Free Coinage Mine

The Free Coinage Mine is a manganese, silver, and gold mine located in Cochise county, Arizona at an elevation of 4,475 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Free Coinage Mine

Commodity

Primary: Manganese
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Arizona
County: Cochise
District: Tombstone District

Land Status

Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Replacement
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1920
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Mexican Highland

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: SPOTTY

Structure

Type: L
Description: Fault Fissure

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidized And Enriched Gold And Silver Mineralization

Rocks

Name: Latite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Comment (Production): ABGMT-USBM PRODUCTION FIGURES INCLUDE AT LEAST SOME DATA FROM MERRIMAC MINE TO NORTH

Comment (Location): S CENTRAL SEC 9, N CENTRAL SEC 16, UTM EST, ABOUT 500 FT SOUTH OF MERRIMAC ADITS

Comment (Development): OPERATORS INCLUDED FREE COINAGE LEASE, G.E. VAUGHN, TOM BRANDT

Comment (Deposit): MINERALIZATION ALONG A FAULT FISSURE IN QUARTZ-LATITE PORPHYRY

Comment (Workings): 2 SHAFTS AND SURFACE WORKINGS

Comment (Geology): LARAMIDE

References

Reference (Deposit): MARVIN, STERN, CREASEY, AND MEHNERT, 1973, USGS BULL 1379

Reference (Production): KEITH, 1973, ARIZ BUR OF MINES BULL 187.

Reference (Deposit): KEITH, S B, 1973, ARIZONA BUREAU OF MINES BULLETIN 187, P 75.

Reference (Deposit): ABM BULL 143, 1938

Arizona Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Arizona" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Arizona.