Santa Rosa Tar Sands

The Santa Rosa Tar Sands is a oil sands mine located in Guadalupe county, New Mexico.

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

Name: Santa Rosa Tar Sands  

State:  New Mexico

County:  Guadalupe

Elevation:

Commodity: Oil Sands

Lat, Long: 35.02472, -104.63250

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.


Satelite image of the Santa Rosa Tar Sands

Santa Rosa Tar Sands MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Santa Rosa Tar Sands


Commodity

Primary: Oil Sands
Tertiary: Uranium


Location

State: New Mexico
County: Guadalupe


Land Status

Administrative Organization: Blm Roswell Resource Area


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1930
Year Last Production: 1939
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N


Physiography

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


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Form: STRATA-BOUND


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Sandstone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Triassic


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Not available


Comments

Comment (Location): FLOODED BY LOS ESTERES RESERVOIR (SANTA ROSA LAKE).

Comment (Production): PLANS WERE MADE IN THE LATE 1970'S BY SOLV-EX CORP. TO MINE TAR SANDS AND TO RECOVER OIL FROM THEM WITH A SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESS. THE PLANS WERE ABANDONED IN 1983 DUE TO ECONOMICS.

Comment (Deposit): THE DEPOSIT IS A HYDROCARBON ACCUMULATION THAT HAS MIGRATED TO THE SURFACE THROUGH PERMEABLE AND POROUS STRATA AND ALONG FAULTS AND FRACTURES.

Comment (Deposit): NOW FLOODED BY SANTA ROSA LAKE. FUTURE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS COULD REVIVE COMMERCIAL INTEREST.


References

Reference (Deposit): BROADHEAD, R. F., AND KING, W. E., 1988, NEW MEXICO BUREAU OF MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES BULLETIN 119, 51P. BUDDING, A. J., 1980, NEW MEXICO GEOLOGY, V. 2, NO. 1, P. 4-5


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