Birchfield Manganese Mine

The Birchfield Manganese Mine is a manganese mine located in Luna county, New Mexico at an elevation of 4,849 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: Birchfield Manganese Mine
Secondary: San-Tex Mine
Secondary: Birchfield Group

Commodity

Primary: Manganese

Location

State: New Mexico
County: Luna
District: Florida Mountains District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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: Birchfield, Jr., W. P.
Home Office: Deming, N.M.
Years: 1961 -

Owner Name: Birchfield, Jr., W. P.
Years: 1958 -

Production

Year: 1955
Time Period: 1942 To 1955
Description: Cp_Grade: ^Ore Grade 23 To 30% Mn.

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Replacement
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1942
Year Last Production: 1958
Discovery Year: 1905
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
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

Structure

Type: L
Description: Bedding Strikes Nne And Dips 45 To 70 Se. Fractures Strike Ne To N W.

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Ordovician

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Ordovician

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrolusite
Ore: Wad
Ore: Psilomelane
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Jasper
Gangue: Limonite

Comments

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS REPORTED IN 1961 CONSISTED OF ONE LONG ADIT, TWO INCLINE D SHAFTS, MANY SMALL OPENCUTS, AND NUMEROUS PITS AND TRENCHES.

Comment (Location): ACCURATE LOCATION IS FOR THE MAIN ADIT WHICH IS SHOWN AS THE SAN-T EX MINE ON THE GYM PEAK TOPOGRAPHIC QUADRANGLE.

Comment (Deposit): TWELVE UNPATENTED CLAIMS IN THE 1950'S.

References

Reference (Deposit): FARNHAM, L.L., 1961 USBM IC-8030, P. 63-65

Reference (Deposit): GRISWOLD, G.B., 1961 NMBMMR BULL 72, P. 120 AND P. 128

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): CLEMONS, R.E., 1982 NMBMMR GEOLOGIC MAP GM-58

Reference (Production): FARNHAM, L.L., 1961, P. 63-64.

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