Christmas Gift Mine

The Christmas Gift Mine is a lead mine located in Santa Cruz 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

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: Christmas Gift Mine
Secondary: Lucky Horseshoe Group
Secondary: Rhea Group
Secondary: Hardtmayer Property
Secondary: Bland Property
Secondary: Gypsy

Commodity

Primary: Lead
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Gold
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Manganese

Location

State: Arizona
County: Santa Cruz
District: Harshaw District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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: Eva Henderson; Patagonia, Az.
Years: 1949 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1890
Year Last Production: 1938
Discovery Year: 1885
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

Form: IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: E-W And N-S Trending Faults In Teritiary Volcanics

Type: L
Description: Thick-Bedded, Very Fine-Grained Volcanics Associated With Red Mountain

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Andesite And Rhyolite Highly Altered; Surface Oxidation To Depths Of 400 Ft.

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: EARLY 1900'S ASSAY VALUES AVERAGED 40 OZ/T AG, 20% PB, MINOR CU AND AU

Materials

Ore: Pyrolusite
Ore: Argentite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Limonite

Comments

Comment (Location): 1/4 MILE WEST OF HARSHAW CREEK, ON NORTHERN SLOPE OF RED MOUNTAIN ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)

Comment (Commodity): ORE FROM DUMP IS HIGHLY SILICEOUS AND IS COLORED LEMON-YELLOW FROM LEAD CARBONATE AND IRON OXIDE

Comment (Development): OWNERS AND OPERATORS INCLUDED BLAND MINING CO., A.S. HENDERSON, RHEA MINING CO; J.H. HERRICK, DOUGHERTY, A.W. HARDTMAYER (1892-1920); PRODUCED INTERMITTENTLY FROM 1890 TO 1938; PROPERTY COMPRISES 9 UNPATENTED LODE CLAIMS; CLAIMS RECLOATED BY A.S. HENDERSON IN 1929

Comment (Deposit): VEINS CONTAINED IN 50-75 FT. LEACHED ZONE; 2 PROMINENT MAIN VEIN SYSTEMS, GENERALLY TRENDING E-W, EXPOSED SEVERAL 1000 FT ON SURFACE; NORTHERLY VEIN SYSTEM IS ABOUT 100 FT WIDE; SOUTHERLY VEIN SYSTEM IS ABOUT 75 FT WIDE; VEIN CHANNELS WITHIN SYSTEM AVERAGE 10-20 FT WIDE

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1880'S

Comment (Workings): DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED 3 SHAFTS WITH MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 240 FT; 4 CROSSCUTS TOTALLING 400 FT; 30 FT. OF WINZES; 70 FT TUNNEL

Comment (Geology): VOLCANIC ROCKS OF RED MOUNTAIN ARE HIGHLY ALTERED AND LOCALLY MINERALIZED; ANDESITE HOST ROCKS ARE HIGHLY SERICITIZED AND KAOLINIZED; MANGANESE OXIDE OCCURS AS BLACK COATING ON SURFACE ROCKS, AND AS COATINGS AND DENDRITIC CRYSTALS IN WALL ROCK BRECCIA

Comment (Deposit): NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH BLAND PROPERTY IN ALTO GULCH, 8 MILES NW OF PATAGONIA, NEAR ALTO MINE ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

References

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT-USBM FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES FILE DATA, GYPSY MINE

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, FRANK C., 1915, MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE SANTA RITA AND PATAGONIA MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA; USGS BULL, 582, P. 265

Reference (Deposit): KEITH STANTON B., 1975, INDEX OF MINING PROPERTIES IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA; ARIZONA BUREAU OF MINES BULLETIN 191, P. 57

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

Reference (Deposit): SIMONS, FRANK S., 1972, MESOZOIC STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PATAGONIA MOUNTAINS AND ADJOINING AREAS, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA; USGS PROFESSIONAL PAPER 658-E, P. 22.

Reference (Deposit): MOORES, RICHARD C. 1972, THE GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF A PORTION OF THE HARSHAW DISTRICT, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA; M.S. THESIS, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Reference (Deposit): USBM FILES, CHRISTMAS GIFT MINE

Reference (Deposit): ABGMT CLIPPINGS FILE, BLAND MINE

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.