La Fortuna Mine

The La Fortuna Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Yuma county, Arizona at an elevation of 801 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: La Fortuna Mine
Secondary: Fortuna

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Iron
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Arizona
County: Yuma
District: Fortuna District

Land Status

Land ownership: Military Reservation
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.
Administrative Organization: Luke Air Force Base Bombing Range

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1896
Year Last Production: 1941
Discovery Year: 1895
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Salton Trough

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LINEAR

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: The Wall-Rock Alteration Accompanying La Fortuna Vein Consists Mainly Of Carbonatization And Silicification. Such Alteration Together With The Structure, Texture, And Mineralogy Of The Vein, Point To Deposition In The Lower Portion Of The Mesothermal Zone.

Rocks

Name: Amphibolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Amphibolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AU AVERAGED $15 TO $16 PER TON AND 890 FINE

Materials

Ore: Malachite
Ore: Hematite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Silver
Ore: Limonite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Specularite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): MANY BRANCHING AND INTERSECTING FAULTS WITH VEINS IN SCHIST.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS CONSIST OF TWO INCLINED SHAFTS, WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET OF DRIFTS, STOPES.

References

Reference (Deposit): ELSING, M.J., HEINEMAN, R.E.S., 1936, ARIZONA METAL PRODUCTION: ARIZ. B.M. BULLETIN 140, P. 104.

Reference (Deposit): WILSON, E.D., 1933, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF SOUTHERN YUMA COUNTY, ARIZONA: ARIZ. B.M. BULLETIN 134 P. 189

Reference (Deposit): WILSON, E.D., CUNNINGHAM, J.B., BUTLER, G.M., 1934, ARIZONA LODE GOLD MINES AND GOLD MINING: ARIZ. B.M. BULLETIN 137, P. 158.

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): A.B.M. BULLETIN 134, P. 198; A.B.M. BULLETIN 140, P. 104. (13) KEITH, S.B., 1979

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.