Big Lead Mine

The Big Lead Mine is a lead and copper mine located in Santa Cruz county, Arizona at an elevation of 4,239 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: Big Lead Mine
Secondary: W.
Secondary: M
Secondary: M. Mine

Commodity

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

Location

State: Arizona
County: Santa Cruz
District: Patagonia 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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Sonoran Desert

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: SHOOTS

Structure

Type: R
Description: E-W And Ne Trending Quartz Veins And Associated Bands Of Crushed Mineralized Rock In Fault Fissures Cutting Diorite And Quartz Monzonite

Type: L
Description: Dip Of Vein Is Steep To South Near Surface And Nearly Vertical (Dipping Slightly To North) Near Bottom Of 75 Ft Shaft

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Minor Oxidation

Rocks

Name: Hornblendite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 58.000000+-5.000000
Age Young: Tertiary

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Silver
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite

Comments

Comment (Geology): MINE LOCATED AT OR NEAR CONTACT OF TERTIARY DIORITE WITH JURASSIC COARSE-GRAINED GRANITE OF THE COMORO CANYON TYPE

Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO: GOLDEN ROSE MINE FOR GEOLOGIC INFORMATION ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Location): 1 MI NW OF GOLDEN ROSE MINE ON N SIDE OF A TRIBUTARY OF PROVIDENCIA CANYON ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)

Comment (Production): NO RECORDS OF PRODUCTION

Comment (Deposit): LODE IS ABOUT 25 FT WIDE AND CONTAINS A 3.5 FT WIDE VEIN; ORE OCCURS IN 5-INCH WIDE SHOOTS

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS INCLUDED A 75-FT DEEP SHAFT AND VARIOUS DRIFTS

References

Reference (Deposit): USBM FILES, BIG LEAD MINE

Reference (Deposit): SCHRADER, FRANK C.,1915, USGS BULL. 582, P. 312

Reference (Deposit): SIMONS, FRANK S. 1974 GEOLOGIC MAP AND SECTIONS OF THE NOGALES AND LOCHIEL QUADRANGLES, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA; USGS MAP I-762 (1:48000)

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

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.