The United Verde Mine is a copper and gold mine located in Yavapai county, Arizona at an elevation of 5,098 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: 5,098 Feet (1,554 Meters)
Commodity: Copper, Gold
Lat, Long: 34.75194, -112.12306
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.
United Verde Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: United Verde Mine
Secondary: Hull
Secondary: Big Hole
Secondary: Hopewell Tunnel
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Arsenic
Location
State: Arizona
County: Yavapai
District: Verde 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: Surface/Underground
Ownership
Owner Name: Phelps Dodge Corp.
Home Office: Phoenix, Az.
Years: 1986 -
Owner Name: Phelps Dodge Corp.
Home Office: Phoenix, Az.
Years: 1986 -
Production
Year: 1940
Time Period: 1918 - 1940
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^3.4% Cu, 2.07 Toz Ag/St, 0.071 Toz Au/St
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1884
Year Last Production: 1975
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Mexican Highland
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Form: PIPELIKE/CRESCENT, ARCUATE
Structure
Type: R
Description: Foliation In Metavolcanic Rocks Trends N10w To N40w
Type: L
Description: Massive Sulfide Lenses Elongate Parallel To Bedding In Metavolcanic Rocks
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Chloritization, Sericitization, Chloritization, Pyritization
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Cuprite
Ore: Copper
Ore: Silver
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Tennantite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Ankerite
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Jasper
Unknown: Pyrite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): AN UNDERGROUND FIRE BEGAN IN 1894 WHEN PART OF THE SULFIDE ORE BODY SLIPPED TO CAUSE FIRE-STARTING FRICTION; MANY RARE FIRE MIENRALS WERE FORMED DURING THE MORE THAN 30 YEARS THAT THE FIRE BURNED. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT
Comment (Development): BIG HOLE MINING CO WAS OPERATOR IN 1975. DURING 1984-1986, PHELPS DODGE EVALUATED UNMINED ZINC PORTION OF THE DEPOSIT, DID A GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY AND A GEOLOGIC REVIEW.
Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT IS MASSIVE SULFIDE LENS IN METARHYOLITE OR NEAR CONTACT OF METARHYOLITE AND GABBRO. THE SHAPE OF THE PIPE IS DUE TO: (1) THE OVERHANG OF THE GABBRO ABOVE THE 3000 - FOOT LEVEL, (2) THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE GABBRO AND TUFFACEOUS SEDIMENTS OR QUARTZ PORPHYRY, AND (3) THE ZONE OF PRONOUNCED FOLIATION. THREE LARGE ORE SHOOTS AND 2 SULFIDE PIPES ALSO ARE PRESENT. QUARTZ PORPHYRY IS REPLACED BY SULFIDES.
Comment (Workings): MINING METHODS: HORIZONTAL CUT AND FILL STOPING; SQUARE-SET METHOD; SCRAPERS FOR INCLINED CUT AND FILL; MITCHELL SLICE SYSTEM; OPEN PIT MINING. OPEN PIT IS 630 FEET DEEP.
Comment (Reserve-Resource): 1986 FIGURE IS GEOLOGIC ESTIMATE.
Comment (Location): MAIN SHAFT IN SECTION 22 WITH TUNNEL GOING NE THROUGH SE SECTIONS 15 AND 14 ENDING AT HOPEWELL TUNNEL IN SECTION 14.
Comment (Production): ITEMS 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ARE PRODUCTION FROM OPEN PIT MINING.
References
Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, C.A., AND NASH, J.T., 1972, GEOLOGY OF THE MASSIVE SULFIDE DEPOSITS AT JEROME, ARIZONA - A REINTERPRETATION: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL. 67 , NO. 7, NOVEMBER 1972, P. 845.
Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, C.A., AND CREASEY, S.C., 1958, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE JEROME AREA, YAVAPAI COUNTY, ARIZONA: U.S.G.S. PROF PAPER 308, P. 101-135.
Reference (Deposit): BLAIR, GERRY, 1992, THE ROCKHOUND'S GUIDE TO ARIZONA: HELENA, MONTANA, FALCON PRESS, 165 P.
Reference (Deposit): SAWYER, M.B., GURMENDI, A.C., DALEY, M.R., AND HOWELL, S.B., 1992, PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS OF STRATEGIC AND CRITICAL MINERALS IN ARIZONA: UNITED STATES BUREAU OF MINES SPECIAL PUBLICATION, 334 P.
Reference (Other Database): CIMRI
Reference (Production): USGS PP308, P. 101; A.B.M. BULLETIN 178, P. 33; SAWYER AND OTHERS, 1992.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): USGS PP 308, P. 118; NIEMUTH, 1986.
Reference (Deposit): ALENIUS, E.M.J., 1968 , A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNITED VERDE OPEN PIT, JEROME, ARIZONA: ARIZONA BUREAU OF MINES BULLETIN 178, P. 33.
Reference (Deposit): ABGMT-USBM FILE DATA.
Reference (Deposit): NIEMUTH, N.J., 1987, ARIZONA MINERAL DEVELOPMENT 1984-1986: ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES DIRECTORY 29, 46 P.
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.
