Big Iron No. 1 & 2 Mine

The Big Iron No. 1 & 2 Mine is a manganese mine located in Gila county, Arizona at an elevation of 4,400 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

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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: Big Iron No. 1 & 2 Mine

Commodity

Primary: Manganese
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Arizona
County: Gila
District: Globe Hills District

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.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Year: 1955
Time Period: 1953 - 1955
Material type: MN
Description: Cp_Grade: ^22.3 % Mn
Year: 1955
Time Period: 1953 - 1955
Material type: MN
Description: Cp_Grade: ^29.2 % Mn

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrolusite
Ore: Wad
Ore: Psilomelane
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Development): BIG IRON CONSISTS OF 5 CONTIGUOUS CLAIMS FORMERLY PART OF A LARGER GROUP, THE MINERAL FARM, OWNED BY MOLINE AND ARIZONA MINING CO. IN THE 1920'S. THE CLAIMS WERE ACQUIRED BY F.A.BENNET WHO THEN SOLD THEM TO F.A.SITTON IN 1953. THE PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY MINED FOR COPPER-SILVER ORE WITH MANGANESE PRODUCTION NOT STARTING UNTIL THE 1950'S.

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1964)

Comment (Production): COPPER PRODUCTION IS INCLUDED IN THE PRODUCTION TOTALS FOR MINERAL FARM.

Comment (Deposit): DESCRIPTION ABOVE IS FOR THE MANGANESE DEPOSIT. COPPER DEPOSITS ON THIS PROPERTY ARE CONTINUATIONS OF THE IRENE AND MINERAL FARM VEINS

Comment (Workings): THE MANGANESE ORE PRODUCED FROM THE BIG IRON NO. 1 CLAIM WAS MINED FROM A SERIES OF SHALLOW OPEN CUTS. THE WORK ON THE NO. 2 CLAIM COMPRISED AN INCLINED SHAFT, A FEW SHALLOW OPEN CUTS NEAR THE SHAFT. COPPER ORE WAS MINED FROM A 400 FT DEEP SHAFT ON THE BIG IRON NO. 1 CLAIM.

References

Reference (Deposit): FARNHAM, L. L., STEWART, L. A., AND DELONG, C. W., 1961 , MANGANESE DEPOSITS OF EASTERN ARIZONA: USBM INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7990 , P. 53 .

Reference (Deposit): USGS PP 342, P. 131

Reference (Deposit): ABM BULL 127, P. 62

Reference (Deposit): ADMR MOLINE AND ARIZONA FILE

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT CLIPPINGS FILES: MOLINE AND ARIZONA; GLOBE MINING CO.

Reference (Production): USBM INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7990

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.