Simplot Mine

The Simplot Mine is a copper, lead, silver, and zinc mine located in Santa Cruz county, Arizona.

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: Simplot Mine
Secondary: Part of Duquesne-Washington Group

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Molybdenum

Location

State: Arizona
County: Santa Cruz
District: Washington Camp 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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
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: Sonoran Desert

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Mineral Deposits Of Washington-Duquesne Area Occupy A Limestone-Sed Iment Belt (2.5 Mi By 1.25 Mi) Surrounded By Igneous Rocks Which Also Form Detached Masses And Dikes Within Belt

Type: L
Description: Post Mineral Faulting Displacing Ore Horizons Tens Of Feet, Nw Plu Nging Anticline; 2 Upper Ore Zones Thicken And Locally Merge To Form O Ne Ore Zone Dipping 50-70 Ne Along Axis Of A Nw Plunging Anticline

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Andesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Andesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Andesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ZN:CU=4.0, ZN:PB=4.8, AG:CU=1.6, PB:CU=0.8, AG:PB=1.9, ZN:AG=2.5

Materials

Ore: Digenite
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Garnet

Comments

Comment (Deposit): THIS REPORT WAS TAKEN FROM RECORD M030398 OF JAN WILT IN MOLYBDENU M FILE, CONTACT PERSON T.G. THEODORE, USGS. SEE ALSO INDIANA MINE. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Location): 900 FT WSW OF KANSAS SHAFT, 1300 FT NNE OF MAINE SHAFT; ADJACENT O N NE TO INDIANA MINE SHAFT ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1979

Comment (Development): J.R. SIMPLOT CO BEGAN MINING OPERATIONS IN WASHINGTON CAMP AREA I N EARLY 1960'S; ASSUMED OWNERSHIP OF INDIANA, HOLLAND, AND BONANZA MIN ES AROUND 1966; HOLLAND MINE CURRENTLY OWNED BY ROSARIO EXPLORATION CO

Comment (Deposit): 3 PRINCIPAL ZONES OF SULFIDE MINERALIZATION; UPPER TWO ZONES ARE 1-10 FT THICK AND ARE SEPARATED BY 0-20 FT OF SKARN AND MARBLE; WEST O F THE SIMPLOT SHAFT THESE ZONES STRIKE N AND DIP 60-80W; LOWEST ORE ZO NE OCCURS AT TOP OF 50 FT THICK DACITE SILL

Comment (Workings): SHAFTS (2)

Comment (Geology): MOLYBDENITE REPLACES GARNET, CHALCOPYRITE, & GALENA; FREQUENT POST -MINERALIZATION FAULTING HAS DISPLACED ORE HORIZON TENS OF FEET; HOWEV ER, CONTINUOUS MINERALIZATION CAN BE TRACED UP TO 300 FT ALONG STRIKE.

References

Reference (Deposit): LEHMAN, 1978, PH.D. THESIS, UNIV OF AZ

Reference (Deposit): SIMONS, 1974, USGS MAP I-762

Reference (Deposit): KEITH, 1975, ABM BULL 191

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, 1915, USGS BULL 582

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): ADMR FILE DATA, J.R. SIMPLOT CO. PROPERTY

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.