Location
Big Horn Mountains southeast of the Harquahala Mountains, Tps. 3-5 N., Rs. 8 and 9 W., in particular, T. 5 N., R. 9 W.
Topographic Maps
Aquila 15-minute and Big Horn Mountains 15- minute quadrangles.
Geologic Map
Wilson, Moore, and Peirce, 1957, Geologic map of Maricopa County, scale 1:375,000.
Access
From Aquila it is about 10 miles south on light-duty road to the Big Horn Mountains. Dirt roads lead to many areas within the mountain range.
Extent
Although placers within the Big Horn Mountains have produced notable amounts of placer gold since 1900, very little is known about the location and character of the placer deposits. The U.S. Bureau of Mines Mineral Yearbooks name five placer claims in the district: Big Horn, Sweeney, Tiger, Borian, and Davenport. None of these placer claims are accurately located. Most lode mines in the area are in T. 5 N., R. 9 W., and it seems reasonable to suggest that some placer deposits might be in that general vicinity.
Production History
Placers were worked in the Big Horn district from 1933 to 1942; most of the production seems to have been recovered by individuals working several placer claims.
Source
The source of the placer gold is unknown, but the placers probably originated by erosion of gold-bearing veins in the Big Horn Mountains.
Literature
U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1934-41: Placer production; names of placer claims given in the years 1934 (for 1933) , 1935 (for 1934), 1940 (for 1939), 1940 (review of 1940)
Wilson, Cunningham, and Butler, 1934: Describes lode mines and general geology.
