Armington Mine

The Armington Mine is a lead and zinc mine located in Santa Fe county, New Mexico at an elevation of 6,401 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: Armington Mine
Secondary: Mine: Armington Lode
Secondary: Armington Tunnel
Secondary: Patented Claim: Armington

Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Tertiary: Copper

Location

State: New Mexico
County: Santa Fe
District: Cerrillos

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: Verne Byrne, Santa Fe, N.M. And John King, Chicago, Il.
Years: 1957 -

Owner Name: Cerrillos Lead And Zinc Co.
Home Office: Cerrillos, N.M.
Years: 1957 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1895
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: Faults And Shear Zones

Type: L
Description: Shear Zone

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1890'S

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS CONSIST OF THE ARMINGTON TUNNEL AND THE ARMINGTON SHAFT. THE ARMINGTON TUNNEL IS A 345-FOOT ADIT DRIVEN NORTH ON A SHEAR ZONE. THE VERTICAL DEPTH OF THE FACE IS ABOUT 170 FEET. AT 175 FEET FROM THE PORTAL IS A 60-FT LONG CROSSCUT. SOUTH OF THE PORTAL OF THE TUNNEL ARE THREE SHAFTS AT INTERVALS OF 150, 230 AND 300 FEET. THEY ARE INACCESSIBLE. THE SOUTHERNMOST IS KNOWN AS THE ARMINGTON SHAFT. IT IS REPORTED TO HAVE A DEPTH OF 150 FEET. WATER STANDS 80 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE.

Comment (Location): LOCATION IS ACCURATE FOR THE SHAFT. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1979

Comment (Deposit): AT THE ARMINGTON TUNNEL THE VEIN IS A BAND OF ALTERED MONZONITE 1 TO 6 FEET THICK CONTAINING A FEW QUARTZ STRINGERS, COPPER STAINS AND MUCH IRON AND MANGANESE OXIDE. WEATHERING IS CONSPICUOUS AT THE FACE, WHICH IS 130 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE. THE VEIN IS HIDDEN BEHIND TIMBERING IN THE ARMINGTON SHAFTS, 460 FEET TO THE SOUTH, NO VEIN CAN BE TRACED FROM THE SHAFTS TO THE TUNNEL.

Comment (Geology): THE POTASH IS FOUND IN THE MCNUTT POTASH ZONE, THE MIDDLE MEMBER OF THE SALADO FORMATION. THE MCNUTT CONTAINS 11 POTASH ORE ZONES, OF WHICH THE 1ST, 3RD, 4TH, 5TH, 7TH, 8TH AND 10TH HAVE PROVED CONCENTRATIONS, BUT THE LARGEST TONNAGES HAVE COME FROM THE 1ST ZONE.

Comment (Deposit): THICK SECTIONS OF SALT AND OTHER EVAPORITE MINERALS ARE PRESENT IN THE PERMIAN BASIN IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO. DURING THE OCHOAN POTASSIUM SALTS WERE DEPOSITED BY EVAPORATING SEAWATER IN A SHALLOW, SUBSIDING BASIN. THE MCNUTT POTASH ZONE, THE MIDDLE MEMBER OF THE SALADO FORMATION CONTAINS 11 POTASH ORE ZONES. THE 1ST, 3RD, 4TH, 5TH, 7TH, 8TH, AND 10TH ZONES HAVE PROVED CONCENTRATIONS OF POTASH, BUT THE GREATEST TONNAGE HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN THE 1ST ZONE. THE SURFACE GEOLOGY IS CHARACTERIZED BY DUNE FIELDS AND KARST TOPOGRAPHY.

Comment (Workings): ALL MINES IN THE DISTRICT ARE MINED THROUGH VERTICAL SHAFTS AND ROOM AND PILLAR METHODS. PILLAR ROBBING ALLOWS EXTRACTION RATES OF 90-92 PERCENT.

Comment (Location): LOCATION IS ACCURATE FOR THE MCC MINE LOCATED AT THE APPROXIMATE CENTER OF THE DISTRICT. MINES AND MILLS ARE ALSO LOCATED IN TOWNSHIPS 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 AND 23 SOUTH AND RANGES 29, 30, 31, 32, AND 33 EAST. TWO MINES AND MILLS ARE LOCATED IN LEA COUNTY. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1979

Comment (Development): POTASH WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN DRILL CUTTINGS FROM THE SNOWDEN AND MCSWEENEY NUTT 1 WELL IN SECTION 4, T. 21 S., R. 30 E. IN EDDY COUNTY.

References

Reference (Deposit): DISBROW, A.E., AND STOLL, W.C., 1957, NMBMMR BULL 48, P. 55

Reference (Deposit): ELSTON, W.E., 1967, NMBMMR BULL 81, P. 30-33

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

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