Reef Mine

The Reef Mine is a tungsten, silver, and gold mine located in Cochise county, Arizona at an elevation of 7,274 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: Reef Mine
Secondary: Tungsten Reef
Secondary: Exposed Reef
Secondary: Sitric

Commodity

Primary: Tungsten
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Quartz
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Tellurium
Tertiary: Zinc

Location

State: Arizona
County: Cochise
District: Reef 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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Year: 1918
Time Period: 1916-1918
Material type: W CONC
Description: Cp_Grade: ^71.6% Wo3
Year: 1956
Time Period: 1955-1956
Material type: W CONC
Description: Cp_Grade: ^74.96% Wo3
Year: 1942
Time Period: 1934-1942
Material type: W CONC
Description: Cp_Grade: ^71% Wo3

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Year Last Production: 1956
Discovery Year: 1895
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: IRREGULAR, SPORADIC BUNCHES

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Barren Qtz Veins

Rocks

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cambrian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: MINUS 5/16-IN QUARTZ/SCHEELITE AVERAGES 71% WO3.

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Silver
Ore: Galena
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): First Production Year: AU/AG 1870'S, W 1916

Comment (Workings): OPEN CUT AND ADIT WORKINGS.

Comment (Deposit): TWO PARALLEL QUARTZ VEINS. OVERALL DIMENSIONS OF THE MINERALIZED ZONES ARE: LENGTH- 3200 FT; WIDTH- 1400 FT; THICKNESS- 20 FT. IRREGULAR SPORADIC BUNCHES AND DISSEMINATIONS OF SCHEELITE WITH SOM GOLD AND SILVER VALUES AND WEAK, OXIDIZED BASE METAL SULFIDES ALONG FRACTURES AND AT JOINT INTERSECTIONS IN A QUARTZ BLANKET AT THE BASE OF THE ABRIGO LST.

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)

Comment (Commodity): IRREGULARLY DISTRIBUTED VALUES; SIZING QUARTZ SOLD TO PETROLEUM REFINERS.

Comment (Production): WORKED IN 1870'S FOR GOLD -PRODUCED SOME GOLD & SILVER. 1870'S - 1900'S. THE QUARTZ WAS SOLD TO THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY WHO HAD NO INTEREST IN THE TUNGSTEN.

Comment (Development): ECON.COM: MILLING METHOD- JIG AND TABLE.

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1890'S

References

Reference (Deposit): DALE, ET AL, 1961, USBM RI 5650.

Reference (Deposit): CREASEY, S.C.,1923.

Reference (Deposit): USBM FILES.

Reference (Deposit): KEITH, S.B., ARIZONA BUREAU OF MINES BULLETIN 187, 1973, P. 67.

Reference (Deposit): WILSON, ABM BULL 148, P. 48-49.

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: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES SPECIAL PUBLICATION, 334 P.

Reference (Other Database): CIMRI

Reference (Production): DALE - RI 5650; SAWYER AND OTHERS, 1992.

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.