Lea Mine

The Lea Mine is a potassium mine located in Lea county, New Mexico at an elevation of 3,451 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: Lea Mine
Secondary: National Potash Co. Mine

Commodity

Primary: Potassium
Secondary: Uranium

Location

State: New Mexico
County: Lea
District: Carlsbad Potash District

Land Status

Land ownership: Federal
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

Owner Name: National Potash Co.
Home Office: P.O. Box 731, Carlsbad, N.M. 88220
Years: 1981 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1965
Year Last Production: 1981
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Interior Plains
Physiographic Province: Great Plains Province
Physiographic Section: Pecos Valley

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Evaporite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Evaporite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Sylvite
Gangue: Clay
Gangue: Halite

Comments

Comment (Location): GEODETIC AND UTM LOCATION ARE FOR MINE AND MILL BUILDINGS SHOWN IN PHOTOREVISED CLAYTON BASIN TOPOGRAPHIC QUADRANGLE.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Comment (Development): REPORTED CAPACITY OF 6000 TONS PER DAY.

References

Reference (Deposit): MANSFIELD, G.R., AND LANG, W.B., 1929 AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERS, TECHNICAL PUBLICATION NO. 212, 17 PAGES

Reference (Deposit): JONES, C.L., 1954 NMGS GUIDEBOOK FIFTH FIELD CONFERENCE, P. 107-112

Reference (Deposit): ALTO, B.R., AND FULTON, R.S., 1965 NMBMMR BULL 87, P. 299-309

Reference (Deposit): CHEESEMAN, R.J., 1978 NMBMMR CIRC 159, P. 7-14

Reference (Deposit): AUSTIN, G.S., 1976 NMBMMR ANNUAL REPORT, P. 23-29

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