Empire Mine

The Empire Mine is a copper and gold mine located in Yavapai county, Arizona at an elevation of 6,601 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: Empire Mine
Secondary: Empire Vein

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Lead

Location

State: Arizona
County: Yavapai
District: Groom Creek 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

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Groom Creek Mining And Milling Co.
Years: 1940 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1912
Year Last Production: 1941
Discovery Year: 1877
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
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: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Foliation In Precambrian Rocks Trends N10e To N20e

Type: L
Description: Veins Parallel Foliation And Crosscut It By 10-20 Degrees, Trending N20e To N-S

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Minor

Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): UTM COORDINATES TO PROSEPCT SYMBOL NEAR CENTER OF EMPIRE PATENTED CLAIM

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT IS QUARTZ VEIN WHICH CUTS PROTEROZOIC ROCKS. LOCALIZED NEAR RHYOLITE DIKES

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: LATE 1870'S

Comment (Workings): SHAFT SUNK TO 300 FT DEPTH (1926). SHAFT TO 400 FT (1940). MAIN TUNNEL 550 FT LONG OTHER SHAFTS ARE 60 FT, 40 FT.

Comment (Development): EMPIRE MINE PRODUCTION MAY POSSIBLY BE CONFUSED WITH OTHER EMPIRE MINE NEAR JERSEY LILY MINE, 6 MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST

Comment (Deposit): EMPIRE VEIN APPEARS TO BE SOUTHERN CONTINUATION OF MONTE CRISTO-HIDDEN TREASURE

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 782, P. 114

Reference (Deposit): USBM-ABGMT FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): ABM BULL 137, P. 33

Reference (Deposit): USGS GEOLOGIC MAP GQ-997

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.