Great American Mine

The Great American Mine is a silver mine located in Cochise county, Arizona at an elevation of 5,600 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: Great American Mine
Secondary: Alpine
Secondary: Heney

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Gold

Location

State: Arizona
County: Cochise
District: Swisshelm 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: Stanley Secrist
Years: 1964 -

Owner Name: Swisshelm Mining Co.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Replacement
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1880
Year Last Production: 1973
Discovery Year: 1880
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: Mexican Highland

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Nnw Thrust Faults In Swisshelms Overthrust Penn Naco Group Over Rhyolite Porphyry

Type: L
Description: Limestone Surrounded By Overlying Tertiary Rhyolite, Penn Naco Group Strikes Nw Dips 20n

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Strong Oxidation

Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pennsylvanian

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Galena
Ore: Tetrahedrite

Comments

Comment (Location): SE 1/4 SEC 1, UTM EST

Comment (Production): SOME 1500 TONS OF ORE PRODUCED INTERMITTENTLY FROM 1880'S TO 1940. 1937 AND 1938 PRODUCTION IN ABGMT-USBM FILES MAY INCLUDE MOUNTAIN QUEEN MINE. MOUNTAIN QUEEN PRODUCTION FIGURES INCLUDE GREAT AMERICAN FOR 1925, 1934, AND 1935

Comment (Development): GROUP OF 4 CLAIMS: HORN SILVER, GREAT AMERICAN, ALICE AND SULPHURETTS; OTHER OPERATORS INCLUDED: ALPINE MINING CO, FOURHORSE MINING CO., OLD DOMINION COM. CO., GREAT AMERICAN (BEN HENEY), AND SHEERER AND HANSEN (1912)

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS INCLUDE TWO SHAFTS ON THE HORN SILVER CLAIM (15 AND 30 FT DEEP) AND NUMEROUS ADITS ON THE GREAT AMERICAN CLAIM THE LONGEST OF WHICH IS 675 FT LONG, AND REACHES MORE THAN 150 FT BELOW THE SURFACE

Comment (Deposit): THIS RECORD CONTAINS DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD D002856 OF HASLER AND BOLM WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Deposit): RECORD INFORMATION ALSO SUPPLIED BY ABGMT

References

Reference (Deposit): ARIZONA DEPT OF MINERAL RESOURCES FILE DATA

Reference (Other Database): CIMRI

Reference (Production): KEITH, 1973, ARIZ BUR OF MINES BULL 187

Reference (Deposit): KEITH, S B, 1973, ARIZONA BUREAU OF MINES BULLETIN 187, P 71

Reference (Deposit): COOPER, 1956, USGS MAP MF-213

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT CLIPPINGS FILES

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.