Heavy Weight Mine

The Heavy Weight Mine is a copper mine located in Pima county, Arizona at an elevation of 4,501 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

Name: Heavy Weight Mine  

State:  Arizona

County:  Pima

Elevation: 4,501 Feet (1,372 Meters)

Commodity: Copper

Lat, Long: 31.86417, -110.77972

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 Heavy Weight Mine

Heavy Weight Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Heavy Weight Mine
Secondary: Light Weight


Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Gold
Tertiary: Beryllium


Location

State: Arizona
County: Pima
District: Helvetia - Rosemont 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: Helvetia Copper Co.


Production

Year: 1902
Time Period: 1885-1902
Material type: ORE CU-AG
Description: Cp_Grade: ^5% Cu, 1.5 Oz Ag/Ton


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1889
Year Last Production: 1902
Discovery Year: 1887
Discovery Method: 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

Form: IRREGULAR, TABULAR


Structure

Type: R
Description: Homoclinal ; Reg.Trends: Tilting And Broad Open Folds In S. And Extensive Faulting In N.

Type: L
Description: Thrust And Normal Faulting - Fracture Zones.


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Garnetization, Silicification


Rocks

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

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CHANNEL SAMPLE FROM PORTAL SHOWS .0004 PERCENT BEO (WARNER, 1959).


Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Covellite


Comments

Comment (Commodity): SCHRADER ALSO LISTS SECONDARY MALACHITE - BORNITE AND COVELLITE AFTER CHALCOPYRITE.

Comment (Geology): ORE GENERALLY IN LIME-SILICATE ZONES CONTROLLED BY FAULTS AND FRACTURES. SAME CONTACT EXTENDS TO THE BACKBONE, BLACKHAWK, AND WEDGE CLAIMS TO THE WEST, AND TO THE TIP TOP MINE. ; GEOL.DESC: AGE OF MINERALIZATION BELIEVED TO BE THAT OF THE QUARTZ LATITE INTRUSIVE OF DREWES - 1971. ; REG.COM: STRUCTURE IN DISTRICT IS THRUST FAULTING - HIGH ANGLE NORMAL FAULTING AND FOLDING.

Comment (Deposit): ORE IN SHEARED CONTACT BETWEEN LIMESTONE AND INTRUSIVE.

Comment (Workings): THREE LEVELS OF CUTS AND TUNNELS INTO STEEP SLOPE

Comment (Deposit): THE STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS USED ARE THOSE OF H. DREWES - 1971 USGS MAP I-613. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Development): CLOSED IN 1902 DUE TO LOW COPPER PRICES.

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: LATE 188?


References

Reference (Deposit): 1971 DIREXPL ANACONDA-POSSIBLE NEW PORPH. COPPER DEPOSIT.

Reference (Deposit): 1971 GEOLMAP H. DREWES U.S.G.S. MAP I-613.

Reference (Other Database): CIMRI

Reference (Production): KEITH, S.B., 1974, ABM BULLETIN 189, P.126.

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, F.C., 1915, USGS BULL 582.

Reference (Deposit): ARIZONA BUREAU OF MINES, 1971, FIELDNOTES, V. 1, NO 2.

Reference (Deposit): DREWES, H., 1971, USGS MAP I-613 (SAHUARITA QUAD).

Reference (Deposit): CREASEY, S.C., 1955, USGS BULL 1027F.

Reference (Deposit): JOHNSON, V.H., 1941, GEOLOGY OF THE HELVETIA MINING DISTRICT, PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA: UNIV OF ARIZONA PH.D THESIS.

Reference (Deposit): 1909 RECON F. C. SCHRADER U.S.G.S. BULL. 582.


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