Clifton Copper Mines

The Clifton Copper Mines is a copper mine located in Greenlee county, Arizona at an elevation of 5,518 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: Clifton Copper Mines
Secondary: Clifton Group
Secondary: Standard Consolidated Copper Co Claims
Secondary: Copper Centre Mine

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Tertiary: Gypsum-Anhydrite
Tertiary: Molybdenum

Location

State: Arizona
County: Greenlee
District: Copper Mountain 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: Phelps Dodge Corp., Morenci Branch
Years: 1952 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1905
Year Last Production: 1911
Discovery Year: 1875
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

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: Closely Massed Joint Systems Trending Ne; Fissure System Trending Ne

Type: L
Description: Monzonite Porphyry Is Leached, Whitened, And Decomposed; Fissure Veins Occur In Large Of Impregnated And Shattered Porphyry

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation To Unknown Depth; Chloritization Of Biotite; Extensive Hydrothermal Alterration

Rocks

Name: Limestone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age in Years: 55.200000+-1.700000
Age Young: Tertiary

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age in Years: 55.200000+-1.700000
Age Young: Tertiary

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 55.500000+-0.500000
Age Young: Tertiary

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 1908 ASSAY VALUES AVERAGED 30 TO 40% CU.

Materials

Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Molybdenite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Gypsum

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: LATE 1800'S

Comment (Geology): CONTACT OF GRANITE PORPHYRY AND GRANITE COUNTRY ROCK LIES 0.25 MILES TO THE SE.

Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO: STANDARD MINE, SAN JOSE MINE ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Location): CLIFTON GROUP OF 8 CLAIMS ARE FOUND IN THE NORTH HALF OF SECTION 10 AND SE QUARTER OF SECTION 9; ABOVE LOCATION COORDINATES DESCRIBE COPPER CENTRE MINE, EASTERNMOST ADIT IN NW QUARTER OF SECTION 10 ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1973)

Comment (Development): OPERATORS INCLUDED GEORGE H. DUDLEY; CLIFTON COPPER MINES, LTD; STANDARD CONSOLIDATED COPPER CO; DETROIT COPPER MINING CO OF ARIZONA; ARIZONA COPPER SYNDICATE; SAN JOSE, CLIFTON, AND STANDARD CLAIMS ACQUIRED BY DETROIT COPPER MINING CO OF ARIZONA IN 1912

Comment (Deposit): 8 PATENTED CLAIMS TOTALLING 163 ACRES; IRREGULAR ORE BODIES EXTEND INTO PORPHYRY FROM FISSURE VEIN. SULFIDE ORE BODY IS ENTIRELY CONTAINED IN PORPHYRY ROCK.

Comment (Workings): DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED 280 FT SHAFT ON THE COPPER CENTRE CLAIM

References

Reference (Other Database): CIMRI

Reference (Deposit): KEITH, S.B., 1969, GYPSUM AND ANHYDRITE, IN MINERAL AND WATER RESOURCES OF ARIZONA: WASHINGTON, C.D., U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, P. 371-385.

Reference (Deposit): BENNETT, 1975, GEOLOGY AND ORIGIN OF THE BRECCIAS IN THE MORENCI-METCALF DISTRICT, GREENLEE CO, AZ: MS THESIS, UNIV OF AZ

Reference (Deposit): USGS PROFESSIONAL PAPER 43 (1905), PAGES 303-304

Reference (Deposit): BENNETT, K.C., 1975, GEOLOGY AND ORIGIN OF THE BRECCIAS IN THE MORENCI-METCALF DISTRICT, GREENLEE COUNTY, ARIZONA: M.S. THESIS. UNIVERSITY

Reference (Deposit): WEED, W.H., 1914, THE COPPER HANDBOOK, VOL. XI, PAGES 316-318, DETROIT COPPER MINING CO OF ARIZONA

Reference (Deposit): STEVENS, H.J., 1908, THE COPPER HANBOOK, VOL VIII, PAGES 1264-65, STANDARD CONSOLIDATED COPPER CO

Reference (Deposit): STEVENS, H.J., 1909, THE COPPER HANDBOOK, VOL. IX, PAGE 533, CLIFTON COPPER MINES LTD.

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT-USBM FILE DATA

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.