The Chief Mine is a copper mine located in Santa Cruz county, Arizona at an elevation of 5,049 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
Elevation: 5,049 Feet (1,539 Meters)
Commodity: Copper
Lat, Long: 31.47417, -110.74472
Map: View on Google Maps
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.
Chief Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Chief Mine
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Manganese
Tertiary: Zinc
Location
State: Arizona
County: Santa Cruz
District: Harshaw District
Land Status
Land ownership: National Forest
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
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1875
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Sonoran Desert
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Form: STRINGERS
Form: STRINGERS
Form: STRINGERS
Structure
Type: R
Description: General Structure Common To Regional Formations Is A Sheeting Which Dips 40 Nnw
Type: L
Description: N60e Trending Silexite Dike
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Volcanics Locally Much Altered To Quartz, Sericite, Epidote, Pyrite, Carbonate, And Chlorite; Strongly Hornfelsed In Places
Rocks
Name: Tuff
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic
Name: Tuff
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: EARLY 1900'S ASSAY VALUES AVERAGED 25 OZ/TON AU
Materials
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Freibergite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Hematite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: LATE 1800'S
Comment (Development): PROPERTY COMPRISES 12 CLAIMS; OWNERS AND OPERATORS INCLUDED E.E. BETHEL, CALUMET AND ARIZONA COPPER CO (1 YEAR LEASE, EARLY 1900'S), WONDER MINING CO. (R.W. COLEMAN AND ASSOCIATES) JOHN GLASSON, WASHINGTON TRADING CO., HOSIER AND W.H. WORTHINGTON, A.L HARROUN AND ASSOCIATES, HOWARD E. DAVIS, BRACEY CURTIS, L. LINDSAY
Comment (Deposit): PROPERTY LOCATED ON A NUMBER OF VEINS, INCLUDING THE FLUX AND WORLD'S FAIR VEINS
Comment (Workings): DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED SEVERAL SHALLOW SHAFTS, EACH ABOUT 50 FT DEEP; 230 FT DEEPSHAFT WITH DRIFTS EXTENDING NORTH AND SOUTH FROM 110 FT LEVEL; 600 FT LONG TUNNEL; 460 FT OF DRIFTS; 70-FT DEEP INCLINED KEMP SHAFT IS LOCATED TO NW ACROSS FLUX CANYON, ON A FAULT ZONE WHICH STRIKES N30-40W AND DIPS 40 SW
Comment (Geology): SURFACE CROPPINGS ARE HEAVILY STAINED WITH MANGANESE AND IRON
Comment (Location): 1/2 MILE SW OF WORLD'S FAIR MINE, IN FLUX CANYON; PROPERTY JOINED ON WEST BY FLUX MINE AND ON SOUTH BY THREE R MINE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)
Comment (Production): NO RECORDS OF PRODUCTION
References
Reference (Deposit): SIMONS, FRANK S., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP AND SECTIONS OF THE NOGALES AND LOCHIEL QUADRANGLES, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA; USGS MAP I-762 (1:48000)
Reference (Deposit): ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES FILE DATA, CHIEF MINE
Reference (Deposit): USBM FILES, CHIEF
Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, FRANK C., 1915, MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE SANTA RITA AND PATAGONIA MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA; USGS BULLETIN 582, P. 251
Reference (Deposit): ABGMT CLIPPINGS FILE, CHIEF MINE-PATAGONIA
Reference (Deposit): ABGMT FILES, STANTON B. KEITH
Reference (Deposit): SIMONS, FRANK S. 1972, MESOZOIC STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PATAGONIA MOUNTAINS AND ADJOINING AREAS, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA; USGS PROFESSIONAL PAPER 658-E
Reference (Deposit): KARTCHNER, WAYNE E., 1944, THE GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF A PORTION OF THE HARSHAW DISTRICT, PATAGONIA MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA; PHD. THESIS, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, P. 91-92
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.
