Pearl Handle Pit

Site Name

Primary: Pearl Handle Pit
Secondary: Ray Mine
Secondary: El Paso
Secondary: Hayden

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Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Molybdenum

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Location

State: Arizona
County: Pinal
District: Mineral Creek District

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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.

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Holdings

Type: Fee Ownership
Type: Patented

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Workings

Type: Surface

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Ownership

Owner Name: Kennecott
Info Year: 1986
Years: 1955 -

Owner Name: Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
Company ID: 200150
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: New York
Info Year: 1991

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Production

Year: 1995
Description: Silver Production 839000 T Oz/Yr
Year: 1993
Description: Cu Produced As Cathode Cu From Sx/Ew 33200 Mt/Y
Year: 1992
Description: Cu Cathode Produced From Sx/Ew 38300 Mt/Y
Year: 1993
Description: Cu Contained In Concentrate 111300 Mt/Y
Year: 1992
Description: Cu Contained In Concentrate 111600 Mt/Y
Year: 1991
Description: Cu Recovered From Dump Leach/Sx-Ew 10415 Mt/Y
Year: 1991
Description: Cu Recovered From Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 28248 Mt/Y
Year: 1991
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 67791 Mt/Y
Year: 1991
Description: Ore Mined 9631000 Mt/Y
Year: 1990
Description: Cu Recovered From Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 27225 Mt/Y
Year: 1990
Description: Cu Recovered From Dump Leach/Sx-Ew 9877 Mt/Y
Year: 1990
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 73416 Mt/Y
Year: 1990
Description: Ore Mined 9852000 Mt/Y
Year: 1989
Description: Cu Recovered From Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 26341 Mt/Y
Year: 1989
Description: Cu Recovered From Dump Leach/Sx-Ew 9916 Mt/Y
Year: 1989
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 69798 Mt/Y
Year: 1989
Description: Ore Mined 9006000 Mt/Y
Year: 1988
Description: Cu Recovered From Dump Leach/Sx-Ew 8827 Mt/Y
Year: 1988
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 71278 Mt/Y
Year: 1988
Description: Cu Recovered From Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 26004 Mt/Y
Year: 1988
Description: Ore Mined 9236000 Mt/Y
Year: 1987
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore Mt/Y
Year: 1987
Description: Cu Recovered Via Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 22378 Mt/Y
Year: 1987
Description: Cu Recovered Via Dump Leach/Sx-Ew 6374 Mt/Y
Year: 1987
Description: Cu Recovered Via Dump Leach/Cementation 2339 Mt/Y
Year: 1987
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 65682 Mt/Y
Year: 1987
Description: Ore Mined 10859000 Mt/Y
Year: 1986
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore Mt/Y
Year: 1986
Description: Cu Recovered Via Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 17664 Mt/Y
Year: 1986
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 64971 Mt/Y
Year: 1986
Description: Cu Recovered Via Dump Leach/Cementation 8027 Mt/Y
Year: 1986
Description: Ore Mined 9874000 Mt/Y
Year: 1985
Description: Cu Recovered Via Heap Leach/Sx-Ew 246 Mt/Y
Year: 1985
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore Mt/Y
Year: 1985
Description: Cu Recovered Via Heap Leach/Cementation 2322 Mt/Y
Year: 1985
Description: Cu Recovered Via Dump Leach/Cementation 8431 Mt/Y
Year: 1985
Description: Cu Recovered In Concentrates Sold 67248 Mt/Y
Year: 1985
Description: Ore Mined 11442000 Mt/Y
Year: 1984
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore Mt/Y
Year: 1984
Description: Cu Recovered In Precipitate 9279 Mt/Y
Year: 1984
Description: Cu Recovrd. In Concentrates-Direct Sales 79176 Mt/Y
Year: 1984
Description: Ore Mined 10665000 Mt/Y
Year: 1983
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore Mt/Y
Year: 1983
Description: Ore Mined 2689000 Mt/Y
Year: 1983
Description: Cu Recovered In Precipitate 9087 Mt/Y
Year: 1983
Description: Cu Recovered In Concentrate 24568 Mt/Y
Year: 1982
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore 21 Mt/Y
Year: 1982
Description: Cu Recovered In Precipitate 10169 Mt/Y
Year: 1982
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 34845 Mt/Y
Year: 1982
Description: Ore Mined 4343000 Mt/Y
Year: 1981
Description: Mo Recovered From Ore 357 Mt/Y
Year: 1981
Description: Cu Recovered In Precipitate 11697 Mt/Y
Year: 1981
Description: Cu Recovered From Ore 91110 Mt/Y
Year: 1981
Description: Ore Mined 13440000 Mt/Y
Year: 1980
Description: Total Ore Mined 9945890 Mt/Y
Year: 1979
Description: Total Ore Mined 12883800 Mt/Y
Year: 1978
Description: Total Ore Mined 10542600 Mt/Y
Year: 1977
Description: Total Ore Mined 9545490 Mt/Y
Year: 1971
Time Period: 1911-1971
Material type: CU
Year: 1966
Time Period: 1911-1966
Mined: 170100000.00 mt
Year: 1971
Material type: Cu

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Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Porphyry Cu-Mo
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1911
Discovery Year: 1846
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M

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Physiography

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

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu-Mo

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Orebody

Form: horse-shoe shaped, concentric and symmetrical blanket

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Structure

Type: L
Structure: Broken Hill Fault, West End Fault, North End Fault And Numerous Others

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Sericite, K-Feldspar, Biotite, Propyllitic, Biotite-Clay, Chlorite-Epidote

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Rocks

Name: Schist
Role: Host
Description: quartzose and quartz-mica schists
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Mesoproterozoic

Name: Diabase
Role: Host
Description: sills
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mesoproterozoic

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

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Analytical Data

Analytical Data: PRIMARY CU AS CHALCOPYRITE AVERAGES 0.1-0.2% IN PINAL & GRANITE MTN PORPH. AND MORE THAN 0.4% IN DIABAS

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Materials

Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Brochantite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Copper
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Cuprite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Anhydrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Unknown: Tennantite

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Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Other Name:Pearl Handle Pit(Old). Reserves And Production From Asarco 1993 Ann. Rept. P. 5 & 13.

Comment (Production): Pb And Pc Are Identical Because They Are Both Produced From The Same Electrowinning Operation; However, Prior To The Final Electrowinning Procedure, Pb And Pc Are Obtained Via Separate Processing Facilities Or Circuits. Further- More, Pb Is Derived From The Processing Of Silicate Ore, Whereas Pc Is Derived From The Treatment Of Sulfide Mine Waste.

Comment (Production): Percent Recovery For Cu In Record A Is Actually 83.5.

Comment (Production): Asarco Inc., New York, N.Y., Will Partially Curtail Operations At One Of The Two Concentrators At Is Ray Complex In Hayden, Az To Reduce Copper Concentrate Inventories. . . . The Curtailment Will Begin On Oct. 8 And Is Expected To Lastthrough March 1997. The Curtailment Will Permit The Company To Process Excess Concentrates Through Its Smelters.

Comment (Deposit): Cu-Mo Porphyry Mineralization In An Area 2 Mi X 1.5 Mi X 0.25 Mi Deep. Ore Is Found Mainly In The Supergene-Enriched Pinal Schist.

Comment (Development): In 1991, Operations Included Dump And Heap Leaching. ; Econ.Com: Ore Milled At Hayden, Ariz.

Comment (Workings): 2 Open Pits, Pearl Handle Pit & West Pit

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References

Reference (Deposit): Walenga, Karen, 1989, Mission, Ray Expansion To Assure Copper Feed: Southwestern Paydirt, March 1989, P. 4a-8a.

Reference (Other Database): Cimri

Reference (Geology): The Porter GeoConsultancy webpages for Ray contain a very complete description of the geology. Accessed on 9/28/2010. http://www.portergeo.com.au/
URL: http://www.portergeo.com.au

Reference (Deposit): Cornwall And Others, 1971-1972, USGS Map Gq-1021.

Reference (Deposit): Dayton, S.H., 1988, Asarco Hits The Mark With Arizona Copper Expansion: Engineering and Mining Journal, V. 189, No. 9, P. 30-50.

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 (Deposit): Phillips, K.A., Beard, R.R., Niemuth, N.J., And Bain, D.R., 1991, Active Mines In Arizona--1992: Arizona Department Of Mines And Mineral Resources Directory 39, 20 P.

Reference (Geology): Force E R, 1998 - Laramide alteration of Proterozoic diabase: a likely contributor of Copper to Porphyry systems in the Dripping Spring Mountains area, southeastern Arizona: in Econ. Geol. v93 pp 171-183

Reference (Geology): Porter, T.M., 1998, An overview of the World's porphyry and other hydrothermal copper & gold deposits and their distribution; in Porter, T. M., ed., Porphyry and Hydrothermal Copper and Gold Deposits: a global perspective, PACRIM '98 Conference Proceedings, Australian Mineral Foundation, p. 3-17

Reference (Deposit): Abgmt File Data.

Reference (Deposit): Phillips And Others, 1974, Economic Geology, V. 69, P. 1237-1250.

Reference (Deposit): _____. Mesa Quadrangle (Topographic Map), Arizona. 1 Deg. X 2 Deg. Series, 1978 Rev., Scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. Geological Survey. Hayden Quadrangle (Topographic Map), Arizona. 7.5 Minute Series, 1964, Scale 1:24,000.

Reference (Deposit): Parsons, A. B. Ray Consolidated. Ch. In The Porphyry Coppers. The American Institute Of Mining And Metallurgical Engineers, New York, 1st Ed., 1933, Pp. 184-203.

Reference (Deposit): Epler, B. Copper Firms Get Concessionary Contracts Without Strikes. Southwestern Pay Dirt, August 1986, Pp. 12a-14a.

Reference (Deposit): Asarco Incorporated. Personal Communication With Lee Osmon-Son By Company Representatives During Visit To The Ray Unit In March 1989.

Reference (Deposit): Arizona Pay Dirt. Kennecott Reopening Ray Mine And Mill, Calling Back Workers. August 1983, Pp. 18a-19a.

Reference (Deposit): Sohio. 1982 Annual Report. Pp. 27-28.

Reference (Production): Arizona Dept. Of Mineral Resources. Primary Copper Industry Of Arizona Special Reports, Nos. 5 And 6. (1981 And 1982 Production)

Reference (Production): Skillings Mining Review. Asarco Curtails Operations At Ray Complex. Oct. 5, 1996. P.11.

Reference (Production): World Mining. September 1981, P. 49. (1977-1980 Production)

Reference (Production): Kennezonian, Spring 1977 (Marketing Cathodes)

Reference (Production): Skillings 9/6/69 (Pilot Plant Cost)

Reference (Production): World Mining 6/76 (Vat Leach)

Reference (Production): Skillings 2/74 (Vat Leach Expansion)

Reference (Production): Paydirt 6/23/76 (Milling Rate)

Reference (Production): Skillings 10/73 (Vat Leach Expansion, Cone Precipatators)

Reference (Production): Skillings 1/5/74 (Milling)

Reference (Production): Ariz./N.M. Contractor 11173 (Flotation)

Reference (Production): Skilling 6/20/70 (Crushing, Vat Leach, Electrowinning)

Reference (Production): Kennecott Annual Report 1967 (Crusher)

Reference (Production): Paydirt 5/18/70 (History Of Property, Mine Equip., Crushing Drilling, Trucks, Shovels)

Reference (Age): Banks, N.G. and Stuckless, J.S., 1973, Chronology of intrusion and ore deposition at Ray, Arizona; Part II, fission-track ages; Economic Geology, v. 68, p. 657-664.

Reference (Geology): E/Mj 6/77 (Size Of Ore Body)

Reference (Production): E/Mj 6/77 (Exploration, Ore Body Dimensions, Mine Equip. Mill, Vat Leach, Dump Leach, Electrowinning, Railroad)

Reference (Ownership): Asarco Incorporated. 1986 Annual Report. Pp. 5 And 24.

Reference (Production): Arizona Dept. Of Mines And Mineral Resources. Primary Copper Industry Of Arizona Special Reports, Nos. 8-10, 13, And 14. (1983-1987 Production)

Reference (Geology): Titley and Hicks, 1966 Geology Of The Porphyry Copper Deposits (Geology Of Deposit)

Reference (Deposit): _____. Teapot Mountain Quadrangle (Topographic Map), Arizona--Pinal Co. 7.5 Minute Series, 1964, Scale 1:24,000.

Reference (Deposit): _____. Winkelman Quadrangle (Topographic Map), Arizona. 7.5 Minute Series, 1949, Scale 1:24,000.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Engineering, 5/90, P.414.

Reference (Deposit): O'Neil, Tim, Asarco: Plant Expansions And Modernizations Continue Amidst Company Restructuring, Mining Engineering, 6/89, P.430-434. Continue Amidst Company Restructuring, Mining Engineering, 6/89, P.430-434.

Reference (Deposit): _____. Modifying Ray Sx-Ew To Treat Sulphide Leach. South Western Pay Dirt, February 1987, Pp. 4a-6a.

Reference (Deposit): Metz, R.A., And Rose, A.W., 1966, Geology Of The Ray Copper Deposit, Ray, Arizona, In Titley, S.R., And Hicks, C.L., Eds., Geology Of The Porphyry Copper Deposits, Southwestern North America: Tucson, Ariz., University Of Arizona Press, P. 177-188.

Reference (Deposit): Walenga, K. Kennecott'S Ray Mines Division Is Having A Tough Time. Arizona Pay Dirt, June 1985, P. 3a.

Reference (Production): Roman, Sheffer and Stone, 1978, Draft Ic "Copper Leaching Practices In Western U.S." (Dump Leach Description)

Reference (Deposit): _____. Sonora Quadrangle (Topographic Map), Arizona. 7.5 Minute Series, 1964, Scale 1:24,000.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Record, 3/11/92, P.5.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Engineering, 4/92, P.294.

Reference (Deposit): Mcghee, S.A., Ray Modernization And Concentrator Expansion Project, Preprint Number 93-36, Sme Annual Meeting February 15-18, 1993, 7pp.

Reference (Deposit): Dillard, Gary, Ray Complex Is Hit Hardest By Rail Link WashOut, Southwestern, Pay Dirt, 2/93, P.4a-10a.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Record, 8/26/92, P.14.

Reference (Deposit): Kilburn, John, Ray Expansion Boosts Asarco Copper Output, Northern Miner, 11/23/92, P.1,2.

Reference (Deposit): Skillings', 8/8/92, P.13.

Reference (Deposit): Dillard, Gary, Ray Greatly Expands Ore Reserves- Without Drilling A Hole, Southwestern Pay Dirt, 9/92, P.3a.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Journal, V 319/ N 8185, 8/7/92, P.104.

Reference (Deposit): Metal Bulletin Mounthly, 8/92, P.43.

Reference (Deposit): Dillard, Gary, Expansion Doubles Production, Lowers Costs, Southwestern Pay Dirt, No. 636, 6/92, P.4a-11a.

Reference (Workings): Paydirt 3/25/74 (Mine Equip., Tailings, Expansion, Railroad)

Reference (Workings): Baer,R.L. 1978, File Report-Ray Mine,Leach Plant, Concentrator and Smelter - Visited 4/18/78 (Information On All Phases Of Operation)

Reference (Workings): Kennezonian, Spring 1978 (Drilling)

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Asarco Inc. 1995 Annual Report, P.7.

Reference (Workings): Kennecott Annual Report 1966 (Surface Plant)

Reference (Workings): World Mining 8/73 (Mine Equipment)

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Dayton, S. H. Asarco Hits The Mark With Arizona Copper Expansion. EandMj, September 1988, Pp. 30-50.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Asarco, Inc., 1993 Annual Report. P. 5.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Asarco, Inc., 1993 Form 10-K, P.A15,A18.

Reference (Production): Paydirt 4/71 (Water Diversion Project)

Reference (Deposit): Kennezonian, Summer 1977 (Exploration) Arizona Pay Dirt. Kennecott Surprises Industry By Closing Ray, Chino Indefinitely. March 1982, Front Cover And Pp._____. Ray Has Been Consistent Producer From Underground, Openpit. March 1982, Pp. 6-8 And 10-11.

Reference (Deposit): Skillings' Mining Review. M. M. Sundt Constructing Plant For Kennecott'S Ray Mines. Mar. 31, 1979, P. 6.

Reference (Production): Paydirt 1/78 (Tailings Reclamation)

Reference (Deposit): EandMj. Kennecott'S New Sx Plant On Stream, In This Month In Mining. June 1980, Pp. 35 And 39.

Reference (Production): Skillings 4/27/74 (Underground Leach)

Reference (Production): Paydirt 11/22/76 (Solvent-Extraction Pilot Plant)

Reference (Deposit): Caney, Derek J., American Metal Market, 8-9-95, P.2.

Reference (Deposit): Caney, Derek J., Asarco Overcomes Ray Problems, American Metal Market, V 103/ N 30, 2/14/95, P.2.

Reference (Deposit): Southwestern Pay Dirt, 2/95, P.3a.

Reference (Deposit): Mining Record, V 105/ N 31, 8/17/94, P.6,7.

Reference (Deposit): Coughlin, Patrick J., Commissioning Asarco'S Ray Expansion, Mining Engineering, 7/94, P.637-640.

Reference (Deposit): American Mining Congress Journal, 9/90, P.20.

Reference (Deposit): Skillings', 3/7/92, P.7.

Reference (Deposit): Asarco Inc., Asarco Ray Complex- Ray Modernization And Concentrator Expansion Project, Project Description.

Reference (Age): Kendrick, M.A., Burgess, R., Pattrick, R.A.D. and Turner, G., 2001, Halogen and Ar-Ar age determinations of inclusions within quartz veins from porphyry copper deposits using complementary noble gas extraction techniques; Chemical Geology, v. 177, p. 351-370.

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