Old Pioneer Mine

The Old Pioneer Mine is a silver mine located in Gila county, Arizona at an elevation of 4,600 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: Old Pioneer Mine
Secondary: Pioneer
Secondary: White Metal

Commodity

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

Location

State: Arizona
County: Gila
District: Pinal Mountains 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: White Metal Mining Co.
Years: 1969 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Year Last Production: 1969
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

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Dripping Springs Quartzite Is In Fault Contact With Diabase To S., Fault Strikes Nw. Dripping Springs Quartzite Strikes E-W Dips 20-25 S. Barnes Conglomerate Is Present Both At The Dripping Springs-Diabase Contact, And At Dripping Springs-Pioneer Shale Contact, Which Strikes Nw. Width Of Dripping Springs Quartzite, 100 M. At Mine

Type: L
Description: Two Parallel Ne Trending Faults

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Location): GROUP OF ADITS AND SHAFTS, CENTRAL SHAFT USED FOR UTM ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)

Comment (Deposit): THREE MAJOR NE STRIKING VEINS, 1 TO 3 METERS WIDE. 8 TO 10 FT IN OPEN CUTS, LOW GRADE

Comment (Development): WHITE METAL MINING COMPANY WAS MAIN PRODUCER IN 1920'S. CLIPPINGS REPORT THAT HIGH GRADE ORE WAS PRODUCED IN 1884.

Comment (Workings): 700 FT OF STOPING ON THE 200 AND 300 FT LEVELS OF THE 450 FT. SHAFT. ALSO A 350 FT SHAFT ON THE HOWARD VEIN, WHERE 750 FT OF STOPING IS PRESENT ON THE 200 FT LEVEL. OPEN CUTS ARE ALSO PRESENT

Comment (Geology): LCRET-TERT RHYOLITE OUTCROPS 1/8 MILE NE OF MINE, IN CONTACT WITH PIONEER SHALE, RHYOLITE OF THIS AGE COMMON IN AREA IN BOTH PIONEER SHALE AND RUIN GRANITE

References

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT-USBM PRODUCTION DATA

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT CLIPPINGS FILE

Reference (Deposit): ADMR PIONEER MINE FILE

Reference (Deposit): USGS GEOLOGIC QUADRANGLE GQ-1442, 1978

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.