Alto Vein Swarm

The Alto Vein Swarm is a lead and silver mine located in Santa Cruz county, Arizona at an elevation of 5,400 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

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: Alto Vein Swarm
Secondary: Gold Tree Mine
Secondary: El Plomo Mine
Secondary: B & R
Secondary: Long Contact
Secondary: Mineral
Secondary: Albert
Secondary: Alto
Secondary: Excelsior
Secondary: Hillside

Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Barium-Barite
Tertiary: Uranium

Location

State: Arizona
County: Santa Cruz
District: Salero 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: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: R. R Hansen And Associates
Years: 1965 -

Owner Name: Fortuna Mining Co.
Years: 1956 - 1959

Production

Year: 1972
Time Period: 1680-1972
Material type: ORE
Description: Cp_Grade: ^12% Pb, 14 Oz/T Ag, 3% Cu, Minor Zn & Au

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1687
Year Last Production: 1959
Discovery Year: 1687
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: Sonoran Desert

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: E-W & Ne Trending Quartz Fissure Veins Along Contacts & Fault Zones In Diorite And Granite Porphyry

Type: L
Description: Veins Generally Well Defined, Carrying Ore Shoots In Which Ore Occ Urs In Lenses & Stringers

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Kaolinization In Fault Gouge

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Hematite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Uraninite

Comments

Comment (Workings): EXTENSIVE TUNNEL & SHAFT OPERATIONS, ALTO TUNNEL IS 1632 FT LONG; MOST SHAFTS ARE FLOODED. OPERATIONS INCLUDED 300 FT VERTICAL SHAFT, 2 000 & 1400 FT ADITS, 175 FT VERTICAL SHAFT WITH 200 FT RAISE, 90 FT IN CLINED SHAFT

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :1979

Comment (Production): WORKED ORIGINALLY BY JESUITS AND LATER BY OTHERS INTERMITTENLY SINCE 1680'S.

Comment (Deposit): 6 MAJOR VEINS TRANSECT PROPERTY: MINERAL, MINERAL NO. 2, ALBERT, ALTO, EXCELSIOR, HILLSIDE; MAJORITY OF WORKINGS ARE ON ALTO VEIN WHICH AVERAGES 3-7 FT WIDE. NW TO SE ZONATION OF SULFIDES (GALENA) TO BARITE WITH DEEPER EROSION TO NW.

Comment (Deposit): THIS REPORT WAS TAKEN FROM RECORD M030411 OF JAN WILT IN MOLYBDENUM FILE, CONTACT PERSON T.G. THEODORE, USGS. INCLUDED IN BACA FLOAT MINERAL SEGREGATION WHICH CONSISTS OF JEFFERSON, BLAND, ALTO, SALERO, VI CEROY, TRENTON, MONTEZUMA, ROYAL BLUE, EUREKA, AND 8 LESS PROMINENT MINES. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Development): PREVIOUS OWNERS INCLUDED LULLY; A. STEINFELD & CO; ALTO CONSOLIDATED MINES, SMELTING, AND TRANSPORTATION CO; (1902-07) ALTO COPPER CO. (1907-1913) SOUTHWEST DEVELOPMENT CO; (1911) HENDERSON; (1924) BRADFORD, (1924) BOND; (1929) LAGUNA; (1931-32) MORENO; (1928) LONG CONTACT MINING CO; (1940-42) FORTUNA MINING CO, ALTO MINES CO (1930), STONE (1 935), MILLER (1938), GRIFFITH (1947)- MRS EVA HENDERSON (1952-54), S. CEANNE & N. MAZER (1956); 13 UNPATENTED CLAIMS; RELOCATED BY AMERICANS IN 1873 AS THE GOLD TREE MINE.

References

Reference (Deposit): DREWS, 1973, USGS BULL 1365.

Reference (Deposit): DREWES, 1971, USGS MAP I-614.

Reference (Deposit): DREWES, 1972, USGS PROF PAPER 746.

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT-USBM FILE DATA.

Reference (Deposit): USBM FILES, ALTO MINE GROUP.

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

Reference (Deposit): ADMR FILE DATA, ALTO MINE, BACA FLOAT.

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT, FILES, STANTON B. KEITH.

Reference (Deposit): TENNEY, 1927-29, HISTORY OF MINING IN AZ, ABM P. 315-316.

Reference (Deposit): USAEC PRELIM RECON REPT, 1955, A-P-360 & 11) BLM DISTRICT MINING SHEET 668.

Reference (Other Database): CIMRI

Reference (Production): KEITH, 1975, P.83

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.