigraphic control foundin many silver deposits
in theregion.
In the Lone Mountain area,the silver depositsare scattered throughoutthe Fusselman Dolomite, and one
vein
reaches downinto the Upham Dolomite and Aleman Formation. Table lists
95 some of the mineral occnrrencesin
the Lone Mountain district.
Cerargyrite wasthe most common ore mineral, but curved bundles
of native silver wire were
the richest
ore (Lindgren etal., 1910). Argentite was reported
as a primary ore mineral,
and native copper was reported
(Pratt, 1967). Limonite was plentiful
as an oxidation productof pyrite. Other minerals seenin fractures or on the
mine dumps includequartz, calcite, dolomite, and small amountsof anglesite, cerussite, willemite,and malachite
(Pratt, 1967). The mineralized veins were a narrow
2 to 5 ft with ore veins nearly
8 ft thick. The veins were not
rich
silver (T-indgren et al., 1910).
very persistent,but, the ore they did contain was in
TABLE 95-Mines an rospects of the Lone Mou1ntain mining district, Grant County,
New Mexico.
Location inch s section, mship, an( m e .
I MINE NAME I JDCATIOI
LATITVDE
DNGITUDE
:OMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
DEPOSIT
Ben Hur
(Rubie,
Mayflower)
C 3 5 18s
32'
41'46" 108°09'27"
(1967), NMBMMRfile
320
43'
44"
108' 12'50"
Manganese
(Tom Lyons,
Sweet Home,
Corlirr, El
camao. Joe.
I 1
Lone Mountain
(Monarch,
Home
Hillt&jTicket.
'
Mineral
Ym
replacement
N27 18s
32'
4305"
'
108°10'36"
13w
NW29,
NE30 18s
320
S27, N34
18s 13W
320
SW35 18s
32'
43'
11"
than 100 fl deep
108O 13'04"
opencuts and
benches, 2 shallow
(Causland
Monarch (New
York, Good
Hope)
42'
21"
108' 10'35"
several shallow
prospect pits
41'
55"108" 09'35"
and open cuts
hosted Ag-
Pratt (1967) findsthat distinction betweenthe district's silver deposits and
its manganese depositsis only
as a conveniencein organizing the data and not on geologic criteria. This in
is,part, becausethe ore bodies have
been mined outand such informationis not available,and because some ofthe same minesthat produced silver
during the early mining period later produced manganese.
as irregular disconnected pod-like bodies along fracture zones
that cut beds and
Manganese deposits occur
replace Lake Valley Limestone
just beneath the basal shale member
of the Oswaldo Limestoneof Magdalena
Group ( F a m h q 1961). The fractures are almost vertical and strikes north.
The ore bodies rangeto as much as
60 8 long and 1 to 6 ft wide. Some fractures containedtwo or moreore bodies separated by tens
of feet of
nnmineralized or sparsely mineralized material. Most
of the ore runs along the fractures, butin some placesthe
adjacent limestone beds have been replaced. The chief ore minerals are pyrolusite andIron
wad.
oxides, jasper,
and blackand white calciteare the principal gangue minerals. According Pratt
to (1967), the manganese resources
are not exhausted but
are unpromising. That report does suggest one small area favorable
for prospecting forsmall
manganese ore bodies.
The manganese deposits could be utilized a low-grade
iron resource. The deposits are described as
irregular massesof manganiferous hematitein shattered limestone onthe flanks of Lone Mountain. The ore
consists of hematite and pyrolusite with some wad, magnetite, calcite,and jasper. Ore fromthe Mineral Mountain
group contained about35% Fe and 15%Mn (Harrer and Kelly, 1963).
Concentration of detrital or placer magneticiron oxides occursas cobbles in stream beds (Pratt, 1967).
The materialis derived from Gila Conglomerate
but the ultimate source was magnetite
in iron skarn deposits
adjacent to Hanover-Fierro stock. Geophysical methods could be to
used
discover such concentrations
in
paleochannels.
201
Malone District
Location and Mining History
The Malone mining district lies in the southwesternpart of the Burro Mountains along the Malone fault
(Fig. 1). John B. Malone discovered goldin the area in 1884 after years
of placer-gold mining in nearby Gold
Gulch and Thompson Canyon (Gillerman, 1964). Production prior to 1925 amounted
to approximately $250,000
in gold and alittle silver, most before 1900.In 1904, while gravelsin many of the local gulches were being
worked for placer gold, additional hard-rock discoveries were just
madewest of the old Malone mine.Total
to no morethan $50,000. In the 1930s, renewedinterest in the area led to new
production after 1925 amounted
mining ventures and extensions to some older workings. Fromthe 1940s, until at least 1964,mining has been
intermittent. In 1961, Albert A. Leach
of Lordsburg owned 13 unpatented claims covering most
of the district
(Gillerman, 1964). Total production from Laramide veins and placer gold deposits
in the district amountsto
approximately 12,000 oz Au, more
than 10,000 oz Ag, 408short tons of fluorite, and minor amounts of copper,
lead and zinc. Mines and prospects
are in Table 96.
TABLE 96-Mines and prospects of the Malone mininn
- district,Grant Countv,
_ .New Mexico. Location
includes section, bwnshiu, and range.
MINENAME
Brock Perlite
~OlllpSOll
can on
Gold Gulch
Placm
LOCATION
LATITTIDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
TYPE
OF
DEPOSIT
NW8 20s
32' 34' 09"
108' 31' 56"
perlite
pits
Perlite
S17, E20,
w212os
32'33'30''
10S030'45"
Au, Ag
several opencuts
placer
32' 34' 09"
108"29' 55"
A& Cu
80 A shall, 40 A
adit
hamide
REFERENCES
Austinetal. (1982)
vein
Gillman(l964),
Johnson (1972), Hedlund
(1980), J o n s (1904),
NMBMMR file data
Richter and Lawrence
(1983)
LongLonBrother NE23 19s
Malone
19,20,29,30
(Principal,
20s 16W
Hillmd, Patanka,
Barranca, Fujima,
Paracutin, Barria,
Lor Ancienos,
Moody
N8 20s
Pitman
C ofN19
20s 16W
Unknown(Little
cookie #1?
Unknown @aTorUranium
claims?
18 20s 16W
SE30 20s
Geology
The rocks in thedistrict consistof ProterozoicBurro Mountain granite, mostly coarseto mediumgrained granite, onthe southern sideof the Malone fault and Tertiary rhyolitetuffs, perlite, and agglomerate onthe
northern sideof the fault. The Malone fault strikesN20"W and dips 70"NE,and marks the western edgeof
Knight Peak graben.
Numerous fractures cut the granite adjacent to the fault, butthe fault is not mineralized (Gillerman,
1964). The fractures trend mostly N45-85"W, with the exception of the Patanka vein which strikes N35"Eand
dips steeplyto the southeast. The granite adjacent to the veins shows evidenceof sericitic, kaolinitic,and hematitic
alteration.
202
Mineral deposits
Fractures cuttingthe Burro Mountaingranite adjacent tothe Malone fault are mineralized upto 1,000 ft
a few locations. The fractures are filled with goldaway, and granite between the fractures was mineralized at
bearing quartz and pyrite veins with minor chalcopyrite, argentiferous galena, and sphalerite
( G i l l e m , 1964).
to be
The gold is extremely fine grained and can only be detected by chemical analysis. Mineralization appears
rather shallow, as none of the mines in the area are greater than 100 ft deep (Table 95).
The shaft at the Malone mine, which was responsible
for most of the district production in the 1880s and
189Os, is near the granite-rhyolite contact on
the Esmeralda. At the Hillcrest vein, 1,800 feet the
to north, a 100f t
shaft leadsto drifts that follow along the vein, which strikes N85”W, and dips almost vertically. Shafts, pits, and
adits explore the Barranca vein, which strikes
N4OoW and dips 70°NE, offsettingthe Malone fault. At this
location, the footwall is granite and the hanging wall is rhyolite ( G i l l e m , 1964).
Northern Cooke’s Range district
Location and Mining History
The Northern Cooke’s Range mining district liesat thenorthern end of the Cooke’s Range nearthe
southeasterntip of Grant Countyalong the Luna County line (Fig. 1; Jicha, 1954).Mining in theNorthern Cooke’s
Range district was on a small scale.The area is honeycombed with many small pits, adits,
and stopes that have
ft high with a25 ft
long since been abandoned (Table 97).
The largest stope reported by Elston (1957) was 15
only
by 15 ft plan view. Minor silverand lead along with fluorite has been producedfrom carbonate-hosted lead-zinc,
fluorite veins,and KOGrande Rift barite-fluorite-galena deposits.
Fluorite mining at theWhite Eagle mine probably beganprior to 1918 (Elston, 1957).It was operated by
four different lesseesfrom 1933 to 1945. Production upto this point was estimatedat 17,000 short tons of ore
drilling program from Aprilto
(Rothrock etal., 1946) The U. S. Bureau of Mines conducted a limited diamond
June of 1945, intersecting veinsthat assayed as much as 79.6% CaFz(Moms, 1974a). The Ozark-Mahoning Co.
of Tulsa, OK leased the properly in 1950 and shipped approximately 12,300
short tons of ore averaging 61.7%
CaF2in 1953 and 1954. Southwest Fluorspar
Co. of Deming leasedthe propem from 1969to 1972 and shipped
about 5,500 shorttons of ore. Total production from
the White Eagle mine was approximately 62,300
short tons of
ore, and from the Linda Vista and WagonTire mines totalled about 1,500
short tons (Moms, 1974%b).
Geology
on the northeast by
The range is a series of northwest-trendinghills with lowto moderate relief, bounded
the N20°W striking Sarten fault and onthe southwest byan inferred fault of similar orientation (Moms, 1974q b).
In the district, the oldest rocks exposedare Proterozoic in age and consist mainlyof coarse, pink-to-gray,quartzmicrocline-biotite granite and granite gneiss @Iston, 1957). These rocksare cut by quartz-microcline pegmatites
and Tertiary(7) rhyolite dikes, outcropping over about three-fourths
of the Northern Cooke’s Range (Moms,
1974a). North of the district, the granite gneiss grades into hornblende-chlorite schist.The Proterozoic rocksare
highly fractured and altered,
paaicularly in near fluorite mineralization, biotite and orthoclase being chloritized
and sericitized, respectively.
The Cooke’s Range fault, which
is the eastern rangefault of the Cooke’s Range, approximately bisects
the
district. Elston (1957) hypothesizedthat the fault probably splitsinto several branches beneath Tertiary
and
Quaternary gravelsto the north. A hypothetical westernrange border fault is beneath Quaternary alluvium
on the
western side of the Cooke’s Range. In the district, the Cooke’s Range fault branches and rejoinsforming a fault
block of Paleozoic rocks.East of the fault block TertiarySanta Fe fanglomeratesand Quaternary alluviumare the
predominant surficial rocks; west
of the fault block, Proterozoic rocks
are predominant or are overlain by Tertiary
White Eagle rhyolite. The rhyolite consistsof porphyritic rhyolite flows, sills,
and dikes andis confined to the
northern endof the Cooke’s Range.
Sedimentary rocks outcrop only
in a small portionof the Northern Cooke’s Range(Moms, 1974a). In
the fault block, Fusselman limestone, Percha shale
and Lake Valley limestoneare exposed. These rocksare
highly shattered,but mineralization andsilicfication seem to be confinedto the top of the Fusselman limestone
where rising mineralizing solutions may have confronted barrier
a
in thename of impermeable Percha shale.
203
TABLE 97"ines
and prospectsin theNorthern Cooke's Rangemining district, Grant County, New
Mineral deposits
Deposits in the district consistof carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn replacement, fluorite veins,
and Rio Grande Rift
barite-fluorite-galena deposits (Table
97). Fluorite bas three methodsof occurrence: steeply dipping veins in
andesite cutting Proterozoic rocks;as fracture fillings in narrow, siliceous veinsin monzonite and andesite flows
(Moms, 1974b); andas replacement, monto bodiesin carbonate rocks. Mineralizationis probably mid-Tertiaryin
t by post-mineral
age. At the bottom levelsof the White Eagle mine, the vein bas been offset approximately f35
faulting (Williams, 1966). Replacement fluorite occurs
in a manto-likeform in gently dipping andesite at the
Linda Vista mine (Moms, 1974a). Silicification, argillization, chloritization,and sericitization are present in the
Northern Cooke's Range district, and probably an
were
important factor in the deposition of fluorite (Moms,
fault breccias in Tertiary volcanic
1974a). At the Linda Vista mine,ore occurs in small, irregular veins occupying
rocsks. At the Defense prospect,halfa mile southeastof the Linda Vista, siliceousfluorite occurs in stringers and
pockets in Proterozoic granite (Rothrock et al., 1946)
Silver as cerargyrite had been mined
in the district; sulfidesare rare, with minor occurrences
of galena
(Morris, 1974b). Oxidizessuch as cerussite, smithsonite, hemimorphite,
and iron and manganese oxides and
hydroxides were identifiedin old workings (Elston, 1957).
Piiios Altosdistrict
Location and Mining History
The Piiios Altosmining district is located in thePinos Altos Mountains about 8 mi northeast
of Silver
City (Fig. 1). Placer gold was discovered
there in 1860. Later that same year,the Pacific vein was the first lode
et al., 1910).
discovered in the district. Within two years, 30 mines were being worked by 300 men (Lindgren
Mining continned as disruptions, suchas the Civil War and plundering by Apaches, would allow.
During World
of zinc ore containing sphalerite, chalcopyrite,
and galena
War I, Piiios Altos contributed a considerable tonnage
(Waldschmidt and Lloyd, 1949).The Pacific mine wasthe largest producer in the area having atotal production
to 1905 of over $1 million Cindgren etal., 1910). By 1940, roughly7.5 to 12% ofthe area's pastproductionvalue
was accountedfor by placer gold, andthe district had yielded overtotal
a of $8 million worthof gold, silver,
copper, lead,and zinc (Wellsand Wootton, 1940).
The skam that is now referred toas theCyprus Piiios Altos mine was discoveredthe
byU. S. Mining,
Smelting, and Refining Co in 1948. Exxon Minerals drilled 213 holesin the early 1970s, and Boliden Minerals
drilled 135 more holes and drove 7,950
ft of development in 1982, estimating reserves
at 1,015,979 short tons of
4.96% Cn, 2.54% Zn, 3.482
odshort ton Ag, and 0.024odshort ton Au. Cyprus Metals took overin 1987, and
began operationof the mine in a joint venture with St. CloudMining Co (Osterbergand Muller, 1994). The joint
venture endedin 1989, andCypms continued until 1995. Production to date
is 661,238 short tons of ore,
containing 56,886,468 lb Cu, 18,515 oz Au, 1,805,180 oz Ag, and 31,210 lb Zn. Production fromthe entire
district is estimated as 59.5 million lbsCu, 169,000 ozAu, 2.6 million oz Ag, 6 million lbs Pb and 64 million lbs
Zn (Table 98, 99). Someiron ore was also produced.
204
(U.
TABLE 98-Metals uroduction from the Piiios Altos minina district Grant Countv. New Mexico
S.
Geological survey, 1902-1927;U.S. Bureau of Miies, 1927-1990; Osterberg and Muller,. 1994).
I
YEAR
I ORE 1 COPPER I GOLDLODE 1 GOLD I SILVER I LEAD I ZINC I TOTAL
205
I
and prospects in the Pifios Altos mining district. Grant Countv. New Mexico. *
C W € ny active, ui expectec I close late 1995.
-
TABLE 99-Mines
MlNENAME
_ I
LOCATIO)
LATITUDE
DNGITLDE COMMODITIES
DEVELOPMENT
32°50'42"
108' 14' 10"
32°51'24"
108' 14'20"
Asiatic, Golden
NE12 17s
14W
SEOl 17s
14W
32' 52'05"
Ooalouras
SE32 16s
13W
SE3116S
13W
Arizona
(pershing adit)
Altos (Exxon,
Atlantic
Giant)
I
Zn, Cu,Pb.Au,
maximum depth 01
32' 52' 09"
Au,&
108' 12'25"
adits
-"I-108' 13' 29"
Au, a& Pb, Zn,
108' 15' 04"
Zn,Pb,Cu,
I
1 6 s W30
13W, SE25
14W
320 53' 15"
10S9 14' 10"
33,04
16SJ7S
13w,13w
SE30 16s
13W
SE06 17s
13W
32' 52' 03"
108' 11' 51"
A", Ag, Zn, Cu,
Pb
2 shafts, about
700 A deep
Laramide
vein
Liidgren(l910), Lasky
and Waotlon (1933),
Andeaan(l957),
Cunningham (1974),Soul&
(1948)
McKnigbt and Fellows
(1978), Finnel(1976),
Osterberg and Muller
(1994)
Lindrenetal. (1910), Paige
(1911). Jonesetal. (1970)
32' 53' 00"
108O 13' 10"
3sh&
Laramide
NMBMMRfiles
Ag,
Au
I
extitemive
Fe, As, Sb
underground
a d
surface workings
108' 13' 15"
32' 52' 26"
108' 11' 05"
A", Ag, Pb,Cu
320 52' 24"
C of S6 17s
13W
32' 51' 09"
NW36 16s
14W
C ofNl2
17s 14W
N E 1 17s
32' 52' 10"
14W
NE31 16s
13W
SW06 17s
13W
rMountain Key
(Wild Bill, Lock
Laramide
skam
vein
465 fl shaft with 5
levels, prospect
pits
400 A inclined
shaft
108O 13' 15"
A", A& Cu, Pb
SOOflsh& 2 300
3Z052'40"
108' 15' 05"
Cu,Zn, Ag, Bi
trench and adit
320 50'55"
108' 14'33"
Z
n
,Pb,Cu,Au,
218 A inched
sh& aditX.50 A
long, caved adit
200Ashaftwith
&
32' 52'40"
Laramide
vein
7
108D14'00"
Au,Ag,Cu,Zn,
Pb
108' 13'25"
A", Ag, Cu
I
C06 17s
13W
shafts,pits and
Cu,Zn, Pb, Ag,
32'51'35"
1E35, SW3f
16s 14W
2 adits, shallow
trenches
Au, Ag, Cu, Pb,
Zn
A", Ag, Cu
Manka, Florida,
Mina G r a d e
4 shallow sh&
LaramideLindgren et al. (1910),
vein
Paige
(1911).
Anderson
(1957, Jonesetal.(1970)
Jxamide Jones et al. (1970)
vein
LaramideLindgren etal. (1910),
vein
Paige (1911),Jones etal.
(1970)
32'51'58''
13W
Altos)
2 shafts, adit,
A", Ag,Cu, Zn,
35,36;01,02
16S,17S
14W
E33 16s
(Mogul, Mina
Grande, Juniper)
1225 A shaft
32O 51' 03"
108' 13' 43"
32'51'25''
108' 13' 40"Cu,Zn,Au,Ag,
Cu,Zn, Au, Ag,
Pb
Pb
17s:NW6
32' 51'52"
13W.NEl
14W
NE1 17s
32O 5 1 45"
108' 14'20"
14W
I
drifls
250 Ashaft
500 Ashaft and
tunnel connected
withMogul
workings
300 fl s h e
connected with
Mina -de
workin
LarnmideLindgren
et al. (1910),
LaramideLindgren et al. (1910),
vein
Paige(l911)
Laramide Lindgrenetal. (1910),
(1911), Jones etal.
vein
Paige
Au,
A& Zn, Cu,
adits,
Pb
206
s h e tunnels,
some surface
LaramidePaige(1911)
vein
TYPE OF
DEPOSIT
REFERENCES
Paige(1911),Bush(1915),
Anderson (1957),
.
. Jones et
I al. (1970)
b i d e Schilling(l964)
I
Blood (1916). loner et
I
I
I
I
I
al.
I
Geology
In the district, Late Cretaceous andesitic volcanic rocks rest unconfonnably
on Cretaceous clastic rocks of
the Beartooth Quartzite and Colorado Formation
or Paleozoic carbonate rocksof the mgdalena Group. Within
the area, the sedimentary and volcanic rocks have been intruded by Pifios Altos stock, a medium grained, multiphase quam monzonite. The stockis part of the about 70 Ma Piiios Altos intrusive complex which consists
of the
stock and variety of mafic to
intermediate intrusions on
its periphery (McKnight and Fellows, 1978). The mineral
deposits in the area lie within Piilos Altos stock in
orthe sedimentary and volcanic rocksin close proximity to
the
stock. The sedimentary units are carbonate rich
at the base and siliciclastic
at the top (Osterberg and Muller,
1994).
of the northwest- and northeast-trending faults
is characteristicof porphyry
The braided structural pattern
systems (McKnight and Fellows,1978). Northeast-trending dikesas fissure veins indicate northwest-southeast
extension. Many of the fissure veins are mineralized
and are exposed in the stock and the host rocks. East-west
trending faults cross
the northeast trending normal faults, dividing
the district into several structural blocks
(Osterberg and Muller,1994).
Mineral deposits
The lode mineral deposits
in the district consistof Laramide veinsin intrusive rocksand lead-zinc skarns
with a lesser amount
of copper skarns in the limestones. Replacementand skarn deposits in Magdalena Group
limestones were responsible for most
of the district's past production (McKnight
and Fellows, 1978). The most
prolific minein the past, for example,was the Cleveland mine which produced zinc, lead, copper, silver,
and gold
from a polymetallic replacement deposit, west
of Pifios Altos stock. Mines and prospects
are in Table 99.
Chavez (1991) shows the paragenetic sequencesof mineral depositionof base-metal and precious-metal
vein and replacement depositsin the district. Early pyrite and pyrite-marcasite were followed
by the initial
episodes of copper depositionas chalcopyrite. Zinc was deposited as sphalerite succeedingthe chalcopyrite.
Another episodeof copper mineralizationas chalcocite, bornite, and chalcopyrite was accompanied
by silver
deposition as possibly stromeyeriteand native silver,and by bismuth.
Skarns at the Cyprus Pi5os Altos mine(Fig. 53) occur in altered LakeValley, Oswaldo, and Syrena
Formations and in Beartooth Quartzite,all overlain by the Colorado Formationand capped by Cretaceous-Tertiary
andesites and andesitc epiclastic breccias.
The intrusive bodyis quartz monzoniteand diorite. The central portion
of the mine is occupied bya breccia body with diffuse and poorly defined margins,
the central portion containing
an intrusive matrixof diorite. Quartz monzonite fragments are not found
in the breccia but quartz monzonite
dikes and sills cutthe breccia and its silica-pyrite alteration. Economic mineralization
is predominantly
chalcopyrite and bornite with minor chalcocite, covellite, native Cu, wittichenite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite,
native Ag, and others (Fig. 54). Gangue minerals include quartz, kaolinite-sericite, calcite, magnetite, hematite,
goethite, and limonite (Osterbergand Muller, 1994).
207
Alteration and mineralization wasa continuous processconsisting of thermal-metamorphic, metasomatic,
and retrograde stages.During the thermal metamorphism stage,the alteration depended on the composition of the
original host rocks (McKnightand Fellows, 1978). The pure limestonesand dolomites were simply recrystallized.
If silica was available, wollastonite was formed.
In argillaceous and silty limestones, a variety
of calc-silicate skarn
minerals were formed. Siltstones, mudstones, and shales were altered avariety
to
of hornfels. The metasomatic
stage produced a lesser variety
of skarn minerals. Andradite, quartz, and calcite makeup most of the rock.
in lesser amounts. Garnet replaces
Magnetite, pyrite, specularite,diopside, and base-metal sulfides occur
limestone bedsin mass. Sn!.fides occur sporadically throughout
the garnetized zones, and some sphalerite occurs
in marble outsidethe skarn. Minerals produced during the retrograde stageof alteration are usually hydrous
phases such as chlorite, clay, actinolite, talc, and sericite.The paragenetic sequence for
the Cyprus Piiios Altos
deposit showsthat calc-silicate minerals formed early followed
by iron oxides and a varietyof copper, zinc, silver,
lead, and bismuth sulfides.
At the Lady Katherine mine, north of the Cleveland mine, fissure veins containing chalcopyrite
and minor
sphalerite occurwith pyrite in Magdalena Group limestone
that has been alteredto the skarn-assemblage minerals
garnet, diopside, actinolite, and calcite (McKnight and Fellows, 1978). Northeast
of the Lady Katherine mine, the
Exxon prospectis another skarn deposit associatedwith Piiios Altos stock. McKnight
and Fellows (1978)
describes resultsof exploration at theprospect wheredrilling has located copper-zinc-silver sulfide mineralization
in altered Magdalena Group, Lake Valley Limestone,
and in Lower Paleozoic formations.
The Pacific mine is an example of one ofthe area's polymetallic fissure-vein deposits.The fissure veins
cut fine-gained diorite porphyry and extend for over 4,000
ft at N6O"E. On average, vein width is about 2.5ft but
may reach 10 to 12 ft. The vein consists of quartz, with calcite, barite and rhodochrositewith pyrite, chalcopyrite,
galena, and sphalerite. Pyrite and chalcopyrite are generally more abundantthan galena and sphalerite. The
diorite porphyry wall rocks
are altered to mostly chloriteand sericite for 1or 2 inches away
from the vein . Gold is
associated withthe pyrite, but the galena is not argentiferous.
Between Sycamore and Bear Creeks
in thePiiios Altos Mountains oolitic hematite deposits
in Bliss
Sandstone are exposed fora length of over 8,000 ft. The basal, oolitic-hematite-bearingpart of the Bliss Sandstone
in Sycamore Canyon contained12beds totalin about 45ft thick (Harrer and Kelly, 1963).
Gold placer deposits covered
an area of about 1.5m i 2 inBear Creek, Rich,Whisky, and Santo Domingo
Gulches (Johnson, 1972).The richest partsof the placers were probably worked in
outthefirst few years after
discovery, but they have been worked practically every year since.
The gold was derived from eroded outcrops of
oxidized base metal-gold-silverveins and replacementsin the area (Johnson, 1972). Placermining was hampered
by an intermittent water supplyas most productionwas done ona small scale by individuals
using pans, rockers,
and sluices. In 1935 and from 1939to 1942, Bear Creek and Santo Domingo Gulches were dredged. Heavy
snmmer rains, occasionally would rework
the gravels and reconcentrate
the gold (Wells and Wootton, 1940).
Assays ofplacer gravels found
that they containas much as 40% heavy mineral sands containing t83%
magnetite,
3% garnet, 8% hematite, and $9.30 in Auperton (at $20.67 per oz Au).
Ricolite district
Location and Mining History
The Ricolite mining district straddlesthe Gila Riverwith the bulk of the district north of the river,
extending up to Smith Canyon andTank Draw and includes afew fluorite and manganese mines and prospects on
the south bankof the river (Table 100).It includes the Ash Creek Canyon(or Ricolite Gulch) ricolite deposit
located about five miles north-northwest
of Redrock (Fig.55). Ricolite is a banded, light to dark green talcserpentinite usedfor ornamental stoneand in building interiors (Gillerman, 1964). McMackin (1979) describes
ricolite collected in the district as a mixtureof serpentine talc and small chlorite flakes. Ricolite
and massive
serpentine werefirst qnanied in Ash Creek Canyonthe 1880sfor use as an ornamental stone and
in building
and Wootton,
interiors. In about 1888,a shipment was sentto Chicago where was used for wainscoting (Talmage
1937). Shipments totaling 90 shoa tons were madein 1946 (Benjovsky, 1946). McMackin (1979) gives details
of
modem collecting of ricolite for lapidary pieces.
short tons
Fluorite production south
of the Gila Riverhas been significant.The Hope prospect shipped 74
offluorite ore in 1942, and the Great Eagle mine shipped 15,215 short tonsof ore from 1911to 1944. Allied
Chemical calculated 1975 reserves
at 195,324,000 short tons oreat 43.1% CaF2 (McAnnlty, 1978).
Manganese production was localized
in the northwest comerof the district. At the Black Eagle mine, 36
long tons of ore with 24.9% contained manganese were produced
in 1942, and 405 long tons of ore averaging
19S%Mnwereproducedfrom 1953 to 1954(Famham,1961).
209
108'4230'
108'40'
I
I
Td
32'473
*,
I
TT
TI 8
3204
32042'3
t
x
Quaternary
Prospect Pit
Quaternary
0 Shaft
Q
- alluvium
OTg - Gila Conglomerate
aal
) Adit
-Tertiary
Tertiary
Freeporl Sulphur Company
Drillholes
-----
DistrictBoundary
Faults
/
Ma'or
Td - Dalil Formation
Tertiary - Cretaceous
TKr
TKai
Cretaceous
- intrdsivernyOl,te
- intrusive andesite
- COioradoShals
Kc
KD - BeanoolhQuaNi%
Precambrian
(daskdwnere InferrsdJ
pCbm - Burro Mountain Granite
Ern - Metadiabase
0
Figure 55-
1NT
pCac " A s n CreekSerieS
Mines and prospectsof the Ricolite mining district, Grant County, New Mexico (modified
from Gillerman, 1964).
Geology
of Proterozoic granite and diabase in which tabular
The rocks in the vicinity of Ash Creek Canyon consist
xenoliths of talc serpentinite occurs associatedwith serpentine marble and massive serpentinite (Kottlowski, 1965).
Prior to the metamorphism, the Ash Creek rocks were layered
sedimentaq rocks consisting of siliceous dolomite
with minor argillaceous limestonethat may have formedon a stablecontinental shelf mewitt, 1959).
or three periods of
Metamorphism of the sediments began with low-grade regional metamorphism followed by two
thermal metamorphism influencedby intrusion of anorthosite, diabase,or granite. Hewitt (1959) presents evidence
that thediabase wasthe more effectiveagent of thermal metamorphism. Formation of the talc or serpentine was
dependent upon the magnesium contentof the original sedimentary rocksand was caused by hydrothe& reaction
of quartz and dolomite ( G i l l e m , 1964). Locally, talc predominates over serpentine.The talc-richvariety is light
cream in color and occurs in bands as much as severalfeet thick. Pods of relatively pure talc were thought by
Kottlowski (1965)to be too small to be mined economically.
TABLE 100-Mines and prospects of the Ricolite mining district, Grant County, New Mexico, locatedin
Figurc ;5. Location includes ction, township,and range.
LOCATION LATITUDE UlNGlTUDE
COMMODITIES DEVELOPMENT
I
108'43'
03"
108O 42' 40"
108' 40'35"
10S944'08"
XJ"
N17 18s
32'
SE9 18s
32-44'55''
NW16 18s
32'44'51''
1080 43' 29"
51" 44'
T"
108' 42' 32"
L_
108'42'46"
15.22 18s 1 32O44'00"
108"41'25"
108'42' 17"
TYPE OF
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
Mamesite
I nits
I sedimentarv I Gillerman(1964)
magnesite
F.Mn
I 4 - 5 fl cut, 2 -3 fl I fluoriteveins I Williams(1966)
deep
20 fl pit
fluoriteveins Williams
(1966),
F,Mn
HewiIt(1959),
Gillman (1964),
McAnulty(l978),
shallow
fluorite veins Williams
(196%
F,Mn
explorationpit, 20
Gillman (1964),
Richter andLawrenee
fl pit
(1983)
Magnesite
pits
hydrothermal Gillman (1964),
magnesite Hewitt (1959).Richter
and Lawrence (1983)
Fe
pits
iron
G i l l m a n (1964),
Richter andLawrence
(1983)
marble, ricolite numemus small
metamorphic Talmage and Woonon
open pits
(1937), Gillman
(1964). Hedlund
il980y
F, u
80 fl shaft, pits
fluorite veins O'Neill and
Thiede
(1982),HewiII(1959)
pits
-
I
MR F
108' 53"
44'
Ti"
NE21 18s
32O44'01"
NE9 18s
32O45'25"
NEZZ. W23
32O 43'35"
108°42'01"
F, U,Th
108'42' 17"
1-
I
I
I
75 flinched adit,
several shallow
pits, small
opencuts
shallowtrench
diamond 4
drill
. ,
I
I
epithmal
Mn
Famham (1961),
Richter
and
(1983)
. .
Lawrence
fluorite veins Richter
and Lawrence
(1983), Hedlund
(1980), HewiIt(1959)
oossible
Gillerman(1964)
Rothrocketal. (1946
18S18W
211
Mineral deposits
The ricolite occurs
in xenoliths in Proterozoic metamorphic graniteand metadiabase (Hewitt, 1959;
Benjovsky, 1946). Fractures
may be filled with calcite
or q m , and cross-fiber veinsof asbestifom serpentine,
chrysotile, are present (Kottlowski, 1965).It has been valued because
of its striking color, its peculiar banded and
mottled texture, andthe ease with whichit is carved or polished (Hewitf 1959). It has found limited usefor
jewelry, bookends, paperweights, and other small lapidary objects, such
as beads, pen stands, and bola ties.Good
quality specimens will hold a good polish,its
butsoftness limits its use. Ricolite occursin the steeply dipping
tabular xenolithsof serpentine-carbonate rocksof the Ash Creek Group (Hewitt, 1959).The xenoliths are
composed of several varietiesof hornfels and serpentinite.The largest xenolithis about one mile long with smaller
xenoliths scattered nearby. Hewitt (1959) describes
the ricolite as fine-grained talc serpentinite
that has
it ranges in color from
undisturbed banding similar to
that of finely bedded sedimentary rocks. Most commonly,
light green yellowto very darkgreen, but shadesof red, yellow, blue, and brown occur locally. The bands range
from 0.1mm to about 5 cmin thichesswith the average being lessthan 1cm. Chlorite, calcite, and quartz occur
in the serpentinite, and mottled and massive canary-yellow serpentine
is associated withthe ricolite (Gillerman,
1968).
The productive fluorite deposits
to the south of the Gila River are characterized
by colorless to dark-green
fluorite; most contain chert(Table 100). Different styleof mineralization are found. At the White Eagle mine,the
stratabound fluorite layers alternate with chert layers
in a near trending vertical shear zone.the
AtHope prospect,
a pit exposes vein
a of fluorite and chert breccia (Hewitt, 1959). North
of the Gila River and near Tank Draw,
fluorite occursin shattered and brecciated shear zonesin Proterozoic granite at the Blue Eagle and Jackpot
prospects (Gilleman, 1964; Williams, 1966).At prospects locatedin section 22,just east of Blue Eagle, narrow
fluoriteveins occurin Proterozoic granite along Tertiary rhyolite dikes
that strike N40-50"W.At the southeast
comer of the district onthe southern bankof the Gila River,the Great Eagle mine
is inProterozoic granite on a
shear zone 30
to 40 feet that strikes N3O-4O0Wand dips nearly vertically (Hewitt, 1959).
Proterozoic granite contacts Tertiary volcanic rocks and Gila conglomerate
in the northwest comerof the
district at the Black Eagle manganese mine. The deposit
is along a major faultthat strikes N15"W and dips
70"SW (Gilleman, 1964). Extensively kaolinized microcline
is found in the granite enclosedby the vein, as well
as in the granite footwall (Hewitt, 1959). At the Black Eagle minein Tank Draw, manganese as pyrolusite,
psilomelane, manganiferous calcite,and wad occurs as veins and podsalong a northweststrikingfault in a veinup
to 8 ft thick @amham, 1961). Atthe Simpson prospect northeastof the Great Eagle mine, psilomelaneand
pyrolusite occur with fluorite
as nodules and in veins (Gillerman, 1964).
Minor porphyry copper exploration was conducted
by Freeport Sulphur Company
in 1960 northof Ash
Creek Canyon. Four holesup to 1,302 feet deep did not intersect sulphides, except
for minor pyriteand oxidized
pyrite in two of the holes, nor was evidence
of hypogene mineralization found
(Gilleman, 1964).
A small magnetite deposit
is locatedjust north of the ricolite prospects. Magnetiterich bands 1to 2ft
across occurin serpentine in xenxoliths of metamorphosed rockin Proterozoic granite. Magnetite locally
constitutes 90%of the rock, but the deposit is small and inaccessible (Kelley, 1949;
Gilleman, 1964).
In Smith Canyon approximately a mile west
of the ricolite prospects, replacement-type magnesite-quartzdolomite bedsin dolomite occuras lenses as much as 60 ft wide by75 ft thick. There wasno production at this
location.
At Blue Eagle Fluorspar mine, approximately a mile northwest
of the Great Eagle mine, radioactive
fluorspar veins trend north-northwest
in Proterozoic granite and diabase. Radioactivity
is about twicethe
background count, and uranium and thorium
are believed to bethe radioactive elements present. There was no
production at this location (NMEMMRfiledata; Hewitt, 1959).
San Francisco district
Location and Mining History
The San Francisco prospects district lies
in northwestern Grant County, extends northward a few miles
into Catron County, and comes within approximately three milestheofArizona-New Mexico boundary(Fig. 1).
Only the southern part is in the Mimbres Resource Area. The district was
part of a mineral-resource assessment
of
the San Francisco Wilderness Study area and contiguous roadless in
area
Arizona and New Mexico(RattC et al.,
1982b). Much of this discussion comes from
that research. The Grant Countypart of the district was determined
by R a t t C et al. (1982b)and RattC and Lane (1984)as having indicators, suchas associated veins and altered rocks,
and a geologic setting conducive for
the formation of mineral deposits.
212
The district maybe the least-mined districtin the Mimbres Resource Area. Therehas been practically no
mining in thearea in or around the district. As of 1980, there were no
mining or patented mine claimsin the
district, but Ratt6 et al. (1982b) cites evidence
of past prospecting activity,
such as claim postsand prospect pits.
Geology
The district and the surrounding area consists
chiefly of the Potholes Country graben area and
of volcanic
rocks, mainly andesiteand basalt lava flows and lesserrhyolite flowsand pyroclastic rocksof middle Tertiary age.
The volcanic sequenceis capped by Gila Conglomerate, which consists
of fanglomerate and conglomerate.The
Potholes Country graben runs roughly northwest-southeast through
the center of the district and is bounded by
northwest-trending faults.The main graben blockis approximately two miles wideand is estimated to be downthe
dropped 600-800 ft (Ratte et al., 1982b). Nearthe southern edgeof the graben sits a major rhyolite vent where
of Miocene age was extruded and intruded.
The rhyolite is a high silica
Rhyolite of the Potholes Country graben
and high potassium seriesof lava flows, plugs, and pyroclastic rocks.
Mineral deposits
Along the San Francisco Riverin Arizona goldhas been producedfrom placer deposits (North and
McLemore, 1986)and a few prospects have been locatedthe
onnorthern side of the river in Catron County.
There, quartz veinsas much as 15 to 30 ft wide occur withinand peripheral to the Potholes Country graben,
Anomalous Mn, Ag, An, Cu, Mo, Be, W, Sb, Ba, and B values have been found
in the vein material in rhyolite
intrusive rocksand may be indicative of mineralization at depth (Ratte et al., 1982b). Locally,
the rocks have been
hydrothermally altered especially around extrusive vents where manganeseiron
andoxides coat fracturesand
where the rhyolite has been bleached and silicified. Silicified zones
in similar rhyolite in adjacent areasare
anomalous in gold and silver(Ratt6 and Lane, 1984). The silica, potassium, rubidium and strontium, and niobium
content of the rhyolite is suggestive of that associated with molybdenum, tin, and tungsten mineralization.
Ratt6 et al. (1982b) determinedthat the district had a low-to-moderate potential epithennal
for
precionsand base-metal mineralization.The potential for base-metal veinsand replacement deposits orfor porphyry copper
deposits, however, could not
be determined butis possible everywherein the district beneath the Late Cenozoic
t h i s is the presence of major porphyry copper deposits
in Late
volcanic rocks. The best evidence cited for
Cretaceous toEarly Tertiary intmsive rocks only about15 miles southwestof the district and the presence of preTertiary rocksin exploratoly drill holes a few miles
to the north.
Santa Rita district
Mining History andLocation
The Chino copper depositin the Santa Rita districtis the largest mineral producer
in thestudy
area andis located eastof Hurley, New Mexico(Fig. 56). The Chino copper deposit was
initially
discovered by Native Americans who used
it as a source of copperfor implements and weapons. Mining
by the Spanish in theMimbres area did not amount
to much until ca. 1798, whenan Apache Indian told
Col. Manuel Carrasco about
the copper depositsat what is now known asSanta Rita. Carrasco interested
Francisco Manuel Elguea
to form apartnership and they were issuedland
a grant, the Santa Rita del
Cobre Grant. By 1804 Elgnea bought out Carrasco and began
mining the copper at Santa Rita in earnest.
Elguea found a ready market
for copper in Mexico City. Raids byIndians and depletion of high-grade ore
kept mining at a small scale. Atthat time, there was no process
for economically extracting copperfrom
the underlying low-grade sulfide ore.
In the 188Os, attempts were made
to use more modemmining and
processing methodsat the deposit. In 1881, a stamp mill and a smelter were built,
and in 1883 the first
diamond-drill holes were drilled
for exploration. High transportation costs brought about
the failure of
this mining venture. In 1899, the Santa RitaMining Co. bought the property and expandedthe
underground workingsto explore for more ore, butit never foundthe main ore body.
In 1904, John M. Sully arrivedat Santa Rita and recognized the similarity of ore at Santa Rita to that
mined at Bingham Canyon. Sully thoroughly explored
the area and attemptedto obtain backers (Sully, 1908).
In
1908, the Chino Copper Co. was formed
and took overthe Santa Rita Mining Co. Finally, in 1909 he obtained
additional financial backing and in 1910 production began.The first concentrator mill was erected
at Hurley in
1911; flotation concentration was added
in 1914 (Hodges, 1931).That effort and those that followed have been
successful at large-scale, high volume.
213
1cW07'
32"4!3 ' r r
108"Ol'
T X
T18:
t
32"4F'
i
5
U
F
x
Prospectpit
Shaft
I
R12WIRilW
Figure 56"ines and prospects in the Santa Ritamining district, Grant County, New Mexico. Most of these mines are either mined out by the open pit or
are buried by the current mine tailings.
The mine has produced morethan 9.08 billion lbsCu, 500,000 oz Au, and 5.36 million oz Agplus some
molybdenum andiron ore from 1911 to 1993 (Table 2,3, 6, 101; Long, 1995). In 1993, 108,568,000 short tonsof
0.73% Cu were produced (Giancola,1994). In 1995, reserves were estimatedas 315.4 million short tons of
concentrator oregrading 0.67% Cu and720.5 million shorttons of leach oregrading 0.24% Cu (Robert North,
1995). Some iron ore was producedin 1943-1944.
Phelps Dodge Corp., written communication, October
Geology
The district is in anarea of Basin and Range structure, lying near
a northwest-trendingrange of Paleozoic
and Mesozoic sediments and Tertiary volcanics
that die out tothe north under a coverof Cenozoic volcanics and
sediments (Roseand Baltosser, 1966). This range is horst bounded onthe northeast by the northwest-trending
Mimbres fault and onthe southwest byan inferred northwest-trendiugfault lying under alluvinm. Within
this
horst, the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments
are exposed in an west trending belt 25 miles long and up to 10 miles
wide, and a broad shallow syncline
is present. The Tertiary volcanics cover
the older rocksto the north and south,
and Cretaceous rocks outcrop
in the central part of the range, with lower Paleozoic
units exposed in the northeast
and west fringes. These features chiefly result from
Basin and Range fanlting, and erosion
from the Late Tertiary
to present. See Roseand Baltosser (1966) for more information on geology the
of ore body.
Emplacement of the Santa Rita stock occurredin late Cretaceous or early Tertiary time;
age
determinations of the stock range from 55-56 Ma (Schwartz, 1959; McDowell, 1971; Robert North, Phelps Dodge
Corp. written communication, October1994). It was followedby intense hydrothermal alteration, sulfide
concentration, supergene enrichment,
and dike intrusion. The stock consistsof a granodioriteto quartz monzonite
porphyry having phenoctystsof slightly greenish striated feldspar
and less regularly distributed prisms
and flakes
of biotite. The granodiorite porphm is similar to that in Hanover-Fierro and Copper Flat stocks. The HanoverFierro and Santa Rita stocks maybe derived fromsimilar sources.
Dikes of granodiorite porphyry invaded
the stock and surrounding rocks
during mineralization. The rocks
around the stock were notably altered
by hydrothermal solutionsthat made their way downpaths created by
215
fractures in the stock asthe magma cooled. Fracturing, hydrothermal alteration, intrusionof dikes, and deposition
of ore may be regarded as episodes of extended magmatic activity. Mineralizationis directly related tothe amount
of fracturing and alteration. The granodiorite dikes were subsquently followed
by intrusion of quartz monzonite
and finally latite to quartz latite dikes. These later dikes contain only supergene mineralization
and are younger
than the hypogene mineralization.
Mineral deposits
The largest porphyry-copper depositin New Mexicois at Santa Rita, the Chino mine where
copper sulfides occurin the upper, highly fractured granodiorite stock and adjacent sedimentary rocks
(Fig. 56,57). Several periodsof supergene enrichment have
further concentrated the ore (Cook 1994).
Adjacent copperskarns are becoming increasingly more important economically. Potassic, phyllic,
a r m c , and propylitic alterationzones are present, butare not everywhere concentric (Nielsen, 1968,
1970).
”
~~
~
~~.
.~
~
~~
~
~~
FIGURE 57”santa Rita pic looking southfrom overlook, Grant County(V. T. McLemore photo,May
1995).
Much of the ore formed in the sedimentary rocks adjacent to
the granodiorite intrusion. This is especially
and Colorado
true on the east sideof the ore body whereAb0 Formation limestone, Beartooth Formation quartzite,
Formation shaleall were mineralized. Hydrothermal alteration destroyed many
of the distinguishing
characteristics of the granodiorite andthe host rocks,both sedimentary and igneous. The skarns in contact on the
noahwest and southeast sidesare locally attributedto the stock underlyingthe sediment (Paul Novotny, Phelps
Dodge Mining Co., written communication, 1994).The barren WhimW breccia is located at the cupola of the
is barren of metals p a d
intrusive andis bounded on all sides by potasically altered granodiorite stock, and
Novotny, Phelps DodgeMining Co., written communication, 1994;Rose and Baltosser, 1966).
ores in
Early productionfrom the Santa Rita deposit was largely
from disseminated supergene chalcocite
the granodiorite stock dioriticsills, and Colorado Formation shales
with production from chalcocite-pyrite skamtype ore becoming more importantas production advancedinto the Oswaldo and Syrena Formations (Nielsen,
1968, 1970). Supergene minerals are chalcocite, chysocolla, covellite, cuprite, native copper, malachite, and
azurite. Primary miueralsin the porphyqore bodies are chalcocite, bornite, and molybdenite, while those
in the
216
replacement bodiesare chalcopyrite and magnetite. The decrease of copper gradethrough time is apparent. In
1912, the grade was over 2% copper;
in 1925, it was averaging 1.5%;in 1948 the grade was lessthan 1% (Gibson
1980the copper grade wasjust 0.81%.
and Trujillo, 1966; Wunder and Trujillo, 1987);inand
Steeple Rock district
Mining History and Location
The Steeple Rockmining district is located in the Summit Mountainsin Grant Connty, New
Mexico and Greenlee County, Arizona (Fig. 58). The district includesthe Carlisle, Duncan, TwinPeaks,
Hells Hole, Bitter Creek, and Goat Camp Springs subdistricts.
The earliest reportof exploration in the
Steeple Rock district was
in 1860 whenthe military dispatched troops
from Ft. Thomas (near Duncan,
Arizona) toassist miners in thearea from interference by Apache Indians. Production began
in 1880
when a 20-stamp amalgamating
mill was erectedat theCarlisle mine.By 1886, the mill was enlargedto
60 stamps. Mostof the mines were located
and under development by 1897. Production
prior to 1904 is
uncertain. The Carlisle mine was
the largest producerand most of the production prior to 1904, about
112,000 short tons, is attributed to the Carlisle mine. Many
of the mines closedin the early 1900s.
In 1933, the price of goldrose from $20.67 to $35 per ounceand many of the mines in the district
were re-examinedfor gold potential. From 1934 to 1942,
total production from the district amountedto
1million oz Ag (Griggs and Wagner, 1966); most
of this production came
about 30,000 oz Au and over
from the East Camp mines.
In 1942, the Federal government closedall silver and gold minesand only base-metal mines were
allowed to operate. Production after 1947 was minor and sporadic (Table An
102).
estimated $10 million
worth of gold, silver, copper, lead,
and zinc have been produced
from the district since 1880 (Table 102,
103). In addition, ahout 11,000short tons of fluorite and 2,000long tons of ore containing 74,500 lhs
of
manganese were produced (McLemore, 1993; McAnulty, 1978; Griggs and Wagner, 1966;
Famham et
al., 1961).
In the 1970s, 198Os, and 1990s explorationfor gold in the district intensifledand resulted in
drilling and some production, mainlyfor silica flu.Queenstake Resources, Ltd. estimated reserves
at the
Jim Crow, Imperial, and GoldKing veins as 155,535 short tons of ore averaging 0.11odton Au and 3.45
odton Ag (Queenstake Resources,Ltd., press release, April2, 1987). In the late 1980s and early199Os,
Biron Bay Resources Ltd.,
in joint venture with Nova Gold Ltd., drilled along
the Summit vein and
estimated reservesas 1,450,000 short tons of ore grading 0.179 odton Au and 10.26odton Ag (Petroleum
of these deposits have been mined.
and Mining Review, May 1992, p. 2). None
Geology
The district lies on the southern edgeof the Mogollon-Datil volcanic field (late EoceneOligocene), on the northern edge of the Burro uplift, andnear the intersection of the northwest-trending
Texas and northeast-trending Morenci lineaments (Fig. 58; McLemore, 1993).
Rocks exposedin the Steeple Rock district consist
of a complex sequenceof Oligocene to Miocene
(34-27 Ma) andesite, basaltic andesite, and dacitic lavas interbedded with andesitic
to dacitic tuffs,
sandstones, volcanic breccias,and rhyolite ash-flowtuffs. These rocks were subsequently intruded by
rhyolite plugs, dikes,and domes (33and 28-17 Ma).
Faulting and tilting of the volcanic rocksin the district produced a series
of half-grabens and
horsts with a district-wide, regional northwest
strike of foliation and bedding planesthat dip northeast
(Griggs and Wagner, 1966; Powers, 1976;BiggerM, 1974; McLemore, 1993). Rhyolite dikes, plugs,
and domes were emplaced along some
of these faults and then locally Cut by youngerfaults. Most faults in
the district are high-angle normal faults
and are well exposed because they
are filled withquartz veins
country rock. Somefaults exhibit oblique-slip movementas evidenced by
and/or silicified, brecciated
slickenslides and offsetting dikes
or veins (Griggs and Wagner, 1966; McLemore, 1993).
217
TABLE 102-Production from the Steeple Rock district,Grant County, New Mexico and Greenlee County,
~ ~ O n W
a ”
. R f i l e s ; U. S. Geological Survey, 1902-1927;U. S. Bureau of Mines, 1927-1990;
219
T B L E 103-Mines and prospectsin the Steeple Rock mining district and adjacent area,
New Mexico
and Arizona. From Griggs and Wagner (1966), Briggs (1981,1982), Hedlund (1990a,b, 1993),
McAnulty (1978), McLernore (1993)
and unpublished reports (NMBMMRfile data). Type
of
in
deposit: Base-metalveins * Silver-gold veins CopperveinsFluoriteManganeseNot
'
I
220
Mineral Deposits
The mineralization in theSteeple Rock district occurs
as volcanic-epithermal precious- and basemetal fissure veins along faults (#25b,c,d,g). Five typesof deposits occurin the district (Fig. 58; Table
103; McLemore, 1993): (1) base with precious metals,
(2) precious metals,(3) copper-silver, (4) fluorite,
may occurin
and ( 5 ) manganese. A sixth type of deposit, high sulfidation (quartz-alunite) gold deposits,
has occurred (McLemore, 1993). District-wide zoningof
areas of acid-sulfate alteration; but no production
the fissure veinsis present. The base-metal veins, with significant
amonnts of goldand silver, occnr only
along the Carlisle fault and may represent the center of the district. Outward from
the base-metal veins,
precious-metal veins occur
along northwest- and north-trending fanlts. Locally, these veins grade
vertically downward to trace amounts
of base-metal sulfides. Some precious-metal veins grade vertically
upward to copper-silver veins without any gold.
Fluorite and manganese veins occur along
the fringe or
outer margins of the district (McLemore, 1993). The epithermal veinsare low-sulfidation (quartz(<5 eq. wt. % NaCl), slightly acidic
adularia) veins, structurally controlled,
and deposited by low salinity
240" and 325'C at relatively shallow depths
(360-1300 m;
to neutral pH fluids at temperatures between
McLernore, 1993; McLemore and Clark, 1993).
Several areas of acid-solfate alteration whichare cut byepithemal veins andare superimposed
and surroundedby argjllic to chloritic alteration have been mapped
in the district by McLemore(1993).
in a magmatic-hydrothermal environmentas evidence
These areas of acid-sulfate alteration were formed
by mineral, chemical, and temperature zonation, preserved textures,
sulfur isotopic data, and age
of gold. Therefore,
determinations (McLemore,1993). Some areas contain anomalous concentrations
these areas need to
be examined for the potential of high-sulfidation (quartz-alunite) gold deposits,
Telegraph district
Mining historyand production
The Telegraph mining district is located in thenorthern Big Burro Mountains (Fig.1) and contains a
diverse range of mineral deposits (Table 104, 105). Small Laramidevein and volcanic-epithermal depositsof
precious- and base-metals, fluorite, manganese,uraninrn, and other commodities have been discovered
and mined
in thedistrict. Total known production amounts to
1,700 lbs Cu,1 oz Au, 1,350 oz Ag, 37,800 lbs Pb,minor Zn,
220 long tons of manganese ore, and16,603 short tonsof fluorite Fable 104,105). In addition, stratabonnd
uranium deposits occurin theWild Horse Mesa area.
221
TABLE 104-Metals production from the Telegraph mining district, Grant
County,New Mexico (v. S.
TABLE 105-Mines an d:prospects of the.Telegraph
mining district, Grant
County,New Mexico.
.
Location incluc i section, township, and range.
MINENAMELOCATION
LATI'IWDE
LONGITUDE
COMMODITIES
IDEVELOPMEN1
REFERENCES
DEPOSIT
Bariteprosped
NW7 18s
BariteNo. 2
NE18 18s
16W
NW22 16s
BlackTower
Cloverleaf
Fluorspar
(Blackmoor)
SW3 18s 108'35'38''
32"46'06"
18s
NW15
Hard
Pan
P
32' 46' 50"
108' 38' 40"
Ag
32' 50'00"
108"35'00"
F
32°44'44"
lOS"35'27"
Pb,Zn,Cu
10 A deep prospec
pit, 50 A shaft
(1964), Williams (1966),
Hewitt (1959). Gillman
sh&
lOOAsh& adits
shaftandthree
adits
NMBMMRfile data
NW16 18s
16s
SW22
Hillside
volcanicepithemal
I(1983)
I Famham(l961)
Williams (1966), Mchulty
(1978), Hedlund (1980),
NMBMMRfile data
flumite veins Richter and Lawrence
(1983)
volcanic- Hewitt(1959), Gilleman
epithemal (196% Hedlund (1980)
volcanicGillman (196%
epithemal Gillman and Whitebread
(1956)
volcanicGilman(196% ONeill
epithmal and Thiede (1982)
fluorite veins
18s 17W
I
Jackoot
I
C718S
24 18W 18s
2 (Yukon
V O h l b
Gilman(1968), FN
epithemal
8/20/94
volcanic-
17W
Winslow
Gillman (1964)
epithmal
epihmal Mu Famham (1961), Richter
and Lawrence(l983)
Gm"P (Lone
volcanicepithmal
No. 1
222
Gillman (1964), ONeill
andThiede (1982), FN
8/20/94
MINE NAME LOCATION LATITUDE
(ALIAS)
PrinceAlbert
E2 18s 17W 32-46'11''
No. 2
Purple Rack
N22 18s
mine
18W
RamblingRuby E2 18s 17W
I
108°34'54"
32' 43' 40"
F,U
(1964)
Gillman f1964). FN
2 shallow shafts, 2
adits 200 fl
volcanicJones
(1904), Liidgren et
errithmal al. f1910). Hewitt(l9591
Gilim&(l964)
volcanic- O'NeillandThiede(1982),
epithemal G i l l m a n (1964)
32'45'40''
108"33'30"
Mo,Pb,Sb, W,
ZnU
U, Au
SW1718S
17W
C1 18s
32O44'20"
108°37'38"
cu
32'45'55''
~~~~~~~~
F, Mn, Ag
108'34'45"
"n!UlOwD
~
I
I
32'45'25"
prospect
~~
volcanic-
,.
Gillermanfl964>.Williams
(1966). FN 8/19/94
FN 8/18/80, Gillman
volcanic-
NE10 18s
17W
NWl218S
17W
unknownCu
O'NeilI and Thiede (1982),
Gilleman (196% FN
8/20/94
Gillman (1952), Hewia
(1959), EIston(1960),
Dits. shaft trenches
Union Hill
property)
volcanicepithemal
REFERENCES
F, U,Cu
108"33'45"
SW32 17s
17W
Claims
WF Claims
(Aiel10
strippin& o u b p ,
shallow pit
65 A inclined
shall, 108fl
vesical shaft adit
TYPE OF
DEPOSIT
volcanicepithemal
epithemal
Telegraph
(Tecumeh)
32' 46' 43"
bulldozer
U, W, Th,fluorite adits, shafts, pits
108' 41'25"
32"46'11"
I
U
108°33'46"
32'45'56''
SE3 18s
17W
Purple Heatt
LONGlTLDE COMMODITIES DEVELOPMENT
108' 37' 28"
cu
108O33'45"
.
180fladit,cuts,
drilling
no workings0 " b p only
volcanicepithmal
FN 8/5/82
2 pits
epithemal-
Richter and Lawrence
20 A shaft 15 fl
eoithemal-
Vein
I,
(1983)
FN 8/21/94
Of the several small mines and prospects in the district, the Telegraph mine is the best known. By 1905,
the small Telegraph ore bodyhad been depleted and the mining camp abandoned (Lindgrenet al., 1910). No
record of the mineralogy or production
from the Telegraph mine has been located (Hewitt, 1959).
The Purple Heart mine in the Wild Horse Mesaarea produced 1,288short tons of fluorite ore from 1947
to 1953, and the Hummingbird mine produced 615short tons of fluorite ore in the same period (Williams, 1966).
Minor manganese production occurred
in the district, the Black Tower claim producing 205 long tons of ore with
41-42% contained manganese from 1954 1957.
to
The Hillside mine produced 15 long tons of ore with 24.6%
contained manganesefrom 1952 to 1953. The Slate Creekmine produced 10short tons of ore containing 0.36
ounces of gold, 100 ounces ofsilver, 40 poundsof copper, and 2,103 pounds of lead in 1941 (NMBMMRfile data).
Geology
The northern Burro Mountains are composed mostly of granite,
quartz diorite, and associated Proterozoic
igneous rocksof the Burro Mountain batholith. Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks overliethe Proterozoic
rocks in the northern part of the district. Gila Conglomerateand Recent gravelsfill the valleys. Gillerman (1964,
1970) describesthe quartz diorite that crops out extensively
in the northern part of the Big Burro Mountains as
white to pinkish-gray, coarse-grained, porphyritic,with a distinct foliated strncture.It weathers tan and forms
generally rounded outcropswith a knobby surface due feldspar
to
phenocrysts. The southern boundary of School
House Mountain cauldera occursin the northern part of the district (Wahl, 1980). Radial and ring-fracture faults
are common and control much of the mineralization.
Mineral deposits
The abandoned Telegraphmine is located in an area where Beartooth quartzite is in fault contact with
Burro Mountain granite by northwest-wending faults (Hewitt, 1959). The faults cut both quartzite and granite. A
mineralized fissure vein strikes N28'E and dips 64"SEand is less than one foot thick where it crops outon thetop
of a nearbyhill. At the entrance to the adit, the vein was probably lessthan three feet thick. In the adit, granite
host rock is silicified and stained by iron and manganese oxides. Limonitestained quartz is common, and small
223
nodules and veinlets of manganese oxidesand botryoidal masses of psilomelane are observed in silicified granite
and quartz-veinmaterial (Hewitt, 1959). Lindgren et aP. (1910) speculatesthat minnte black speckswithin the
vein probably carriedthe silver, but Hewitt (1959) foundno silver in the vein material.
At Lead Mountainin the northern part of the district, two abandoned lead mines are found on a vein in a
5- to 10-ft-thick mineralizedshear zone that strikes N30- 35"E and dips 58- 65'SE in Burro Mountains granite
(Hewitt, 1959). Feldsparwithin the granite has been intensely alteredto kaolinite up to 25 ft on both sides of the
vein, and the altered granite contains quartz veinlets and minute pyrite cubes(Gillermaq 1964). Samples of the
mine dump yielded columnarquartz and galena in lenses and as disseminatedgrains. Material on the dump was
stained by chrysocolla, iroq and manganese oxides(Hewitt, 1959).
In Slate Creek Canyon, coarse galena,
and minor amounts of sphalerite, bornite,and chalcopyrite have
been foundin a breccia zone in Beartooth quartzite along a fault striking N62"E and dipping 68"NW. Veins of
~mlky
to pale amethystquartz up to 1foot thick cutlhe quartzite, and quartz coats
the breccia blocksand lines
cavities between blocks. Hewitt (1959) speculated
that exploration may yieldlarger bodies of galena beneaththe
quartzite.
Copper as malachite, chrysocolla,and tenorite was mined in the early 1900sat the Jennie minesin North
Copper Canyon. Theminerals coat the granite footwall andfill narrow fractures near a fault contact of granite and
metadiabase that strikes N60"E and dips 65"SE (Gillerman, 1964).
Manganese at theBlack Tower mine four m i l e s south of Cliff occursin a fracture zone in tuff and rhyolite
(Gillerman, 1964).
In the Wild Horse Mesa area, volcanic-epithermal veins contain pyrite, quartz, sericite, gold, nranium,
copper, and silver. Fluorite veins predominant (Fig. 59; Table 105). Sibtication is common (Fig. 88). Assays
from these veinsare in Table 106. The veins follow faults forming ring-fractures and radial fractures from the
Schoolhouse Mountain cauldera. At the Purple Heart mine, westof Wild Horse Mesa,fluorite occurs in two
slightly radioactiveveins striking N34-47"W as fracture W g and crustiform masseson granite fragments in a
fault breccia zone (Hewitt,1959). A sample assayed 0.3odshort ton Au and 1,265 ppmMo (NMBMMR file
data). Uranium occurs asveins along shear zones cutting the Proterozoic granite and Cretaceous Beartooth
Quartzite, asveins and replacements along the unconformity betweenthe Proterozoic granite and Cretaceous
Beartooth Quartzite,and within fluorite veins cutting the Proterozoicgranite. Other miuor radioactive occurrences
are found throughoutthe district, butthere has been no production. Assays range from 0.009% to 0.59%U~OS.A
sample from the Prince Albert # l claim near Wild Horse Mesa assayed 0.09%U30Sand trace gold (NMBMMR
file data).
FKURE 59-Jimmy Reed fluorite mine, lookingwest; Wild Horse Mesa area. Telegraphdistricf Grant County
(V. T. McLemore photo, 9/94).
224
~~
FIGURE GO-Silification along a fault in the Wild Horse Mesa area, Telegraphdistrict, Grant County
(V. T. McLemore photo,9194).
TABLE 106"Cbemical analyses of samples from Wild Horse Mesa area,Telegraph district. Analyzed hy
Bondar-Clegg and Co. Ltd. (Au by fire assay; Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo by FAAS; As, Sb by INAA;
225
White Signal district
Location and Mining History
The White Signal mining district is located approximately15 miles southof Silver City on US180 (Fig. 1). The district includes almostall of T20S, R14 and 15W.and a small areain the southeastern
part of R16W (Gillennan, 1953,1964). The White Signal mining district encompassesthe southeastern
part of the Burro Mountainsand the isolated hills and plains south and southeast of the mountains.
Mining in the district beganin the 1870’s or 1880’s. Types of deposits foundin the White Signal district
include; Laramide veins, gold placer deposits,
and pegmatites. From these deposits,the district has
produced fluorspar, urannim, radinm, gold, silver, lead, bismuth, turquoise, garnet, and ocher (Tables 4,
5,6). From 1880-1968,total estimated metal production amounted
to 26,000 lbs Cu, 2,500 oz Ag, and
$80,000 (Table 107). In addition, 1,700 ozAu and 10 lbs of garnet
2,200 lbs Pb worth approximately
have been produced from placer gold deposits (Johnson, 1972; McLemore, 1994a). No deposit
has been
than 100 ft deep (Gilleman, 1964).
explored to adepth greater than 260 ft; average workings extend less
TABLE 107-Metals production from the White Signal
- mining
- district. Grant Countv. New Mexico
(USBM Mineral Yearbooks).
I.
YEAR
LEAD
SILVER
GOLD
ORE
LODE
GOLD
COPPER
(SHORT
(LBS)
TONS)
(02)
PLACER
(02)
(LBS)
TOTAL
VALUE($)
Geology
The rocks of the White Signal mining district range in age from Proterozoicto Tertiary andare
dominated by igneous
intrusive rocks. The Proterozoic granite of the Burro Mountain pluton is the
predominant country rock
in thearea (Gillennan, 1964). Pegmatites commonly
intrude the granite in the
eastern portion of the district. The oldest rocksin the area are the quartz-biotite and hornblende schists of
in the Burro Mountains granite. Proterozoic diabase
the Bnllard Peak Series, which occur as xenoliths
dikes are found throughoutthe area, butare most numerousin the south and western portions
of the
district and are associated with uranium veins (Gilleman, 1964). The dikes are as much as 50 ft wide and
can be traced for morethan a mile. Occasionally, they widen
into irregular bodies. In many of the
outcropping dikes, diabase
has been altered to masses
of chlorite, iron oxides, epidote,and clays. The
is found in the northwestern portionsof the
Cretaceous-Tertiary Tyronequartz monzonite porphry stock
area and has an age date of 56.2*1.7 Ma (McDowell, 1971; Hedlund, 1978f, 1985a).Quartz monzonite
dikes related to
the Tyrone stockare common in the northern portion of the district. Plugs and dikes of
Tertiary rhyoliteare also common throughoutthe district; manyare associated withthe gold-uranium
veins, whereas others cutthe veins (Gillennan, 1964; Hedlund,197Xd,e,f,g). The rhyolites have age dates
between 41.9*3.0 and 49.5h2.8Ma (Hedlund, 1985a).
and northwest. Many of the diabase dikes,
Faults in the district strike principally east-northeast
as well as rhyolite andquartz monzonite dikes, have intrudedalong fault planes. This indicates that the
faults may have developedduring Proterozoic times(Gilleman, 1964). The more conspicuousfaults
226
(Blue Jay, Uncle Sam,and Walnut Creek) range from a mile to several miles
in length. Mineralization
and alterationof rock types typically occurs
at the intersections of faults, dikes,and fractures.
Mineral Deposits
Laramide vein deposits typically occnr
in brecciated fault zones, as fissure-fillings along
fractures, andin mineralized zones occnringat the intersections of faults, fractures, and dikes (Table 108).
The veins generally trend
in the same east-northeast and northwest directions
as the faults and appear to
be relatedto the rhyolite intrusions dated as 40-50 Ma (Hedlund, 1985a). Because
of the localized nature
of these depositsat fault-dike intersections, they are usually discontinuous
and small. Veins can rarely be
traced morethan 500 ft (Gilleman, 1964). The veins are variable
in mineralogy; simple quartz-pyritegold, quartz-molybedenite,and more complex veins are common
in the district (Hedlund, 1985a). The
veins locally contain gold, native silver, argentite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, bismuthinite,
and
uraninite (Gillerman, 1964; Hedlnnd, 1985a). Assays as much as 15,300 Au
ppbare reported in recent
studies (O'Neilland Thiede, 1982; Hedlund, 1985a). Fluorite veins appear
to be youngerthan the
polymetallic veins. Silicification is common.
TABLE 108-Mines and I)rosuects in the White Signal district. Grant
Counm. New Mexico. Deoosits are
Laramide vei :,h e i s otherwise describz, Locationincludessection, township,and range.
I
I,
I
ILOCATIOK
MINE
~
~~~
~
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
DEVELOPMENT
GEOLOGY
COMMODITIES
REFERENCES
32' 32' 40"
108' 22' 50"
pits
U,Cu,Au
granite
-
Hole puecein-the-HoIiole
Zshafts(65A
veinalong
deep), trench, pitsdiabase dike
32"33'28"
108°23'50"
Lindsey,
Denver)
32°36'00"
I
108"21'20"
(Black Cat)
Bisbee
32'32'45''
108922'50"
267.05: 15W
32' 32' 40"
108* 22' 25"
SE2720S
32'32'00"
108°22'35"
32"31'40"
108'22'5''
32"32'30"
32'32' 35"
32'32'35"
32' 32' 40"
Blue Jay
I
I
108°22'50"
108' 22'30"
108O 22'45"
108O 21' 50"
Raven, Janet
r"
Bouncing Bet 24 20s 15W
CalamiN
SE23 20s
U, Cu,AuAnderson(1980),
Oneill
andThiede (1982),
M c h o r e (1983),
Gilleman(l9641 FN
I7112180
2OOflsh&,
vein
cut fault U,
Au, Cu,Bi, Ag O'Neill and
Thiede (1982),
inclined
diabase
shaft,
and pits
McLemore (1983,
dike
Hedlund (197811)'~
U, C u , Au
O'Neill and Thiede (1982),
30Ash&trench,
latitedike
pit
McLemore(l983)
caved shaft, pits
veins along
U, C u , Au
McLemore (1983),O'Neill
Blue Jay fault
(1982),
Thiede
and
Hedlund f1978hl
Gille&(196kj
80-90 flshafts,
granite
U, Cu,
McLemore
Au (1983),
O'Neill
lOOAadit
(1982),
Thiede
and
Hedlund (1978113,
Gillem&(l964)
5flpit
along
veins
U,Cu, Au
McLemnre
(1983),
(1978h),
Hedlund
dike
rhyolite
F'N
8/6/82
pit
fillings in
Mn
Richter and Lawrence
1granite
I(1983)
pits, shafts
ffiult in
Ag, Pb
I Richter and Lawrence
granite
(1983)
pits, shaft
granite
U,Cu,Au
pits, trenches,
veim along
U,Cu,AuMcLemore(1983),
h g e r
shaft, drillholes
Blue Jay fault
et al. (1952), Gillman
(0-50 fl) deep
(1964). Gilleman and
Lovering (1956);FN
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
7l12180- .
32O33' 10"
108°20'30" 2 shafts,
pits,
dikediabase
trenches
veinalong
U, C u , Au
32'33'30"
108°25'30" pit
granite
U, Cu,Au
108"21'30"
BlueJayfault
U,Cu,Au
32'32'55"
trenches,
Zshafts(1OOfl
deep),
227
,I
~
~
'
McLemare(1983), O'Neill
and Thiede (1982),
Gilleman (196% F'N
8120180
O'Neill and Thiede (1982),
Mclemore (1983)
McLemore(l983),
Andenon(l980)
LOCATIOb
(Utab Anne,
LATlTUDE
LONGITUDE
DEVELOPMENT
GEOLOGY
COMMODITIES
REFERENCES
SE22 20s
15w
level, 18
turquoise
NE25 20s
15w
Combination
NE23 20s
15w
Copeland
820s 15W
Glance
NE23 20s
15w
Edmonds
Edwards
lIPaddvfad
Eugenie
hevoss star,
Floyd Collins
(Leach,
Aaiminas
mine #3
Gold Lake
SW27 20s
15w
c3420s
15w
17 20s 15w
32O33'30"
I
11l8~21'25"
I
I
I
I
130%6Oflsh&
pits
veinsaid
altered
diabase dike
granite
I
I
108°21'25"
32'33'00''
I
I
22' 50"
32' 32' 00"
108" 22' 35"
23, NE26
20s 15w
I
&pis;
U, Cu, Au
I
I
I
85flsh&lrench, veincuv;
cut
pit
(1982).
Thiedeand dike
rhyolite
I
150 A, 30 ft sh&
29"
32" 31'108'
I
McLemore
Au U, Cu,
granitepits
I granite
I
granite
Pb, Zn,Cu, Au
pit
granite
U,Cu, Au
I
Thiede
and
Ipits
szo 20s
I
between
granite and
diabase dike
placer gold
U, Cu, Au
I
(Lone Jack,
Good Luck,
Sprouse,
SW24 20s
15w
pits, adits
8,9,17 20s
15w
McLemore
(1983),
O'Neill
1/27/95
FN
McLemore
(1983),
O'Neill
andThiede (1982),
Gillman (1964)
McLemore (1983).
O'Neill
and Thiede (1982),
I~ i 1 1 m m ( i 9 6 4 j
McLemore (1983), O'Neill
andThiede(l982),
Gilleman(l964),
Andenon(l980), FN
~~~
~~~
I
AU
diabase
dike
U, C u , Au
pegmatite
U, Cu, AU
granite
veinalong
diabase dike
U,Cu,
Au
I
I120s 15w
McLemore (1983),
O'Neill
and Thiede (1982).
I Gilleman(i964j
(1983)
~
drill holes
1720 20s
15w
8/20/80
I Gillman(i964j.
Cu, Au
pits, trenches
(1982).
I
Gillman(l964):.FN
I
with water, drifts,
W22,EZl
20s 15w
I
C u , Au, U
shaft
diabase
dike
14W
Golden Eagle NE14 20s
15w
HighNoon
McLemore (1983).
O'Neill
35 A
glory hole
I
Dagger Point
U,Cu,
Au
along contad
drifts on70 A
U,Au
granite
U, Au
granile
veinsin
diabase
McLemore
UAu
,Cu,
(1983).
I
~ ~ , ,
Gilleman (1964). HiIpert
(1963, FN 7/12/80
Gilleman (1964)
M c h o r e (1983), O'Neill
and Thiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978h),
Gillman(l964), FN
7/12/80
McLemore(1983),O'Neill
andThiede(1982),
Hedlund(1978g),
Gilleman (1964)
-
McLemore (1983), O'Neill
and Tbiede (1982),
Hedlund(l978h).
Gillman(l964)
Gillman(l968)
14 18s 15W
(BlackHawk,
Blue BirchJ
and K, Little
15,22 20s
15w
32O33'31"
1OSo22'44" Zsh&,Zpits
(1982), Thiede
and
(1983)
O'Neill
Hedlund (1978g),
Gillman (1964)
Little Cookie
L820S 15W
Lone Jack
L420S 15W
32' 33' 12"
108O21' 00"
pits
granite
U, Cu, Au
pits
granite
U, Cu, Au
228
McLemoreO'Neill
(1983),
and Thiede (1982),
Hedlund (19789)
McLemore (1983).
O'Neill
MINE
NAME
(.4LAIS)
Merry Widou
LOCATIOb
LATITUDE
c 2 2 20s
320 33' 10"
15w
Monarch
level, pits, wenches
19 20s 1 5 u
32.3 32'50"
Moneymaker
SW1920S
15w
Mose T i m e t NE21 21s
14W
Nan=
24 20s 1 5 u
New Years
22 20s 15u
Gifl
Paymaster
(Old
P.%paSter,
Silver, AML
5-546-7)
Pegmatites
(AML 3)
shafts pits
32' 32' 50"
320 33'10"
32' 33' 8"
U,Cu,Au
U,Cu, A", Bi
co&d
32' 32' 50"
NW28 20s
15W
32'32'30"
Red Bird
22,23,26
20s 15w
320 33'00"
Red Dodson
E14 20s
15w
320 34'5"
E14 20s
15W
.
SE23 20s
15W
320 33' 12"
ralcacite
[AML 10)
swz5 20s
32' 32' 40"
runnel Site
Fdna May,
AML 9)
Valley
[Tullock
Anomaly 8)
15w
SE23,24
20s 15w
Book)
260 fi), pits
"I108O 21' 40"
120 Ash&, pits
229
-
Au
Ae-
U,Cu, Au
sw25 20s
15W
[Paddflard,
Albenine,
Ianet D,
50-100flshaft 15 vein
A adit
(SOflshaffs
I veins in
250 fl adit with
20,40 flwinzes
Wisconsin
EritZe,
108°21'45"
15w
SEl5 20s
14W
16 20s 15W
Richter and Lawrence
(1983)
McLemare (1983), O W d l
and Thiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gilleman (1964), FN
7/25/80
U,
Cu,
Au
McLemore (1983), ONeill
andThiede(l982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gillman(l964)
1, Cu, Au, Bi, Ag M c h o r e (1983),
Hedlund (1978h),
Gillman (1964), FN
7/12/80
U, Cu,Au
McLemore (1983), ONeill
and Tbiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gilleman (1964)
U, Cu, Au
Richter and Lzwrence
(1983)
U, Cu, Au
McLemore (1983), ONeill
and Thiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gillman(l964).
U,
Cu,
320 34' 15"
23.24 20s
Gillman (1968)
McLemore (1983), ONeill
andThiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gillemm(1964)
i, C u , Au, Pb, Ag McLemore (1983), ONeill
andThiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gilleman (1964)
by US
flshaft pits
Saddle
Mountain
Shamrock
rimmm
rhyolite dike
U, Cu, Au, Pb,
fluorite
barite, Pb, Ag
21,28 20s
15w
RedHill
and Thiede (1982),
Hedlundfl978r),
I
IRichter and Lawrence
I(1983)
I McLemore (1983), ONeill
and Thiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
G i l l m a n (1964). FN
1/27/95
andThiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
I Gilleman (1964). FN
7/21/80
diabase dikes
andThiede (1982),
Hedlund (1978g),
Gillemk(l984)
and Thiede (1982),
The uraninm deposits in the area occur withinthe zone wherethe diabase has been oxidized, as
concentrations of secondary uranium phosphates, or as disseminationsin altered granite and dike rocks
or coated withuranium phosphates
( G i l l e m , 1964). These deposits consistof closely spaced fractures filled
usually 1 mm thick or less. Antunite andtorbemite are theuranium-bearing minerals. Theyare associated with
gold, copper, and silver in the oxidized zone. Belowthe oxidized zone,the primary ore minerals,such as native
gold, chalcopyrite, argentiferous galena, and specular hematite,
are not of suflicient abundance to exploit under
230
present economic conditions. Bismuth minerals have been reported
in some deposits (Gillennan, 1964). Mostof
the deposits in thearea, withthe exception of the Floyd Collinsand Inez mines, werefirst mined for baseand
precious-metals.
or lenses occurin Bnrro Mountaingranite in thewestern part
Rare earth-element-bearing pegmatitic pods
of the area. These depositsare similar to those found a few miles
to the south-southwest in theGold Hillmining
district (McLemoreet al., 1988a,b). AUanite, enxenite, samarskite, and cyrtoliteare the rare earthelementbearing minerals present.
Several of the streams anddry washes in the Burro Mountains have reported placer gold deposits.
is not specifically
According to Johnson (1972),
the origin of placer goldin Thompson's Canyon and Gold Gulch
known, but it probably is derived from gold-bearing veins that occur in theadjacent mountains. In the Gold Lake
area, placer gold originated from veinlets
in a smallgranite knob whichis mounded by alluvium. Garnet was
also produced fromthis area (Gillennan, 1964). Johnson (1972) reportsthat gold placers were worked
in
Thompson's Canyonand Gold Gulchin 1884 and possibly earlier.
The amount of this early productionis
unknown. Most of the district's placermining in this century took placein the 1930s.
Wilcox district
Location and Mining History
The Wilcox (Seventy-four)mining district is located in northwest Grant Countyand extends
northwestward into Catron County (Fig. 1). Only about one
third of the district is in Grant County. In the past,
the district has beenthe site of active mining and exploration, butlittle production. Approximately 1,500mining
claims have been staked
in the district sinceits discovety in 1879 (Ratte etal., 1979). The majority of these have
been in theCatron Countypart of the district; but numerous claims, prospect pits, shafts,
and adits are located in
Grant County (Table 109; Fig. 61).
This part of New Mexico wasso inaccessiblethat early production was
transported to the mill by pack train (Rothrock et al., 1946).At least 10,603 short tons fluorite, 17 oz Ag, <IO0 oz
this district (Tables2,4; Ratte et al.,
gold, some copper,and 5 short tons of tellurium ore have been produced from
1979). It is not known whatpart of this production came from Grant County.
In 1942,2tons of ore containing17
oz Ag and some gold
and copper were produced from
the district.
TABLE 109-Mines and prospectsof the Wilcox mining district, Grant County,New Mexico. Location
23 1
108'50'
I
R19W
108%5
R18W
108'40'
R17W
108'35'
R16W
Geology
Rocks in the district are part of the Datil-Mogollon volcanic field which overlies several thousand
of feet
Mesozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Proterozoic basement rocks underlie
the sedimentary nnits unless they
have been replaced
by batholithic intrusions which are proposed
to underlie muchof the Tertiary volcanic field
(Elston etal., 1976; Rattd et al., 1979).The rocks in the district are almost entirelyof middle to late Tertiary age
volcanic rocks except where they
are overlain by younger conglomeratesor are coveredby snrlicial sandand gravel
deposits (Ratteet al., 1979).
In the Grant Countypart of the district, the oldest volcanic formation
is the Cooney quartz latite tuf€of
al.,et1987). Overlyingthe tuff are younger pre-Bnrsum
Oligocene age (32+ 1.5 Ma, Bikerman, 1972; Marvin
caldera rocksof Miocene and Oligocene age (Elston, 1994). These rocks consist
of the andesite and basaltic lava
flows and flow breccias. Younger rhyolite flows
and domes of Miocene and Oligocene agethat consist of mainly
flow-banded spheruliticto porphyritic rhyoliteand associated pyroclasticand volcaniclastic rocks rest upon
the
younger pre-caldera rocksin the southern tip of the district (Rattd et al., 1979). The volcanic rocksof the Datil
volcanic field may cover mineral deposits
in the Mesozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks
or deeper in the
volcanic blanket.
Mineral Deposits
The Wilcoxmining district liesalong a line of northwest-trending faults occurring
along the western edge
of the Datil Volcanic field between Seventyfour and Sheridan Mountains
and are related tothe Bnrsnm caldera
(Elston, 1994). Mineral depositsin the part of the district in the study area are volcanic-epithennal fluorite (*nu)
and Seventyfonr Mountains.
and quartz veins in mineralized faultsin the volcanic rocks between Haystack
Epithermal manganese and barite can also be found. Brecciation
and banded texturesare common. Assays from
the entire district rangeas high as 1.3 odton Au, 16.16 odton Ag, 7.05% Cu, 9.01%Zn (Ratte et al., 1979). In
as much as 3,500 ppm Te (Ratte et al., 1979).
the Little Dry, Pine, and Sacaton Creek areas, samples assayed
Mineralization in most of the district is controlled by north- and northwest-trending fractures zones,
by
rhyolitic intrusionsin the ring-fmcture zoneof Bursum caldera, andby northeast-trending fracturesin the
resurgent domeof the Bursum caldera (Ratte al.,
et 1979).
The veinsare widely scatteredin the Wilcox district (Ratte al.,
et 1979) and relatively little subsurface
exploration has occurred. Regional alteration consists
of kaolinite, chlorite,and silicification. Local areasof acidsulfate alteration with alunite occnrs
in the district and has been datedas 31-33 Ma (Marvin etal., 1987). The
in the subsurface.
silicification and argillic and acid-sulfate alteration suggest potential exists for extensive deposits
Furthermore, the structural positionof the Datil volcanic field
is located nearthe intersection of major regional
et al., 1979).
tectonic trends,and near major depositsof precious and base metals, iron, manganese (Ratte
The majorityof the mineral depositsin the Grant Countypart of Wilcox mining district are
small fissnrefilling fluorite veins.At the Margie Ann mine, for example, a 150-ft long adit was driven along a northwesttrending fault. A high-grade copper-bearing quartz is
vein
exposed along the east wallof the adit and a sample
was taken across a small
lens containing copper, silver, and gold (Ratteal.,
et 1979). It assayed 0.04odton Au,
3.66 odton Ag, 7.05% Cu, and minorPb, Bi, Mo, and W. At the Seventyfonr Mountain prospect, narrow fluorite
striking N12"W and
veins are in Cooney Quartz LatiteTuffadjacent tothe footwall of a 30-ft-wide rhyolite dike
dipping 84"W, and in a crossfaultthat offsets the dike (Williams,l966). The vein adjacent the
to dike consistsof 6
inches of high-grade fluorspar and6 inches of brecciated material containing some fluorspar. Total traceable
length of the vein is approximately 100ft. A sample contained 56.77% fluorite (Ratteal.,
et 1979). At the
Rainbow prospect,three narrow fissure veins occnr
in rhyolite and andesite. They contain fluorsparin coarsely
crystalline fissure-filling material.All three veins crop out
on a very steep mountain slope within 100
ft of each
other. The veins strike S3S0W
to S1O"E and dip 8O"W. Samples across two ofthe veins contain55 and 78.9%
C a F 2 (Williams, 1966).
At the Gold Spar mine,a breccia zone1to 10ft wide has fluorite, calcite,
and quartz as fracture fillings.
High grade veinsare from 12 inchesto 5 feet in width, andare exposed for a maximumof 500 ft (Gillerman,
1964). Ore soldto the mill at Silver City assayed 74.0% CaF2 (Williams, 1966).
233
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