Mountain Key Mine

The Mountain Key Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Grant county, New Mexico at an elevation of 7,201 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: Mountain Key Mine
Secondary: Claims
Secondary: Mountain Key
Secondary: Wild Bill
Secondary: Lock Vein

Commodity

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

Location

State: New Mexico
County: Grant
District: Pinos Altos 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: Thomas A. Mcdermott
Home Office: Box 2604, Oshkosh, Wis. 54903
Years: 1982 -

Owner Name: Mc Dermott, T. C.
Home Office: Faywood, N. M.
Years: 1948 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1861
Year Last Production: 1948
Discovery Year: 1861
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: PINCH AND SWELL

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Sericitization, Pyritization, With Some Alteration To Kaolinite

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Silver
Ore: Gold
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Argentite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Location): ACCURATE LOCATION AS SHOWN ON USGS GEOLOGIC MAP GQ-865.

Comment (Deposit): THIS RECORD CONTAINS DATA FROM RECORD D011733 BY RON WORL WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MRDS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Production): PRODUCED ABOUT $500,000 IN ORE BY 1905. AVERAGE GRADE OF ORE IN 1905 WAS APPROXIMATELY 27-48 G/T AU, 377 G/T AG, AND 3.5% CU.

Comment (Deposit): VEIN TRENDING NE AND DIPPING 50NW, IN HORNBLENDE QUARTZ MONZONITE PORPHYRY. VEIN IS UP TO 1 M THICK. CU INCREASES WITH DEPTH. ONE CLAIM MINERAL SURVEY NUMBER 1924 AND ONE UNSURVEYED CLAIM.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS REPORTED TO CONSIST OF A 750 FT. INCLINED SHAFT WITH EIGHT LEVELS CONTAINING MORE THAN 4000 FT. OF DRIFTS AND TWO LARGE STOPES.

References

Reference (Deposit): LINDGREN, W., GRATON, L. C., AND GORDON, C. H., 1910 USGS PP 68, P. 297-300

Reference (Deposit): PAIGE, S., 1911 USGS BULL 470, P. 109-119

Reference (Deposit): JONES, W. R., MOORE, S. L., AND PRATT, W. P., 1970 USGS GEOLOGIC MAP, GQ-865

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Reference (Production): LINDGREN, W., GRATON, L.C., AND GORDON, C.H., 1910, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 68, P. 299-300.

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